Communications Officer

In this role, you’ll:

• Help raise awareness of our vital work to protect children and support families through clear, engaging communications.
• Share real stories of impact, amplifying children’s voices and bringing to life the difference our services and campaigns make. 
• Support the delivery of reactive and proactive media activity, be the first point of contact for press enquiries and participate in an on-call rota.
• Schedule and create content for our social media channels and website and contribute to internal communications that keep colleagues informed and connected.
• Have the opportunity to support creative campaigns on the issues that matter most to children and young people.
• You will use insight, learning and feedback to inform continuous improvement in communications activity.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• A proactive, collaborative approach and commitment to our values.
• Previous experience in a similar communications role.
• Strong social media skills.
• Experience of working with the Scottish media.
• Excellent ICT skills and experience of Canva and creating video content. 
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to concisely summarise key information. 

What we offer:

• A workplace with values of with love, with purpose and with strength
• 40 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
• Pension scheme and wellbeing support
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Access to Westfield Health, giving colleagues and their families confidential counselling support, wellbeing resources, and access to health and lifestyle benefits to support physical and mental wellbeing.
• Blue Light card discount 
• A Fair Work accredited workplace 

 
Our Values
 
Living our values, you will help create a workplace where our people can thrive, ensuring we deliver the best possible support to children and families. 
 
With love, we put children first.
With purpose, we transform lives together.
With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.
 
How to Apply
 
If you share our values and are passionate about supporting our people, we would love to hear from you.
 
Closing date: 5pm on Wednesday 6 May 2026 

 Interviews: Week commencing 18 May

 Contact: For more information, email nicola.douglas@childrenfirst.org.uk  


Full Job Description:
 
 

Children First - Vision and Values 

 
Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity. We stand up for every child because all children should have a safe childhood. We protect children from harm and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national and local services. We help children, their families and the people that care for them by offering emotional, practical, and financial support. We give children hope and a safer, brighter future.
 
Our core values guide how each one of us works in our individual day to day job:
 
• With love, we put children first.
• With purpose, we transform children’s lives together.
• With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Children First, we are committed to building a representative, inclusive and authentic workplace open to applications from all sections of society. We believe in the potential of everyone regardless of; sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic origin, ability, family structure, socio-economic background, age, nationality, marital status or civil partnership, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other aspect that makes you who you are.
We envision a diverse and inclusive Children First where we cultivate a true sense of belonging and connection for and between our teams, children, young people, families, and communities we work with.
Further to that, as part of our vision to be an anti-racist organisation, we are committed to conscious inclusion to build increasingly diverse teams and emotionally safe work environments. 

 

Role Summary

 
This is an exciting opportunity to join Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, as our communications officer within the fundraising, marketing and communications directorate.
 
You’ll play an important role in helping us become a trusted household name across Scotland. Through clear, engaging communications, you’ll help raise awareness of our vital work to protect children and support families.
 
Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, and alongside children and families, you will help share real stories demonstrating the difference our work makes. You’ll support the delivery of reactive and proactive media activity, be the first point of contact for press enquiries, schedule and create content for our social media channels and website and contribute to internal communications that keep colleagues informed and connected.
 
You will use insight, learning and feedback to inform continuous improvement in communications activity.
 
You’ll also have the opportunity to support creative campaigns on the issues that matter most to children and young people, helping to amplify their voices and bring to life the impact our work makes.
 

Key Results Areas

 
What success looks like in the role:
 
Communications and campaigns

• Deliver high‑quality communications support for colleagues across the charity, working collaboratively to meet charity priorities.
• Contribute to the planning, delivery and evaluation of integrated communications on Children First’s strategic priorities and the issues that matter most to children and young people.
• Use insight, learning and feedback to inform continuous improvement in communications activity.
• Translate complex policy, practice and service delivery messages into clear, engaging and child‑centred communications for a range of different audiences.

Media and public relations

• Work with colleagues to ensure media enquiries are handled in a timely way.
• Deliver proactive and reactive media relations activity, including pitching stories, arranging interviews, press briefings and coordinating filming and photography.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with journalists at local, Scottish and UK level, as well as external partners.
• Maintain a forward‑looking media planner and participate in the out‑of‑hours media enquiries rota.

Content creation and storytelling

• Create high‑quality content about Children First’s work for proactive and reactive PR, social media platforms, internal communications and the website.
• Write copy for Children First publications including newsletters, leaflets, website content and the annual report.
• Support children and families to safely and appropriately share their stories, following Children First’s story‑gathering, consent and safeguarding processes at all times.

Digital communications

• Update and manage website content using the CMS, ensuring information is accurate, accessible and up to date.
• Manage the charity’s organic social media channels, including planning and maintaining a monthly social media planner to grow reach and engagement.
• Work collaboratively with teams across the charity to develop engaging multimedia content, including video.

Internal communications and collaboration

• Implement and support an internal communications approach that brings Children First’s values to life and supports connection, clarity and organisational change for colleagues.
• Build positive working relationships across the charity, supporting shared understanding and effective collaboration.
• Contribute to cross‑organisational working groups and collective delivery of Children First’s goals and objectives. 

Corporate Responsibility

• Be committed and adhere to Children First vision, mission and values.
• Comply with Children First safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Comply with Children First code of conduct and any relevant professional standards relating to the role. 
• Actively consider the involvement of children, young people and families with whom we work, in all areas of practice and to implement the Children First participation standards.
• Actively consider the involvement of volunteers in all areas of our work and to implement the Children First volunteer development policy.
• Observe all health and safety requirements.
• Work within and promote policies in relation to diversity equity and inclusion and anti-discriminatory practices.
• Undertake any other reasonably required duties as instructed by line manager or someone acting on their behalf, in addition to the role specific responsibilities detailed below.