Press and Communications Officer
School Food Matters
Southwark, London (from December 2025)
Posted: 22 Aug 2025
Deadline: 14 Sep 2025
Compensation: £31,000 - £34,000 per annum depending on experience
Living Wage employer
Paid Full-time Permanent
Job description
- Job Title: Press and Communications Officer
- Position Type: Permanent/Full time
- Reports to: Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer
- Salary: Range from £31,000- £34,000 depending on experience
- Based at: School Food Matters, The Bridge, 7b Parkshot, London, TW9 2RD
- Note: Before Christmas, we will be moving to new offices in Southwark, close to Waterloo
- Working Hours: 9am-5pm (flexible)
- Pension: School Food Matters pays 7% of pensionable earnings
- Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days
- School Food Matters is closed between Christmas and New Year
Job Purpose
- To help make SFM the destination for media as the voice for food in schools
- To help increase media coverage for our work across all platforms (print, TV/Radio, digital)
- To develop and maintain our vibrant social media presence
Key Tasks include
- Writing and reviewing editorial, case study and blog content to maintain SFM’s voice
- Working with our Web Developer to maintain the School Food Matters website
- Diary planning to make best use of events and media moments to highlight our work in the media
- Maintaining up-to-date and accurate records of media contacts on Airtable
- Producing, editing and co-ordinating video and visual content across SFM’s projects
- With support from our Policy and Communications Assistant, maintaining our vibrant social media presence
- Managing and maintaining our photo library (Google photos)
- Ensuring our website is up to date by liaising with project teams for new content
- Understanding and disseminating new processes and functionality of the new website
- Managing our Google Ad grant and ensuring that our ads remain effective
- Liaising with partner organisations for joint promotion of our projects and campaigns
- Producing and distributing our newsletters
- Adding press articles to the website and social media
- Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times
- Keeping up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures
- The Press and Communications Officer will also undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time. Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential!
Person Specification
Essential
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills in fluent spoken and written English, with strong attention to detail.
- Experience writing news articles and blog posts with clear structure, purpose and an engaging narrative.
- Experience of getting media coverage
- Strong understanding of using social media to engage audiences and achieve campaign goals
- An eye for design and strong grasp of branding, with experience creating visuals using tools like Canva
- Comfortable using content management systems (CMS) to publish and manage web content — we use Drupal
- General knowledge of issues around school food, children’s health and food education
- Ability to work independently, with high levels of self-motivation
- Good project management, time management and organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- Energy, enthusiasm, creativity and tenacity
Desirable
- Experience of working within a network or coalition of campaigning organisations
- Established contacts with media outlets/journalists/bloggers
- Digital campaigning and social networking skills
- Skills in capturing and editing photo and/or video content to support communications work
- Experience managing or supervising team members to deliver communications projects effectively
Application information
Once you have thoroughly read this job description and had a careful look at our website, our charter, and our five year strategy, please complete the application form here. The electronic form can be saved but you may also find it helpful to use the word document here as a template.
Applications must be submitted by midnight on Sunday 14 September 2025. Interviews will be held at our offices at The Bridge, 7b Parkshot, London TW9 2RD on Tuesday 23 September 2025.
School Food Matters is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. If you are offered employment, you will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service record check.
School Food Matters is a London Living Wage employer and is committed to creating an inclusive work environment, where our team members are supported in expressing themselves and delivering their best work. So, however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if the role is one that would make you excited about coming into work every day.
School Food Matters is only able to employ people who are entitled to work in the UK and cannot assist with work permit or immigration issues. We are unable to help find accommodation in London.
Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs
About School Food Matters
Founded in 2007, School Food Matters was born out of a grassroots campaign that transformed school meals for 38 schools in the London borough of Richmond. The charity now works in all London boroughs and in cities throughout England.
School Food Matters is the charity that knows schools. We raise funds so that we can offer free food education programmes to schools. We use our extensive knowledge, gained from delivering these programmes, to advocate for better school meals and vital food education. We work in partnership with charities that share our mission, bringing the voices of children, parents and teachers to government policy.