Communications Assistant

Communications and PA

The University of Surrey is looking for a talented communicator to join our Internal Communications team as a Communications Assistant.

Reporting to the Student Engagement and Communications Officer and working as part of our Communications, Events and Public Affairs Team, you will be someone who loves producing a varied range of content across on and offline communications channels (including newsletters, websites, digital screens and print) to inform, engage and inspire our student and staff community.

Building meaningful engagement with our staff and student audiences and facilitating a sense of community and pride is at the heart of what we do. This role will play a key role in the delivery of dozens of projects and campaigns every academic year, often covering complex and sensitive subjects, and working to competing deadlines. You will also support the wider department with sharing thumb-stopping social media content that reaches a global audience.

No two days will be the same – one day you could be working on emotive student-generated video content via Instagram stories, the next day you could be briefing banners and flyers into a design agency to support the promotion of a new student app or service, or writing ‘need to know’ news stories and updating our intranet and website. You will also play a big part in our analytical work as we look to develop rich insights and reports from our communications activity, as well as support the team in some administrative tasks, alongside your creative work.

You will be working as part of a fast-paced, increasingly changing environment and therefore we are looking for someone who is adaptable, up for a challenge and is not afraid to come forward with ideas and insight based on their professional and personal experience.

You’ll be working with a wide range of University stakeholders at different levels of the organisation, so you will need to be comfortable with talking to colleagues, many more senior to you, and building relationships.

The successful candidate will have some experience of creating content for web, social, email and other digital channels, be inclusive and collaborative in your working style, have strong writing skills and attention to detail, a passion for communications and a desire to learn, develop and succeed.

Our Communications, Public Affairs and Events team works across the University and leads on staff and student communications, media relations, social media, public and policy engagement. You will have the opportunity to work alongside colleagues with varied experience and networks within an open and supportive environment. We offer a generous pension, relocation assistance, flexible working options, and supportive family-friendly benefits, including an on-site nursery. You will be expected to spend up to three days a week in the office on the Stag Hill campus in Guildford, with the option to work remotely for the rest of the week.

When on campus you can enjoy the same surroundings and facilities that our students have highly rated us for, including an eclectic mix of coffee shops and restaurants, a large library and stunning green spaces.

If you have any questions about the role or working for the University of Surrey, please do not hesitate to contact Chris Whitehead, Student Engagement and Communications Officer, at c.whitehead@surrey.ac.uk.