Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Communications

WF Risk Group advertising on behalf of our client, Community Foundation Northern Ireland

Job Title : Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Communications

Responsible to : Chief Executive

Hours : 35 per week – the post holder will be expected to work flexibly to meet the needs of the post regular evening/weekend work will be required

Salary : NJC Scale Points 51-54 (£)

Location: The Foundation currently has a hybrid working approach and therefore your place of work will include both the office location and home-based working. The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is an agent for social change through its independent grant making. Our vision is for a fair and equitable society for everyone, working hand in hand with communities to build a better future. We are very passionate and ambitious about what we do, and we act with integrity.

Summary

This position is an exciting role for the Foundation and has been designed to help not only deliver our strategy but also to support the Foundation build its policy profile and influence. The Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Communications will work closely with the CEO and the Senior Management Team (SMT) to share the impact of our work to help deliver key strategic policy areas.

A focus of the role is to use the Foundations knowledge and relationships to support and promote transformative innovative funding and solutions that will address serious challenges within NI communities.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Communictions is highly involved in the development and implementation of Policy and Public Affairs and Communications and will act as an external representative of the Community Foundation to the wider stakeholder audiences

Main Responsibilities

Organisational Development

Work collaboratively with the SMT and CEO, sharing knowledge and expertise to provide leadership, contribute to and influence the strategic direction of the organisation, whilst maintaining the ethos and values of the Foundation

Develop partnership working across the private, public and third sectors to support strategic aims.

Support the broader work of the organisation, including communications, digital content and events.

Manage your expenditure budget efficiently and accurately

Public Affairs and Policy

Identify and influence key issues for the Community Foundation in respect to policy, regulation, legislation and the wider policy and operating environment

Prepare, clear and submit consultation responses and position statements.

Influence relevant legislation e.g. produce briefings, draft suggested legislative amendments, and work with coalitions to secure successful outcomes.

Support and develop key campaigns by providing research and analysis to support the delivery of the organisations policy priorities

Obtain and evaluate information about sector trends, threats and opportunities, and use these to ensure the organisation meets its goals.

Work closely and collaboratively with the NI Executive and the NICS in developing creative and innovation problem solving to support social change.

Establish, promote and maintain relationships with policy contacts in partner organisations and political parties to align strategic objectives

Represent the Foundation on policy working groups and forums related to the organisations strategic and policy priorities

Drive the positioning of the Foundations policy work, so that we consult with, and take on board the diverse views of our grantees and communities, while developing positions that achieve progress and forward our strategy

Develop, execute, and evaluate successful policy and communications strategies to influence change

Develop practical tools and resources on policy and practice so that the Foundation is recognised as the go-to place for advice and information

Ensure that the Foundation is connected with and informed by the work of respected experts that develops excellent practice and engages ourselves, with different ideas, voices and organisations

Commission and publish strong research and evidence bases which advances the Foundations policy, practice and influencing work

Support the Grants and Fund Development and the Programmes teams in identifying opportunities for future investment, based on policy insights and strategic alignment

Work with and reporti to the Board and Policy and Public Affairs Committee on strategy and operations

Support the CEO, trustees and SMT to identify practice to policy, using technology, funding and programme insights, and expert analysis

Track and measure the impact of policy initiatives

Communications

Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management of the Communications team to deliver high-quality, consistent, and impactful messaging across all platforms

Set clear objectives, monitor performance, and support professional development to ensure team members are motivated, skilled, and aligned with organisational goals

Oversee the planning and execution of communications campaigns, ensuring alignment with the Foundations strategic priorities and values

Work collaboratively with colleagues across departments to ensure the integration of communications into programme delivery, policy, public affairs, and grant making

Lead the development and continuous improvement of the Foundations website, digital channels, and media presence, including crisis communications and reputational risk management

Increase the reach and visibility of the Foundations work through strategic use of social media, traditional media, and the website.

Cultivate relationships with media, key influencers, and sector stakeholders to enhance the Foundations visibility and influence

Monitor and evaluate communications performance using analytics, and feedback making data-informed improvements

Other :

You will also be expected to:

Attend training courses and events as required and share learning with other staff and the trustees, as relevant

Contribute towards other aspects of the Foundations work as required. As this is a senior post there will be the expectation and opportunity for you to be involved across many areas of the Foundations work

General:

All staff are required to:

Carry out their work in accordance with the organisational values and ensure that their behaviours are in keeping with our values

Be aware of, understand and comply with all of the Foundations policies and procedures

Manage their workload effectively while ensuring the efficient use of office resources and in particular Microsoft Office and the Foundations database, Salesforce

Maintain at all times the confidentiality of information received

Carry out such other appropriate tasks and work as requested

Attend and participate in staff meetings, team meetings and relevant training

This Job Description is not intended to comprehensively list the responsibilities of the post, but to indicate the main areas which at this stage appear to be the essential requirements of the post.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

EXPERIENCE

Demonstrable experience in a senior-level role where you have:

(i) Led or significantly contributed to the development and delivery of policy, public affairs, or regulatory strategies that have influenced change.

(ii) Influenced policy change within a policy or regulatory environment.

(iii) Successfully led, commissioned and published research to inform strategy or influence policy.

(iv) Worked collaboratively with communications teams to develop both pro and reactive media relations to support the overall strategy.

(v) Built and maintained strong relationships with staff and key stakeholders (both internal and external).

(vi) Managed budgets effectively.

(vii) Navigated political and social environments with diplomacy and integrity.

KNOWLEDGE/ SKILLS

Knowledge of and relationships within the NICS and the Executive

Knowledge of the community and voluntary sector and the current issues that the sector is facing, particularly in Northern Ireland

Creative thinker with a collaborative and adaptable leadership style.

The ability to analyse legislation and policy to frame and position the organisation

Understanding of the contexts, structures and levers for local influencing to achieve change

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear and concise manner

Excellent presentation skills including providing persuasive and effective oral and written presentations

Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to deliver on high volumes of work, to tight deadlines

A working knowledge of MS Office plus strong IT skills including the ability to use IT systems to implement, manage and monitor processes and workloads

Flexible, proactive and emotionally intelligent

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Committed to the Foundations vision, mission and values

Committed to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion and to working with a diverse range of people and communities across Northern Ireland

Able to attend events and meetings across Northern Ireland, the UK and Ireland, including occasional evening events and meetings

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

(i) Experience of working with diverse communities and grassroots movements.

QUALIFICATIONS

A degree or third level qualification in a relevant area

How to apply

Please send your CV, accompanied with a cover letter which outlines your suitability for the role, and specifically how you meet the eligibility criteria outlined, to Natalie Duncan at

Your cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long, and font size no smaller than font 10.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Wednesday 13th August 2025. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.