Marketing and Communications Officer

Terms: 3 days a week

Contract: 1 year fixed term contract with the potential to extend funding dependant.

Start date: ASAP

Holiday: 28 days pro rata plus bank holidays.

Location: GROW Farm, The Totteridge Academy, Barnet Lane, N208AZ

Benefits: 30% off all farm produce. Free weekly staff yoga. Free lunch on volunteer days. Subsidised and nutritious lunches with farm produce on other days (£1.95 per meal). Training opportunities.

ABOUT GROW

GROW harnesses the power of food and farming to transform local communities.

We believe in food justice and the right to a sustainable way of life for all.

Our agroecological farm and outdoor learning hub at The Totteridge Academy in North London is at the heart of every one of our activities, providing a practical and inspiring resource for everyone who visits.

We are a working farm and we grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs, as well as keep bees and a small flock of chickens. We supply our partner school's busy canteen with fresh produce, and sell directly to our local community. We also welcome volunteers and visitors of all ages and backgrounds through our community volunteering programme and community events.

‍In our educational programmes, we work predominantly with local children, young people and families who experience barriers to learning, healthy living, and employment.

We run early support programmes, AQA courses, holiday, after-school & weekend clubs, curriculum projects, school trips and workshops, and training programmes.

Through direct experience of the joys of the farm and nature, we offer our participants the skills, knowledge and confidence to make positive choices and changes in their lives and in the world around them.

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Through our partnership with TTA, we are creating a model for how schools & farms can work together to create resilient local food systems, enhance learning and well-being, reach meaningful sustainability goals, and strengthen community.

Context of the role

We are looking for an experienced and creative Marketing Officer to develop, coordinate, and deliver the marketing and communications of our charitable work. 

We are a small charity with an ambitious aim to develop a model for a thriving and resilient local food system that is affordable for all. Transparency in this process is a big part of our vision. Through sharing our journey, we hope to educate our community and beyond about the current food system and potential solutions to building a more sustainable and equitable one. 

We are looking for someone who is excited to develop an innovative approach to our story-telling, empowering the voices of our diverse community in the process.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Run and keep up to date all of GROW’s current social media channels including Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook.
• Create educational, inspiring and inclusive content that authentically reflects our work and communicates the wider vision of GROW to our audiences in line with our broader marketing strategy.
• Lead on the marketing of our community volunteering programme and events, with the aim to reach and engage those who may face barriers to accessing our opportunities.
• Identify key audiences and strategies to build engagement.
• Keep our website up to date with current activities, press, and events.
• Liaise with freelance graphic designers in the creation of branding and marketing materials for our activities and events.
• Write and design our seasonal newsletter and keep our mailing list up to date.
• Coordinate flyering and local poster drops for our community events, produce stall, and volunteering programme.
• Coordinate press visits.
• Evaluate and measure the effectiveness of campaigns.
• Be responsible for the organisation of all of our media files including photographs, films, and marketing materials.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Necessary

• 3+ years working in a Marketing, Communications or Social Media role.
• Experience running social media channels, preferably within a charitable context.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in building social media SOPs to streamline content.
• Experience using design platforms including canva or Adobe Suite (photoshop, illustrator, etc).
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Initiative and ability to think about the wider vision of GROW when delivering work.
• Keen attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Ability to prioritise, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines.

Desirable 

• Experience working in the sustainability, environmental, agroecological or organic farming sector.
• Experience working with children and young people.
• Knowledge of the current food system.
• A grasp of social media analytics.

We have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. Successful candidates will be asked to provide proof of identity and will be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

APPLICATION

The application process will have 3 stages:

1. Application
2. Successful candidates will be invited to complete a remote pre-interview set of tasks.
3. Successful candidates from stage 2 will be invited to an in person interview and skills test.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME

At GROW we’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We believe that uniqueness is powerful and that diversity drives innovation. 

All qualified and eligible applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, gender identity or expression, race, national origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation or pregnancy and maternity.

We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities; in particular those who are currently under-represented in the charity sector including those from the global majority and neurodivergent candidates. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities.