The Royal Society
Press Officer
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The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. The Society's fundamental purpose is to recognise, promote and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. The Society has played a part in some of the most fundamental, significant and life-changing discoveries in scientific history and Royal Society scientists continue to make outstanding contributions to science across the wide breadth of research areas.
The Press Officer plays an important and proactive role in the Society's media relations team, working across print, broadcast, social and digital media. They support the activities of the Society including promoting science and its benefits, recognising excellence in science, providing scientific advice for policy makers, fostering international cooperation and engaging the public.
Reports to: Media Relations Manager
Line manages: Not applicable
Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week, on-call rotation and occasional work outside of standard office hours as required. This role requires a minimum of four days per week in the office.
Location: 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG
Contract: Permanent
Pay Band: D
Salary: £38,000 to £45,000
The application closing date is 31 August 2026 at 23:59.
The interviews will be held on 10 and 11 September 2026.
Key Responsibilities And Tasks
- Contribute to the Society's media relations strategy and to the achievement of the Society's objectives through communicating the organisation's views on a range of issues to the media in a proactive as well as reactive manner.
- Help maintain good relationships with the Society's range of media contacts and establish new links with journalists in local, national, international and specialist media.
- Take the lead on delivering allocated press campaigns.
- Share responsibility with other members of the media relations team for handling media enquiries and organising events including press briefings.
- Liaise regularly with staff in other sections of the Society in order to obtain maximum publicity for the Society's activities including policy reports, and the public engagement programme.
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the Society's views and positions on a range of topics and be alert to opportunities to publicise the Society's work.
- Brief spokespeople and commentators ahead of press launches or on the background to particular science issues in the media, including the Society's position.
- Produce media releases and statements, in consultation with other Society staff and Fellows.
- Contribute to the provision of an out of hours media relations service for the Society, by participating in an 'out of hours' cover rota.
- Work with the digital and social media team to contribute to the Society's digital and social media presence.
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Key Knowledge And Skills Required
- Proven experience of working in a busy press office or newsroom.
- High degree of awareness of and interest in science and a broad range of topical science issues.
- Proven experience of conveying complex specialist information to non-specialists.
- Proven experience of drafting clear and engaging written content for external audiences, such as press releases, news stories, web copy, briefings or campaign materials.
- Strong understanding of news values and the ability to identify compelling, newsworthy stories.
- Excellent understanding of the media landscape, with a strong network of media contacts.
- Ability to pitch and secure coverage in a range of media outlets.
- Ability to plan, develop and implement PR strategies.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build, sustain and manage a wide range of stakeholder relationships.
- High level of organisational and time management skills with the ability to multitask.
- Educated to degree standard or equivalent - the Society will consider any background, provided you meet the other essential criteria.
Core Competencies
Self-management
- Works unsupervised and can motivate self
- Produces results under pressure
- Can manage in stressful situations
- Pushes for the best results
- Pursues and encourages feedback that may reveal an error in judgment and then makes appropriate adjustments
- Recognises own personal biases or limitations, and uses this understanding to improve decisions and plans for action
- Seeks out mentors and other development resources to gain additional self-awareness and personal development
- Reflects on negative situations with maturity and seeks to understand own contribution to the situation
- Holds things together and acts as a settling influence
Working With Others
- Contributes ideas and identifies opportunities to work with others both within the team and across the organisation
- Willing to provide feedback to sectional colleagues when requested
- Produces succinct presentations and papers for senior colleagues
- Understands when to seek senior advice on potentially delicate negotiations
- Reaches a variety of audiences using an appropriate mix of communication methods and tailored messages to appeal to their unique needs
- Speaks from the heart to compel action and creates an emotional appeal for organisational priorities
- Creates an environment of transparency while respecting confidentiality requirements
- Builds consensus for delivering team goals. Frequently interacts with peers, on cross-functional matters.
Resource management
- Makes the best of internal/external resources and coordinates well with external partners to best meet the needs of the Society
- Builds contingency into projects taking into account possible outside factors
- Sets and monitors performance against quality and results orientated targets.
- Focuses on both short and long-term goals
- Creates novel solutions to problems
- Creates a detailed design or plan to implement a new solution or approach
- Evaluates new technology as potential solutions to existing issues.
- Adjusts course as new information comes to light
- Executes quickly and decisively in a time-sensitive situation
- Takes accountability to persist until opportunity is realised or problem solved
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Critical thinking
- Determines and clarifies the exact requirements of any situation
- Checks information for accuracy and raises concerns if information is inaccurate
- Extracts the key points succinctly, clearly and accurately
- Puts forward suggestions for improvement concerning current processes or systems
- Tries different ways of doing things to get the best results
- Compares and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of options
- Formulates an opinion by considering opposing views and suggestions
- Runs trials and models or applies statistical analysis and stress testing to confirm or disconfirm proposal
Adaptability
- Overcomes obstacles and is not deterred by setbacks; checks assumptions and first principles and works out alternative approaches
- Reacts proactively to new challenges and works in a flexible manner to produce solutions
- Provides feedback and participates in discussions surrounding new ideas approaches or projects
- Maintains focus and continues to deliver when things are 'up in the air'
- Adjusts to act differently depending on the situation
- Takes steps to understand basic risk management and importance of identifying and maintaining controls
- Helps others to understand and cope with ambiguous situations
Managing people and relationships
- Delegates effectively, setting clear expectations and authority
- Monitors results and feedbacks to team on a regular basis
- Recognises others' contributions and acknowledges their limits
- Helps others to identify ways to improve their performance
- Prioritises supervisory responsibilities and carries them out in a timely fashion
- Understands and can identify client/stakeholder/staff needs and looks for opportunities to improve their experiences
- Demonstrates trust in others' ability to accomplish tasks at acceptable levels of performance
- Provides current, direct, complete and actionable positive and constructive feedback
- Has a mind-set of sharing own and others' expertise
- Creates an environment of transparency while respecting confidentiality requirements
- Focuses on surfacing underlying customer issues/concerns and identifying root causes
- Increases exposure to and personal relationships with customers
- Expresses positive views of the customer
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