Public Affairs and Communications Officer

Organisation: Swim England
Salary: £26,530 - £28,004
Location: SportPark, Loughborough
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 18 May 2025
Interview date: 26 May 2025
Job Description: Dive Into Change: Join Swim England as our Public Affairs and Communications Officer

This role is based at Sport Park, Loughborough University, at least 3 days per week, with some national travel.

Are you passionate about politics, public policy, and making a real difference? Do you believe everyone should have access to clean, safe water to swim, splash and thrive in? Fancy turning the tide on issues like sewage pollution and pool closures?

Then it’s time to dive in.

We’re Swim England, the national governing body for swimming, para swimming, diving, water polo and artistic swimming. We’re on a mission to make aquatic activity accessible for all — from toddlers learning to float, to Olympians chasing gold, to wild swimmers fighting for clean water.

Now, we’re looking for a Public Affairs and Communications Officer to help us champion that mission where it counts: in Westminster, town halls, and the media.

What you’ll be doing:

Making waves in Parliament by building relationships with MPs, Peers, and key stakeholders.
Driving campaigns that tackle big issues — from sewage-filled rivers to declining access to swimming pools.
Helping shape policies that support healthier, happier communities through aquatic activity.
Being an active part of our comms team to tell powerful stories that grab headlines and hearts.
Keeping our voice loud and clear in the right places — from government consultations to select committees.
About You
What we’re looking for:

A sharp political mind with knowledge of public policy and current affairs.
Strong written and verbal communication skills — you can translate complex ideas into compelling messages.
Experience in public affairs, campaigning, or political engagement (but passion counts as much as polish).
Energy and enthusiasm
Why Swim England?

This isn’t just another public affairs job. It’s a chance to:

Be the voice of a movement that improves physical and mental health across the country.
Join a team that’s ambitious, supportive and genuinely passionate.
Work on issues that matter — from access to school swimming lessons to fighting for cleaner water.
Whether you’ve worked in politics, a charity, or a campaigning organisation, if you’re ready to make a real splash — we want to hear from you.

Ready to dive in?

Apply now and help us make sure everyone has the chance to enjoy great experiences in water, for life.

It is anticipated that 1st stage interviews will take place during week commencing 26th May 2025.
For an informal conversation about the role, please contact careers@swimming.org and we’ll put you in touch with the relevant person.

Please be advised that we cannot offer visa sponsorship and that you must have right to work in the UK to apply or be considered for this role. If you are a non UK/EU National, you must have an appropriate working Visa to undertake employment. You must also be working within the UK to apply or be considered for this role, due to the public liability insurance Swim England holds.

Swim England is committed to inclusion and embracing the spirit of all equalities legislation. As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage applications from disabled people. We recognise that the diversity of our workforce is not reflective of today’s society and we are currently operating a pilot scheme whereby applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds can opt into our guaranteed interview scheme. Candidates that have opted into the scheme will be guaranteed an interview provided that they have demonstrated, within their application, that they meet the essential criteria for the role. When completing the application, applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to ‘Opt In’ to the scheme, by ticking the box.

Where possible, Swim England will always make reasonable adjustments for accessibility to anyone who requires it. If you would like any of the documentation in a different format or would like to apply in a different way please get in touch via careers@swimming.org. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, in line with the Equality Act 2010. However, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Swim England is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Please be aware that we use parsing software to extract key information from your CV, which you are able to review and edit within the application form. It is advisable to provide a simple text CV (i.e. no tables, images of text etc) to aid the transfer of information. Please review the information in your application form prior to submitting.
How to apply: To register with us and apply for this role please visit our candidate portal - link below https://careers.swimming.org/vacancies/384/public-affairs-and-communications-officer.html