Responsibilities

• Lead the College’s press office function, overseeing all media engagement, including handling press enquiries, issuing statements and press releases, co-ordinating the on-call rota, preparing lines to take, and managing relationships with national, regional, and specialist journalists.
• Work closely with the Policy and Public Affairs teams to brief the President, Chief Executive, and senior spokespeople ahead of major media appearances, ensuring confident, informed representation.
• Collaborate with partner organisations, Royal Colleges, and external bodies to build influence across the health and policy landscape.
• Shape and deliver cross‑organisational campaigns, ensuring integration across digital, policy, research, and membership engagement.
• Lead on editorial oversight, safeguarding tone of voice, narrative consistency, and core messaging across channels.
• Monitor the wider political and health environment, identifying risks, opportunities, and proactive communication moments that strengthen RCEM’s visibility and impact.
• Provide visible leadership within the Communications team, managing and developing a Communications Officer and Member Engagement Officer, setting clear objectives, and fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure performance of our media and member communications work is tracked through analytics and evaluation frameworks, offering data‑driven insights to senior management.
• Keep abreast of industry best practice, communications trends, and sector developments.

Requirements

• Senior‑level experience in media relations, strategic communications, or press office leadership – ideally within a healthcare, membership, or policy‑focused organisation (although not essential).
• The ability to spot stories in data, alongside a strong track record of advising senior leaders, managing sensitive or high‑profile media issues, and delivering impactful communications across multiple channels.
• Excellent editorial judgment, relationship‑building skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast‑moving environment.

Benefits

• excellent benefits