Media Lead

Salary: Starting from £50,000 per annum

Contract: Full time (35 hours per week). Fixed term contract for 18 months. 

Location: We are London based (Farringdon). Our staff have the option to work 2 days per week from home.

Closing: 09:30am (BST), Monday 7th September 2026.

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust working to improve social wellbeing through research and innovation. We're looking for an ambitious media professional with an exceptional sense of what journalists are looking for.   Someone with strong media instincts, brilliant contacts and the ideas, energy and experience to get important issues and commentary onto the national agenda.

This is a highly proactive and autonomous role. You'll lead our media work, finding and creating opportunities to bring the Foundation's research, expertise and people to the attention of relevant journalists and media outlets. You'll spot the hook in a piece of research, connect it to what's happening in the world and turn it into a pitch that makes a journalist want to respond.

You'll bring and build trusted relationships with journalists and editors across national, specialist, broadcast and digital media, while constantly looking for new ways to get our work heard and our subject experts known. This role works closely with colleagues across communications, policy and public affairs, grant programmes, our research centres and the researchers we fund to uncover the strongest stories and get them in front of the right people.

If you’re comfortable with a blank sheet of paper as you are responding to a breaking story, you’ll enjoy this role. You'll write sharp, engaging pitches, press releases and comment pieces, develop lines at speed when the news demands it, and help develop and prepare our spokespeople for media opportunities. You'll also be an excellent writer and editor, able to turn complex ideas into clear, compelling copy without losing the substance.

Naturally curious about current affairs and policymaking, you’ll also be confident working with complex research and policy areas, and comfortable operating at pace when opportunities arise.

This role is a chance to have real ownership of our proactive media agenda, working on a wide range of issues that matter including economic inequalities, SEND, children and young people’s education and employment outcomes, public right to justice, racial diversity, over 50s health and work, AI and education, climate change, demographic change and much more.

If you're a creative, connected media professional who gets excited about spotting and placing evidence-backed stories and opinions, we'd love to hear from you.

For further information about the role, please click through to the vacancy listing on our website.

About us

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being.

We achieve this by funding and undertaking rigorous research, encouraging innovation, and supporting the use of sound evidence to improve people’s lives. We tackle pressing, complex questions. Our aim is to open up opportunities and to improve lives for individuals, families and communities, within a just and inclusive society. Our work addresses the inequalities, disadvantage, discrimination and vulnerabilities that people face, and considers the social and ethical implications of scientific and technological advances.

We are the founder and co-funder of Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Nuffield Family Justice Observatory and the Ada Lovelace Institute.

Further information and how to apply

For further information about the role, please click through to the vacancy listing on our website. The closing date for applications is 09:30am (BST) on Monday 7th September 2026.

Our benefits package includes:    

Genuine flexibility - we are open to requests for part-time hours, compressed working weeks, or job shares.  

28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays, with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days (prorated for part time staff).  

• A salary exchange pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%.     
• Life assurance scheme.     
• Family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay.     
• Cycle to work scheme, loans towards train season tickets and the option to make charitable donations via your pay. 

Regular opportunities for learning and development – including coaching, mentoring, and dedicated reading days for personal development and reflection.   

Support with your physical, mental and financial wellbeing including an employee assistance provider, a private GP service, personal health reviews with Bupa, a will and funeral planning service and a staff network of trained Mental Health First Aiders.   

A warm and welcoming workplace culture, with active peer groups and social networks to help you connect and belong.