Do you have a knack for spotting stories and turning them into growth? Can you help make Design West one of the UK’s most influential voices in design and placemaking?
We’re looking for a bright, digital-first early-career content marketer with the curiosity to ask thoughtful questions, the analytical ability to identify opportunities, and the ambition to help shape the future of Design West.
You’ll work across our consultancy, membership, CPD and co-working offer, creating campaigns and content that build our reputation, grow our professional community and generate commercial opportunities.
This is a varied role for someone who combines creativity with curiosity. Around half of your time will be spent creating content and delivering campaigns, while the other half will focus on growing our professional networks, membership and Design Services.
If you enjoy turning expertise into influence and ideas into growth, we’d love to hear from you.
ABOUT DESIGN WEST
Design West is a global centre of excellence for design and placemaking, and a registered charity based in Bristol. We inspire, inform and involve people in shaping better places. Through nationally recognised events, design consultancy, education and collaboration, we help create better places to live, work and relax.
Today, Design West works with government, local authorities, developers, top design teams, researchers and communities to shape better places. Through our expert network, consultancy, courses and membership, we’re rapidly becoming one of the UK’s leading voices on design and placemaking. We’re now looking for someone to help more people discover our work, strengthen our reputation and grow our impact.
Our Values: We are design-led, collaborative, creative, expert, independent, open and visionary.
YOUR MISSION
Your mission is to help establish Design West as one of the UK’s leading voices on design and placemaking.
Through brilliant storytelling, compelling content and smart digital marketing, you’ll grow our audience, strengthen our professional community and generate new opportunities for our consultancy, membership and learning programmes.
ROLE SUMMARY
Job Title: Content Marketing & Growth Executive
Employment Basis: 40 hrs/wk, Permanent. Occasional evening working.
Salary: £28,000 Year 1, rising to £34,000 following a successful first year and achievement of agreed objectives
Employer: Design West
Location of Post: Design West, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer
Working Closely with: Digital Designer, Venue Team and Wider Design West Team
Probationary Period: 3 months
Contract: Permanent
Holiday: 25 days, plus bank holidays pro rata
Benefits: Private Healthcare Package after 1 Year,
Charity Bonus Scheme, Company Pension
This is a venue-based, in-person role
YOUR PORTFOLIO
- Design Services – promoting our consultancy, CPD, & expertise.
- Membership & Professional Networks – growing our membership community, member events & strengthening engagement.
- Content & Storytelling – producing articles, interviews, case studies, newsletters & social media content.
- Digital Marketing – managing campaigns across LinkedIn, email, web and other digital channels.
- Thought Leadership, Partnerships & Sponsorship – supporting the growth of our events, publications & programmes by helping develop sponsorship, opportunities & partner relationships.
RESPONSIBILITIES
You’ll:
- Develop engaging content that showcases Design West’s work, ideas & impact.
- Interview designers, architects, planners & other built environment professionals to create articles, case studies & thought leadership content.
- Plan and deliver digital marketing campaigns that grow our consultancy, membership, events & professional networks.
- Write engaging copy for our website, newsletters, LinkedIn & other digital channels
- Work with our Digital Designer to develop campaigns & content that engage professional audiences.
- Support the growth of sponsorship across our thought leadership programme by identifying opportunities, developing relationships & coordinating communications.
- Coordinate the delivery of CPD events, conferences and professional learning activities, working closely with speakers, delegates and partners to ensure everything runs smoothly.
- Work across the organisation to identify new stories, new partnerships and commercial opportunities.
- Monitor marketing performance and use insight to continually improve campaigns.
- Help strengthen Design West’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading voices on design and placemaking.
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
We're looking for someone who enjoys thinking as much as doing, someone who asks great questions, spots opportunities others miss, and enjoys turning insight into action.
You’ll probably have:
- A genuine fascination with cities, towns and shaping future places.
- Excellent written communication skills and an eye for a great story.
- Experience creating content for websites, email marketing, LinkedIn or other digital channels
- Confidence in building relationships with professionals and communicating complex ideas clearly
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
- A proactive approach, you enjoy taking ownership and making things happen.
- An interest in marketing, audience growth, community building and commercial development.
- Confidence using digital marketing and AI tools, with a willingness to learn new platforms and technologies.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Essential
- An undergraduate degree in a built environment discipline, such as architecture, planning, geography, landscape architecture, urban design or civil engineering.
- A passion for architecture, placemaking and creating better places.
- Excellent written communication and editing skills.
- Experience creating content for digital channels, including websites, email marketing and social media.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and confidence building relationships with professionals.
- A proactive, self-motivated approach and willingness to take ownership.
- Confidence using Microsoft 365, digital marketing platforms and AI tools.
- Strong numeracy, and a data-driven mindset, with confidence using analytics to measure success, identify opportunities and continually improve performance.
Desirable
- Experience working in marketing, communications, journalism or content creation.
- Experience coordinating CPD, conferences or professional events.
- Experience managing LinkedIn, newsletters or website content.
- Experience using CMS and email marketing platforms.
- Experience monitoring campaign performance and analytics.
- Experience supporting sponsorship, partnerships or business development.
We’re more interested in aptitude, curiosity and potential than ticking every box. If this role excites you but you don’t meet every requirement, we’d still encourage you to apply.
WHY JOIN DESIGN WEST?
At Design West you'll work with some of the UK's leading designers, architects, planners, developers, public bodies and researchers, helping shape conversations about the future of places. You'll have the opportunity to take ownership of your work, develop new skills and contribute to projects that make a real difference.
You'll enjoy the breadth and ownership that comes with working in a growing organisation, with the chance to shape projects, contribute ideas and build relationships. As you develop, we'll help you build skills in comms, marketing, PR and influence with opportunities for your role to grow over time.
If you're curious about places, excited by ideas and motivated by helping an ambitious organisation grow, we'd love to hear from you.
Benefits:
- Private healthcare after one year's service
- Charity bonus scheme
- Company pension
- Staff discount in our café-bar
- Annual training & development allowance
- Regular team socials & annual Christmas celebration
- A collaborative & supportive team culture in a purpose-led organisation
APPLY
Please send your CV & an accompanying cover letter (max two pages) which outlines why you are interested & suitable for this role. Please include details of two referees.
EMAIL applications to: [email protected]
DEADLINE: Mon 10 August. We are looking to appoint ASAP, so early applications are encouraged & will be considered before the deadline.
Design West is an equal opportunities employer & welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. This role is based at Design West on the harbourside in Bristol. We have found that being together as a small team is important to our culture, creativity & success.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From £28,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Private medical insurance
Work Location: In person
