PARLIAMENTARY AND GOVERNANCERELATIONS CO-ORDINATOR

Job Scope

CAFOD aims to be strategic, effective and coordinated in the way it lobbies the UKgovernment and parliament on its key development and campaign issues. The aim of this post is to help co-ordinate a more coherent cross-organisational government relations strategy and to devise and implementparliamentaryand election strategies that work at both a national and constituency level; to support and encourage campaigners to lobby their MPs and PPCs;support CAFOD’s Diocesan Offices in parliamentary engagement and to contribute to the co-ordination of other messengers taking CAFOD’s position to government and parliamentarians.It is vital that there is coordination between indirect and direct lobbying on key policy and campaign issues and this role should ensure the close coordination of Campaigns, Policy, Media, ID, Directorate and Diocesan teams using the cross-organisational Government and Parliamentary Relations Working Group.

The post-holder will also be involved in working with coalition groups in ensuring that our government and parliamentary strategies fit coalition plans and strategies. This is likely to involve working with coalitions such as the Trade Justice Movement and the Stop Climate Chaos coalition.

Job Purpose

  1. Co-ordinate the development and implementation of CAFOD’s Government relations strategy
  • Support and advise on our advocacy strategies primarily aimed at influencing government ministers, advisors, MPs and MEPs and other elected representatives and other general management of relations.
  • Support the gathering and dissemination of government and parliamentary intelligence that may be relevant to CAFOD’s programmes and activities.
  1. Develop advocacy parliamentary strategies
  • Plan, implement and evaluate national parliamentary strategies on CAFOD’s key development policy and campaign issues.
  • Support the development of parliamentary strategies at a diocesan level on CAFOD’s campaign issues and assist with the delivery of this strategy.
  • Identify key opportunities for influencing parliament and MPs where relevant to CAFOD’s campaign strategies or key policy asks, including select committees, elections, white papers, etc.
  • Research the interests and responsibilities of constituency MPs, PPCs as well as the tracking of their activities in relation to CAFOD’s advocacy priorities.

3.Develop relationships with key stakeholders to support advocacy parliamentary strategies

  • Develop relationships with target parliamentarians for CAFOD’s advocacy work, with input from relevant teams and individuals within CAFOD.
  • Manage general relations and engagement with all parliamentarians including briefings, events, meetings, and other profile raising and engagement activities.
  • Be a point of advice and support for ID and others when seeking to engage parliamentarians.
  • Support the growth and success of Parliamentary Friends of CAFOD and contribute to an annual (or more frequent) plan for PFOC.
  • Develop relationships with Diocesan staff, and empower them to work with volunteers locally in lobbying their MPs.

4. Project manage events and communications to support CAFOD’s government relations and parliamentary strategies

  • Devise, lead and implement events to deliver CAFOD’s government relations and parliamentary strategies, including party conference presences and parliamentary briefings and events.
  • Work with others on planning and implementing parliamentary delegations to campaign focus countries in liaison with the Government and Parliamentary Relations Working Group, Policy Analysts, Advocacy Accompaniers and ID staff.
  • Write and promote appropriate CAFOD campaign materials and resources to MPs.
  • Advise on, input into, and initiative as required, other CAFOD advocacy materials and resources for MP and be responsible for promoting widely with MPs.
  • Manage the CAFOD database on parliamentarians.

5.Development and implementation of an election strategy for CAFOD.

  • Develop an election strategy for CAFOD to maximise our political impact and awareness of our advocacy issues with key targets.
  • Devise, lead and organise events, training and briefings as part of CAFOD’s election strategy.
  • Provide written and oral briefings on CAFOD’s advocacy issues to MPs and PPCs.
  • Engage with relevant coalition (BOND and SCC) marginal seats and other election strategies and deliver CAFOD’s commitments to these strategies.
  • Support CAFOD’s Diocesan staff, MP correspondents(MPCs) and other campaigns volunteers to deliver CAFOD’s election strategy within local constituencies.
  • To support coalition (BOAG/BOND and SCC) “Development and Environment Days” maximising CAFOD’s profile and engagement with key targets.
  • Work with all stakeholders, internal and external to monitor and evaluate CAFOD’s election strategy

