Strategic Narratives and Events Manager

Application Deadline: 23 August 2026

Department: Public Affairs and Communications

Location: London, UK

Compensation: £47,700 - £60,420 / year

• Identify emerging policy moments and develop integrated communications opportunities around them.
• Work across ODI Global programmes to identify common themes and build institution-wide narratives that reinforce ODI Global's strategic priorities to inform equitable change.
• Translate complex research into compelling stories that resonate with policymakers, partners and wider audiences.
• Work closely with the Senior Communications and Policy Influencing Managers to identify group key messages, audiences, policy hooks and opportunities for influence.
• Help develop communication campaigns around flagship reports, major events and strategic priorities.
• Work with the Senior Communications and Policy Influencing Managers to ensure communications move beyond dissemination towards sustained engagement and influence.
• Identify opportunities to connect individual outputs into wider institutional narratives.

• Lead the communications planning, coordination and delivery for flagship ODI Global events from conception through to post-event impact. This includes planning, preparation, logistics, delivery and post-event wrap-up.

• Capture high-quality photography at ODI Global events.
• Curate image libraries showcasing ODI Global's work.
• Identify compelling visual moments suitable for social media and publications.
• Produce short-form visual content including reels, carousels and behind-the-scenes storytelling.
• Brief the audiovisual team where additional production support is required.
• Ensure visual content reflects ODI Global's brand and strategic priorities.

• Develop engaging social media content that supports ODI Global's institutional priorities.
• Create social-first content including reels, quote cards, photography, short video clips and campaign assets.

• Work with communications colleagues, researchers and strategic partners to coordinate communications that strengthen ODI Global's influence and extend the reach of its work.
• Build and maintain relationships with strategic external stakeholders, speakers and collaborators, identifying opportunities to broaden ODI Global's reach and influence.
• Develop communications materials and digital toolkits that enable partners to amplify shared messages and priorities.
• Identify policy, news and external engagement opportunities, ensuring events, campaigns and communications are aligned with timely external developments and institutional priorities.
• Advise researchers and programme teams on how to frame evidence, recommendations and technical analysis for policy, practitioner and wider public audiences.
• Support the development of partnerships and event programmes by identifying high-value collaborators and speakers that enhance ODI Global's reputation, audience reach and policy impact.
• Line manage the Senior Communications Officers and other colleagues, as assigned by the Director of Public Affairs and Communications, setting clear objectives and expectations, supporting their development and wellbeing, managing performance and development, and ensuring workloads are balanced and outputs meet agreed standards.

• Promote effective coordination and information-sharing around upcoming events, deadlines, speaker logistics, promotional milestones and post-event follow-up.
• Provide practical guidance to researchers and project teams on event formats, speaker preparation, audience experience and promotional requirements.
• Support PAC colleagues to deliver priority outputs/activities when surge capacity is required.
• Coordinate suppliers, freelancers or agencies where required, supporting procurement, briefing, budget tracking and value-for-money delivery.
• Contribute to effective team planning, collaboration and knowledge-sharing across PAC, helping to build capability and consistency in communications practice.
• Carry out other tasks as specified by the Director of Public Affairs and Communications.
  
  

• Substantial experience in a comparable communications post.
• Experience delivering influential corporate events.
• Experience translating complex data into accessible content.
• Experience working with researchers, policy specialists or other subject-matter experts to translate evidence into clear, compelling communications for different audiences.
• Experience planning integrated communications campaigns.
• Experience producing engaging digital content across multiple platforms.
• Experience using communications, digital or events analytics to evaluate performance and inform future activity.
• Experience coordinating suppliers, freelancers or agencies to deliver communications, events or content outputs.
• Experience line managing, supervising or developing communications staff, including setting priorities, reviewing outputs and supporting performance and development.

• Excellent storytelling and editorial skills.
• Strong understanding of strategic communications and narrative development.
• Ability to identify emerging communications opportunities.
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.
• Ability to work to strict deadlines and under pressure.
• Self-starter – able to generate plans and ideas and carry them through to completion, and to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
• Strong negotiation and diplomacy skills.
• Excellent interpersonal/relationship-building skills including the ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of seniority and from different cultures.
• Ability to work constructively with researchers and technical experts, providing confident advice while respecting subject-matter expertise.
• Strong people-management skills, including the ability to motivate, coach and support colleagues to deliver high-quality work in a busy environment.
• Good judgement in handling sensitive or high-profile communications, including the ability to identify risks and escalate appropriately.
• Understanding of accessible and inclusive communications and events practice.
• Values-driven with integrity, demonstrating ODI Global's values and Code of Conduct, and contributing to a safe, inclusive and respectful working environment where everyone is treated fairly.

• Experience in research communications.
• Strong photography or visual storytelling skills.
• Other languages.

• Director of Communications
• Events colleagues and event suppliers/platform providers
• Digital Manager
• AV team
• Head of Media
• Other Public Affairs and Communications staff

• Positively support equality of opportunity both within ODI Global and externally.
• Help maintain a safe working environment and take responsibility for own and colleagues’ Health and Safety.
• Undertake such other duties within the scope of their post as may be requested by their Manager.