Communications Manager

Better Food Traders is a non-profit CIC working to improve sustainability in the food system, by building routes to market and increasing sales of food that is better for people and the planet. We support sustainable food traders with training, peer-learning and advice, we run coordinated public awareness campaigns, we work with local authorities and regional food partnerships, and we push for policy change to support the sustainable food sector. 

Do you want to help create a better food system? Come and join the Better Food Traders staff, supporting the work of this dynamic network in a flexible, part-time role. The Communications Manager is a new role and will be a key part of the team. You will be responsible for driving our overall comms strategy, delivering it with a collaborative spirit and great execution - weaving together our membership comms, our growing policy and advocacy work, and public-facing marketing and campaigns. This will be a stretching and varied role, with potential to bring lots of your own ideas and help shape the future of Better Food Traders. 

Main job objectives:

1. Communications Strategy: Develop and deliver a communications strategy, in collaboration with other team members, which works for BFT, external partners and network members.
2. Develop campaigns: Straddling policy and advocacy, and public-facing marketing and campaigns - help us push for change, call for greater support for Better Food Traders, and build our brand.
3. Oversee our social media: Work with our Social Media Manager to create great content that engages all of our different audiences.
4. Produce creative and engaging public-facing content: Design, create and manage new regular public-facing content, eg a newsletter and/or podcast.
5. Support our members’ marketing: Plan for useful marketing assets that can be shared and/or adapted by our members, as well as amplifying our members in our own comms and through partnerships. 
6. Internal systems: Develop and maintain our online systems and comms channels, and manage the Comms budget.
7. Team working: Be an effective member of the Better Food Traders Team whilst also being a confident self-starter, comfortable working remotely with 1-2 days per month in person.

Person specification

Essential

• An understanding of the food system and alternatives to conventional methods of producing and retailing food, and a desire to work for change.
• Proven ability to create and deliver a communications strategy for a non-profit - covering all aspects of planning, timeline, budget, stakeholder management and execution.
• Track record of managing campaigns - identifying new campaigning priorities, collaborating with partners and delivering outcome-focused campaigning activities. 
• Experience of policy advocacy and influencing government.
• Strong design, admin and IT skills, including good knowledge of G-Suite (Docs, Sheets, Forms and Slides), Wordpress, Mailchimp, Canva, Facebook, Instagram and Eventbrite.
• High level proficiency in English, both written and spoken, with attentive listening abilities and the ability to communicate clearly, concisely and authoritatively. 
• Proven ability to work autonomously and adapt to changing priorities. 

Desirable

• Existing network within the sustainable food sector in the UK.
• Understanding of food enterprise and the challenges faced by the sector.
• Podcast development experience.
• Newsletter development experience.
• Production skills such as audio recording, filming, editing. 

Employment/reward package

• Permanent contract
• 3 days per week 
• £24,600 (£41,000 FTE pro rata)
• 33 days annual leave (pro rata’ed)
• 3% Stakeholder pension scheme
• Working flexibly and from home, with a monthly team meeting in London if possible (happy to flex for those living further away).
• Training and upskilling encouraged. 
• Opportunities for public speaking and networking in the sector.
• New and growing social enterprise, with room to grow the organisation.

Closing date - 5pm Weds 20th August

Interviews - 28th Aug, 1st and 2nd Sept

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to inclusivity, equality and non-discrimination - please let us know if you have any special requirements for interview and throughout the hiring process.