Farming Communications Officer

Location: Bristol (with Hybrid working), United Kingdom.
Salary: £15,960 to £17,160 per annum ( 0.6 FTE £26,600 to £28,600)
Position: Part-time (21 hours), Contract (6 months, may extend another 6 months)

About our Organisation

The Soil Association, formed in 1946, is the only UK charity which works across the spectrum of human health, the environment and animal welfare. That’s because we cannot tackle these issues in isolation.

We campaign for change, we support farming innovation, we serve healthy food in communities, we support and grow the organic market, and we protect forests. We couldn’t do any of this without our supporters, partners, donors and dedicated staff. We make a difference in the world where it’s needed the most.

About the Opportunity

The Farming and Land Use Team at the Soil Association have big plans to broaden the support we give to farmers and growers so more of them can transition towards nature friendly farming practices.

In the next decade we want to:

• Enable more farmers and growers to go organic so can reach our goal of 10% of agricultural land in the UK.
• Expand our agroecological transition support service so more farmers and growers can the get technical and practical help to allow them to shift towards nature friendly farming practices.
• Start a farmer-led tree revolution by encouraging agroforestry systems and farm woodlands.
• Double the volume of UK fruit and vegetable production.
• Make farmer-led research the norm for agricultural innovation.
• Increase farmer to farmer knowledge sharing by creating a suite of resources and events to facilitate peer to peer dissemination.
• Work to ensure a greater diversity and number of people can find meaningful livelihoods in farming, food and forestry.

Communications is integral to making this happen. This role will work within the farming comms team to capture the stories of farmers and growers in our network who are leading the way and help them inspire and equip others to do the same. We need to build the profile of the Soil Association’s farming services and create engaging content which makes the case for agroecology – both financially and environmentally.

To do this you will likely find yourself:

• Asking questions to farmers on the phone or on the field – trying to capture and share their knowledge so that others can benefit.
• Working with Soil Association’s farming and land use advisors to find creative ways to publicise the outcomes of their projects in a way that is relevant to the agricultural communities.
• Drafting and posting social media content aimed at sharing nature friendly farming stories and encouraging the farming community to do the same.
• Managing and improving our regular newsletters to ensure our networks are kept up to date with the latest technical developments, events and opportunities.
• Representing the organisation at farm walks and conferences – talking to farmers and growers about our work and encouraging them to get involved with our projects.
• Updating our website with the most recent practical knowledge and case studies from the organic and agroecological farming movement.
• Project managing a range of videographers, photographers and journalists to ensure nature friendly farming stories are being told.
• Doing a healthy amount of creative thinking, planning, dreaming, chatting and learning.

About You

We are looking for an allrounder who is motivated to help us radically change the way agriculture is done in the UK so it works for nature, the climate and the health of our population. No prior knowledge of farming is necessary (although it is desirable). However, you must be enthusiastic about learning the ins and outs of agriculture in the UK and getting to grips with technical information around nature friendly farming practices.

We are looking for someone who is:

• A facilitator and do-er who has a track record of bringing different sets of people together to make things happen.
• A chatter who can bring out people’s stories and ideas and find the right questions to tease out the right pieces of knowledge.
• Someone who can learn the language of our farmer and grower audience groups and understand their needs so we can help them best.
• A writer and copyeditor who can combine creative and engaging writing with practical down to earth knowledge transfer, so we bring farming practices to life.
• A digital expert who can use the latest platforms to get information to the right people as well as ensuring those people share their stories with us.
• A collaborator who is open to constructive feedback and who can work with others in dynamic ways.
• A storyteller who can capture the essence of what needs to be said and find the right mediums for where the story is told.

Our Benefits

We offer a range of financial and lifestyle benefits to all our employees, including:

• 27 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days with length of service plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
• Pension scheme with ethical investment options and employer contribution increasing with length of service
• Free membership of the Soil Association and discounts on organic produce
• Volunteer days to give back to the local community or support green initiatives
• Family friendly policies and flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme
• Sociable and engaging workplace of professionals that share a passion for healthy, sustainable lifestyle and produce

To Apply

Click ‘apply now’ to submit your CV and Cover Letter application form. Please note we look at applications on arrival and reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Please check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive a confirmation email upon submitting your application. All candidates will subsequently receive an email to confirm whether they have made it through to interview stage.

For any queries, please contact [email protected].

Please note we do not accept CVs or Cover Letters.

We know the value of diversity in nature and want it in our organisation. We recognise that diverse backgrounds and experiences will bring a fresh perspective to our work. If you’re not sure about applying, please get in touch with us for a chat.

Thank you for your interest in supporting our work at the Soil Association.