Communications and Campaigns Manager

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £30,000 - £35,000 per annum

Location: London / Hybrid

About the Society of Authors

Our client, The Society of Authors, is the UK's largest trade union for all types of writers, illustrators, and literary translators. The Society of Authors have been advising authors and speaking out for the profession since 1884.

With over 12,500 members, the Society of Authors (SoA) provides unlimited, confidential advice on all aspects of the business of authorship, including the clause-by-clause vetting of publishing and other contracts.

As a union, SoA promote, protect and campaign on the business of authorship on issues ranging from artificial intelligence and author incomes, through to copyright and contractual law.

SoA run and support hundreds of events each year, including professional training and industry discussions, and member-led community events online and around the UK.

SoA also manage several charities that award grants and prizes distributing circa £700,000 per annum, and manage over fifty literary estates.

The role:

The role of Communications and Campaigns Manager is a core role in delivering communications and campaigns for the Society of Authors.

Working across all of the SoA’s external communications, you will develop integrated communications and campaign strategies that reflect their values of being member-focused, authoritative, supportive, and inclusive of all UK authors.

You will be proactive about promoting, protecting, and campaigning on authors’ interests through strategic communications and campaigns. You will work collaboratively with the Policy and Public Affairs team, and with all departments at the Society of Authors (SoA). You will work with their Head of Communications and PR to focus on developing and delivering strategies to raise the SoA’s profile, influence, and visibility.

The successful candidate will develop and deliver the SoA’s strategic communications aimed at enhancing brand engagement, expanding audience reach, and building stronger connections with both existing and diverse new audiences.

Key duties and responsibilities:

The Comms and Campaigns Manager works closely with the Heads of Communications and PR to plan, curate, and publish engaging content across the SoA’s media channels. Collaborating with SoA departments to combine creative storytelling with data insights to strengthen member relationships and support their goals.

Website

• Manage and update website content and work with our website support company to develop the website.

Social media

• Manage, review and updates a 12-month online content calendar, ensuring all digital content aligns with SoA mission, brand values, and audience objectives.
• Create and implement social media campaigns that drive engagement and audience growth, integrating with broader marketing initiatives across platforms including Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, TikTok and LinkedIn.
• Utilise tools like Google Analytics to track performance, provide insights, and refine strategies to optimise member engagement and user experiences.
• Work with cross-departmental teams to produce high-quality, engaging digital assets that showcase the organisation’s achievements, projects and industry impact.
• Produce visual and mixed media assets using InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere, or other Adobe Creative Cloud apps.
• Source photography and artwork to illustrate our work.
• Share appropriate third-party content across our communications channels, including email communications, working with colleagues to ensure the quality and consistency of key messages.

Newsletters

• Produce the SoA’s monthly newsletters: write and edit compelling and tailored content for a range of audiences, including members, potential members, supporters and others – reworking content for multiple communications channels.
• Collaborate with colleagues from other teams and group coordinators to prepare and edit newsletters and other content for sharing the work of the SoA.

Campaigns

• Work with the policy and public affairs team, communications colleagues and external partners to develop and deliver accessible ways to engage members and supporters with our complex policy and campaign work, through clear and accessible copy.
• Coordinate the ongoing development of SoA policy and campaigning content on the website.
• Plan and coordinate specific communications projects as required, including prizes and campaigns timelines.

The Author magazine

• Work closely with the Head of Communications and PR to manage the production schedule of The Author – the SoA’s quarterly magazine. Tasks include:

o Write house copy

o Source illustrations

o Subedit and proof articles

o Manage the printing and distribution

o Manage the advertising sales

o Part of the team to develop The Author online

o Managing the SoA’s resources and publications

Occasional work out of hours to provide communications support at our larger evening events, time off in lieu will be granted on an individual basis with your line manager.

Person specification:

Essential

• Proven experience in online content strategy, social media management, and digital marketing, with a strong understanding of audience engagement, brand consistency, and performance optimisation.

• Relevant professional experience in communications and marketing.

• Excellent copywriting and editorial skills with a flair for producing engaging, audience-focused content tailored for digital platforms, including video commissioning and management.

• Good working knowledge of tools like Google Analytics and WordPress, alongside experience with Adobe Creative Suite or Canva for visual content creation.

• Good project management skills, capable of handling multiple priorities, managing complex projects, and meeting tight deadlines with a collaborative, team-oriented approach.

• A passion for making the content more accessible to diverse audiences, including experience with live streaming and hybrid event delivery.

Desirable

• Familiarity with the publishing, membership or charity sector is desirable but not essential.

Core competencies

• Minimum of 2 years’ accumulated experience in a general communications or marketing role.

• Editorial and copy editing experience

• Strong writing and proofreading skills

• Attention to detail

• Ability to work with budgets, from a cost monitoring perspective

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Ability to give constructive feedback

• Conceptual creative abilities

• A flair for storytelling and writing compelling stories

The duties above outline the broad areas of responsibility of the role. The SoA reserves the right to vary these duties to suit the requirements of the business.

The Society of Authors offers in return:

As a progressive and ethical not-for-profit organisation, we offer a range of benefits to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. We are a London Living Wage and a Disability Confident – Committed employer.

Benefits include:

• Competitive salary

• Cycle-to-work scheme

• Death-in-service benefit

• Employee assistance programme

• Flexible, hybrid working practices

• Family-friendly, disability-confident inclusive culture

• Generous annual leave, including all bank holidays

• Salary exchange pension scheme

• Interest-free annual travel card loan

• *Office closure over Christmas

• Private healthcare

* Colleagues can work over the Christmas period, although the building is closed. For those who wish to take additional time off, colleagues take these days from their annual leave allowance.

As an employer, SoA nurture a working environment in which staff can grow and develop. SoA recognise the value of flexibility in the way they work with a positive culture of hybrid working practices. SoA welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working works for you.

Inclusion, diversity, and representation are at the core of SoA values, and they work to tackle structural discrimination and prejudice. Part of this commitment means that they are looking to increase diversity in their organisation at all levels. We strongly encourage applications from a broad range of social, cultural, educational, and underrepresented backgrounds.

If any part of the application process is not accessible to you, please let us know.

If this sounds like your next opportunity, apply today with your CV and a covering letter.

Deadline: 4 th August 2025

First interviews will take place online week commencing 11 August. Second interviews will take place in person week commencing 18 August. Immediate start desirable.

The role can be worked flexibly with a combination of office and home hours.