Digital Media Editor (Age and Ageing)

Role Specification 2022

The Society is seeking a BGS member to take on the honorary position of Digital Media Editor (Age and Ageing) to support communications associated with the journal, working with the editorial team, BGS staff and the Digital Media Editor for the BGS.

Background
Age and Ageing is the journal of the British Geriatrics Society and is a high-impact international clinical journal publishing monthly online issues and occasional supplements and collections. In 2022 the journal moved to fully digital publication. It wishes to build on its online offer to readers and authors and its social media presence.

Outline of role

The Digital Media Editor (DME) will take lead responsibility for the content of Age and Ageing’s Twitter account and wider digital promotion. They will also take shared responsibility for commissioning Age and Ageing-related BGS blogs and identifying positive PR opportunities for key papers and themed collections. They will work with relevant staff members (predominantly the BGS Communications, PR & Media Manager and Editorial Manager of Age and Ageing, with input from other staff as required), supporting and initiating social media and digital media activities.

At a practical level this involves

  • Scheduling @Age_and_Ageing tweets promoting Age and Ageing papers and other relevant content
  • Supporting the creation of graphical, audio or video abstracts to accompany Age and Ageing articles.
  • Acting as a member of the Age and Ageing Editorial Board, which meets in March and September each year
  • Acting as an ‘authoriser’ to comment on and approve content for publication on the BGS blog, advising staff as needed on any issues arising
  • Following BGS’s Twitter account @gerisoc which is managed by BGS’s Communications, PR & Media Manager. Advising of any inappropriate content, retweeting via @Age_and_Ageing judiciously to build Age and Ageing’s social authority
  • Continuing to build the network of the Twitter community who are already engaged with Age and Ageing and supporting social media engagement at BGS conferences
  • Reporting twice-yearly to the BGS Policy and Communications Committee with the Digital Media Editor and guiding the committee on digital issues
  • Evaluating and potentially reviving the (currently lapsed) bi-monthly Twitter club #AAAJC in the context of the current digital and social media activities.
  • Feeding into Age and Ageing’s strategy development with respect to digital communications
  • Contributing to discussions regarding the continuous improvement of the new BGS website in relation to the Age and Ageing presence.

Support for the role

Mentorship will be provided by the Digital Media Editor for the BGS (Dr Charlotte Squires). BGS’s Communications, PR & Media Manager (Marina Mello/Susan Patterson) and Age and Ageing Editorial Manager (Katy Ladbrook) work closely with both Digital Media Editors and on the day-to-day running of media and digital activities. The post has been vacant for some months, so there is plenty of opportunity to make it your own.

This is an honorary (unpaid) position, but all reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed by the BGS. The DME receives free registration for BGS bi-annual Conferences if other sources of funding are unavailable.

Age and Ageing currently has over 14,000 followers and a Kred social authority score of 782/1000.

Person specification

Essential
  • Current member of the British Geriatrics Society.
  • Can commit the necessary time, energy and enthusiasm for the role, approximately 3 hours per week.
  • Accessible to staff – a quick responder
  • Active Twitter presence and working knowledge of Journal clubs
  • Interest in academic publishing and research
  • Computer-literate and working knowledge of social media
  • Access to computer and internet

Desirable
  • Interest in Age and Ageing strategy and a feel for where digital media fits within this
  • Knowledge of social media platforms or a desire to learn about them

If you would like to help strengthen Age and Ageing's digital presence and impact, we’d love to hear from you. Please email a 300-word statement setting out what you would bring to the role and a one-page CV to s [dot] patterson [at] bgs [dot] org [dot] uk (Susan Patterson), BGS interim Communications Manager. If you have any questions, please call 020 7608 8572 for more information. The deadline for applications is 10am on Monday 25 April 2022. Interviews will be held on 28/29 April 2022 via Teams.