Higher Education jobs in United Kingdom

Employer: University of Sheffield

Location: Sheffield

Posted: Wed 10 Dec 2025

Closing Date: Sun 11 Jan 2026

Employment Type: Full time

Sector: Public Relations

Are you passionate about using media and PR to make a real impact? We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced communications professional to create compelling news stories and lead strategic campaigns to raise the profile of the University of Sheffield and enhance its international reputation.

We’re looking for someone with a keen eye for spotting strong news hooks and a proven ability to source, translate and pitch complex material into engaging stories for journalists. This role is key to amplifying our research, corporate updates, and student achievements into standout news content that sets us apart from our peers. The ideal candidate is someone who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, with experience in managing both proactive opportunities and sensitive reputational issues. You’ll have a strong background in media relations, with existing relationships with high‑profile journalists as well as a good knowledge of the higher education sector.

You will join the Department, a fast‑moving and high‑performing team within the Marketing, Admissions, Recruitment and Communications (MARC) University’s Professional Services. Our Media and Public Relations team works to enhance the University’s global reputation through impactful communication, demonstrating the power of our transformative research and inclusive, world‑leading education. We work collaboratively as ‘One University’ to support initiatives that reach a broad range of stakeholders and shape our external profile.

This is a pivotal role that will allow you to lead and deliver strategic PR campaigns, shape the University’s external reputation, and provide expert counsel to senior leaders and academics. You will proactively identify and amplify impactful content, build strong relationships with journalists and stakeholders, and play a key part in crisis and reputation management. This is a great career move for someone looking to grow their skills in a dynamic and influential environment.

We are committed to exploring flexible working opportunities which benefit the individual and University. We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to the greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

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.

Further information

Salary: £32,080 - £36,636

Work arrangement: Full-time, Hybrid

Closing Date: 11/01/2026

Please mention HoldtheFrontPage when applying for this role. This advert will expire on Wednesday 24th December 2025.