Head of Policy, Programmes and Media (Maternity Cover) in London

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with AdviceUK to recruit for an interim Head of Policy, Programmes and Media. Joining the organisation as a maternity leave cover contract, this is a role where you will have the opportunity to achieve significant impact across some key priority areas. Since 1979, Advice UK has been supporting advice organisations by helping them to be efficient, competent and effective, and by campaigning for a policy environment that supports advice agencies and people needing advice. A small but mighty – and growing! – charity that supports its members to provide advice to upwards of 2.5 million people each year. The organisation is working towards a world in which every individual, regardless of means, is able to access the advice they need in order to exercise their rights and address any legal and social welfare challenges they may face.

Contract: Interim maternity cover role, nine to 12 month contract

Salary: £70,000 to £75,000 per annum

Location: Hybrid role which will be predominantly home-based with travel to London for either office days or meetings expected around one day per week

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week or part time, 28 hours per week considered with flexible working options fully supported

Closing date for applications: 9am Friday 30th January

Interviews: Interviews will be held in person at the charity offices in London on the 11th and 12th of February

The Head of Policy, Programmes and Media position is a senior position within the organisation. Part of the SLT and reporting to the CEO the postholder will take the lead on all policy and public affairs initiatives to secure policy change and funding to benefit people seeking advice and the communities served by the organisation’s members.

Core responsibilities within the role will include:

• Develop and oversee the implementation of effective strategies for policy and funder influence that enable Advice UK to achieve its purpose
• Identify new audiences and develop innovative approaches to sustain and grow Advice UK’s stakeholder and funder network and achieve its strategic priorities
• Be accountable for Advice UK’s policy, public affairs and funded activities, reporting to the Chief Executive and Advice UK Board
• Lead the development and coordination of clear, concise and authoritative policy positions on key issues
• Identify actionable and achievable policy influencing goals to achieve change on the highest priority issues and develop strategic influencing plans to achieve these goals
• Alongside the Chief Executive, be Advice UK spokesperson and representative at external events including policy roundtables, steering groups, conferences, meetings and other events
• Oversee and deliver a proactive public affairs strategy to achieve policy change on the issues of priority concern to members
• Identify and build effective relationships with key contacts across UK and devolved governments and parliaments, including Ministers, MPs, civil servants and local and regional decision makers
• Lead a stakeholder engagement programme for Advice UK working strategically to identify, develop and manage relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including policy influencers, funders, sector partners and other organisations
• Oversee the development of effective press and media campaigns, mobilising support and leveraging media opportunities to raise awareness and drive action on priority issues
• Oversee the development and effective delivery of the #AdviceSaves campaign (including Advice Week), ensuring impact is measured and lessons learned
• Oversee development of research and analysis to identify emerging trends, opportunities in support of our policy and campaign objectives, using this to provide evidence‑based insights and identify specific policy solutions to inform advocacy efforts
• Lead the development of high‑quality research and insight products, including research reports and commissioned surveys to support our influencing goals
• Oversee the delivery of Advice UK’s funding strategy to open up funding opportunities for members and their advice services
• As the departmental budget holder, lead on all financial management for the department, including forecasting and measuring financial performance, setting and managing budgets, reducing waste, and taking action to ensure the department achieves its financial objectives
• Provide effective leadership to the Policy and Public Affairs department including line management of a team of four, ensuring their strong performance and supporting their learning and development
• Work with other members of the senior leadership team to develop and implement Advice UK’s strategic plan in support of its overall strategic objectives and to establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs)

We’d love to see applications from candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Significant experience of delivering within a complex policy environment, ideally within an organisation of similar size and complexity including of developing and delivering impactful policy and public affairs strategies that have led to demonstrable change
• Experience or an understanding of the social welfare advice sector; the issues faced by advice providers and the communities they serve
• Experience of working with suppliers and partners to deliver campaigns, research and funding proposals including tendering, negotiating and contracting, and of working in coalitions and partnerships to achieve shared objectives
• Experience acting as a spokesperson for an organisation
• Experience strategic leadership of teams and working with CEO, Board and as part of a senior leadership team
• Ability to apply knowledge to new challenges and situations, and to devise solutions
• Strong analytical thinking and decision‑making skills, with ability to translate data and evidence into actionable insights to inform decision‑making
• Ability to think strategically; working in timescales of between one to three years
• Ability to manage and motivate staff to deliver complex or challenging projects
• Commitment to social justice, equality, diversity and inclusion

If you’re interested in hearing more about this opportunity, please send your CV to Alice at Charity People in the first instance.