Salary:                 £40,000 + pension, 27 days annual leave (pro rata) and one privilege day

Reporting To:    Head of Communications and Engagement

Job Type:            Permanent, Full-time (part-time considered)

Start Date:         ASAP

Applications close:        Tuesday 28 May, 9am

First interviews:              30 and 31 May

Second interviews:       w/c 3 June

How to apply: click APPLY NOW below to  send your CV and a cover letter of no more than 2 pages, which describes how you meet the person specification.

Job description

Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK) is looking for a Policy and Engagement Manager to help deliver the charity’s strategic vision and join their highly motivated and ambitious team.

AVUK is an award-winning charity that wants all deaf children to have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers. It supports deaf babies and children to learn to listen and speak with Auditory Verbal therapy and provides internationally accredited training in Auditory Verbal practice for health and education professionals. AVUK works to raise expectations and outcomes for deaf children and increase access to, as well as awareness and understanding of, Auditory Verbal therapy, with a clear mission to enable every family with a deaf child the opportunity to access Auditory Verbal therapy through publicly funded services close to where they live. This video shows more about the charity’s work.

About the role

Are you a proactive policy and public affairs professional, strategic in your thinking and looking to make positive and lasting change? Can you collaborate with and engage a variety of stakeholders across the health landscape to influence national policy and provision of services?

At an exciting time to join the charity, this new role will suit a high motivated individual who can lead targeted policy, campaigning and engagement work to support improved outcomes and opportunities for deaf children. They will be part of a small but very efficient Engagement and Communications team, reporting to the Head of Communications and Engagement and work closely with the CEO and Senior Management Team.

This post is subject to an enhanced disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service and satisfactory references.

About you / person specification

Essential

• Track record of navigating UK-wide and devolved policy landscapes to broker connections, build effective and enduring relationship and drive meaningful change
• Excellent understanding of Westminster and devolved political systems and experience effectively engaging decision makers, including politicians and civil servants
• Demonstratable experience and knowledge of maximising research and using economic analysis to influence policy and decision-making
• Able to communicate clearly, concisely and persuasively both verbally and in writing, adapting style and content for a range of audiences, for example, beneficiaries, health professionals, elected officials, consultation responses and presentations
• Skilled in collaborating with external partners and networks on campaigns and strategic policy priorities
• Outstanding organisational skills and the ability to effectively manage time and workload, including conflicting priorities, of self and others to meet deadlines and targets
• A team player able to build relationships with colleagues from a range of backgrounds
• Demonstrate agility, a ‘can do’ attitude, as well as ownership and be accountable for your work

Desirable

• Experience of influencing health and education policy
• Understanding of Department of Health and Social Care and Department of Education and experience of engaging key health organisations, such as NHS England and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
• Experience delivering effective national public affairs campaigns in Scotland, Wales and/or Northern Ireland

Main responsibilities

• Lead proactive and reactive policy, campaigning and engagement work, in-line with organisational strategy, including from managing national public campaigns to researching and writing and briefings and consultation responses
• Engage and maintain meaningful working relationships with key decision makers, including officials and politicians in Government and in opposition parties, as well as health and education professionals and others within the health sector, such as commissioners
• Lead engagement with formal policy making process as well as through broader networks through which policy is informed and shaped
• Deliver timely policy research and integrate with key messages and public engagement work to inform engagement and outreach strategy and activities
• Support delivery of strategic engagement and outreach to health and education professionals, including within NHS and local authority health systems
• Collaborate with external partners on campaigns and strategic policies targeting key stakeholders
• Ensure charity is abreast of latest health and policy developments and political landscape relevant to mission and identify opportunity for engagement and influence
• Lead targeted public affairs and stakeholder engagement in run up to UK Parliamentary General Election
• Provide strategic counsel and advice to senior management, including the CEO, supporting the delivery of public health, policy and engagement approaches that deliver measurable results
• Work with communications colleagues to clearly share key messages to key audiences and increase the profile of the charity and policy priorities
• Provide subject matter expertise on policy, engagement, and public affairs key charity activities, projects and campaigns

These responsibilities are not exhaustive and will be reviewed, in consultation with the post-holder, from time-to-time and amended in light of the changing needs of the charity and experience and development of the post-holder.

We believe that diversity brings strength to our organisation; we recognise and value the importance of lived experience and encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to apply for this role.