November 2016

Dear applicant,

Thank you very much for your enquiry about the Head of Communicationspost at Back Up.

At Back Up, we understand that a spinal cord injury can be devastating, but we believe that it shouldn't prevent anyone from getting the most out of life. Back Up is for everyone affected by spinal cord injury, regardless of age, level of injury or background; we also support family members. Our services include mentoring, wheelchair skills training and activity courses as well as support in getting back to work or school after an injury. All our services help to build confidence and independence. Find out more at

We have a staff team of 32 based in Wandsworth, and a wide range of experienced volunteers around the UK who deliver our services, help raise funds, and act as advocates for our work. Back Up aims to be a fun and rewarding place to work with an open, inclusive and supportive culture.

Back Up is growing; we have an ambitious 5 year plan to expand our services and increase our impact for people coming to terms with spinal cord injury. This is an exciting and challenging period of transition and growth for the organisation. More details can be found at and

To assist you in the role we will provide support, training and development opportunities

To apply, please 10am,Monday 5th December with:

•A CV including salary information of your most recent post, with explanations of any gaps in employment, and the names of two referees, one of whom should be your present or most recent employer. We will only contact them after interview.

•A (maximum) two side A4 supporting statement (saying why you want the job and explaining how you fit the person specification). This statement is crucial; CV’s alone will not be accepted. See overleaf for guidance to help you make the most of your application.

•A completed equal opportunities form (this is optional)

We will acknowledge receipt of your application, and then let you know if you are to be invited to interview. First interviews will be held Thursday 8th December. If you cannot make any dates that week please tell us when you apply.

Kind regards,

Louise Wright

CEO

Guidance for applicants on supporting statements

We appreciate the significant time and effort that goes into an application; we hope this guidance helps you to make the most of it.

  1. Say why you want the job
  • Don’t forget to start by explaining briefly why you are interested in this post.
  1. Explain how you fit the essential criteria of the person specification
  • The person specification shows you the criteria we use to make decisions about who is shortlisted for interview, and ultimately who is offered the job.
  • Please address all the criteria in the person specification, in the order they are listed in the person specification. Deal with the essential criteria first.
  • The better you can evidence or illustrate that you meet the criteria, the more likely you are to be successful.

For example, if you need to illustrate that you have ‘good time management skills’, a statement which says ‘I have good time management skills’ will not score as highly as one which illustrates some of the strategies you have used to manage your time, explains how you make decisions on how you manage your time, and gives a specific example of when you have used those strategies to achieve success.

  • Keep it clear and concise, just focus on the key points; but don’t make assumptions on what we know about you or your skills.
  1. Format and length
  • We are not too fussy about the style, feel free to set it out as a simple document; it doesn’t need to be in formal correspondence style.
  • Please don’t go over two sides of A4, and use a font size of at least 11pt.
  • Make sure your name is on it.

Do ask if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving your application.

Back Up, Jessica House, Red Lion Square, 191 Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 4LS

Registered charity number 1072216 Company limited by guarantee no. 3596996