Programme Officer (Knowledge, Learning and Communications) NEW

COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

The Commonwealth Foundation is committed to bringing Commonwealth civil society and its citizens into the centre of discussion and decision-making around critical issues that affect their lives. As Programme Officer, Knowledge, Learning and Communications, you will be working closely with the Manager in the Knowledge, Learning and Communications (KLC) team and you will engage with civil society issues throughout the Commonwealth. You should have relevant experience in developing innovative digital content including copy and visual media for a range of online channels. You will need to be able to produce and schedule quality content related to the Foundation s programmes to build engagement with civil society audiences. This position is only open to applicants with an existing right to work in the United Kingdom.

The organisation

The Commonwealth Foundation is mandated by its Member States to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. The Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance. Our key focus areas are climate justice, health justice and freedom of expression. Our cross-cutting themes are gender equality, small and vulnerable states and young people.

The Foundation s current Strategic Plan, which details what we are doing, how and why, can be accessed via our website, along with our latest Annual Report where you can get a good idea of how we are currently working.

The programme

The mandate of the Knowledge, Learning and Communications (KLC) programme is to capture, distil and share knowledge and learning to strengthen Foundation s impact and effectiveness. The programme brings together a range of functions critical to the Foundation s identity, coherence and visibility including the facility to learn internally; management of information and infrastructure; leadership of the Foundation s monitoring and evaluation work; and all aspects of our communications and outreach including reporting.

The role

The Programme Officer (PO) will support the effective delivery of the Foundation s Knowledge, Learning and Communications (KLC) workplan. Working under the supervision of the KLC Programme Manager, you will be responsible for maintaining the Foundation s websites; planning and creating content for our online channels that communicates meaningful results and tells the Foundation s story in as engaging way as possible; event coordination, facilitation and promotion; support for media relations; support for annual reporting and results monitoring; and support to Foundation staff in the optimal use of communications tools and IT.

Key tasks and responsibilities

The postholder will undertake the following key tasks:

• Actively promote the values and aims of the Commonwealth

• Monitor and engage with sector news, trends and discussions

• Plan and create content for all social media channels, monitoring and reporting on social media reach and digital metrics

• Manage content for the Foundation s websites and work with web developers to develop functionality and meet evolving needs

• Play a leading role in event coordination and promotion

• Work collaboratively with the other Foundation programmes, identifying opportunities to maximise synergies towards the Foundation s vision and mission

• Guide staff in the effective use of information technology including platforms such as Zoom Webinars and databases like Airtable

• Generate writing and other media that captures ideas and best practice from one area of our work and communicates it effectively with a wider audience

• Coordinate and support data collection and monitoring results against our strategy

• Prepare copy and content for briefing notes, reports and presentations

• Guide and support staff in their communications

The individual

We seek an individual with demonstrated experience in communications gained within a comparable field, especially of social media and online marketing, along with experience of using website content management systems. The ideal candidate will also have experience using the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite and have a good understanding of Microsoft tools and webinar/virtual meeting platforms. They will have strong writing skills and experience in storytelling and reporting, along with an ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders. They should have an awareness of ensuring brand and style guidelines are reflected across communication activities and be comfortable acting as a first point of contact for media enquiries as well as liaising with colleagues and external suppliers.

What we Offer

Salary expectations: £32,076 – £35,605 per annum

The Foundation is proud of our welcoming and accommodating working environment. We strive to be a great place to work.

We offer generous holidays 30 days (plus 8 bank holidays and 4 privilege days).

Fifteen percent of your salary is payable tax-free at stipulated periods in lieu of a formal superannuation scheme.

Foundation staff have access to our private health scheme, including dental cover.

We are based in Marlborough House, Pall Mall, central London. We are currently operating a flexible working policy which requires all staff to work from the office at least five days per fortnight including every Wednesday, and applicants must be able to affirm their capacity and willingness to work within this policy.

Our commitment

The Foundation celebrates diversity, and we are proud of our diverse and welcoming team. All qualified applicants already eligible to work in the UK will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status or pregnancy.

If you need us to make any special accommodation in the recruitment and selection process because of a protected characteristic, please let us know.

The process

Interested candidates should apply online via the Commonwealth Foundation website.

The application requires you to provide a comprehensive CV as well as a motivation letter that clearly addresses the criteria as outlined in the person specification and the competencies framework.

You must possess and declare the right to work in the UK at the time of application submission for your application to be considered. The Commonwealth Foundation does not sponsor work visas.

Closing date for applications:

9.00am BST Tuesday 26 August 2025

Interviews:

First-round interviews will be held online, in the week beginning 8 September 2025.

Second-round interviews will be held in person in the week beginning 15 September 2025 at Marlborough House, central London.