Communications Officer - CRANE Project

CRANE is an EPSRC-funded national ‘network plus’ designed to strengthen the UK Cyber Security Research Community. It will integrate researchers, business, government, and third sector organisations around contemporary research challenges. The network will organise a variety of workshops and meetings, offer small grants to researchers and act as a single ‘point of contact' for UK cyber security research. It will leave a lasting legacy by enabling the creation of a new inter-disciplinary permanent learned society.

CRANE will develop a rigorous community-led methodology and use it to identify emerging global trends and national strengths in cyber security. It will support career development and equality of voice of diverse researchers able to understand and exploit the cross-disciplinary nature of our subject. The CRANE community will be inclusive, regionally and nationally, through Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and shared events with local areas of interest and through EDI improvement.

Reporting to the CRANE Programme Manager, the Communications Officer will join a committed team of professional services staff who ensure the smooth running of the network and its associated activities. The post-holder will be responsible for working with the project leadership team to develop and operationalise a communications strategy to raise awareness of the network and its activities among target audiences, support network recruitment and deliver seamless communication within the network, including engaging with a variety of project partners and stakeholders.

The role is based in Oxford and operates under a hybrid working model. While flexibility is supported, the postholder will be expected to work onsite when required to meet the operational needs of the department.

You are required to be educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience, with proven experience in print, digital and social media and in producing effective web content. You are expected to have excellent IT skills; proficiency working with a range of computer-based and online applications, including Wordpress content management system, as well as experience of mastering bespoke systems such as databases, customer relationship management systems, and design software such as Adobe Creative Suite.

The Department of Computer Science at Oxford is a global leader in both research and teaching. We are proud of our long history, world-class reputation, and the diverse community of people who make it all possible. We are consistently ranked among the top departments internationally and are committed to supporting innovation, integrity, and impact in everything we do.

We hold a Bronze Athena Swan award and are strongly committed to advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion across all areas of the department.

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing, reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

You will be required to upload both a supporting statement, and an up-to-date CV as part of your online application.

Your supporting statement must clearly demonstrate how you meet each of the essential selection criteria listed in the job description. Applications that do not include a supporting statement or CV, or fail to address the criteria in sufficient detail, will not be considered.

You must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. We are unable to sponsor visas for this post.

While we recognise the value of AI tools in assisting with application preparation, submissions that are clearly AI-generated without personalisation or insight will be rejected. It's crucial that your application reflects your own experiences and understanding of the role.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 29th September 2025. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 13th October.