Further to your interest in this post, please find:
· Information about CPAG and about the post
· Job description
· Person specification
· Application form
· Equal opportunities monitoring form
· Additional information on Terms and Conditions of Employment
To apply, please return the application form, taking particular care to provide full details of how you meet the person specification. We would also be grateful if you would return the recruitment monitoring form if you are willing to do so (this is not a requirement for consideration for the post but will assist us to review our recruitment procedures). Please send your application and monitoring form by email, to or by post to:
Recruitment
Child Poverty Action Group
30 Micawber Street
London
N1 7TB
marking the envelope “Confidential”.
If you require further information or need us to make any special arrangements to enable you to participate in the selection process please contact us on 0207 812 5201.
Closing date: 12pm, 14 November 2016
Interview date: 25 November 2016
/General Information
Senior Communications & Campaigns OfficerAbout CPAG
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is a charity, working for children in the UK. We believe no child should grow up in hardship or lose out through poverty – but right now, 3.9 million are doing just that. We aim to prevent and end child poverty by advocating evidence-based solutions to policy-makers and providing accurate information and advice so families can access the financial support they need.
· Raise awareness of the causes, extent, nature and impact of poverty, and strategies for its eradication and prevention;
· Bring about positive policy changes for families with children in poverty;
· Enable those eligible for income maintenance to have access to their full entitlement.
CPAG’s activities include: lobbying and media work; welfare rights advice; training and test case work; research, policy and campaigning; information provision and publishing and membership work. There are currently two offices from which this work is undertaken, the main office being in London and CPAG in Scotland, located in Glasgow. There is a recognised union to which most of the permanent staff belongs.
What We Do
Policy and campaigning
We seek to achieve positive outcomes through our high-profile lobbying and campaigning work – using our expertise and evidence to influence government, policy makers and the national and local media. We publish research and information on the causes and effects of child poverty (including regular briefing materials on our website (www.cpag.org.uk) and seek radical and practical solutions. Our journal “Poverty”, published three times a year, aims to carry articles and features that inform, stimulate and develop the debate on poverty, its causes and consequences, and the action required to tackle it.
Rights and Advice
We help ensure that families receive the support they are entitled to by providing expert advice, training and information to welfare rights advisers, lawyers and others on all aspects of the social security and tax credit systems. Advice lines are open to advisers and our staff in London and Glasgow respond to over 2,500 queries a year. Our bi-monthly Welfare Rights Bulletin keeps advisers up-to-date on new legislation and developments. Over 2,000 people a year attend CPAG’s training courses. Through carefully selected test cases, we challenge unjust legislation or unfair or discriminatory decisions.
Publishing and Resources
CPAG is a major publisher of handbooks used by thousands of volunteer and paid advisers, community workers, lawyers and members of the public. The Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook gives full coverage of all aspects of social security and tax credits. We publish a legal reference work – CPAG’s Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefits Legislation – and handbooks on the child support scheme, fuel rights, debt advice, migration and social security, council tax, student support and benefits, and personal finance. For more information about the work of CPAG visit our website at www.cpag.org.uk.
Background to the Post
This is an exciting opportunity to work within the Policy, Rights & Advocacy team of the UK’s leading child poverty charity.
With child poverty on the rise, CPAG’s Senior Communications and Campaigns Officer will play a key role in building public and political support for action to ensure all children have decent childhoods and fair life chances.
The Senior Communications and Campaigns Officer will help strengthen the expertise, capacity and coordination of CPAG’s communications activities. In particular s/he will lead our campaigning work tackling in-work poverty and ensuring Universal Credit works for families.
By strengthening messages, by working with strategic partners in civil society and by mobilising supporters, the Senior Communications and Campaigns Officer will play leading role in shaping the public debate.
This post is supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
Terms and conditions of employment
Job title: Senior Communications & Campaigns Officer
Contract: This is a one year contract (may be extended, subject to funding)
Salary: £36,551 - £38,475 plus a non-contributory (5% of salary) Group Personal Pension Scheme.
Hours: 35 hours per week. Normal working hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (including a 1 hour unpaid lunch break). Overtime is not payable, but CPAG operates a ‘core hours’ and TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) policy.
Annual leave: 30 days a year annual leave (as well as 4 days during the Christmas/New Year period when the office closes down). The holiday year runs from April to March. The basic annual leave is pro rata depending on starting date and hours.
Other benefits Interest free travel loan, income protection insurance and ‘death in service’
include: provision , and a range of leave entitlements for family and other reasons (details are on the attached sheet).
