Job pack for:

Senior Policy and Influencing Officer

Contents

Job description

Staff benefits

Equal opportunities statement

Equal opportunities monitoring form

Senior Policy and Influencing Officer

Salary: £30,000-32,000 (depending on experience)

Hours of work:35 hours per week (full time)

Contract type:Permanent

Location: Central London, WC1B

Reports to:Policy and Influencing Manager

Closing date: 10am, Monday 7th August 2017

Interviews: Tuesday 22nd August – Friday 8th September 2017

How to apply:Send a CV, a covering letter and equal opportunities monitoring form

to Hannah Verghese, Policy and Influencing Manager at

Purpose

  • Contribute to and support the development, delivery, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the charity’s policy and influencing strategy
  • Build and develop the charity’s policy and influencing knowledge and evidence base
  • Strengthen relationships with key decision makers to further the aims of the charity’s policy and influencing strategy

Key activities

Contribute to and support the development, delivery, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the charity’s policy and influencing strategy

  • Work with the Policy and Influencing Manager to develop, implement, monitor, evaluate and report on the policy and influencing strategy to facilitate the transformation of migraine support and care
  • Work with the Policy and Influencing Manager to set the annual policy and influencing budget, analysing and reforecasting regularly, and producing reports as required
  • Contribute to the strategy, management and policies of the Trust, ensuring that the charity’s values are reflected in all we do
  • Develop internal and external systems to optimise the work of the policy and influencing team ensuring it is appropriately informed and directly supports the work of the Chief Executive, the staff team and external stakeholders including the British Association for the Study of Headache (BASH) and the new UK Headache Network

Build and develop the charity’s policy and influencing knowledge and evidence base

  • Ensure that the charity’s policy and influencing activities represent the views and experiences of people with migraine, their families, carers, healthcare professionals, researchers and, where relevant, the wider public
  • Identify key policy and influencing opportunities, as well as potential new stakeholders to engage with
  • Produce research and analysis relating to relevant policy areas, with a particular emphasis on health policy and access to treatment issues
  • Prepare high quality policy papers, briefings and consultation responses accordingly, ensuring that our positions are relevant and up to date
  • Monitor and use relevant data sources to support policy calls
  • Identify and take action to address gaps in the available datasets and opportunities for the charity and other stakeholders to develop this evidence base.

Strengthen relationships with key decision makers to further the aims of the charity’s policy and influencing strategy

  • Develop relationships with key decision makers and stakeholders to raise the profile of, and influence the transformation of migraine support and care
  • Raise the profile of migraine in the devolved parliaments by producing targeted policy briefings, providing evidence for committees and groups, organising meetings and attending events
  • Re-establish and provide the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Primary Headache Disorders
  • Support the Policy and Influencing Manager in the facilitation of the new UK Headache Network to improve outcomes for people with migraine and other headache disorders
  • Develop and maintain a network of external relationships and work collaboratively with others including charities, policy alliances and professional bodies
  • Develop and maintain relationships with industry groups, acting in accordance with the charity’s policies

General responsibilities

  • Develop a good understanding of the issues surrounding migraine and other primary headache disorders
  • Develop a good understanding of the external policy environment and how it impacts on migraine and other primary headache disorders
  • Contribute positively to team meetings, team working, collaboration and implementation of organisational priorities
  • Have empathy with the aims, goals and values of the Trust, and a commitment to support delivery to meet these
  • Take direction on projects and priorities, which may vary from time to time
  • Be able to act on own initiative and work as part of a team
  • Be flexible within the broad remit of the post, and be prepared to work some evenings and occasional weekends
  • Represent the Trust at external meetings and conferences as required
  • Abide by organisational policies and practices
  • Undertake training as required

Person specification

You will need to demonstrate that you have the following:

Education

  • An undergraduate degree, preferably in a relevant discipline

Knowledge and experience

  • Substantial experience of effective policy and data analysis, policy development and influencing policy change
  • Experience of developing and implementing policy and influencing strategies
  • Experience of consulting with people with health conditions and their families, or other marginalised groups, to develop policy positions and influencing activities
  • Experience of influencing positive change on behalf of people with a long-term condition or disability
  • In-depth understanding of how to influence the health agendas in the UK
  • In-depth understanding of access to treatment issues, including how to influence NICE and the SMC
  • Good understanding of the wider issues affecting people with migraine and the policy priority areas of the Trust
  • Experience of engaging with parliamentarians and civil servants to influence policy change
  • In depth understanding of parliamentary and government processes
  • Experience of establishing and maintaining relationships, and working collaboratively with other organisations and individuals
  • Experience of initiating and taking responsibility for the delivery of projects

