Job Description

WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND POLICY PROFESSIONAL TO JOIN OUR ORGANISATION IN A NEWLY CREATED SENIOR MANAGEMENT ROLE 

Role:       Head of External Affairs and Policy 

Salary:   £46,000 - £53,000 per annum based on experience 

Location:   Advance Head Office in Hammersmith with some travel across London and South/East England to other Advance sites

Contract:   Permanent

Hours:    Full time; 35 hours per week 

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.  

Advance is committed to equality and diversity and strongly encourages applications from women with disabilities, from BME backgrounds and the LBT community.

Please note that any offer of employment will be made subject to references and confirmation of the right to work in the UK and satisfactory enhanced DBS check

About Advance

Advance is a national women’s organisation established in 1998 which empowers women and girls to lead safe, violence-free, equal lives so that they can flourish in the community. We do this through our mission of saving and changing lives, by working with women who experience domestic abuse to be safe and lead the lives they choose, and women who have committed crime or are at risk of offending to break the cycle.

Our approach is holistic and centred on the survivor, working with them to develop a safety and support plan that responds to their needs and empowers them, on the often-long journey to recovery from the trauma of their experiences. Our services reach over 8000 women and children annually across England, with an annual income of £6m and 125 staff.  Our values are to listen, empowerment, collaboration, innovation and accountability. 

Advance evokes systemic change by engaging with professionals within statutory agencies, including commissioners and policymakers, to deliver sustainable impact for women. Through a coordinated community response, we work in partnership with over twenty charities, as well as regional and national government to develop innovative responses and influence policy.

The role

You will join Advance at an exciting time of growth and development for the organisation. You will lead a new division for Advance, established to maximise our impact and engage with the community and stakeholders to raise awareness of violence against women and girls in line with our strategy. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape and influence our organisational approach, working with the Senior Leadership Team and key partners across the sector to ensure the voices of our service users are amplified and given the narrative they deserve. 

You will lead the policy influencing function, develop, drive and deliver communications and influencing campaigns and build partnerships with and beyond our immediate sector to secure influencing goals. A strong relationships builder, you will engage effectively with senior policymakers (ministers, special advisers, civil servants, commentators) and ensure that our strategy is led by expert policy information. Working with the Evidence and Insights team, you will ensure the communication of Advance’s impact and improved outcomes for women to internal and external stakeholders in innovative and engaging ways. 

What you will bring:

• An excellent track record in policy influencing and strong political and media contacts. 
• Exceptional relationship building skills as you strive to enhance our influence and the profile of our work across the UK, as well as maintain strong relationships with our partners across the voluntary and statutory sector nationally.
• Experience of leading and developing people
• Demonstrable experience of liaising with press and high-profile partners
• A knowledge and understanding of UK social policy, specifically domestic abuse and child protection policy is highly desirable. 
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, writing and presentation skills
• A passion for the women’s sector and commitment to effecting lasting social change

What we offer:

• 30 days holiday plus public holidays, and a day off for International Women’s Day 
• Pension scheme 
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Various forms of wellbeing support 
• Organisation wide away days
• The opportunity to work in a flexible, supportive environment with a team of committed, inspiring women and we will support you as you to continue to build your skills and experience and grow your career

To apply: Please submit your CV along with a supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for the role and detailing your interest in the position. 

Applications close on Sunday 7th November 2021