About TASO

The Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) is an affiliate What Works Centre, and part of the UK Government’s What Works Movement. Our vision is to eliminate equality gaps in higher education (HE). Our mission is to improve lives through evidence-informed practice.

TASO was set up in 2019 and became an independent charity in April 2021. Our work focuses on the generation, synthesis and dissemination of high-quality evidence about effective practice in widening participation and student outcomes. We primarily focus on developing and disseminating causal evidence.

The Role

The Communications Manager (part-time) will be responsible for implementing TASO’s communications and engagement strategy to raise the profile of the organisation with external stakeholders. This will involve managing communications activities, leading on the editorial process for research outputs, managing digital channels, and ensuring a vibrant social media presence.

Among other responsibilities, the role will include:

Editorial, copywriting and publications 

  • Manage the editorial process for TASO’s research outputs, including liaising with internal project teams, external partners, copy editors and typesetters as necessary.
  • Manage the news and blog section of the website. Responsibilities include managing the content strategy and pipeline, coming up with topics and themes, copywriting, commissioning and creating briefs for external authors.
  • Work with the Research and Evaluation Team to develop communications materials to engage and inform external audiences.
  • Develop and manage the editorial style guide across publications, web and social media.
  • Manage the implementation of our brand guidelines and ensure all outputs are on-brand.

Communications and content strategy

  • Lead on communications for research projects by developing communications and dissemination plans, liaising with project teams and external stakeholders to develop content and manage stakeholder engagement and planning ahead of and beyond launches.
  • As part of comms strategy, consider media angles and journalist engagement and opportunities with the support of Head of Communications and Engagement.
  • Evaluate comms campaign performance on select projects using insights from Mail Chimp, Google Analytics and social media analytics and provide evidence-driven recommendations for future activity.

Digital channels 

  • Manage and run a website refresh project to improve the accessibility and usability of TASO’s online resources and presence.
  • Manage more complex website updates, such as structural changes and advise on best practice web design to the broader team.
  • Publish content to the website and lead on day-to-day site updates and maintenance where required.

Day-to-day comms work

  • Develop and deliver on communications and dissemination plans and project outputs.
  • Publish content to the website and lead on day-to-day site updates and maintenance where required.
  • Oversee the planning, scheduling and monitoring of social posts and content.
  • Oversee our newsletter content and distribution via MailChimp.
  • Support with the coordination of events together with the team, including TASO’s annual conference.
  • Where required, write briefs for and liaise with external designers to deliver resources as part of project outputs and communications strategy.
  • Support the Head of Communications and Engagement with implementing communications strategies across platforms and channels including website, social, newsletter, partner networks and events.
  • Provide line management for a Communications Assistant who will support all communications activities.

Download the full candidate brief.

Initial Terms and Conditions of Appointment

Remuneration: £41,000 – £45,000 per annum pro-rated – depending on experience
Location: Central London. This post will be hybrid with the expectation that the post holder will be in the office one or two days a week in addition to attending office-based project meetings. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
Term: Permanent. Part-time – 3 days a week, 21 hours per week.
Holiday: 27 days per year (pro-rata), plus public/bank holidays and a day off for your birthday
Wellbeing: flexible working and a personal wellbeing budget
Training and development: systematic performance reviews, personalised learning and development objectives and access to a training and development fund
Pension: Employer contribution 8%

How to apply

To apply, please send a CV and supporting statement (maximum 1 A4 page) outlining clearly how you meet the above criteria to info@taso.org.uk, citing “Communications Manager” in the Subject of the email. We also ask that you fill out our online EDI monitoring form when you submit your application. The form is anonymous.

Shortlisted applicants may be asked to complete a task before or during the interview stage.

TASO welcomes applications from all underrepresented communities and groups. As part of our commitment to increasing diversity within both our own workforce and the policy making sector in general, we offer pre-application discussions to candidates from black, asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds. Please contact omar.khan@taso.org.uk for more details.

Deadline for applications: 11.59pm, Tuesday 22 August 2023

Interviews are expected to be held on w/c 28 August 2023 and candidates will be issued a task to complete in advance.