Pr and Media Officer

The National Botanic Garden of Wales, based in Llanarthne in Carmarthenshire, is a nationally significant charity dedicated to biodiversity conservation, lifelong learning, science, research, and sustainable practices. The mission of the Garden is to advance and share knowledge in the science of plants and inspire people’s appreciation of flora, Welsh culture and heritage to enrich lives.

Established in May 2000, the Garden is one of the Wales’ most significant visitor attractions. The 568-acre estate includes curated gardens, living collections, a grade 2*listed historic landscape, a National Nature Reserve, a working organic farm, woodlands, and conservation areas. Home to the iconic Great Glasshouse, a double walled garden, and acknowledged as a key member of the international botanic gardens community, it currently welcomes around 214,000 visits each year. This unique estate provides many different experiences and rich stories to tell of Wales unique flora, landscape and cultural heritage.

The Garden employs c.70 FTE employees and benefits from over 230 volunteers who contribute 27,000 hours each year and form a vibrant community dedicated to making an impact with everything we do. The 11,000 Members are advocates for the Garden and enjoy many benefits.

The Garden’s five strategic goals are:
1. Recognised national collections hub for applied science, biodiversity conservation and horticulture.

2. Inspiring and influencing current and future generations.

3. Wales’ top 5 most visited award-winning attraction.

4. A striving and thriving workplace of choice.

5. A sustainable institution through a secure and diverse business model.

Following a recent restructure, the Garden is now looking to recruit into an exciting new role within the Marketing and Communications Team, taking its media and PR activity forward for the 25th Anniversary year and beyond.

**Description of Role**

The PR and Media Officer role has responsibility to deliver a professional PR and media relations function across all aspects of the Garden’s work, including its education and vital scientific research and conservation efforts. You will have responsibility for managing the organisational narrative and messaging, creating engaging stories and copy, both long and short form, across multiple platforms. You will also develop inspiring and impactful stories to bring the Garden and its work to life for key audiences. You will have responsibility for media relation activities including proactively identifying relevant medial opportunities, writing press releases, building the organisation’s digital PR infrastructure, reacting to incoming media enquiries and selling stories and thought leadership pieces into local and national broadcast and published media to grow awareness of both the Garden and its work with key audiences. In addition, you will work with specialist staff to develop thought leadership pieces for specialist media. You will also be responsible for hosting media and filming activity within the Garden.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**

Support the development of PR plans and tactics that are aligned to the National Botanic Garden of Wales’ marketing and communications strategy.

Develop and nurture media relationships nationally and regionally and with specialist periodicals and work reactively and proactively with these to promote the Garden and its work. Support media relations activities, including identifying media opportunities, preparing press releases, developing relationships with key journalists and selling stories into national, broadcast and specialist media. Manage media requests and activity, including on-site filming and interviews between staff and media.

Monitor, evaluate and report regularly on NBGW’s media activity.

Provide PR support to the fundraising, education and science teams and facilitate relationships with media contacts for these specialist areas.

Lead on creative copywriting that empowers internal and external audiences both on and offline. This will include thought leadership pieces for the various areas of the business.

Plan and deliver the bi-yearly magazine for Members and visitors. Contribute to the provision of the weekly NBGW newsletter, internal newsletter and media-focused content.

Help support high quality grant submissions and coordinate awards submissions

Help to manage the Garden’s reputation including drafting responses to negative media stories and prepare and gain approval for statements to be issued on behalf of the NBGW, including statements from Trustees and/or the Director.

Support HR, as appropriate, to ensure internal communications are aligned across the organisation for employees and volunteers.

Willingness to work weekends, evenings and during public holidays.

Mae Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru yn Llanarthne yn Sir Gaerfyrddin yn elusen arwyddocaol yn genedlaethol ac mae’n ymroi i gadwraeth bioamrywiaeth, dysgu gydol oes, gwyddoniaeth, ymchwil ac arferi