6.Development of campaigners lobbying their MP

  • Develop a strategy to promote recruitment to CAFOD’s MP correspondent scheme and manage the audience.
  • Plan, develop and evaluate printed and online campaign materials suitable for the target audience to enable them to lobby their MP. This involves:
  • Work with Public Policy Unit to ensure accurate and effective message delivery.
  • Briefing the Campaigns Writer and liaising with their development.
  • Planning and implementing appropriate fulfilment and data capture systems with IT and Supporter Services.
  • Reviewing processes developed to deliver materials and evaluating their effectiveness using data gained through reporting (e.g. online actions).
  • Collaboratively developing monitoring mechanisms for MP Correspondent audience segment, to track the effectiveness of CAFOD’s campaigns promotions and sharing this information across CAFOD.
  • Respond to needs for training on Parliamentary engagement for staff and volunteers in line with objectives to build the confidence, skill and knowledge to interact with their local MP and other target decision makers.
  • Assist CAFOD supporters with responses to correspondence from their MP.
  • Write briefings for constituency campaigners and for MPs on campaign issues.

7.Represent CAFOD

  • Act as CAFOD’s representative on coalition planning and parliamentary groups. This will involve gathering information within CAFOD before meetings, taking on and carrying out tasks on behalf of the coalition and feeding back to CAFOD afterwards.

8.Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Set success criteria and monitor progress towards them, tracking key areas of work and documenting them as necessary to enable regular feedback, review, learning and to inform future planning.

9.Be an active member of CAFOD’s campaign section

  • Administration: Campaigns section staff are all self-servicing (e.g. do own word processing, maintain personal files, deal with e-mail, post and phone enquiries).
  • Participate in section meetings, contributing to section plans and overall work.
  • Act as a link person to an identified diocesan cluster.
  • General: the post holder will be expected to contribute to the general work of the section and may also be asked to do other such duties as may be required from time to time by the Head of Campaigns.

Person Specification

The highest priorities for the post holder:

  • An understanding of and active support of CAFOD’s Vision, Mission and Values.
  • Look outward; take account of other people’s priorities.
  • Analyse and diagnose problems with depth and insight.
  • Display sound judgement and decision making.
  • Ability to motivate others to lobby at the local and/or regional level.
  • Ability to engage with and a good understanding of UKgovernmental, political,and parliamentary structures.
  • Ability to build good working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to plan, co-ordinate and implement campaigns.
  • Demonstrated ability to plan, co-ordinate and implement advocacy, lobbying and influencing strategies.

It will also be important that the post holder can

Support a culture of mutual respect, trust and transparency, where partnerships flourish.

  • Manage time and resources efficiently.
  • Manage emotions and stresses positively.
  • Provide creativity and innovation; take risks within context of overall strategy.
  • Help others to achieve goals.
  • Resolve conflict successfully.
  • Show drive and initiative.
  • Ability to take ownership and be openly accountable.
  • Adapt easily to change.
  • Demonstrate good communication skills and ability to tailor and deliver training to local groups.
  • Demonstratesound planning, budgeting and project management skills.
  • Demonstrateability to be administratively self servicing.

The post holder must possess:

  • An understanding of the Catholic Church and is able to work effectively with it.
  • Ability to manage own personal growth and development continually.
  • Ability to hand over tasks to others efficiently and effectively.
  • Ability to inspire a team to perform to the best of their ability.
  • Ability to manage resources prudently.
  • Ability to work with volunteers.

Terms and Conditions

ContractSixmonth contract.

Salary:Grade P £30,059 - £33,059 inc LW (starting point according to skills and experience).

Hours35 hours per week. Normal CAFOD office hours are 9.30 to 5.30 with one hour for lunch. This post will require weekend and evening work for which time off in lieu may be taken.

NoticeThree months either way after completion of the probationary period.

Holidays20 working days per annum plus statutory holidays plus 6 days determined by CAFOD at Christmas/Easter.

PensionsThere is an optional contributory pension scheme (10% employer and 5% employee contribution). Alternatively CAFOD will make a similar contribution to a Personal Pension Plan.

Other BenefitsLife Assurance and Permanent Health Insurance cover.

AccessThere is access for people with disabilities to CAFOD’s Stableyard offices and there is access by way of a passenger lift to all floors in CAFOD’s main building. Most offices in the Worlock building (where this post is situated) are inaccessible to people in wheelchairs.

