Vacancy at Change Mental Health
Research and Content Officer
Salary
£ 29,000 p/a
Edinburgh
Vacancy listed
23/01/2025
Application deadline
19/02/2025
Details
Location: Edinburgh
Salary: £29,000 per annum
Salary Band: 1.6
Hours: 35 hours per week, full time
Contract: Permanent
Directorate: Policy, Public Affairs and Communications
Reports To: Head of Communications
About us
Change Mental Health is a leading national mental health charity providing unique non-clinical and person-centered support to people affected by poor mental health and mental illness across communities in Scotland. We ensure that everyone has access to the support they need, when they need it and in a way which works best for them. With over 50 years of experience, we’re changing society by changing attitudes, fighting stigma and influencing government, ensuring a better quality of life for those affected by poor mental health and mental illness.
About the role
Change Mental Health is determined to be the leading source of information, advice and guidance on mental health and mental illness in Scotland. We want to make sure that everyone has the tools they need to make the right decisions for themselves and for their families.
The role of the Research and Content Officer is instrumental in ensuring that we do this through being information and research led. The role will work across multiple teams at Change Mental Health to source, summarise and disseminate appropriate research, as well as developing, fact-checking and composing content for our various communications channels. Content will follow best practice and meet industry standards of being user-friendly, accessible, on brand and discoverable on search engines. This educational content will align with our values to inform the public about the extent and broad nature of mental health and mental illness.
The role will sit within the Policy, Public Affairs and Communications team, actively working with the team to source research opportunities, support our wider internal and external communications work, and evidence the impact we create as an organisation.
The Research and Content Officer will closely collaborate internally to ensure our internal and external training is leading edge, supporting funding and tender applications, and working with services to meet their research and content needs for delivery where appropriate.
Additionally, the role will work with external stakeholders – including academic partners – to collaborate on research and to ensure that Change Mental Health is meeting its mission, vision and strategic outcomes.
This role would suit someone who loves learning and sharing knowledge. You will have a passion for mental health, an eye for detail, and will be able to link academia to practical impact and service delivery. You will be an excellent copywriter and familiar with academic research and its practices. You will enjoy providing knowledge and understanding to others, be an excellent team player who can lead innovations independently, while having a solid ability to forge and cultivate powerful relationships – both internally and externally.
Key Responsibilities:
· Source and disseminate up-to-date research in an informative and accessible manner.
· Create, manage, update and develop the information and resources on our website to a high and professional standard.
· Use existing and develop new communications channels, alongside the Head of Communications and Communications Officer, to disseminate information, news and advise (where appropriate) on developments in the mental health and mental illness fields.
· Work with the Communications team to develop the organisational Communications Plan, while ensuring that all communications are of high quality and information and research informed.
· Build working relationships with, and network with, academics, policy professionals and the third sector to develop new partnerships and research opportunities.
· Actively develop opportunities to be part of research bids to further knowledge in mental health and mental illness.
· Work with Change Mental Health’s Advice and Support Service and Mental Health UK’s Digital team to manage, update and develop the Scottish relevant copy of the Mental Health and Money Advice website to a high and professional standard.
· Keep abreast of and highlight breakthroughs and developments in mental health research.
· Research changes to mental health and benefit legislation, plus update the content of the appropriate websites to reflect those changes.
· Develop a sound understanding of the perspectives of people affected by mental illness, including families, carers and supporters of people with mental illness to ensure the content produced meets the needs of appropriate audiences.
· Build working relationships with people with lived experience of mental illness, or who care for someone with mental illness, and reflect this information within our content.
· Build excellent working relationships with staff across the organisation, to feed information into our website content.
· Produce engaging content such as crafting real-life stories and developing our Insights section.
· Work with the Head of Quality and Improvement and relevant personnel to demonstrate and evidence the impact of Change Mental Health through relevant reports and tools.
· Work with the National Training Manager, HR Officer and Head of Quality and Improvement to help ensure that our internal and external training is best practice and that our services are evidence informed.
· Work with our services to understand their research and content needs, building positive relationships with them to demonstrate lived experience.
· Work with the wider Policy, Public Affairs and Communications department to deliver on the Change Mental Health strategy, influence policy and evidence impact.
· Working with the Fundraising team to deliver research contributing towards funding and tender applications.
· Proactively attend relevant events across Scotland.
· Additional duties and projects as required.
Essential Criteria:
· Relevant qualifications or equivalent experience and skills.
· Be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of engaging in or working with research.
· An excellent writer
· Able to communicate effectively and manage expectations.
· Exceptional attention to detail and able to work to deadlines.
· Able to work autonomously as a self-starter and work as part of a wider team.
· Able to network and identify opportunities to collaborate with organisations.
· Excellent project management skills and demonstrable experience of managing multiple stakeholders to achieve agreed shared objectives.
· An ability to pull together reports.
· Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret and present data and research in an engaging manner.
· Be able to demonstrate communications experience/expertise.
· A solid understanding of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
· Personable, engaging and outward looking.
· A ‘can do’ attitude.
· Commitment to the values of Change Mental Health.
· Successful applicants for this post will require a Basic Disclosure Scotland (this will be arranged by Change Mental Health during before you start your role).
Desirable Criteria:
· Demonstrable understanding and empathy towards mental health problems and a passion for mental health
· A degree
· Some experience in using a content management system (CMS), such as WordPress.
This job profile and list of duties is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements. The line manager may stipulate other reasonable requirements and projects commensurate with the general profile and grade of the post.
Benefits
• 24/7 access to an award-winning Employee Assistance Programme providing free legal, financial, and medical advice as well as support with life’s challenges.
• A 35-hour working week
• Travel season ticket loan.
• A great work life balance with flexible and blended working environment.
• Access to purchase a Blue Light Discount Card
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Enhanced sick pay and leave entitlements.
• Generous 37 days’ holiday.
• Two paid Mental Wellbeing days.
• Professional development including funded opportunities.
Notes
To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter by clicking on the 'apply' button below
Please note all applications must be received by midday on Wednesday 19th February.
We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.
If you consider yourself to have a disability, please inform us of any arrangements that we may make to the interview process.
We reserve the right to close this advert earlier or later than stated. Please don’t delay your application to avoid any disappointment.
If you have any questions or would like an informal chat, please reach out to Kieran Scott at Kieran.Scott@changemh.org
Attached documents
| Title | File |
|---|---|
| Job Description | Research_and_Content_Officer_JD.docx |