£31,000 - £33,000 • Somerset House • London
Application Deadline: 27 April 2025
Department: PR
Location: London
Compensation: £31,000 - £33,000 / year
Description
We are looking for a Press Officer to join our fantastic team at Somerset House Trust. As the home of cultural innovators, the Trust connects creativity and the arts with the broader society.
Somerset House pursues a 'Step Inside, Think Outside' spirit and is born from the creative community we nurture - the experience and perspectives we host across background, age, race, and stage, and the intersections and crossovers we encourage.
This Press Officer will play a pivotal role in our small and dynamic PR Team, responsible for successful delivery of PR campaigns across Somerset House Trust exhibitions, events and other activity, whilst also balancing administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the department. The Press Officer will take a strategic audience-led approach to ensure maximum quality coverage in a range of target media, including print, online, broadcast and social media platforms, and instil awareness of both the particular campaign and Somerset House's brand mission and vision. The role involves working closely with internal departments and external partners. The Press Officer will be joining at a critical time for Somerset House as it celebrates 25 years in 2025 and marks its coming of age as the home of cultural innovators, a milestone accompanied by a new visual identity and new website.
The Somerset House PR department is a part of the wider Marketing and Communications team, which leads audience-led campaigns for a diverse range of cultural programming which engages audiences in key contemporary issues, challenges conventions and offer alternative perspectives. The team also helps promote Somerset House as the home of cultural innovators, including Somerset House Studios, our other creative workspaces, and revenue streams such as venue hire, food and beverage. Guided by a data-led approach and in close coordination with our other in-house teams and valued partners, we craft and execute multi-channel strategies aimed at elevating brand awareness, enhancing ticket sales and visits, encouraging creative professionals and organisations to join our resident community and fostering engagement both online and offline. Comprising a team of passionate and dedicated professionals, we uphold strong values and possess a clear vision for the future of Somerset House and our ongoing ambition to intensify creativity, multiply opportunity & drive artistic and social innovation.
What we are looking for:
Campaign Delivery
- Develop and execute audience-led, strategic and creative PR campaigns that connect and resonate with target audience segments, leveraging data insights to tailor messaging and maximise engagement across media channels.
- Shaping key campaign timelines and messages, which concurrently aligns with and increases the awareness of the overall Somerset House brand.
- Collaborating with marketing, ticketing and social media colleagues to ensure PR campaigns integrate with marketing and social media campaigns for fully cohesive, impactful and consumer-first communications.
- Researching, updating and building target media lists, pitching as appropriate a range of listings, previews, feature and social media content ideas, securing coverage in line with Trust and talent requirements.
- Researching, building and updating target influencer networks, creating opportunities for content creation which support PR objectives - amplifying campaign and brand messaging, drive engagement and expand audience reach across social platforms.
- Writing engaging copy for press releases and media alerts, the basis of which can be used as content by media and influencers.
- Sourcing eye-catching images to be used across media, negotiating all copyright clearances as relevant.
- Briefing talent for interviews and attending interviews where possible to make sure both media and talent are happy with the results.
- Conceiving and organising photo calls.
- Staging press previews and influencer events, securing the attendance of key critics, reviewers and influencers.
- Managing PR aspects for events and exhibitions openings.
- Devising bespoke, targeted lists of VIP invitees, which reflect the breadth of Somerset House's cultural programme and community, and will generate press and/or social media coverage, plus handling arrivals, red carpets, photographers and pre and post event pitching, in collaboration with any VIP consultants, partners, artists and curators.
- Maximising opportunities for press exposure with related events and activities with key strategic partners.
- Co-ordinating and communicating press activity with all relevant internal departments.
- Working with external PRs and partners as necessary.
- Setting appropriate budgets for the allocated campaigns and ensuring costs are kept within budget.
- Hosting PR & Marketing breakfasts for select organisations and agencies to foster good relations with the industry and create good word of mouth for events and exhibitions.
- Handling day-to-day enquiries for information.
- Regular reporting to senior management, Trust departments, external partners and talent, and creating evaluation reports to measure effectiveness of campaigns.
- Suggesting new and creative ways for the PR department to work most effectively and efficiently.
Networking & Partnership Development
- Generating/developing/maintaining effective relationships with key media and influencers through meetings and networking events
- Proactively seeking and developing beneficial partnerships for creative, cross-promotional purposes that align with Somerset House's brand mission and vision
Press Office Support and Management
- Support with timely responses to media enquiries to the press office, by phone, in person and email.
- Assist with photo-shoots and filming, in collaboration with the rest of the team.
- Support in capturing and analysing media coverage, writing regular reports and campaign evaluations to be distributed to the Trust and Trustees.
- Manage the day-to-day contact with media monitoring and media database service providers.
- Support with updating the Somerset House press page and external listings sites/sector diaries with new projects.
- Manage press subscriptions
- Support with departmental financial processes, such as raising purchase orders
- Attend internal meetings on behalf of the PR team
Skills, knowledge & expertise required for the role:
Experience:
- Proven experience of working in a busy press office/agency or within the media.
- Strong evidence of devising and implementing successful PR campaigns and juggling several campaigns at once, which target the relevant audiences and explore opportunities to reach new audiences.
- Demonstrable collaboration with a range of partners, ensuring the appropriate balance is found between mutual PR goals.
- Excellent knowledge of the general media and social media landscape and an avid interest in consuming news and trends.
- Tested track record of balancing press office support and management with campaign work
- Excellent knowledge and interest in the arts/cultural/entertainment sector
- Knowledge and understanding of social media and marketing
Skills:
- Excellent communication skills (verbal and written).
- Excellent copywriting skills.
- Excellent organisational skills, with scrupulous attention to detail.
- Skilled at turning creative thinking into achievable actions and results.
- Strong ability to prioritise and be flexible with workloads.
- Keen ability to work both using own initiative and as a team player.
- Willingness and motivation to complete tasks to best of ability, no matter how big or small.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders.
- Flexibility and adaptability to change.
- Strong numeracy and IT skills, including working knowledge of MS Office applications and spreadsheets, and ability to learn new systems and software quickly.
Benefits to working at Somerset House
Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Access to our external Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) for free 24/7 confidential advice and support, including up to 6 free counselling sessions per year where needed
- Mental health support and guidance from our in-house trained Mental Health First Aiders
- Hybrid working based on having 3 days in the office per week (pro rata if part-time)
- Contribution towards eye tests and glasses
-Trust life insurance scheme
Holiday
- Enhanced annual leave – 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata)
- Birthday leave - additional day leave
- Celebration day - to celebrate anything of your choice
Other Leave
- Sick leave – 20 days full pay, followed by 20 days half pay (pro rata & following 3 months service)
- Emergency dependent care – option to use 25% of paid sick leave for emergency care of a dependent (pro rata & following 3 months service)
- Enhanced maternity pay
Benefits
- 8% employer pension contributions, no employee contribution required*
- Option for salary sacrifice
- Interest-free loans
- Season ticket loan
- Cycle to Work scheme
Discounts, offers and free stuff
-The list is endless and includes tickets to Somerset House events and entrance to other London Heritage sites
-Discounts in Somerset House cafes and restaurants
-Discounts with various high street retailers and restaurants
-Discounts to local leisure centres
*following 3 months employment