Communications Officer – Discover Economics

Royal Economic Society

Length of contract
1 year

About the Organisation

Royal Economic Society (RES) is a professional membership body and learned society dedicated to the study and application of economics. The RES has been at the forefront of advancing economic knowledge globally since 1890 and has been foundational in building capability and excellence in the profession.

With over 3,000 individual members worldwide and a dozen organisational members, we are one of the oldest economic associations in the world. Increasingly, we are focused on improving the public understanding of economics through engagement with schools and the wider public. Improving diversity, inclusion, and professional conduct within the discipline is a key strategic priority of the Society.

About the role

The Communications Officer provides essential communications support to the Discover Economics programme. Working closely with the Head of Discover Economics and Programme Manager, the role helps maintain the programme’s visibility, digital presence and regular communications outputs. This role may particularly suit individuals with a portfolio career or those combining multiple professional roles. Our purpose is to promote the study of economic science.

With over 3,000 individual members worldwide and a dozen organizational members, we are one of the oldest economic associations in the world. We are a registered charity, and membership is open to anyone who shares our aims and objectives. Increasingly, we are focused on improving the public understanding of economics through engagement with schools and the wider public. Discover Economics is a Royal Economic Society programme to increase diversity in economics. We work to:

• Broaden the appeal of economics to potential students
• Change their perceptions of economics and economists
• Attract more students from under-represented groups (women, state school and further education college students, minoritised ethnic groups, members of the LGBTQI+ community and more).

The programme targets 15-17 year olds – young people who are making choices about what post-16 qualifications to take and what subjects to study at university. We work to transform perceptions of economics among students, particularly those attending schools where it is not provided as a subject. We also work to raise the voices of a more diverse set of economists and expose students to role models already working in the subject.

Overall, the Society publishes two scientific journals - The Economic Journal and The Econometrics Journal – containing high-quality peer-reviewed papers from an international authorship. Our popular annual conference provides a forum for research, debate, and networking. We also provide resources for economists and support for education and the training of students, teachers and researchers. Improving diversity, inclusion and professional conduct within the discipline is a key strategic priority of the Society.

Responsibilities

Communications Oversight & Planning:

• Support the planning and scheduling of core programme communications.
• Ensure messaging aligns with programme priorities and outreach activity.

Website Maintenance:

• Keep website content up to date, accurate and engaging.
• Upload new resources, news items and event information as required.

Social Media Management:

• Support the management of Discover Economics’ social media channels.
• Draft and schedule posts to maintain a consistent online presence.
•  Monitor engagement and flag opportunities or issues.

Newsletter Production:

• Assist with the creation and distribution of the programme newsletter.
• Gather content, draft copy and coordinate with internal teams for updates.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Essential Skills:

• Experience of creating written or digital content for a school/college-aged audience, turning complex content into an accessible format.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, dealing with a range of stakeholders in a professional, engaging manner and the ability to use appropriate language and images to represent the programme online and through social media.
• Experience of building, maintaining and engaging audiences on social media platforms including LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram.
• Technical and design experience including producing infographics, animations and images.
• Experience with relevant software packages, website management and marketing platforms including Canva, Wix, DotDigital.
• A strong commitment to promoting diversity in education.
• Ability to work independently and prioritise workload to deliver high-quality content to tight schedules.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills and significant experience with IT packages such as MS Office, Slack, Notion, etc.
• Ability to work well within a team, with a flexible can-do approach to work.
• Knowledge of and enthusiasm for economics.

Desired Skills:

• Knowledge and experience of the education (including higher education) sector.
• Knowledge and experience of working with school/college students or producing content for this target audience.

Required Qualifications

• Economics degree or equivalent.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely
• Occasional travel to meetings within the UK will be required.

How to apply

• Applications should be emailed to [email protected] by 10 am on Friday 24th July 2026th. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Please apply by sending your CV along with a personal statement outlining how you meet each person specification point. Applications that have not linked the personal statement to the person specification points will not be considered.
• For further information, or if you require any reasonable adjustments in submitting your application, please contact the Office Manager via e-mail at [email protected]. The Royal Economic Society is committed to equality and valuing diversity. 

Interviews

• Shortlisting will be done on an ongoing basis with interview slots held both w/c 20th July (for early applicants) and 27th July 2026.

Policies

Royal Economic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be subject to appropriate safer recruitment checks, which may include a DBS check, references, and verification of qualifications and employment history. All staff are expected to share our commitment to safeguarding and to maintain the highest standards of professional conduct when working with students.

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