Communications & Public Affairs Officer

Contract: Permanent, full-time
Salary: £32,000 per annum, plus discretionary bonus and benefits
Location: London, with a minimum of three days per week in the office
Reporting to: Head of Policy & Public Affairs and Head of PR & Communications

Help shape the conversation around bookselling in the UK and Ireland

The Booksellers Association is looking for a Communications & Public Affairs Officer to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a passion for communications, public affairs or both, who wants to make a real impact in an organisation at the heart of the bookselling industry.

Working closely with our Head of Policy & Public Affairs and Head of PR & Communications, you'll help tell the story of the Booksellers Association, raise the profile of our work, support campaigns that champion bookshops, and build relationships with politicians, policymakers, the media and key industry stakeholders.

No two days are the same. One day you could be helping to organise a Parliamentary reception, the next drafting social media content, supporting a consumer PR campaign or monitoring political developments that affect booksellers across the UK and Ireland.

If you're enthusiastic, organised and enjoy working across a variety of projects, we'd love to hear from you.

About us

The Booksellers Association is the membership organisation representing over 95% of booksellers across the UK and Ireland.

We exist to champion, support and represent booksellers, helping them thrive through industry-leading services, commercial products, campaigning and advocacy.

Our work includes National Book Tokens, Batch, Books Are My Bag, Independent Bookshop Week, the Indie Book Awards and many other initiatives that celebrate reading and support local bookshops.

What you'll be doing

You'll work across both communications and public affairs, helping to deliver a wide range of activities, including:

Communications & PR

• Managing and developing our social media channels, including Instagram and LinkedIn.
• Creating engaging newsletters and website content.
• Supporting high-profile consumer campaigns such as Books Are My Bag, Independent Bookshop Week, Bookshop Day, the Indie Book Awards and Indie Book of the Month.
• Coordinating media activity and helping to secure press coverage.
• Maintaining media databases and monitoring press coverage.
• Drafting press releases, media briefings, communications plans and key messaging.

Policy & Public Affairs

• Organising meetings, bookshop visits and Parliamentary events.
• Monitoring political developments across Westminster and the devolved administrations.
• Supporting the production of policy briefings, consultation responses and publications.
• Building positive relationships with Parliamentarians, Civil Servants and other key stakeholders.

About you

We're looking for someone who is an excellent communicator, enjoys building relationships and thrives in a varied, fast-paced environment.

You may already have experience in communications, PR or public affairs, or you may have worked in Parliament, Government, a trade association, charity, think tank or similar organisation.

You'll also have:

• Excellent written communication skills and great attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Confidence working with a wide range of stakeholders.
• The ability to work independently while contributing positively to a collaborative team.
• A genuine interest in culture, retail or public policy.
• A willingness to travel across the UK and Ireland when required.

Why join us?

At the Booksellers Association, you'll have the opportunity to work on meaningful projects that support an industry with creativity, culture and community at its heart.

You'll work alongside knowledgeable and passionate colleagues, gain exposure to senior stakeholders across the publishing and political landscape, and contribute to campaigns that make a real difference to booksellers throughout the UK and Ireland.

Our commitment to inclusion

The Booksellers Association is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome, respected and able to thrive.

We believe that a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation and helps us better represent the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences, particularly those who are underrepresented within our sector.

If you don't meet every requirement but feel you could be a great fit for the role, we would still love to hear from you.

We are committed to making our recruitment process as accessible as possible. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we'll be happy to help.

How to apply

To apply, please apply with your CV and a covering letter explaining why you're interested in the role and what you could bring to the Booksellers Association. As this is a communications role where excellent writing skills are essential, we encourage you to write your covering letter in your own words rather than relying on AI-generated content. We want to understand your individual writing style, ideas and motivation.