External Affairs Co-ordinator

#### RoleHelp us tackle the housing emergency.It’s an exciting time to join SFHA’s external affairs team as we look ahead to a seismic election and work towardsending the housing emergency. If you’re passionate about social housing and politics, we want to hear fromyou.SFHA is looking for a External Affairs Co-ordinator to support our engagement with politicians and Parliaments, witha key focus on the run-up to the 2026 Holyrood election and building relationships with new MSPsafterwards.This role involves engaging with the political landscape to support SFHA’s election campaigns and promote the valueof social housing across Scotland.You will work to influence the political parties in the run-up to the election, monitor parliamentary and politicaldevelopments, draft briefings to inform debates, and help newly elected MSPs understand the importance of socialhousing.Enthusiasm and initiative are more important than extensive experience for this role, where you’ll have the chance todevelop your policy, communications and lobbying skills in an organisation that’s driving real change.#### Application notesClosing date for applications is 9th January with interviews scheduled for the week commencing 19 January.Please email a CV and covering letter outlining how you meet the requirements of the role to agrady@sfha.co.uk.---#### Downloads### Scottish Federation of Housing AssociationsExternal Affairs Co-ordinator Postcode: G1 2ERThe Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) is seeking an outstanding senior leader to shape our externalvoice, strengthen our influence, and ensure our members’ priorities are heard at the highest levels. AsScotland’s national voice for housing associations and co-operatives, we represent a sector providing safe, warmand affordable homes for over half a million people across the country.Celebrating 50 years of impact, SFHA is a well-respected membership organisation with a strong financial position, anambitious strategic vision, and close to 100% sector membership. Our role is to represent, support and connectour members, ensuring that their voices are heard and that they have the resources and influence needed tothrive.The **Director of External Affairs** plays a pivotal role in delivering that mission. Leading our PublicAffairs, Communications, Policy, Events, and Design teams, you will drive the strategic direction andhigh-quality delivery of all external engagement and reputational activity. You will raise SFHA’s nationalprofile, build powerful relationships across government, parliament, the media, business and the third sector,and champion the interests of our members across Scotland.Acting as a senior organisational spokesperson, you will confidently represent SFHA at consultations, events andhigh-level meetings, often at pace, advising key decision-makers and ensuring our policy positions are credible,evidence-based and aligned with the needs of members. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Board andExecutive Team, you will help shape organisational strategy, strengthen our influence, and ensure SFHA remains aleading voice in Scotland’s political and policy landscape.You will lead a talented multi-disciplinary team, driving innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement acrossall external-facing work. From policy development and thought leadership to campaigns, media engagement andresearch, you will ensure SFHA delivers high-impact work that enhances our reputation and reinforces ourrelevance to members.This role offers the opportunity to influence national policy, shape public debate, and help steer the future ofaffordable housing in Scotland. SFHA provides a competitive salary and excellent benefits, including 29 daysannual leave, five agile days, a 5% employer pension contribution, flexible hybrid working, Perkbox, a travelloan, flu jab, online yoga and eyecare vouchers.**Job Purpose**Working within ACDI’s youth work team there will be a strong requirement for innovation and creativity to encourage,inspire and support children and families living in Auchinleck and surrounding communities.Delivery of programmes of empowering activities to assist them to be aware of their rights and responsibilities andenable them to take greater control of their lives.You will have the ability to lead and undertake appropriate marketing activities in the community to ensure familiesare aware of the initiative.You will help to deliver high quality and inspiring health and wellbeing workshop sessions that will achieve theprogramme outcomes complementing the Scottish Government National Outcomes.A full Job Description is available for download below.**About East Lothian Foodbank (ELFB) & our Money Advice Service**ELFB provides food and emergency daily essentials to local people who are experiencing hardship in East Lothian.As an independent Scottish charity, we are fortunate to also be part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supportedby Trussell, working together to ensure no one in the UK needs a food bank to survive.In addition to emergency food, we also offer a money advice service for our service users to help them maximiseincome and benefit entitlement. Since October 2022, our money advice service has supported people out ofhardship and achieved significant financial gains, of over half a million pounds.**About the Role**We are looking for the right person to join our team to support us with the continued success of our project. This isa fantastic opportunity for a motivated and positive individual to help people using our foodbank to access ourmoney advice service. To achieve this, you will collaborate closely with our advice partners to ensure that ourservice continues to helpthose most in need of our support.As a team player, you will provide essential support to the operations team by identifyingindividuals requiringfinancial assistance, co-ordinating referrals to our advice partners andmonitoring of advice service capacity.Additionally, to ensure we meet a standard 24hr response time of our referral processing, you will occasionallysupport our service coordinator to give people in crisis timely access to our support.**Key Responsibilities**The Project Support Assistant will:* Support to identify individuals who are most likely to benefit from the service and promote the service to them* Utilise existing tools and help people we support to implement personalised strategies to overcome challenges, by using SIGNAL* Develop and maintain good working relationships with relevant organisations, to ensure they are aware of our money advice service and the wider role of East Lothian Foodbank* Attend ad hoc forums and events* Monitor ongoing engagement with our advice service* Monitor effectiveness of the service on a quarterly basis, using data from our advice partner and provide timely data to funders* Work with our advice partner to identify capacity that can facilitate wider access to the service* Be the first line of support in our daily referrals service – especially during busy periods or in times of staff absence* Undertake ad hoc administration duties to support with team projects* Undertake other tasks to support the foodbank as directed by the Operations Manager and Foodbank Director**About you**To succeed in this role, you must have the following skills and experience:* Experience of engaging with and supporting partnership work with other organisations* Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative* Excellent communication skills* Experience in handling difficult conversations* Be empathetic and non-judgemental* Full driving licence preferred* A willingness to work flexible hours**Key Competencies*** Highly organised and self-motivated* Adaptable and proactive* Good IT skills – including google suite and office packages/excel* Committed
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