Complaints Officer

IPSO - the Independent Press Standards Organisation - is the regulator of most newspapers, magazines, and digital news in the UK. We are a small but influential and high-profile organisation with a clear and important purpose. We place a strong emphasis on personal development for staff and provide excellent training opportunities and a supportive work culture.

We are recruiting a Complaints Officer to join our committed, friendly, and dynamic Complaints team.

Reporting to the Heads of Complaints and working closely with the Systems department, the purpose of the Complaints Officer position is to handle complaints made to IPSO in a personal, authoritative and efficient manner and to assist in the operation of IPSO's pre-publication and privacy notice services.

About the role

This is a role for someone who is articulate and efficient, with excellent communication and analytical skills, and an interest in news and how it is regulated.

IPSO has a strong commitment to staff development, and the role benefits from a well-structured and stimulating programme of progression. Starting with drafting responses to complainants whose complaints are not being taken forward, the successful candidate will progress to investigating complaints, drafting rulings for external publication, and mediating between complainants and publications.

You will also be trained to staff, on a rota basis, IPSO's pre-publication and privacy notice services, which provide 24-hour confidential advice to editors and journalists on matters relating to the Editors' Code and protect members of the public and public figures from potential intrusion and unwanted press attention.

The key role responsibilities include:

• Reviewing and investigating complaints to IPSO to determine whether they fall within its remit and raise a potential breach of the Editors' Code of Practice;
• Drafting recommendations for the consideration of the Complaints Committee;
• Providing efficient, compassionate and effective pre-publication and privacy notice services.

You can see a full job description here:

Skills and experience

Efficient, effective and empathetic, the right candidate will have a strong analytical ability that they can convey both verbally and in writing. You will have excellent writing skills, and experience of drafting important documents to a high level. You will also have experience of dealing sensitively and professionally with people from a range of backgrounds. Complaints Officers are trusted with a high level of autonomy in their work - so demonstrable time management and organisational skills are required.

A personal interest in current affairs and the news industry is a must, but there is no need for a degree or qualification in this area.

What we can offer you

This role is highly engaging and interesting - with no two days being the same. It offers great development opportunities, alongside the opportunity to raise press standards by dealing with complaints made against a variety of newspapers and magazines.

There is a competitive starting salary of £40k, plus another £2k after 24 months of service. You'll also receive an additional £1,075 on-call allowance after the relevant training has taken place, 25 days of paid annual leave, and excellent additional benefits including season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, private GP service, and (once probation is completed) free fitness membership.

The role is full-time, and IPSO offers hybrid working to all staff. All staff work two core days (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) in our Central London office. New staff may be asked to come in for more days while they familiarise themselves with the organisation.

At IPSO, we want to create a culture which recognises, values, and respects that people are different. We believe that representing the diversity of the society in which we work is fundamental to our goals of protecting people and promoting freedom of expression.

We are committed to promoting a fair and inclusive workplace where all our people can flourish and reach their full potential. We know diverse teams allow for a more creative and productive environment and we strongly encourage applications from a wide range of people regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender (identity, expression or reassignment), marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief and socio-economic background.

Candidates are required to attach an Equal Opportunities Monitoring form, which can be found on our website. Please note that although this form is required for applications to be considered, candidates are free to opt out of any questions.

To apply, please read the full job description and forward your CV with a cover letter outlining why you are interested in the role and how you are suitable, along with the diversity monitoring form by an email by 11.59pm on 2 nd February 2025.

IPSO will reimburse reasonable travel costs for attending interviews. If you require a reasonable adjustment, please include that information with your application. In-person interviews are preferred but IPSO conducts interviews by video call where needed and candidates choosing this option will not be disadvantaged. The job description for the position can be found on our website.