The PA is the representative body for the UK book and journal publishing sector.

There are 15 PA staff, working in support of 120 members across four divisions: trade, international, education, academic and professional. The PA also co-ordinates sector research, supports members at international book fairs and operates the Copyright Infringement Portal to detect and remove infringing online content.

The Policy and Communications Officer reports to the Director of Policy and Communications and is responsible for handling the PA’s day to day media activity, including media monitoring, and is the first port of call for all media requests.

The Role

The role involves assisting the Director in:

Engaging and building relations with all parts of the media, from trade publications like The Bookseller, through to national and international titles and broadcast media. Increasing the profile of the PA and the publishing industry with its political stakeholders, including supporting with Parliamentary events planning. Preparing statements, articles, media briefs, comments and press releases, both in support of direct PA activity and across issues of interest; devising feature and story ideas to promote the publishing sector. Creating and executing media campaigns for specific initiatives, issues and events. Implementing the PA’s digital and social media strategy. Maintaining relationships with members, their communication departments and the wider publishing community.

The Person

The Policy and Communications Officer should:

Have a wide network of media contacts and good working knowledge of the UK media environment, especially with regards to creative industries and technology sectors. Have an understanding of Westminster and the UK political environment. Have working experience of generating coverage of positive stories, and also in negating unfavourable coverage. Be capable of generating stories, and engaging the media in an attractive and creative way. Be capable of working in a close-knit team, offering advice on media handling across a wide range of disciplines and issues. Be proficient in using social media to build awareness.

An understanding of the political, legal and commercial forces at work in the publishing sector would be an advantage.