Media and PR Officer

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Overview

With a reputation for high impact, Marketing, Admissions, Recruitment and Communications (MARC) leads the University’s core student recruitment activity, as well as enhances the institution's reputation as a global leader in research, teaching and industry collaboration.

Within the department’s Media and PR function is a commitment to strategically raise the profile and strengthen the reputation of the University via the media, by understanding and sharing academic research and seeking ways to promote corporate achievements. Stories are frequently complex, require care and sensitivity and a close partnership with experts. Alongside this, is a responsibility to lead a proactive approach to risk, and crisis management, advising senior stakeholders in order to effectively safeguard the University’s reputation.

This fast-paced role requires someone who has a strong background of working with the media; existing relationships with high-profile journalists and broadcasters; demonstrable knowledge of media relations, its impact with stakeholders and role in building brand reputation; crisis and reputation management experience and a good knowledge of higher education.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Maximise the University’s national and international reputation through proactive media and PR, working to identify, source and amplify impactful content to shape Sheffield's global profile.
• Write and pitch news releases for a wide variety of media, deciding on both content and target audience.
• Manage and lead short to medium term press and media campaigns, as well as contribute to longer-term strategic work, such as the University’s golden thread campaign, ensuring objectives are met.
• Support the management of the University’s external reputation and provide specialist and expert reputational advice to colleagues across the University – including senior management – during a crisis or when handling potentially sensitive and controversial issues.
• Proactively source key spokespeople and academic experts from within the University for press and media interviews, and brief them accordingly.
• Respond efficiently and helpfully to incoming media enquiries from journalists and broadcasters.
• Ensure the impact of media work is captured to demonstrate an evidence base for the role media plays in creating a pathway to potential impact with key stakeholders, including government policy makers, potential funders and international collaborators.
• Proactively build strong relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including academics, university leadership and communications colleagues across the institution, as well as journalists and PR and research communications colleagues at key external organisations. Ensure opportunities to promote the University are maximised at all times, being proactive in seeking links to topical news and leveraging reputational benefit wherever possible.
• Share news stories with colleagues across marketing and communications to be used in digital/social media or to support recruitment efforts/the creation of new content.
• Provide specialist media relations training and advice to colleagues at all levels across the University.
• Represent the Media Team at key internal and external meetings
• Compile and post on the University’s website information needed to maintain, update and develop the University’s online News pages.
• Time Management - Plan, organise and prioritise your workload to ensure deadlines and objectives for are met
• Career Development - Take responsibility for personal learning and professional development
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place on 26 January 2026. This will consist of an interview and a test. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week ending 23 January 2026.

What we offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes;
• A range of generous family-friendly policies: paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies, support for those going through the menopause, paid time off and support for fertility treatment and more