Vacancy: BGS Digital Media Editor

Are you an avid tweeter and/or blogger with an interest in improving healthcare for older people? Do you believe there is value in increasing the BGS’s profile and voice? Would you like to help grow our online community of healthcare professionals, keen to share best practice and the latest research related to ageing and geriatric medicine? 

If you are a BGS member interested in shaping the Society’s digital strategy and improving our online impact in line with our upcoming Strategic Plan 2023-2026, the honorary position of Digital Media Editor may be the perfect role for you! 

This role is a great way of connecting with people, promoting the BGS and the specialty and contributing to raising the BGS’s profile and its work to improve healthcare for older people.

The Digital Media Editor (DME) takes clinical responsibility for the content of the BGS blog, Twitter accounts and other digital media streams. The DME works closely with the BGS Communications, PR and Media Manager, and also with the Digital Media Editor (Age and Ageing) and the Deputy DME, who is primarily responsible for editing blogs.

Previous DMEs have enjoyed the access the role gives to eminent clinicians worldwide via Twitter and the opportunity for creative thinking about communications in the BGS community and beyond.

With our new Presidential team, the BGS has seen a significant increase in media interest, so this is a particularly exciting time to get involved.

What's involved?

At a practical level the role of DME typically involves:

  • Acting as a chief ‘authoriser’ for digital content to go live, available to staff for discussion of any issues arising
  • Actively commissioning new content for the blog, which is in line with BGS strategy, interests and values
  • Reading and editing blog content prior to posting (shared responsibility with Deputy DME)
  • Following the @gerisoc and @age_and_ageing Twitter accounts, which are managed by the BGS staff, and re-tweeting/commenting to help amplify messaging. Advising of any inappropriate content or other issues arising
  • Continuing to build the network of “BGS twitterati” and supporting social media engagement at BGS conferences
  • Attending either the BGS Spring or Autumn Meeting, guiding and working with the Communications, PR & Media Manager to optimise the worldwide digital impact of the meetings (the DME receives free registration to these meetings if other sources of funding are unavailable) 
  • Acting as a member of the BGS Policy and Communications Committee, and guiding the committee on digital issues (the Committee meets four times a year)
  • Liaising with the other Digital Media Editor, who is responsible for the BGS journal, Age and Ageing
  • Feeding into BGS strategy development with respect to digital communications
  • Contributing to discussions regarding the continuous improvement of the new BGS website.

Click here for a full role specification.

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. The time commitment is variable. Most tasks are quickly accomplished but the DME needs to be able to respond reasonably quickly and be active on social media around clinical commitments. The term of office is 2 years, which may be extended by mutual agreement.

If you are keen to help strengthen the Society’s digital presence and impact, we’d love to hear from you. You can download a full outline of the role, including a breakdown of the role and a person specification on the side of this page.

One you have read the information contained within the role specification, please apply via email, including a statement telling us what you would bring to the role (max 300 words) and your CV to m [dot] mello [at] bgs [dot] org [dot] uk (BGS Communications, PR and Media Manager). If you have any questions please call 0207 608 8572 for more information. The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 13 February.