Policy and Public Affairs Officer

Job description

The British Society for Rheumatology is a membership organisation which brings together expertise from across the rheumatology profession, harnessing a wide variety of experience and skills to ensure we are supporting our members to the very best of our combined ability. Involving patients and carers at every step, we aim to ensure that physicians and clinicians are equipped to provide high-quality care.

We’re a small organisation with huge ambitions. If you’re looking for an organisation with a one-team feel where you’ll be able to develop professionally and have the autonomy to run with your ideas, we might be a match for you.

**Job Purpose**

Our new policy and public affairs officer will be joining BSR’s dynamic External Affairs team as we continue to expand the scope of our policy, public affairs and campaigning work, towards the aim of promoting excellence and driving up standards in Rheumatology services.

BSR is the leading Rheumatology organisation across the whole of the United Kingdom, with our members representing the entire profession. Our External Affairs team plays an important role in amplifying the voice of those members and delivering impact for the society in the crucial political and governmental sectors.

Our new policy and public affairs officer will provide vital support across both functions, equipping us to deliver impactful pro-active influencing programmes and helping us to deliver hard hitting and robust reactive policy work.

**Main Responsibilities**

**Public Affairs**
- Supporting our pro-active campaigning, public affairs and influencing programs toward the aim of promoting excellence and driving up standards in Rheumatology services.
- Growing and developing BSR’s relationships with key political, governmental and sector-wide stakeholders.
- Performing media monitoring and reporting duties.
- To assist in a general administrative capacity for the Public Affairs function.

**Policy**
- To develop our pro-active public policy agenda by assisting with the development of research, guidance and best practice documents.
- Producing high quality written policy papers and communications, carrying out primary & secondary research and liaising with clinical experts as required.
- Publicising our policy work internally and externally to increase the impact of our policy function.
- Supporting the management of BSR’s Clinical Affairs Committee (CAC), by working with the chair and committee manager to develop meeting agendas, collating papers, drafting and circulating minutes and following up on agreed actions.
- To co-ordinate with our members and CAC to develop BSR’s response to clinical consultations, technology appraisals, guidelines in development and quality standards.
- To assist in a general administrative capacity for the policy function as and when required.

**Person Specification**

**Experience**
- An interest in helping people with rheumatic conditions to receive the highest quality outcomes and live well, championing the specialty, influencing change and building a thriving community of best practice.
- Experience working within a political, governmental or not-for-profit environment or other experience you can demonstrate matches the role responsibilities.
- Demonstrable interest in health policy or strong working knowledge of the general NHS and health policy landscape.
- Experience working with or managing of committees and/or within a membership organisation.
- Understanding and experience of using different research methods.

**Ability and skills**
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate complex issues succinctly to different audiences.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to develop stakeholder relationships.
- Good analytical skills with a demonstrable ability to digest public policy.
- Excellent organisational and record keeping skills.
- The ability to work individually and within a small team.

**Benefits of working at BSR**:
We offer a wide range of benefits, most of which start from day one of joining us. Our benefits fall into four main areas: Wellbeing, Time
- based, Learning and development, and Financial. Just some of them include:
**Wellbeing**:

- Free period products in our office
- Free flu vaccinations
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Access to a clinical psychologist via HelloSelf
- BUPA healthcare scheme
- we offer a cash plan, which you can add children or partners to
- Employee Assistance Programme. This is a free, confidential counselling service to all staff, as well as a general advice service provided by BUPA
- WeCare offers access to a 24/7 virtual GP, as well as a mental health support service, a get fit programme and an online portal with lots of helpful resources
- Our enhanced sick pay offer is:

- Up to two years’ service: 4 weeks full pay and 4 weeks half pay
- After two years’ service: 12 weeks full pay and 12 weeks half pay
- We work in a social