Salary: £26,640 - £30,173

Contract type: Permanent

Reporting to: Head of Communications and Media (Campaigns)

Team: Audiences and Media

Who are we?

We are Scotland’s design museum. Designed for everyone, firing imaginations and sparking curiosity in design across Scotland and around the world. At V&A Dundee we are on a mission to inspire and empower through design.

Design shapes our world, it's part of everyday life and it's everywhere. We are a museum with energy and have a vision of the future where everyone is inspired through design and recognizes its far-reaching impact in our lives.

We are a welcoming place for people of Dundee to explore design and to use as an everyday part of their city, as well as inviting visitors from around the world. We are part of the V&A family of museums that celebrate creativity in all its forms from across centuries, for everyone.

Role profile

V&A Dundee is looking for a passionate and experienced Communications and Media Officer to support the promotion of Scotland’s design museum, including exhibitions, events and the learning programme.

This is a busy and highly rewarding role promoting V&A Dundee’s exhibitions and activities, with wide scope for a media professional to devise and deliver creative media campaigns, collaborating with the Heads of Communications, curators, designers and other voices.

The Communications and Media Officer will help build profile and understanding of V&A Dundee, as well as engaging audiences and driving visits to the museum, exhibitions and events. The role reports to the Head of Communications (Campaigns) and also supports filming and location activity, supporting both profile and income generation.

This would suit a candidate with experience of media relations, working in the media, or both.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the joint Heads of Communications in implementing high-impact and effective media campaigns

• Help deliver integrated campaigns in tandem with the Marketing and Content team, driving engagement and visits to the museum, exhibitions, events, retail and the online offer

• Take the lead on smaller and mid-scale media campaigns and projects

• Research, write and issue press releases, media articles and other communications, working with senior colleagues to approve key messages

• Identify, plan and implement high impact and effective media events, briefings and photo/film opportunities

• Develop, pitch and place features, news, comment and visual storytelling ideas as well as media partnership proposals

• Brief and draft key messages and speaking notes for spokespeople

• Monitor and manage the press inbox, preparing and providing media with the materials and information required such as quotes, press releases and images

• Prepare media materials for media, stakeholders and partners

• Support photography and filming opportunities, including V&A Dundee’s internal film production and external production teams

• Support with the management of digital assets, including photography and film delivered by external suppliers 

• Help develop creative ideas to promote V&A Dundee, including for news stories, feature ideas and TV and radio broadcast 

• Co-ordinate the digital filing of media coverage, reporting and sharing the impact of media coverage with the wider organisation 

• Support effective internal communications at V&A Dundee

• Support the effective running of the department by co-ordinating events and media opportunities

• Be available out-of-hours for media events, or to respond to urgent enquiries on an occasional basis

• Any other duties determined to be reasonable for this position

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of media relations or working in the media

• Excellent writing and editorial skills

• Understanding of the media environment

• Experience of developing and delivering communications plans

• Experience of liaising with journalists, handling media enquiries and organising interviews and photo calls

• Skills in preparing compelling materials and statements for the media as well as a range of other audiences

• Ability to communicate with credibility and authority, presenting a compelling point of view

• An ability to work confidentially, handling sensitive information

• A good influencer, able to communicate with credibility and present a compelling point of view

• Resilient under pressure and at ease with multiple deadlines

• Self-motivated, proactive and willingness to go the extra mile

Desirable

• Knowledge of PR and media communications in cultural environments and working collaboratively with marketing, learning, access, income generation and fundraising

• Knowledge of communications for specialist audiences in design or educational environments

• Understanding of online, podcast and social media channels as communications tools