National Secretary in Doncaster

The vacancy

Job Title: National Secretary, Energy sector

Location: London

Salary: £77,899

Job Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full time (35 hours)

About Us: Prospect is a leading trade union delivering support, representation, and a collective voice for 163,000 members. We employ around 250 staff.

Our members want to succeed at work. They work across the public and private sectors, in a diverse range of specialist occupations, in aviation, defence, public services, energy, science, heritage, creative and digital. We negotiate by using evidence, advocacy, and building effective partnerships - while never being scared to use our membership strength to challenge employers when they get things wrong.

Diversity is a core value of the trade union movement, and we are passionate about promoting equality at work and we are committed to it for all staff; therefore, we are particularly interested in applications from groups that are underrepresented in the workplace.

Prospect is a great place to work - this role has access to our high-quality defined benefit pension scheme and 33 days annual leave each year. We offer a good work-life balance, flexible working options and offer support for training and development.

Job Description

We are seeking a National Secretary to manage, lead and develop a team based in our Doncaster office, working mainly - but not exclusively - with energy sector branches including nuclear and renewables.

As well as leading the team, the successful candidate will have responsibility for developing, and delivering our policy objectives, campaigns and collective bargaining priorities across the energy sector to ensure that we are the authoritative voice speaking on behalf of a wide range of members.

The role demands highly developed negotiating, lobbying, and influencing skills and an understanding of the industrial, regulatory, and political context in which our members work. The ability to build effective relationships at senior level with employers and stakeholders is crucial, as is an understanding of how we campaign, using research and organising to advocate for our members.

Whilst the job is based in Doncaster, regular travel will be required.

This role will manage and lead staff to ensure they provide support and advice to our members and branches while Prospect continues to grow its membership and influence. It involves delivering individual and collective representation; helping develop branch elected representatives; building and maintaining effective and resilient branch structures; and contributing to our energy sector campaigning and networking activities.

This is a hugely important time for Prospect and our members in the sector and the role will be in a fast moving and an exciting environment

Key Responsibilities

• Leads effective negotiations to ensure successful outcomes and ensure that members' interests are suitably represented.
• Manages team resources to ensure that financial targets are achieved and procedures maintained.
• High level policy and industrial communications under delegation from a Senior/Deputy General Secretary.
• Support effective cross-team working.
• Manage and develop staff in line with organisational requirements to ensure they deliver effective services in line with Prospect standards.

• Plays a significant role in the development of policy and campaigns and the provision of authoritative advice.
• Complex case work at levels up to Employment Tribunal in conjunction with Prospect's legal team.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Highly developed negotiating skills
• Ability to manage and advise on complex case work at levels up to Employment Tribunal in conjunction with Prospect's legal team
• Demonstrable leadership experience and capacity to take ownership when dealing with difficulties. The ability to manage staff and ensure they are developed and meet their objectives.
• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, representatives, members, employers and wider stakeholders
• Understand and deliver contemporary approaches to organisation and recruitment of members
• Have strong planning, organising, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Providing high level policy and industrial communications and guidance under delegation from a Senior/Deputy General Secretary.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of pensions, health and safety and employment law.
• Want to make the world of work better for everyone through promoting membership and the values of the trade union movement.
• Valid UK driving licence

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Good IT skills, particularly with Microsoft Office/365 suite, Outlook and Teams
• Project management and/or campaigning experience

Closing date: Monday 9 November 2026 - Noon (CV's alone will not be accepted)

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 24th November in our London Victoria Office

Prospect Union is committed to create a diverse environment and is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. All our applicants will be given careful consideration for employment regardless to race, colour, religion, sex, physical and mental disability, age, citizenship, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, and any other protected status.

www.prospect.org.uk

About us

Prospect is a leading trade union delivering advice, support, representation and a voice for our members. We are a not-for-profit organisation with over 250 staff helping to support more than 150,000 people in specialist, professional and technical roles across the private and public sectors. The Bectu Sector of Prospect represents both employees and freelancers working in Film, TV, Broadcasting and theatre and live events.

Our members want to get on at work. They work in a diverse range of professions, including energy, science, engineering, heritage, defence, entertainment and digital. As a union for modern working life we aim to get the best deal for our members by using evidence and building partnerships - while never being scared to call employers out when they get things wrong.

Our priorities are to grow our membership through attracting new members and to improve our impact, whether that is helping members win improvements at work or changing the policy environment which affects them.

Diversity is an important value for the trade union movement, and as an organisation we are passionate about promoting equality and equity at work and are committed to it for all our staff; we would be particularly interested in applications from groups that are underrepresented in the workplace.

Prospect is a great place to work - We offer a good work-life balance, flexible working options and offer support for learning and development.

Employee benefits

• Up to 33 days annual leave per year.
• Annual incremental salary steps until the maximum is reached.
• Office closure over the Christmas period.
• Contributory defined benefit pension scheme with high employer contribution rate.
• Employee Assistance Programme which offers telephone counselling and a website with many useful toolkits.
• Eye care voucher scheme and cycle to work scheme.
• Access to training to support career development.
• Access to Prospect member services benefits including shopping, travel, health and insurance discounts.
• Prospect is an equal opportunities employer.

Data protection

Prospect is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals and complying with our obligations under GDPR. Please see the Candidate Applicants' Privacy Notice which explains how Prospect will process and hold your information when you apply for a vacancy and your rights as a data subject.

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