GRADUATE INTERNSHIP/ SANDWICH YEAR VACANCY: P.R. & COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

GRADUATE INTERNSHIP/SANDWICH YEAR VACANCY

PR & COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

The English Schools’ FA is the governing body for schools’ football in England. We are a membership charity and our key activities include:

Providing a national competitions programme each year: This year, over 40 competitions are being run and each culminates in a national final at a prestigious football venue;
Defining the regulations under which schools’ football is played;
Supporting our membership to increase opportunities to play football, particularly (currently) for girls and for players with a disability;
Providing opportunities for school pupils to play representative football at district, county and national level, the pinnacles of which are the Under 18 English schoolboys’ national team and the Under 15 English schoolgirls’ national team.

The ESFA has a small paid workforce but its activity is primarily run by volunteers. We are now offering a graduate internship in our Stafford headquarters. The opportunity is open to graduates from bachelors, honours or foundational degree programmes in a related subject. The ESFA also welcomes applications from those in the “sandwich” year of their degree.

The internship vacancy is a voluntary post and as such is unpaid. It is offered in the first instance for the 2019/20 season (July 2019 – June 2020) on a four day/week basis. It is the ESFA’s intention to seek funding to convert this internship to a paid post at the end of the season, but this is not guaranteed. Those applying as a graduate (rather than a placement year student) should therefore give careful consideration to this factor when determining whether to apply: placement year students should note that their intention to return to their study after their year with the ESFA will in no way disadvantage them as applicants, given that future funding is unconfirmed.

Whilst undertaking the internship, the successful candidate will benefit from:

A full personal training programme to enable them to complete their internship successfully;
Any team development undertaken as part of the ESFA’s team training plan;
Reimbursement of approved and essential travel costs;
Cost of overnight stays to support ESFA activity, where this is essential to ESFA business;
The opportunity to develop experience in and a good working knowledge of sports administration, including sports governance, event management, communications, PR, sports sponsorship and general administration in a small but busy office;
A reference and summary of achievements at the end of the tenure.

Interested candidates should read the attached role profile carefully, and prepare an expression of interest, evidencing ways in which they meet the person specification and demonstrating their interest in football and/or events.

Completed expressions of interest should be submitted to Andrea Chilton, CEO, at andrea.chilton@schoolsfa.com, on no more than two sides of A4, no later than 31 May 2019. In the meantime, further details about the ESFA can be found at www.schoolsfootball.org

ROLE PROFILE

Job title: PR and Communications Intern

Salary & benefits: Voluntary internship

Responsible to: PR and Communications Executive

Responsible for: –

Primary purpose of role: Supporting the delivery of the PR, marketing and communications strategy

Main responsibilities:

To ensure that information on the website is current, relevant and updated in a timely manner; to support other e-communications as directed, including the writing of match reports;
To help produce media releases and content and to update and maintain the media database and help nurture media relationships
To develop strategies to identify and then work with advocates for the Association, with a view to developing “brand” loyalty;
To interpret media analytics and coverage and identify then act upon opportunities to increase the Association’s profile
To support the National Competitions Department and the International Committee to fulfil their commitment to existing sponsors;
To continue development of the ESFA’s Public Relations strategy;
To help build reports ready for TV coverage of events;
To attend and assist with National Events as and when required;
To assist with the promotion and sales of hospitality relating to National events;
To act as secretary to the Council’s Marketing Working Group meetings and to enact their decisions, as directed;
To participate in training, development and appraisal processes necessary to fulfil the role;
To support the ESFA Council to fulfil its responsibilities;
To act with high standards of professionalism, business integrity and personal conduct at all times;
To act as an ambassador for the ESFA in the conduct of all business;
To comply with the requirements of the staff handbook;
To use best endeavours to support others in the achievement of their objectives;
To conduct any other duties as may reasonably be required by the employer.

Special considerations in this role:

This is a voluntary role offered on a 11 month fixed term basis from July 2019 – June 2020 (with room for negotiation on start dates) for a 4 day week, which may also be negotiable for an exceptional candidate. Travel expenses necessarily incurred in the course of ESFA business will be re-imbursed in line with the policy set by Trustees.

Person specification

Graduate student from a Bachelors or Foundation degree programme in a marketing, event management, sport management or related business discipline;
Current undergraduate seeking a year’s voluntary work placement as part of their marketing or related business degree programme;
A demonstrable commitment to voluntary work in a sport or educational environment;
A demonstrable interest in either event management or in sports administration;
An appreciation of the principles and concepts of working to support a membership organisation;
The ability to work occasional weekends and evenings;
IT literate and capable of using social media;
Highly focused on customer service;
An ability to work both independently and as part of a team.