Policy and Public Affairs Officer

Please note the salary shown is for full time hours and would be pro rata for part time (actual starting salary £12,656.50)

CAP celebrates the value of diversity and our aim is for our workforce to be as inclusive as possible as well as representing the communities we serve. With this in mind, we welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. We are committed to continue building an environment that embraces diversity and includes all.

Job Description
Context

The Policy and Public Affairs team is responsible for building external relationships in order to raise CAP's profile and influence change. Through this work we benefit our clients, CAP and wider society. The Policy and Public Affairs team works to influence policy and society to effect change that supports our vision to see transformed lives, thriving churches and an end to UK poverty. The team works closely with CAP's Relationship Management section contributing to CAP's external awareness and fundraising strategies more generally.

Purpose

The role of the Policy and Public Affairs Officer is to support CAP's engagement with government and external organisations. The purpose of the role is to bring the outside world in to CAP - helping colleagues make sense of the world in which we work and our clients' lives; and to bring the inside world of CAP out - leveraging our insight & influence to bring about changes in industry, government & society that benefit our clients, colleagues, churches & the charity.

The role reports to the Head of Policy and Public Affairs, and has accountabilities for stakeholder engagement, communications and reports, in order to represent CAP and our clients, and to bring about change by calling for better policies and outcomes for people living in poverty and debt. As well as helping the charity stay up to date and engage with current policy discussions.

Passion

The Policy and Public Affairs team are passionately driven and committed to seeing society, government and industries recognise the plight of our clients and be moved to act. They are ambassadors for the organisation, sent out to deliver change whilst staying strongly connected to the wider charity.

Our team

We are above all positive and fun loving, yet professional in our approach. We pride ourselves on being great communicators and keen on team working, as well as being proactive and open to change.

This role reports to the Head of Policy and Public Affairs.

Responsibilities
Accountabilities:

• Represent CAP in campaign groups and organise CAP's support for joint activities
• Support the team in responding to media questions for comment on key policy announcements and events
• Produce communications to support CAP's policy influence and campaigns activity for a variety of audiences, including internal stakeholders, briefings for MPs, parliamentary questions and consultation responses
• Maintain public-facing website content with latest news from Policy and Public Affairs
• Support the launch of reports through organising blog, social media and newsletter content
• Monitor latest developments in parliament and opportunities to influence including select committees, parliamentary questions and debates
• Monitor the latest news and publications relevant to CAP's policy interests
• Maintain records of CAP's engagement with MPs and key stakeholders
• Support the development of CAP's policy positions and recommendations
• Support the creation and analysis of research for use in policy and influence work, including client survey, polling, text surveys and focus groups
• Any other duties as required by the Line Manager

Measurable Outputs:

• Contribute to the strategic planning for Policy and Public Affairs and deliver areas of the action plan you are responsible for.
• Achieve agreed goals for maintaining and strengthening relationships with policy, campaigns and parliamentary contacts.
• Achieve annual targets for communications outputs, including reports, briefings, newsletters, social media content and blogs.
• Contribute to the creation of and implement public affairs and parliamentary engagement strategies.
• Represent CAP at relevant meetings or conferences of policy and campaign interest.
• Support the organisation of two events for policy stakeholders per year (i.e. parliamentary receptions, roundtable, webinar).
• Meet the recipient organisations deadlines for any external consultations that CAP responds to, and ensure relevant departments are informed and engaged on issues related to core charity services.
• Maintain a log of key issues and policy developments and be prepared to brief colleagues so they are well informed within an agreed timeframe.
• Deliver initiatives on time, to brief and in line with our shared values.

Culture:

• Clearly live out and embrace the cultural values of CAP.
• Clearly demonstrate a heart and passion for the charity.
• Sincere acceptance, understanding and practice of the Christian ethos and purpose of the Charity.

Other Responsibilities Include:

• Being willing to pray with staff and be fully engaged with our Christ centered culture.
• To encourage friends, family and other contacts to support the charity through the Life Changer program, and other fundraising initiatives.
• Attendance at annual CAP staff conferences.
• Complete all compulsory CAP training within given timescales.

The above job profile is a guide to the work you may be required to undertake but does not form part of your contract of employment and may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances.

Skills required
Experience:
Essential

• Experience of working to meet deadlines or targets
• Experience of working independently and using your own initiative
• Experience of report-writing and/or drafting professional documents
• Experience of collaborating within and across teams

Desirable

• Experience of working in policy, parliament, campaigns or public affairs
• Experience of responding to consultation papers and
• Experience of networking and influencing
• Experience of working with data in a policy environment

Skills/Abilities:

• Personable and friendly
• Approachable
• Adaptable
• Attention to detail
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills
• Ability to prioritise time, tasks and attention effectively
• Strong team player
• Contributor to team goals
• Naturally strong initiative taker
• Able to remain calm and professional when communicating in challenging situations
• Ability to understand information and complex discussions quickly
• Good command of English grammar and spelling with some creative writing ability
• Good communication and presentation skills
• Ability to research and work with data

Christian Commitment:

The candidate must be able to give both verbal assent to and practical demonstration of Christians Against Poverty's Statement of Faith and Core Values

Must be able to actively participate in prayer and worship, whether individual, small group or corporately, as an expression of own personal faith and in line with CAP's Statement of Faith.

All adults working in, or on behalf of CAP have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This includes: a responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP Services can be delivered, identify children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns and to follow the CAP Safeguarding Policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.

Educational requirements

• Degree level in relevant field or at least one year's experience in policy or public affairs work

Rewards and wellbeing

CAP offer a generous Rewards & Well-being package, including:

• 6.5% employer pension contribution
• 34 days annual holiday (including flexible bank holidays)
• 1 additional days holiday for each full year of service (up to a max of 5 additional days)
• 2 paid Mental Health days and up to 5 days Family Emergency leave per year
• Paid 'Revive' days to take time out with your team during the year
• Enhanced paid sickness, maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Access to Employer Assistance Programme
• Gym membership discount
• Hybrid working
• Flexitime from day one (start/finish earlier or later in the day, accrue extra time off & achieve that work/life balance)

plus many more (see the rewards brochure below under 'related documents' for further information and pro-rata details for part time employees)

Genuine occupational requirements

Under the 2010 Equality Act, schedule 9, we have a genuine occupational requirement for all employees and volunteers to be practising Christians.

For further information, please contact the People & Culture team on option 6) or email

Information on genuine occupational requirements.

Diversity and inclusion

CAP celebrates the value of diversity and our aim is for our workforce to be as inclusive as possible as well as representing the communities we serve. With this in mind, we welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. We are committed to continue building an environment that embraces diversity and includes all.

Safeguarding

All adults working in, or on behalf of the CAP have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This includes a responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP Services can be delivered, and identify children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns and to follow the CAP Safeguarding Policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.

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