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Dear Applicant,

The opportunity

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic communications professional to help us build on our communications effort. The main aim of our communications work is to support our fundraising drive. The core focus of the role is to help our supporters feel part of a movement that is funding cutting edge neurological research.

We enjoy a solid base of support with c26,000 engaged individuals across a range of audience segments including cash donors (c3,000), regular givers (c4,000), events and community (c3,000), patients and our wider non-donor community (c16,000). Our primary communications channels are our website, Facebook, Instagram and via email.

We are looking to put renewed energy behind our communications work and seeking to maximise our digital engagement. This includes both promoting fundraising opportunities and using social channels as a means of interacting with, and taking queries from, supporters and the wider public.

Our work in fundraising is designed to maximise funds needed for research to help the one in six of us that has a neurological condition.

Why join us?

We are heading into the final year of our current strategy, 2023-2026. This has been developed with growth in mind. We are scaling up some of our fundraising activities following successful tests. We have a lean and dedicated team that are very focussed on maximising income and ensuring a rewarding experience for all supporters. This role is a key part of that approach.

We are aiming to optimise all our digital communications to make a meaningful connection with all our current audiences and the wider public. This means creating regular, interesting content that stands out in a crowded market and motivates people to want to take action. The primary aim of our communications work is to inspire people to either give donations or raise money on our behalf.

We are looking for someone to build up and maintain our library of inspiring stories – including written format, film and images - to showcase impact, share people’s experiences and inspire others to tell their own story and/or support our work.

The role requires an individual who is proactive, happy to get “hands on” and is keen to use their communications skills to support our fundraising effort.

If successful in securing this role, you will find yourself in a small but dynamic environment with a flat structure where decisions are taken quickly. The role reports to the Director of Fundraising (currently being covered by a trusted interim with lots of fundraising and comms experience).

I use my role as CEO to champion fundraising and communications and ensure that we maintain our current focus on building our strengths and ensuring that supporters feel valued and recognised. We are a collaborative team with a positive culture that has a fundraising ethos at its heart. There is scope to experiment, and to grow in the role. Our interim director is extremely experienced and will provide support and mentoring as required.

This is an exciting, growth opportunity and I look forward to hearing from you.

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter of no more than two pages stating why you would like to work for Brain Research UK and why you believe you are well suited to the role. Deadline: 5pm Monday 7th April 2025.

Caroline Blakely

CEO

Job purpose

This is an excellent opportunity for a communications professional to make their mark. The existing communication programme provides a good base on which to build, and there is plenty of scope to shape things and try new approaches under the guidance of the Interim Director. With support from the CEO and wider colleagues there is significant opportunity for success.

We are seeking a communications professional to:

• Work with our fundraising team to optimise our digital communications, ensuring content is always engaging, up to date and accessible across all channels

• Liaise with a range of colleagues and relationship owners to secure and manage supporter stories

• Manage our story library, including permissions and all related images, and ensure we have a spread of stories across the three main focus areas of brain tumours, acquired brain injury and headache and facial pain

• Work with our fundraising team to ensure we build on our segmented approach to quarterly enews and deliver tailored content based on supporter interests

• Liaise with our Research Manager to showcase the research we are funding and the scientists leading on the projects funded

• Act as content manager across our website, leading on updates in written, pictorial and video format

We are a small team and we are seeking someone who is both able to plan and manage day-to-day activity and roll their sleeves up and get the job done.

Key responsibilities:

Management

• Deliver against our communications objectives via a mix of channels and report on progress using a range of analytics and metrics
• Collaborate proactively across the organisation to find, develop and share stories that will inspire support
• Be a positive, empathetic team player that engages with all other colleagues across our organisation

Communications

• Work with colleagues to create a pre-planned, agreed schedule of activity that will enable a coherent and consistent approach to comms across all channels
• Coordinate and develop content for our social media channels including sourcing and producing engaging content in line with
• Coordinate and develop content for our e-news which is sent out quarterly to our supporter base
• Manage our website content ensuring it remains up to date and relevant

• Alongside our fundraisers, to engage with and respond to our online community to ensure they feel engaged and receive response to any enquiries in a timely manner

• Track digital marketing performance using tools like Google Analytics, monitoring key metrics to drive continuous improvement in outcomes

• Work across the organisation to engage our audience to tell their stories - both in relation to experience of neurological conditions and in relation to fundraising activities

• Work with third party agencies where appropriate, including setting of clear objectives, providing briefings and collating metrics / outcome measures

• To coordinate corporate communications tasks such as publication of our annual review and impact report

Other duties

• To develop an in-depth knowledge of our work so you can speak with confidence to our audiences about how funds are used

• Effective use of our CRM system (Donorfy)

• To support all fundraising and charitable activities across the organisation as required

• Other administrative tasks as required

Person specification

Experience

We are seeking a communications professional who is looking to thrive in a charity with an embedded fundraising culture, ambition to grow and solid backing from the CEO and trustees.

Applicants must have:

• Experience of working in communications in a charity of comparable size
• Experience of coordinating and developing social content and utilising a planning schedule to managed delivery
• Experience of coordinating and developing e-comms to maximise loyalty and engagement
• Familiarity with website content management

• An understanding of the key principles of managing an online community including how to handle queries and build engagement

Skills

Applicants must have the following skills:

• Comfort with analytical tools to track digital marketing performance and report on outcomes

• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work effectively with

• An understanding of how medical conditions can impact peoples’ lives and the emotional intelligence to handle interactions with these people sensitively

• Good writing skills and a proven ability to take briefings and use these to draft appropriate written content

• A solid understanding of using film and video for use on websites, social media and other communications channels

• Great interpersonal skills and proficiency with building constructive relationships with a diverse range of people

• Time management – ability to work under pressure, plan and prioritise work effectively and meet deadlines

• Attention to detail – you must be able to consistently produce accurate work

• IT literacy – you must be proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint

Knowledge

• Knowledge of fundraising and communications, including the main trends and developments

• Knowledge of a range of communications tools such as website content management systems, social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook. TikTok etc.) and e-marketing tools (e.g. Mailchimp / DotDigital)

• Knowledge and understanding of the charity sector

Vision, Mission and Values

Our vision

• Our vision is a world where everyone with a neurological condition lives better, longer.

Culture and values

Our purpose

• To fund essential research to discover the causes, develop new treatments and improve the lives of those affected by neurological conditions.

Our promise

• We will improve the lives of those affected by one of hundreds of neurological conditions through the funding of essential research and accelerating its progress. We will encourage the brain research community to accelerate progress by sharing knowledge and nurturing future talent.

Our values

• Unity - We believe that we are stronger when we bring people together to work collectively.

• Humanity – We link the brain research we fund to its human impact, by sharing

real-life stories. We translate our research into words that everyone can easily understand.

• Positive energy – Active. Courageous. Resolute. We are determined to accelerate the progress of brain research.

Our values shape our culture. They help guide our decisions at every level. They define how we work, every day. We are forward thinking and collaborative.