Skills

  • Excellent research and analytical skills with the ability to summarise complex data and information for relevant audiences
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to develop appropriate, logical policy positions to make a compelling case for change
  • Strong negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to persuade key decision makers
  • Ability to consult and collaborate to achieve shared goals
  • Strong presentation and interpersonal skills
  • High level of accuracy and attention to detail
  • Ability to work under own initiative and prioritise own workload
  • Ability to build relationships and work effectively with a wide variety of people at all levels
  • Ability to work independently or as part of a team

Values and behaviours

  • High degree of personal integrity, drive, self-determination and honesty
  • A high level of initiative and ability to think creatively in the face of challenges
  • Possess the confidence, and genuine desire, to challenge the status quo
  • An understanding of and commitment to the work and values of the charity, and an ability to demonstrate those values in your work
  • An empathy and understanding of the issues that affect people with migraine
  • A passion for tackling the stigma around migraine
  • A positive approach and willingness to work as part of a team
  • Commitment to the aims of the service and the charity’s vision

Staff benefits

We are committed to ensuring a positive working culture for all employees as well as a good work life balance. Listed below are the benefits we offer to our staff.

Pension scheme

We offer our employees the benefit of contributions to a personal stakeholder pension scheme. Employees will be eligible to join the scheme after the completion of three months satisfactory service and will receive employer contributions for the duration of their subscription to the scheme only. Further details will be included in an individual’s terms and conditions of employment.

Season ticket loans

We offer our employees loans for the purchase of annual and monthly season tickets which can be negotiated by employees in discussion with the Chief Executive following satisfactory completion of the probationary period.

Flexible working arrangements

Our usual working hours are 09.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday. Flexible working can be arranged between employees and their line manager.

Other benefits

We have a number of policies and procedures relating to annual leave and other leave arrangements which include flexible working for employees with dependents, maternity and paternity leave, sick pay allowance and time off for dependents, as well as policies for benefits relating to employees health and safety.

Equal opportunities statement

The Trust is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities in its employment practices and in the provision of services. It is committed to the progressive development of policies and practices that are non-discriminatory in the widest sense that recognise and respect diversity and encourage the challenging of discrimination.

This policy applies to all staff at the Trust, which includes employees, volunteers, trustees and temporary workers.

In employment, the Trust aims to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than any other on the grounds of gender, marital status, colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins, accent, age, appearance, caste, class, disability, domestic responsibilities, health or HIV status, religion, sexual orientation, trade union activities or unrelated criminal convictions.

All staff members will be given equal opportunity and access to training and development opportunities to enable them to progress both within and outside the organisation.

The Trust’s policy of non-discrimination applies equally to conduct at work. All members of staff should understand that the effective implementation of the Trust’s policies depends on the commitment of every member of staff.

In relation to service delivery, the Trust exists to provide information to those affected by migraine and the support of research into the causes and treatment of the condition. The Trust’s publications and information provision are intended to encourage the highest standards of good practice, in relation to equal opportunities as in other respects.

Procedure for complaints by service users, whether on equal opportunities or other grounds, is set out in our complaints policy.

Equal opportunities policy monitoring

The Migraine Trust requires its staff to operate within its policy of equal opportunity and not to discriminate against any person because of sex, sexual orientation, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability or age. The information you give will be held in strict confidence and will be used for monitoring purposes only. Any information you give on this form will not affect your application.

Thank you for your time and co-operation in completing our form.

Title of post applied for
Personal details
Date of birth / Gender
Age / Nationality
Ethnic Origin
Choose one from section A to E, then tick the appropriate box to indicate your cultural background.
A. White / B. Mixed / C. Asian or Asian British
White British / White and Black Caribbean / Indian
White Irish / White and Black African / Pakistani
Any other white background / White and Asian / Bangladeshi
Any other Mixed background / Any other Asian background
D. Black or Black British / E. Chinese or other ethnic group
British Caribbean / Chinese
British African / Any other ethnic group please specify:
Any other Black background
Religion
Disability
The Disability Discrimination Act describes a disability as ‘a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term effect upon a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. Using this definition:
Do you consider yourself to have a disability? / Yes / No
Do you require any special adaptations/ equipment to take up employment? / Yes / No
If ‘yes’ please give details: