£36k – £40k per annum

Job Details:

Digital and Visual Creative

Salary: £36-£40k, depending on experience

Location: Bethnal Green, London (hybrid work)

Full-time, with flexible hours and some homeworking considered. Part-time (4 days/week) also possible for exceptional candidates.

Earthsight is looking for a Digital and Visual Creative with a discerning creative eye and a passion for driving change to join our small team. You may have a background in NGO communications. Or you may be a creative professional with a background in putting graphic design or film to the service of a good cause, with strong writing skills and a good understanding of how Twitter and other social media platforms work.

Earthsight is a non-profit organisation dedicated to researching and investigating environmental and social crime and injustice. We use cutting-edge investigative methods to uncover and expose wrongdoing. Since emerging as a fully-fledged organisation in 2016, our reports have garnered headlines, won awards and triggered major changes by governments and corporations.

We seek to create positive change both indirectly via the press but also by bringing our messages directly to key decision-making audiences through digital means.

Working closely with the rest of the team, you will help devise and disseminate strategies to help our investigations and campaigns reach decisionmakers and other key audiences across online platforms. Our investigations are often accompanied by arresting graphics, cover images or film trailers, and you will also take the lead in expanding and improving our use of engaging visual content in our stories and on social media. You will be line managed by Earthsight’s Senior Media Advisor and Editor.

The position is offered as a full-time permanent contract. Candidates will need to be based in the UK and able to come into our office in London regularly, but visa sponsorship is available. Flexible working will be considered, as will some element of homeworking. Truly exceptional candidates could also be considered for the role on a part-time basis, four days a week. Earthsight is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring careers in the charity sector are open to all. We value difference and believe it enhances our capabilities. We therefore particularly encourage applications from people from a range of different backgrounds.

Tasks and responsibilities

Digital media

GOAL: Expand Earthsight’s own independent profile and voice through direct communication with specialised audiences through our website and social media channels, increasing the size and quality of our targeted audience and deepening their engagement with our content

• Develop strategies for improving the organisation’s direct communication, for approval by management, and implement agreed strategies in close cooperation with other key staff including the Senior Media Advisor and Senior Policy Advisor
• Develop and maintain a cutting-edge understanding of best practice in the use of social media and direct communications to reach specialised audiences
• Manage Earthsight’s website and social media channels: upload content, oversee design upgrades and use of visual material
• Run paid and organic social media outputs – from drafting copy to setting up paid social media advertising and developing digital strategies
• Monitor relevant analytics, both quantitative and qualitative, and work with other staff to use intelligence gained to prioritise communications strategies and ensure we are reaching key audiences
• Directly engage and reach out to relevant stakeholders on social media where appropriate
• Manage Earthsight’s direct mailing lists and seek to proactively build these

Creative lead

GOAL: Ensure that Earthsight is at the cutting edge in its intelligent use of the visual arts to increase attention to and improve understanding of our stories among key audiences

• Oversee production of short films and trailers to accompany outputs and increase social media engagement by key audiences (including through identifying, contracting and managing external consultants)
• Coordinate production of other audio-visual materials to accompany outputs and increase social media engagement, including graphic art, map and supply chain graphics and short animations, and podcasts
• Assist with the layout/design of major outputs, both in digital and print/PDF form, including with the assistance of external consultants
• Manage Earthsight’s library of photographs and film, and research and obtain rights for use of third-party photos and film as required

Person Specification

Essential

• Minimum four years’ relevant experience – ideally in a non-profit setting
• Excellent written communication skills: able to produce compelling, persuasive, concise written material for targeted audiences
• Understanding of visual storytelling: an eye for design with concrete examples of relevant work and an innovative and creative mindset
• Strong interpersonal and oral communication skills: confident presenting information to, and liaising with, multiple teams
• Familiarity with digital tools and techniques, including email marketing and social media maximisation aimed at key audiences
• Understanding of what works on social media to engage policymakers and civil society, with the ability to optimise our content for these platforms

Ideal

• Understanding of key metrics across different digital channels, with the ability to process data and identify trends
• Experience of building supporter emails in MailChimp or similar email marketing software
• Experience of devising strategies to grow the social media/online presence of individuals, non-profits or brands
• Experience in deploying paid social campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
• Training in graphic design/digital content creation
• Experience working with photo, video editing or graphic illustration software
• Experience with website editing/management, working with a content management system
• Experience of working with international teams and issues

Desirable

• Knowledge of a relevant language especially Russian, Spanish, French, Indonesian
• Photography and/or videography skills and experience

How to apply

Please submit a CV (two pages maximum) and a cover letter directly answering each of the three questions below and respecting the specified word limits:

1. Please explain what motivates you to apply for this role at Earthsight. Max 200 words

2. Please explain how you fit the following essential criteria of the person specification listed in the job advert (provide examples to illustrate your answer; Max 300 words):

• Understanding of visual storytelling: an eye for design with concrete examples of relevant work and an innovative and creative mindset
• Understanding of what works on social media to engage specialised audiences, with the ability to optimise our content for these platforms

3. Earthsight is a few weeks from launching a major new report for which the organisation would like to obtain maximum attention on social media, especially among key audiences (policymakers, civil society, govt. officials, donors, industry). Please explain how you would ensure this happens. Max 250 words

Only candidates who answer each of the questions clearly will be considered. We advise you to copy and paste each of the questions into a document and answer them in turn. Answers can be submitted in PDF or Word format alongside the CV. Generic cover letters will not be considered.

Please submit your application no later than 9am BST on Tuesday 9 May 2023 to [email protected] . Shortlisted candidates will be tested on their skills. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.