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- Tasks: Champion children's hospice care through advocacy and storytelling at national and regional levels.
- Company: Join Acorns, the UK's largest children's hospice, dedicated to transforming lives.
- Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work model, employee discounts, gym discounts, and a generous pension plan.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's palliative care and influence national policy for lasting change.
- Qualifications: Minimum 2 years in External Affairs, PR, or Communications; experience with MPs and strategic planning required.
- Other info: Interviews start January 13, 2025; must be eligible to work in the UK.
The predicted salary is between 25000 - 31000 ÂŁ per year.
Acorns Children's Hospice is now seeking an External Affairs Officer to champion our work at national and regional levels, using powerful storytelling to demonstrate the impact of hospice care and helping to shape the national debate on hospice care funding and palliative care provision.
Champion the future of children’s palliative care as an External Affairs Officer at the UK’s largest children’s hospice
Are you driven by the power of advocacy and the potential to create lasting change? Acorns Children’s Hospice is seeking a passionate and experienced External Affairs Officer to grow our position as the leading voice for children’s hospice care and palliative care provision. Join us in shaping policy, influencing decision-makers, and ensuring fair and sustainable funding for all children’s hospices.
At Acorns, we are dedicated to transforming lives by ensuring seriously ill children and their families receive the highly specialist care they need when they need it most.
As the UK’s largest children’s hospice, we have a responsibility to influence policies and shape solutions that meet the unique needs of the children and families we support.
Your work will not only shine a light on the life-changing care we provide but also advance national conversations about children’s hospice and palliative care. Collaborating with sector partners, you’ll help drive solutions that address critical gaps, ensuring services are available and sustainably funded for generations to come.
If you’re ready to make an impact and help shape the future of children’s hospice care, we’d love to hear from you.
About the Role
Acorns is the UK’s largest children’s hospice charity, in terms of both the number of children and families supported and annual expenditure on our care work. We need to raise more than £13 million each year to run hospices and provide our care and support services, relying on fundraising and donations by our local community for two-thirds of this amount.
As External Relations Affairs Officer, you will:
- Develop a strong understanding of health policy and politics and use this to identify ways Acorns can lend its voice to and shape the national debate on children’s palliative care and hospice care funding
- Identify opportunities to work in partnership with Hospice UK and Together for Short Lives and contribute to the planning and delivery of political campaigns that build pressure on decision-makers using parliamentary, public and media support
- Play a vital role in making a difference at a local level by building trusted relationships with key stakeholders, including politicians, ICBs, civil servants and decision-makers across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire
- Manage a database of MPs, councillors and other key decision-makers who support our cause and ensure it is kept up to date
About You
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience in an External Affairs, PR or Communications role
- Experience of working with MPs, Ministers and MEPs
- Experience of planning and delivering end-to-end external relations and parliamentary affairs strategies
- Lobbying and networking with a wide range of relevant stakeholders
What We Offer
- ÂŁ30,000 to ÂŁ37,000 per annum
- 37 hours per week
- Hybrid role with office and home working
- Employee discounts from leading retailers
- Employee gym discount scheme
- Bike-to-Work scheme
- Generous contribution to group personal pension plan or continuation of current NHS pension scheme
- NHS pension scheme life assurance or Acorns group life assurance scheme
Interviews are scheduled to be held week commencing 13th January, 2025
You need to be eligible to work in the UK to be considered for this role. We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and therefore any successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check for children and will be asked to provide two satisfactory references.
As a UNICEF Gold Rights Respecting organisation, we are committed to ensuring that the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child is embedded into both culture and practice within the organisation. As an employee you will be a Duty Bearer for Children’s Rights and support all children to be Rights Holders.
Find out about our culture, career development, benefits and more here: Why Work for Acorns?
External Affairs Officer employer: Acorns Children's Hospice
Contact Detail:
Acorns Children's Hospice Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land External Affairs Officer
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with current health policies and debates surrounding children's palliative care. This knowledge will empower you to engage in meaningful conversations and demonstrate your commitment to the cause during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the field of external affairs and hospice care. Attend relevant events or webinars to connect with key stakeholders, which can provide valuable insights and potentially lead to referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your advocacy skills by sharing examples of past campaigns or initiatives you've been involved in. Highlight how your efforts have influenced policy or funding decisions, as this aligns perfectly with the role's objectives.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Acorns Children's Hospice thoroughly. Understand their mission, values, and recent initiatives so you can articulate how your experience and passion align with their goals during discussions.
We think you need these skills to ace External Affairs Officer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities of the External Affairs Officer. Highlight your experience in advocacy, policy shaping, and external relations in your application.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell a powerful story about your passion for children's hospice care. Explain how your background aligns with Acorns' mission and how you can contribute to their goals.
Showcase Relevant Experience: In your CV, emphasize your experience working with MPs, Ministers, and other stakeholders. Provide specific examples of successful campaigns or strategies you've implemented in previous roles.
Tailor Your Application: Customize your application to reflect the values and objectives of Acorns Children's Hospice. Use keywords from the job description to demonstrate your fit for the role and your understanding of their work.
How to prepare for a job interview at Acorns Children's Hospice
✨Understand the Mission
Before your interview, make sure you have a deep understanding of Acorns Children's Hospice's mission and values. Be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with their commitment to transforming lives for seriously ill children and their families.
✨Showcase Your Advocacy Skills
Highlight your experience in advocacy and external affairs. Be ready to provide specific examples of how you've influenced policy or shaped public debate in previous roles, especially in relation to health policy or palliative care.
✨Build Relationships
Discuss your ability to build trusted relationships with key stakeholders. Share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with politicians, civil servants, or other decision-makers to drive change in your previous positions.
✨Prepare for Policy Discussions
Familiarize yourself with current issues in children's hospice care and palliative care funding. Be prepared to discuss these topics intelligently and offer insights on how Acorns can position itself as a leading voice in these discussions.
