St John International welcomed a new Social Media and Engagement Officer in April 2026, bringing a fresh focus to digital storytelling and global audience engagement. We spoke with him about his career to date, his reasons for joining SJI, and how he plans to help shape and develop the organisation’s social media presence.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role as Social Media and Engagement Officer at SJI?
I’m the Social Media and Engagement Officer at St John International, where I lead on digital storytelling, social media strategy, and audience engagement across our global network.
My role focuses on bringing to life the work of St John organisations worldwide, from first aid and emergency response to community health and youth programmes and sharing it in an engaging, accessible, and people-centred way.
Before joining SJI, I worked in Parliament for an MP, where my role included research, writing speeches and briefings, as well as supporting communications, engagement, campaigns, and digital content.
I also had a brief stint in finance, which I quickly realised wasn’t quite for me. However, I am currently completing a Master’s in Economics, which is thankfully a lot more interesting and slightly less soul-destroying.
What attracted you to this role at SJI?
What attracted me most was the opportunity to combine communications with meaningful humanitarian work. St John has such a unique global presence and history, but what really stood out to me was the impact local establishments continue to have in their communities every day.
Coming from a parliamentary background, I was particularly interested in a role that still centred around people, communities, and public service, but on a more international scale. I was excited by the opportunity to help strengthen SJI’s digital presence and tell more people-focused stories through social media and video content.
The organisation’s focus on community-led action and localisation also really resonated with me. I think some of the most impactful stories come directly from the people and communities delivering the work themselves, and that is something I am passionate about helping to amplify through my role.
Since joining in April 2026, what have you been most focused on during your first month in the role?
During my first month, my main focus has been understanding the breadth of work taking place across the St John network and getting to know the different establishments, programmes, and audiences we engage with globally. There is such a wide range of impactful work happening every day, and I wanted to build a strong understanding of how we can best showcase that through our communications.
I have also been focusing on strengthening our approach to digital storytelling, particularly through more engaging and people-centred content. A key priority has been increasing our use of short-form video and creating content that feels more immediate, accessible, and reflective of the communities we serve.
Alongside this, I have been looking at ways we can encourage greater collaboration across establishments so we can share more stories, ideas, and best practice internationally.
How would you describe SJI’s social media presence right now, and what would you like to bring or change about it?
I think SJI already has a strong foundation because there is so much incredible work happening across the organisation. One of the biggest strengths of our social media presence is the authenticity of the stories we are able to tell and the diversity of the communities and programmes across the network.
What I would like to bring is a stronger focus on storytelling that feels more human, visual, and engaging, particularly through video content and behind-the-scenes perspectives. I think audiences increasingly connect with real stories from volunteers, staff, cadets, and communities, and there is a huge opportunity to highlight those voices more consistently.
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time or for fun?
Outside of work, I enjoy keeping up with politics and football (I’m an Arsenal fan). At the moment, there is obviously a lot going on with both. At the time of writing, Arsenal have just won the league, so it’s safe to say the football is going better than the politics!
If you had to create a social media post about your life right now, what would the caption be?
Listening, learning, and trying not to break anything.
Looking ahead, what are you most excited about when it comes to growing SJI’s online presence and community?
Looking ahead, I’m excited about helping to grow a more connected and people-focused global online presence for SJI, while showcasing the incredible work taking place across the network every day.
I’m particularly looking forward to helping strengthen collaboration across establishments and creating more opportunities to share stories, ideas, and experiences internationally.