DisabilitiesWe are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace so as to accommodate people with disabilities.

LocationThe post is based in CAFOD’s Head Office in Brixton.

CAFOD is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Completed application forms to be returned to:

CAFOD, Romero Close, Stockwell Road, LondonSW9 9TY

Or email:

Closing date for applications: Midnight 11th January 2010.

Additional Information

What is CAFOD?

CAFOD is a charity and international aid agency that uses its skills to tackle global injustice and poverty.

By supporting people in need whatever their religion, nationality or race, CAFOD provides funding and technical assistance to hundreds of locally-run partner organisations striving to fight poverty across the developing world.

CAFOD Mission: to promote human development and social justice in witness to Christian faith and gospel values

The Division

Advocacy Division

This Division brings together the Campaigns Section, Public Policy Unit and the Media Relations Section. It currently has 40 staff. CAFOD understands advocacy work as encompassing policy analysis and lobbying, the corporate campaign and specific advocacy initiatives undertaken by a range of other staff, related to particular countries or issues.

The aim of the Division is to provide a clear focus for CAFOD’s advocacy work, ensuring that it and our communications systems and strategies are coordinated effectively. Through research, lobbying and campaigning it aims to have a lasting impact on poverty and injustice through influencing the policy and practice of institutions that effect change. With the Communities and Supporters Division, the Advocacy Division raises awareness within the Catholic community, promotes campaigns action and raises CAFOD’s profile as a leading development and humanitarian agency.

Campaigns Team

The Campaign Section consists of 6 staff: Head of Campaigns, Campaigns Co-ordinator, Campaign Communications Manager, CampaignsManager(Climate Change), Campaigns Parliamentary and Government Relations Co-ordinator, Campaigns Administrator and Campaigns Administrative Assistant as well as volunteers.

The post is located in the Campaign Section, line managed by the Head of Campaigns but with a dotted line to Head of Public Policy. The post holder will also be required to work in close liaison with CAFOD’s Directorate team and the 21 diocesan offices in England and Wales.

Campaigning In CAFOD

Campaigning is a corporate priority for CAFOD, rooted in CAFOD’s vision, mission and values. Our campaigns focus on the theme of economic justice, and include campaigns on Trade Justice, financing for development and the management of natural resources. Staff across CAFOD helps deliver the campaign, while volunteers are key to outreach in the regions. The Diocesan offices in England, and the National Organiser and Co-ordinator in Wales, organise campaigning in their areas.

We aim to empower the Catholic community to tackle injustice and poverty by:

  • Recruiting, supporting and motivating campaigners by the provision of materials and resources, advice, events and training.
  • Presenting a range of campaign opportunities to encourage people to become involved, from simple actions requiring minimal time to more complex actions requiring more commitment and understanding.
  • Bringing overseas partners to speak to campaigners in the UK on campaign themes and running stalls or “pitches” at conferences or festivals.
  • Linking to strategic partners in other countries to jointly pursue agreed campaign aims
  • Enabling CAFOD campaigners to be part of major, nationwide coalition campaigns such as Make Poverty History, Stop Climate Chaos the Trade Justice Movement and the Jubilee Debt Campaign.

Policy and the Public Policy Unit (PPU) purpose

  • To work with colleagues in the International Division and the Advocacy Division, to develop and implement effective advocacy strategies that influence UK and international institutions on development policy and justice issues.
  • To support the advocacy of partner organisations in developing countries, in cooperation with the International Division.

CAFOD has an excellent record of success in advocacy, in policy and lobbying work and in campaigns that aim to educate, inform and mobilise the public in England and Wales, to coordinate with our sister agencies’ campaigns overseas and above all to bring about improvements in the lives of the millions of poor people struggling to lift themselves out of poverty.

Within DAC, PPU works closely with the Campaigns Section to deliver effective and credible campaigns and with Media Relations to ensure that CAFOD makes full use of media opportunities to make its voice heard on relevant policy issues. CAFOD places value on its positions and materials being intellectually robust, credible and capable of influencing key decision-makers.

CAFOD has for some time been placing increasing emphasis on advocacy undertaken in collaboration with our overseas partners. We believe that the credibility of our global advocacy will depend increasingly on explicit links with the experiences and participation of partners in developing countries. At the same time there is increasing emphasis in official aid circles on the role of civil society in holding governments to account.

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