There is a six-month probation period for this post.
CPAG’s Commitment to Equal Opportunities
CPAG aims to be an equal opportunities employer and will apply objective criteria to assess merit. It aims to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the ground of race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, responsibility for dependants, disability or age. Selection criteria and procedures will be reviewed to ensure that individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. All employees will be given equal opportunity and, where appropriate and possible, special training to enable them to develop their potential both within and outside CPAG. CPAG is committed to a programme of action to make this statement effective, and will bring it to the attention of all employees.
/ JOB DESCRIPTIONJob Title: Senior Communications & Campaigns Officer
Reports To: Director of Policy, Rights and Advocacy
Team: Policy, Rights and Advocacy
Grade D: £36,551 - £38,475
Location: CPAG London office
Job purpose
· To develop and communicate CPAG’s key messages in order to strengthen public understanding of the causes, effects and solutions to child poverty.
· To build a stronger and more focused civil society voice on child poverty.
· To ensure the voices and real experiences of low income families are heard in public debates.
· To develop, implement and evaluate CPAG campaigns helping low income families and build public and political support
Responsibilities
COMMUNICATIONS
1. To understand and monitor the latest research on influencing public attitudes to poverty and social security.
2. To develop, implement and evaluate a communications strategy to establish a narrative on the causes, effects and solutions to child poverty which resonates with the values of the general public.
3. To produce strong stories, infographics and symbols to convey complicated poverty and social security issues clearly and powerfully.
4. To provide communication tools and resources for civil society partners to ensure they understand the impact of child poverty on their work and support CPAG key messages.
5. To work with colleagues to identify and make strategic interventions to challenge ill-informed public, media and political discussions on poverty and social security.
6. To utilise digital and social media opportunities, e.g., Website, Twitter and email, in order to deliver on communications and campaigns work.
7. To work with colleagues to identify and support low income families willing to talk about their own experiences, develop case studies and identify appropriate platforms so their voices are heard by the government and the public.
CAMPAIGNS
8. To project manage campaigns, working with colleagues across CPAG to ensure campaigns are integrated and delivered.
9. To build and manage a network of CPAG campaigners to support communications and campaign activities.
10. To strengthen CPAG’s campaigning capacity by making best use of engagement with its networks and coalitions.
GENERAL
11. To ensure compliance with all CPAG’s policies and standard practices, paying specific attention to issues of Diversity and Equality.
12. To take on any other reasonable tasks which contribute to achievement of the job purpose and the aims of CPAG.
PERSON SPECIFICATION – SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS AND CAMPAIGNS OFFICER
Essential / Desirable
Experience of working in a press, public affairs, campaigning, or another relevant role or environment
Experience of initiating, planning and implementing campaigns
Experience of public campaigning or mobilising campaigners, including using digital campaigning tools
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
Essential / Desirable
Knowledge of current social policy and political issues in the UK / Knowledge and understanding of causes, effects and solutions to child poverty
Excellent writing skills including the ability to draft compelling and concise campaign communications and web copy for different audiences / Knowledge of relevant social policy area, such as social security, employment or family policy
Strong oral communication skills, including the ability to influence opinion formers and potential civil society partners
Ability to understand research on influencing public attitudes and use this to strengthen CPAG’s communications
Understanding of branding and how communications need to reflect CPAG’s brand
Knowledge of the latest campaigning techniques and good practice
Ability to maximise digital and social media influencing opportunities
Ability to work collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders
Ability to identify and support low income families to have their voices and experiences heard in key political and public debates
Ability to work to tight deadlines and to prioritise between competing tasks.
Strong organisational and administrative skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office and
Content Management Systems.
Personal Qualities
Essential / Desirable
Commitment to CPAG’s aims and objectives
Commitment to CPAG’s Diversity & Equalities policy
Other Contractual Requirements
Essential / Desirable
Ability to spend occasional nights away from home on business
/ Application Form
Senior Communications & Campaigns Officer
Please complete (word process, type or write) this form in black ink, to enable clear photocopying. If you require more space in any section, please continue on A4, single sided, sheets of paper. PLEASE DO NOT SEND A CV. Please do not fold application form more than once.
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Signed Date:
Closing date for this position is 12pm, 14 November 2016
Please return to: Private and Confidential
Recruitment
Child Poverty Action Group
30 Micawber Street
London N1 7TB
Or via email:
/ RECRUITMENT MONITORINGIn the interests of monitoring our recruitment procedures we would be grateful if you could complete this form. We will separate this document from the application form and it will not take part in any selection process.
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