We're hiring a Senior Communications and External Affairs Officer

Salary: £40,000 - £47,000 per annum 

Location: Old Street, London. This role requires in-office presence three days a week.

Hours: This role is available as full time. We offer other flexible work options, such as compressed hours.

Crest Advisory is a team of specialists in justice, policing, and public safety. We combine real-world expertise with a mission to reduce crime and social harm — through research, consulting and communications.

We're looking for a dynamic Senior Communications and External Affairs Officer to play a central role in shaping how we communicate our work, grow our impact, and support high-profile clients. This is a great step up for someone ready to lead on strategic comms in a purpose-driven, expert-led organisation.

About the role

This is a newly created role that spans the breadth of Crest’s work – from supporting public inquiries to amplifying our think tank’s voice and driving corporate marketing.

You'll report to the Communications Manager and work closely with senior colleagues across the business.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Client-facing communications on public inquiries and reviews

• Deliver strategic communications for major public inquiries and independent reviews. Our past clients include the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

• Lead media engagement, press office support and creative content production

• Collaborate with client communications teams 

  
  

2. Corporate communications

• Develop and deliver marketing for Crest content including case studies, blogs, newsletters, and digital assets

• Plan and analyse performance across digital channels and campaigns

• Work closely with the Communications Manager to raise Crest’s profile and impact

3. Think tank and external affairs

• Promote outputs from Crest Insights, our in-house think tank, working with the Director of Research to lead on publications 

• Lead audience engagement, policy monitoring, and dissemination strategy

• Respond to media enquiries and identify opportunities for proactive thought leadership

About You

We're looking for someone confident managing communications across varied workstreams, with a strong writing voice and strategic mindset.

Essential

• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills

• Sharp attention to detail

• Experience delivering communications strategies for a range of audiences and clients

• Strong project management skills and ability to juggle deadlines

• Experience supporting junior colleagues

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience working with public inquiries or arms-length government bodies

• Good understanding of UK government and parliament, and policy-making processes

Please note that this role will require occasional overnight travel 

Why work for us

• Be part of a friendly, sociable team working on issues that matter: from crime prevention to system reform

• Join a company with a strong social purpose, real impact, and a growing public voice

• Enjoy a flexible, hybrid working environment based in our Shoreditch office (3 days in-office)

Benefits include:

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays

• Cycle-to-work and travelcard loan schemes

• Enhanced parental leave

• Learning & development budget

• We are Disability Confident employer and have an inclusion-focused culture

How to Apply

Please send a CV, cover letter (max 600 words) to workwithus@crestadvisory.com

Your cover letter should include:

• Why you're interested in the role

• What skills and experience you’ll bring

• A few ideas for how we can increase Crest’s impact

We anonymise applications before shortlisting. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the role is filled.

Interview Process

• First-round interviews will be held from Tuesday 18th - Thursday 20th November at our Shoreditch office

• Video interviews are available upon request 

• We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer and we are committing to offering interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments during the process.

Please contact Anna Bennett at anna.bennett@crestadvisory.com if you would prefer adjustments during the application or interview process.

Equal opportunity monitoring

Crest Advisory is committed to the development of positive policies to promote equal opportunity in employment. Crest therefore encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, trade union membership or non-membership, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, gender identity and expression, marriage/civil partnership, age, record of arrest or conviction, or family responsibility. We particularly invite those individuals with lived experience of crime or the criminal justice system to apply.

To ensure that our equal opportunity policy is effective, we carry out monitoring of job applicants. Monitoring is recommended by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Confederation of British Industry. The selection process for our positions focuses only on your ability and potential for the job. Any equal opportunity monitoring information provided will be kept completely separate from your role application and will be used to compile anonymous statistical information only.