This is your chance to join an amazing team campaigning globally for economics education reform in higher education and providing critical economics education to its community. We are excited to launch our search for a Communications Lead.

What we’re looking for

You should apply for this role if you:

• Want to help make our economic system work for people and planet
• Have a track record of delivering high-quality communications with a campaigning focus
• Have an eye for a story and know how to celebrate wins in a campaign and inspire others to join
• Are a great communicator who is able to break down complex ideas into accessible content
• Keep up to date with trends in social media and are able to creatively apply them to your work
• Are interested in new ways of economic thinking and want to learn more
• Enjoy being part of a small, remote team where you are given the responsibility to define the direction of your work

Responsibilities

Purpose of the Role: 

To lead on external communications for the organisation, ensuring that Rethinking Economics remains relevant and responsive to the needs of the network.

Main Areas of Responsibility

• Development of REI’s communications strategy
• Oversee and produce content for REI’s social media channels (Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
• Plan and organise the creation and running of a REI TikTok channel
• Producing and reviewing website content 
• Liaison with and recruitment of students, writers, designers and video editors where relevant for content creation
• Oversee Rethinking Economics relationships with press

About Rethinking Economics International

Rethinking Economics International is a student led campaign to reform economics education. Our purpose is to build a diverse movement of people who challenge and renew the practice, teaching and application of economics in order to create economic systems which serve people and planet. We were registered as a charity in 2014, have a staff team of 7, and support over 100 groups in over 30 countries to campaign for education and research reform in higher education and educate themselves and others on the economic crises we face today.

Terms & Conditions

Reporting to: Associate Director

Starting salary: 

• Lead: £30,500 – £32,625 pro rata [3 days: £18,300 – £19,575; 4 days: £24,400 – £26,100]

The salary offer is non-negotiable but based on having the relevant experience for the role. This can be re-negotiated after the 6 month probation period. We intend that the successful candidate in this role will progress and develop to a more senior level in the organisation over the next 12 months. Support and guidance will be provided for this. 

Start date: As soon as possible 

Contract type: Fixed term (with likely offer of permanent contract after first year)

Benefits: Statutory pension 5% matched, 25 days holiday pro rata in addition to winter break between Christmas and New Year, access to bespoke economics education, person centred training opportunities, yearly cost of living increase and a working from home payment up to £200 a year.

Hours: 3-4 days a week. Evening and weekend work will sometimes be necessary, for which time off in lieu can be claimed. We support flexible working across the whole team.

Location: Rethinking Economics has associated offices in Manchester, UK; Johannesburg, South Africa; Berlin, Germany; and Copenhagen, Denmark. 

If you are applying outside of these countries/regions:

• You need to demonstrate that you are able to work fully remote without day-to-day access to colleagues
• You must be based in countries +4/-4 of Universal Coordinated Time (UTC)
• You must be based in one of the following countries: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, United Arab Emirates

Travel: Any work-related travel will be reimbursed, not including commuting.

Person Specification – Key Skills and Experience

The role profile asks for a wide range of competencies and we recognise that we are unlikely to find a candidate who fits every requirement. If you fit some of the essential and/or desirable criteria and believe you have the potential to learn the other areas of the role, we’d like to hear from you. We recognise that experience may be gained outside of the paid workplace, voluntary experience is also welcomed. A strong background in economics, campaigning and movement building would be of great advantage.

Communications & Events – Technical Competencies & Experiences
Essential	Desirable
Fluency in English (written and spoken)	Fluency (written and spoken) in a language other than English
Experience of growing an organisation’s media presence and maintaining its reputation	Strong knowledge of SEO principles
A strong understanding of brand building, and the role of communications as part of this.	Experience of overseeing online communications platforms (e.g. Slack; Action Network)
Considerable experience of social media function and be aware of innovative ways to extend our reach	Proven track record of delivering engaging and impactful training
Editorial experience of campaign focused communications	Experience of cultivating media relationships
Experience of working with volunteer organisers in a campaigns or communications based role	Experience of spokesperson and influencer development and support
Ability to create compelling digital content , including articles, news items, blogs, social media assets, videos, long-form stories etc	An understanding of social media strategy and algorithms to a high level
Ability to proactively spot and exploit relevant comms opportunities	An interest and understanding of economics, particularly a knowledge of alternative and pluralist economics
Experience of planning and delivering communications projects that deliver measurable results	Experience of using WordPress
A passion to reform economics teaching and practise	Experience of managing freelancer positions

For LEAD Applications: Essential Organisational Competencies & Experiences

Curiosity – Ability to Identify new information, ideas, tactics or otherwise and champion their inclusion in the organisation.Care – Demonstrate how you create caring and anti-oppressive spaces or processes when creating tasks or projects.Courage – Ability to stand up for values and beliefs in a campaign or organisation

Ability to utilise all relevant online resources and tools relevant to your role such as Zoom, Google Suite, Trello or Asana

Communicating complex information effectively to different audiences.  Adapting communication style as necessary and targeting communications to ensure that information is understood and has influence.

Bringing together colleagues from different teams to work on projects or initiatives, or creating networks beyond RETHINKING ECONOMICS INTERNATIONAL who work in partnership with us to support our work and aims.

Creative approach to problem-solving.  The encouragement of improvements to working methods and a willingness to learn, take initiative and implement innovations.

Managing own workload to meet agreed deadlines and standards with minimal day-to-day supervision and appropriately boundary your time and tasks to manage competing priorities

Experience monitoring delegated project or activity budgets and scoping financial and/or physical resource needs for projects or activities

Experience of identifying good practice, systems and policies and applying it to own work.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

We are committed to providing equality and fairness for all and not to discriminate on grounds of gender, marital status, racialised identity, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, mental health, religion or age. We encourage and celebrate the different qualities that our colleagues, and others we work with, bring to our work. And we believe that seeing things from a wide range of different perspectives helps us to resolve problems, adapt our approaches and develop as an organisation. We want to bring greater diversity to our team and we’re keen to hear what you think you’ll bring from your own background and experience (beyond your professional skills and knowledge).

How to apply

Please complete the survey linked before the closing deadline 23:59 UTC 14 MAY. The form asks applicants to answer three questions. These answers can be provided in written or video form.

Interviews will be online via zoom in the week of 3RD JUNE. Please let us know if this will be difficult and/or you have any accessibility needs.

Rethinking Economics International wants to ensure that our recruitment processes are accessible to all, regardless of background or identity. If you are interested in the role but unclear on any information, you can: 

• Contact us via recruitment@rethinkeconomics.org for an informal discussion about the role
• Join our open information call on what it’s like to work at Rethinking Economics on 29TH APRIL at 4PM UTC. Sign up here.

Candidates invited to interview will have the format and questions to be asked shared with them in advance.