Work with us
Literature for Everyone
The RSL team is led by an ethos of respect and compassion for each other and the communities we work with, and these values are reflected in everything we do. We believe literature is for everyone, people of all ethnicities, gender identities, disabilities, cultures, religions/beliefs, sexual orientations or ages. We are a queer and female-led team that is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. We are committed to being a welcoming and inclusive organisation and as such, we encourage applications from people under-represented in the creative industries, particularly candidates from the global majority, and disabled candidates.
Current Vacancies
You can find current roles open for application below. Please note, we do not work with agencies.
The deadline for all three below vacancies is Sunday 1 October.
Head of Communications and Partnerships
Deadline: 1st Oct @ 11pm
Salary: £40,000, Part Time pro-rata
The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is looking for an experienced Head of Communications and Partnerships to support us in an exciting time of growth and development for our charity. This a new role designed to help shape the RSL’s communications and audience development and is a part-time position of 3/4 days per week (to be agreed on appointment).
The RSL’s vision is of a world in which everyone has access to literature in its many and various forms; everyone can feel that literature is ‘for them’. Our mission is to widen engagement with, and access to, literature through innovative programmes, supporting readers and encouraging writers at all stages of their journey.
Following recent updates to the RSL's websites and branding, you will help to diversify the RSL’s growing programme of work, led by principles of experimentation, inclusivity and accessibility. Reporting to the Director, you will work to update and implement the Society’s communications strategy, with a data-led focus on analysing and improving audience engagement. You will manage the Communications Officer and interns, helping to develop the tone and voice of the organisation.
This is a busy, varied, fun, and rewarding role, where you’ll get to work independently while being supported by the rest of the team.
What we are looking for:
- Experience in communications, including developing and/or implementing a wide-ranging communications strategy
- Experience of working within the arts sector, particularly with charities
- Experience of efficient planning and delivery of communications activities across platforms.
- Excellent written communication, copywriting and editing skills
- Ability to produce inspiring and engaging content
- High level of digital competency, including with WordPress, and database or CRM systems
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with a range of stakeholders
- Self-motivated, with the ability to work with autonomy, meet deadlines and manage competing priorities
- Ability to collaborate with colleagues to ensure consistent messaging.
To apply, please Download the full Job Pack to read the full details on the role, employee benefits and additional information about us. You can also download the plain text version.
To submit your application, click the 'Apply Now' button below.
Events Manager
Deadline: 1st Oct @ 11pm
Salary: £30,000, Full Time
The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is looking for a confident and organised Events Manager to support us in an exciting time of growth and development for our charity, creating and managing a programme of high-quality, engaging events.
The RSL’s vision is of a world in which everyone has access to literature in its many and various forms; everyone can feel that literature is ‘for them’. Our mission is to widen engagement with, and access to, literature through innovative programmes, supporting readers and encouraging writers at all stages of their journey.
Reporting to the Director, you will engage the public in literature by programming and delivering the RSL’s public events, both online and in person. You will also work with the rest of the team to organise private events for supporters and Fellows, and our Awards and Prizes. Diversity of RSL activities is foundational in programming and events should involve a range of people and topics in order to engage as wide an audience as possible.
Following recent updates to the RSL's websites and branding, you will help to diversify the RSL’s growing programme of work, led by principles of experimentation, inclusivity and accessibility. This is a busy, varied, fun, and rewarding role, where you’ll get to work independently while being supported by the rest of the team.
What we are looking for:
- Experience in a similar role within an arts or culture context or equivalent, curating and delivering public events, both online and in person
- Experience of communicating with a wide range of stakeholders including writers and other artists, Trustees, and sponsors.
- Demonstrable knowledge of current issues and milestones in the literary world
- Excellent planning and project management skills, confident in managing a complex workload and meeting numerous deadlines
- Competency in working with Microsoft Office Suite and digital event platforms
- Ability to win support from a wide range of people and collaborate closely with colleagues and partners across programmes, as well as providing excellent customer service
- Ability to analyse audience data in order to inform decision-making and improve engagement.
To apply, please Download the full Job Pack to read the full details on the role, employee benefits and additional information about us. You can also download the plain text version.
To submit your application, click the 'Apply Now' button below.
Communications Officer
Deadline: 1st Oct @ 11pm
Salary: £28,000, Full Time
The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is looking for a positive and proactive Communications Officer to support us in an exciting time of growth and development for our charity.
The RSL’s vision is of a world in which everyone has access to literature in its many and various forms; everyone can feel that literature is ‘for them’. Our mission is to widen engagement with, and access to, literature through innovative programmes, supporting readers and encouraging writers at all stages of their journey.
Reporting to the Head of Communications, your work will contribute to the RSL’s communications and audience development. Following recent updates to the RSL's website and branding, you will help to diversify the RSL’s growing programme of work, led by principles of experimentation, inclusivity and accessibility.
As well as sharing vital aspects of our work with the public and partners, you will bring a sense of fun to our communications, feeling confident to inject personality into developing the tone and voice of the organisation. Key activities will include content creation and delivery, working with range of digital systems, and capturing and analysing performance data. This is a busy, varied, fun, and rewarding role, where you’ll get to work independently while being supported by the rest of the team.
What we are looking for:
- Experience in a similar role within an arts or culture context or equivalent, confidently communicating – in person and in writing – with a wide range of stakeholders in a professional, upbeat manner
- Experience of creating dynamic content for a diverse range of audiences across multiple digital and print channels
- Competency in working with Microsoft Office Suite and social media platforms
- Ability to win support from a wide range of people and collaborate closely with our small team of colleagues across programmes
- Independent and highly organised in managing a complex workload and meeting numerous deadlines
- Ability to evaluate data on audience growth, and report to others in order to inform decision-making and improve engagement
- Strong understanding of brand and tone of voice.
To apply, please Download the full Job Pack to read the full details on the role, employee benefits and additional information about us. You can also download the plain text version.
To submit your application, click the 'Apply Now' button below.
Our Application Process
We use application forms instead of CVs and cover letters as we want to give candidates the space to tell us about their experiences in a less rigid format. We understand that people will have taken different routes to us, and we’re interested to hear about you. We are a living wage employer and all roles are paid London Living Wage at a minimum, including any internships or trainee roles, to ensure fair access to all.
We have worked to remove barriers in our recruitment processes and no personal information is included in what will be reviewed as we shortlist candidates for interview. We recognise the importance of salary transparency. All roles have a set salary range which will be advertised with the job, and we have pledged to the Fawcett Society’s #EndSalaryHistory campaign. This means we will not ask for details of any current or previous salaries as we recognise that this practice is a self-perpetuating system that maintains historical gender and ethnicity pay inequality.
Volunteer with the RSL
The RSL has a dedicated team of volunteers who help at our in-person London-based events, which usually take place on weekday evenings. We place a high value on our volunteers and see them as integral to our work and in return they can attend any of our events for free.
Tasks include helping:
- to set up the venue – this can include displaying leaflets, folding programmes etc.
- during the event – taking guests’ names as they arrive and ticking them off the guestlist, answering questions, seating attendees, passing the roving mic around during audience Q&A
- after the event – helping the RSL answer queries from members of the public
- You must be 18 or over to be an RSL Volunteer. We expect all new Volunteers to undergo an informal induction
If you are interested in volunteering please send a little about yourself and your current CV via email to Lily Blacksell, Public Events and Partnerships Manager.