Salary: £30,000 FTE

Hours: Part Time; 30 hours per week

Term: Permanent; subject to funding – organisation funding in place to April 2028

About BEFS

Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) is the strategic intermediary body for Scotland’s built environment sector, bringing together civic, voluntary, and professional organisations that operate at the national level. As an umbrella organisation, BEFS informs, debates and advocates on strategic issues and policies affecting the built environment. Our aim is to communicate the importance of Scotland’s built and historic environment to policy makers at all levels of government, private owners and investors, and amongst professionals and voluntary organisations. BEFS are core-funded via Historic Environment Scotland. Funding is in place until 31 March 2028.

The Role

Leading on the communication activities of the organisation, BEFS Communications Officer will work closely with BEFS team to strategically amplify the sector’s policy interests and ensure that BEFS role as a trusted and informed sector voice is reflected visibly across all communications channels.

Working closely with the Board, Director, and team – as well as communicating with our Member organisations – the post holder will be responsible for managing the breadth of the organisation’s (digital) communications channels. Adopting a proactive cross-sectoral approach, the postholder will play a key role in maintaining and raising BEFS profile with policy makers, the sector and wider stakeholders.

We are seeking the right individual – with an excellent turn of phrase, and an eye for detail – to fit into a small, friendly team.

Key responsibilities

  • Lead on drafting and publishing BEFS bi-monthly bulletin
  • Managing and developing BEFS digital communications, including the website, social media and digital engagement platforms
  • Horizon scanning: Monitor, amplify and engage with our Members’ communications and social media output
  • Provide a consistent and informed voice for BEFS communications outputs across all channels
  • Proactively maintain an outcome-led communications strategy consistent with BEFS organisational objectives and strategies (e.g. BEFS Manifesto)
  • Ensuring the delivery of BEFS communications strategy enhances outputs; manage, monitor and report on the effectiveness of the communications strategy, including media relations
  • Work with BEFS team to develop advocacy and communication toolkits supporting sector advocacy and climate advocacy specifically
  • Work with BEFS team to proactively support the Membership through advocacy work on behalf of sector-wide and Member initiatives, including production of new advocacy documents
  • Support BEFS team to develop advocacy campaigns and facilitating events
  • Reporting: provide and contribute to regular reports to funders and BEFS Board
  • Team: participate actively as part of a small and agile team, supporting and working with colleagues as necessary
  • Undertaking other such duties as may be required

Key Relationships

Within BEFS: Director, Head of Policy and Strategy, Communications and Policy Officer, Net Zero Lead and Head of Operations

30+ BEFS Member and Associate representatives, BEFS Board members, media contacts, civil servants within Scottish Government, Historic Environment Scotland, and wider stakeholders.

Person Specification

Applicants should be confident communicators with strong written and inter-personal skills, and proven experience of using a wide range of (digital) communication methods including websites, social media, news releases, and press liaison.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the key issues affecting the existing and historic environment, with knowledge of the main players and lead organisations in the wider built environment sector.

This post will suit a communications professional with an interest in Scotland’s existing built environment.

If invited to interview, you will be asked to demonstrate how your experience meets the requirements of the post. We will look for evidence of past experience, and your approach to the key responsibilities outlined above.

Essential Skills

  • A qualification in a communications discipline or relevant experience of 3+ years
  • Experience of digital communications, content management systems for web, social media and other engagement channels
  • Highly computer literate e.g. skilled use of Microsoft 365, WordPress, Mailchimp, Eventbrite
  • Familiarity with image and design software, such as Adobe Creative Cloud (specifically Photoshop, Canva, Publisher, Illustrator) or similar
  • Excellent command of the English language with exceptional writing, editing, proof-reading, and demonstrable attention to detail
  • Experience of writing press releases
  • Strong organisational and time management skills; ability to work autonomously
  • Enthusiastic and positive team member, committed to organisational and personal development and training
  • Confident and effective communicator

 Desirable Skills

  • Knowledge of public affairs landscape relating to the built environment (historic and contemporary) – Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, voluntary sector, professional bodies
  • Experience of preparing publicity material – artwork and graphic design
  • Experience of working with committees and engaging with organisations and individuals remotely
  • Experience of public affairs work
  • Experience of working with the media
  • Experience of working for a small, busy organisation

Pension: 5.5% company contribution of gross salary to a company scheme or properly constituted pension scheme of your choice with a minimum 2.5% additional employee contribution.

Annual Leave: Annual leave is pro rata the full-time allowance; Full time allowance is 30 days with an additional 5 public holidays (core PH – 2 Christmas, 2 New Year, and 1 at Easter).

Location: The job is home-working based – the team all work remotely and are based in/around Edinburgh and Glasgow with regular face-to-face meetings expected. Very occasional event support may be required across Scotland, or in the evening.

Reporting to: BEFS Director

This role is funded by Historic Environment Scotland, as part of BEFS core funding through the Partnership Award Fund.

BEFS expects all applicants to support the values, ethos and objectives of BEFS, demonstrating credibility and integrity and proactively committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to work in the UK.

BEFS is an equal opportunities employer.

To apply

Please complete the Application Form (in a Word document, CVs will not be accepted) and Equality and Diversity Form.

Send your application documents attached to an email to: info@befs.org.uk [The subject of the email should read: Confidential – Job Application – Comms Officer]

Interviews expected to be w/c 6 July. Interviews will be held in person, in central Edinburgh.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Hazel Johnson, BEFS Director: hjohnson@befs.org.uk

Deadline for receipt of Applications: 12 noon on Friday 26 June