Digital Comms Officer

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is looking for a Digital Communications Officer to join our Communications Team in helping to grow the union, win campaigns, educate and agitate workers and keep supporters up to date with union activity. This additional team member will focus on disseminating content both internally and externally using our social media, website, email systems and WhatsApp.

Who we are

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is a bold and dynamic union which consists of mainly low paid, migrant and/or precarious workers, such as outsourced cleaners and security guards, workers in the so-called “gig economy”, such as cycling instructors and Uber drivers, and foster care workers.

Our Communications Team, currently composed of two full time Press and Comms Officers that work across all branches of the union, staff and senior officials

The role

In this role, you will be supporting the comms team in distributing content and updates internally and externally through various IWGB channels, including social media, websites, emails and WhatsApp groups. You will be working at the cutting edge of the trade union movement in Britain, taking on rogue employers to fight for equality, dignity and respect.

We strongly encourage anyone fluent in languages spoken among the workforces we organise, particularly Spanish, to apply, though this is not essential.

The role is 21 hours per week and fixed term for 1 year with the possibility of extension depending on funding.  Our main office is based in Bethnal Green, London and we are open to discussing a mutually beneficial working location and pattern with the right candidate.

As part of the Communications Department in the IWGB union, you’ll be working alongside and reporting to the two existing Press and Communications Officers, as well as working with elected branch Communications Officers and officials from our membership. Some evening and weekend work to attend protests, events, and meetings will be needed, which can be reclaimed as Time Off In Lieu.

We’re looking for someone with potential and motivation, so if you don’t have everything on the person specification, but share our values and believe you have what it takes, then please apply!

We extend a warm welcome to all applicants, with additional encouragement for union members, those from racial or ethnic minorities, and women and people from marginalised genders to apply.

Duties will include:

• Manage and develop IWGB social media channels, including but not limited to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X
• Reply to messages and engage with comments on IWGB social media channels
• Maintain content on the IWGB website, including uploading press releases, event pages, job adverts, campaign pages and training material
• Contribute to the writing and distribution of the monthly newsletter
• Provide updates around campaigns and events in IWGB members and supporter WhatsApp channels
• Work closely with members and elected officials across the union to develop branch level comms tactics and strategies
• Capture images and videos at actions and events
• Occasionally create graphics or video content for social media
• Create short videos and graphics for migrant workers on workplace rights

Person specification

We are interested in receiving applications from individuals with a passion and commitment for social justice, the trade union movement and human rights. Even if you do not meet all the criteria below, we are happy to consider transferable skills and experience which individuals could bring to the role.

Essential

We expect the successful candidate to have:

• An understanding of social media in order to build social media following and engagement
• Copywriting skills, including drafting emails, social media copy and WhatsApp updates
• Ability to organise content calendars, scheduling posts and using evergreen content when appropriate to maintain consistency and reach
• Passion for building a combative, member-led trade union movement
• Commitment to the principles of the trade union movement, including a passion for equality, fairness and social and economic justice
• Self-motivation, perseverance, a high level of personal organisation and the ability to prioritise and make decisions in an unstructured environment
• Effective written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

It would be advantageous for the successful candidate to have:

• Fluency in additional languages to English, particularly languages spoken among the workforces we organise with, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Somali, Bengali, Urdu or otherwise
• Experience using content management systems to maintain websites
• Experience with organising, training and developing workers in trade unions or other grassroots organisations or campaigns
• Proficiency in graphic design using Canva, Photoshop, InDesign or Illustrator
• Ability to shoot and edit videos, using either a phone or camera and editing with software such as Premiere Pro, CapCut, or apps such as TikTok

Pay and annual leave

• Annual salary of £30,667 (pro rata £18,400 for 21 hours per week ) salary will be adjusted in line with any London Living Wage uplifts
• Generous leave entitlement of 30 days annual leave per year not including bank holidays (prorated for part time staff)
• We believe in pay parity so everyone at IWGB earns the same hourly rate of pay

Benefits

• Flexibility around working patterns and hours
• Hybrid working options (dependant on position)
• High employer pension contributions: 6% employee-paid and 13% employer-paid pension
• Equal maternity and paternity pay enhancements for parents

How to apply:

You can download an application form from the ‘Work with us’ page of our website. Please send your completed application form with the subject “Digital Comms Officer job application” to applications@iwgb.co.uk by 5pm, Friday Sept 25, 2025.  Please let us know in your email where you have seen our advertisement so we can improve our hiring processes.

Who is the IWGB?

Founded in August of 2012, the IWGB now consists of 12 branches. The branches are highly autonomous and lead on campaigning for better pay and conditions in their industry. IWGB campaigns are known for being bold, vibrant, loud and effective. In addition to campaigning, the IWGB’s Legal department is also highly active, providing representation on a range of employment matters such as disciplinary processes, grievances, private hire licensing, and employment tribunals. The IWGB organises social events for members, Spanish and English classes, and holds regular meetings where members can engage and feed into policy. We are a democratic organisation with all officials being regularly elected.

As an organisation that fights for workers’ rights, we strongly believe no applicant or employee should face discrimination or harassment based on their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, age, or marital/domestic partner status. You can read more in the IWGB Statement of Inclusivity. Please let us know if you have any requirements for interview.

Above all, we’re looking for someone with empathy and the determination to support workers who fight for better conditions.

The interview process:

We like to be open and up front with what our hiring process looks like so people know what to expect. Please see below the typical steps in our recruitment process.

Review candidates

Once the advertisement has been taken down, a shortlist of candidates will be selected by the hiring committee to proceed to the next steps. All candidates will be informed of their application outcome within two weeks of the closing date, whether or not they’re proceeding to the next stage.

Remote interviews

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed via Zoom by a panel of IWGB elected officials and/or staff. Candidates will be interviewed by the same panel to ensure consistency.

Following these interviews, it is possible that there will be a second stage of interviews.

Offer stage

The hiring committee will convene with the goal of selecting and making an offer to one of the candidates. We will offer feedback to people who were interviewed but not selected.