Press Officer JD, NEON - New Economy Organisers Network

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1. Press Officer, NEON (spokesperson network). Location: London ... broadcast media appearances, on Sky News, Channel 4
Press Officer, NEON (spokesperson network) Location: London Salary: £28,079 - £31,949 (depending on experience) + pension contribution Timescale: 4 or 5 days per week; 15 month contract over a period of maternity – with possibility of extension Application deadline: Midnight Thursday 20 July - details below Interviews: Tues 25 and Wed 26 July Reporting to: Director

About the role: The New Economy Spokesperson Network is a project to substantially boost the number of progressive, diverse voices in the mainstream media, collaboratively run by NEON and the New Economics Foundation (NEF). So far we have trained, coached and provided booking support to 56 spokespeople from across civil society working on social, environmental and economic issues. Our spokespeople have already had well over 550 high-profile broadcast media appearances, on Sky News, Channel 4 News and BBC News among others. We are expanding the capacity of the New Economy Spokesperson Network in order to train more spokespeople and book more broadcast media appearances for them. We are looking for someone with experience working with the media - be it a press officer, communications lead or journalist with a good network of media contacts. The role is designed to build on the achievements of the spokesperson network and take it to the next level. You will work closely with the Senior Comms Advisor, NEON’s Director and the Senior Press Officer at NEF (our sister organisation on the project) to recruit spokespeople, help to organise training sessions and encourage peer mentoring, and support our spokespeople, helping them develop media lines and pitching them to media outlets. Your main role will be acting as a media officer for members of the spokesperson network. This includes identifying media opportunities, being in regular contact with spokespeople to help them develop media lines and contacting media outlets to get our spokespeople into broadcast and print media. You will also work alongside the Spokesperson Network’s sister project

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– Framing the Economy which is researching and helping tell a story about the new economy.

About us: NEON is a network of over 1,600 UK organisers from 900 different civil society groups. We run powerful trainings and support campaigns to help progressives win social, economic and environmental justice. Our aim is to develop the skills, knowledge and leadership needed by those organising for systemic economic and political change. NEON has three key goals: 
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Connect people, organisations and movements Focus our movements on key battles 
 Build the leaders and organisations we need to win 


Key Responsibilities: Be responsible for the coordination and administration of the New Economy Spokesperson Network: •

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Help with recruitment for the network, specifically targeting diverse voices and experts on a wide range of subjects, including spokespeople on migrant rights, housing and macro-economics amongst many other areas. Assist with the organisation and delivery of media training sessions for spokesperson network recruits. 
 Help to organise monthly meet-ups with continuous media training for network members, including booking speakers for events and trainings. Act as a main point of contact for members of the network. 
 Provide pre-interview support for members of the network, including advice on framing, messaging and delivery. 
 Management of the mailing list, New Economy Spokesperson Network webspace, and spokesperson database. 
 Be across finances for the project, checking in with them once a month and report back to NEON’s Director. Regularly analyse media bookings data to provide reports on how media bookings are going.

Press Officer for the New Economy Spokesperson Network: 
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Work with the Senior Press Officer at NEF to maintain the profiles of

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• • •

• • • • •







the spokespeople in our network in the media. 
 Contact broadcast media outlets to book our spokespeople onto them. Develop and maintain long-term relationships with relevant journalists. Keep on top of the news agenda to brief members of the network and prepare them for media appearances. Send out a daily round-up of top news stories to spokespeople. Proactively seek press opportunities for spokespeople, working to support them with their individual campaigns. Offer bespoke media support to progressive campaigns that align with NEON’s values including external media trainings. Encourage and work with spokespeople to pitch and write comment and opinion pieces in the national press. Collaborate effectively to develop the New Economy Spokesperson Network and NEON especially their external reputation. Work closely with the Framing the Economy team to ensure spokespeople are using and implementing the research and messaging from the project. Support the Director of NEON with funding work – write funding reports and keep funders updated on the progress of the Spokesperson project. Help to ensure that external communications present effective and coherent messaging that maximises the impact of the Spokesperson Network and NEON. 
 Assist in the overall running and strategy development of NEON as part of a broader team.

About you: This position suits: 1. Self-starters with a passion for changing the way the media reports politics and economics 2. People who have an interest in network building 3. People with experience in either journalism, communications or media relations You’ll be an avid news-reader, able to spot angles in stories where you could see progressives making a bigger impact. A fast worker, who gets on well with people, you’ll be ready to work with members of the network to work up media lines - thinking of fresh angles to break through the noise. This is a 3

chance to change the debate and as a result you’ll be willing to occasionally put in the extra hours when big opportunities come-up.

Key Skills and Experience Essential • • • • • • • •

At least 1 year of experience in journalism, communications, media relations or a role that incorporates these skills 
 Experience of building media and political contacts 
 An interest in network building 
 Knowledge or willingness to learn about the political and economic landscape 
 Proactive and well-organised, with the ability to meet tight deadlines and manage 
multiple priorities 
 Good writing and editing skills, including an eye for detail 
 Excellent interpersonal skills 
 Good IT skills, notably Microsoft Office


Preferred/Optional 
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Project management experience 
 Knowledge of the economic and social justice campaigning community Good knowledge of social media

Values and behaviors: • •

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Personally committed to NEON’s mission to replace neoliberalism with an economy and politics based on social and environmental justice 
 Committed to reflection and learning, including sharing failures and uncertainties; openly taking feedback from the team and members of the community on your behavior and work 
 Committed to learn how to align own actions with the values of NEON: community, open mindedness and working together 
 Growing levels of self-awareness, including an understanding of how your background has shaped the opportunities afforded to you and how you relate to people from different backgrounds to you 
 Willing to develop emotional intelligence, including a growing ability to empathise with and appreciate others, creating opportunities for those you work with to grow

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The New Economy Organisers Network is absolutely committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of their background. We value diversity and lived experience, and acknowledge the under-representation of people from certain backgrounds both within our community and wider campaigning movements. We are determined to correct this and particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic people; people with disabilities; people with mental health conditions; people from the LGBT+ community; and people who identify as working class. If you don’t feel confident enough to apply, please get in touch for an informal chat – we’d love to talk with you.

How to apply: We don’t want to make this process too complicated so we’re interested in hearing from you through our simple form which you can access here: http://bit.ly/2susXGA Dates: Applications will close at midnight on the Thursday 20 July, with interviews being held in London on Tues 25 and Wed 26 July. If you have any questions about the role, the programme or NEON in general – please contact Rosie Baines, Press Officer – [email protected] or Daniel Vockins, Director at the New Economy Organisers Network at [email protected].

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