Senior Employment and Social Security Policy Officer

We are recruiting a part-time Senior Employment and Social Security Policy Officer

(hybrid working - 21 hours, £37,616 pro rata)

Maternity Action is the UK’s maternity rights charity dedicated to promoting, protecting and
enhancing the rights of all pregnant women, new mothers and their families to employment,
social security and health care.
We are seeking an experienced policy professional to lead our employment and social
security policy work.

About us
We are a small charity that has grown over the past four years. This is an exciting time to
join Maternity Action as we embark on the next stage of our development.
We have an active programme of policy and campaigning to protect and strengthen the
rights of low-income pregnant women and new parents. Our in-house legal team delivers
advice and casework support to over 3,500 pregnant women and new parents across the UK
each year and our 50+ online information sheets are viewed over 1.3 million times. 
We have a longstanding commitment to working from home, and we offer our staff genuine
flexibility, enabling them to balance work, family and home life. 23 of our 27 staff work part
time, and staff are located across the UK.

Our benefits:
·       25 days annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays and 3 days fixed leave between Christmas and New Year
·       8% employer pension contribution
·       Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
·       Paid sick leave

About our policy and campaigning work
Maternity Action’s vision is a society which fully respects the rights of all pregnant women
and new parents to employment, social security and health care.
To achieve this vision, we undertake thoughtful research and policy analysis which is
grounded in the lived experiences of pregnant women and new parents, and which draws on
the expert knowledge of our legal team and evidence from our advice services. Our work
influences law and policy with the aim of reducing poverty, improving health and advancing
equality and human rights for all pregnant women and new parents.
We prioritise issues affecting low income and marginalised women and have an active
programme of research, policy and campaigning work on employment, social security and
healthcare.

Key areas of campaigning on employment rights include ending pregnancy and maternity
discrimination in the workplace and promoting a more equitable framework for maternity and
parental leave. Our work on the cost-of-living crisis is highlighting the underinvestment in
maternity pay and maternity benefits, the limited support available for migrant mothers and
calling for improved financial support. We have an on-going campaign and programme of
work around NHS charging for maternity care, which affects some of the most socially and
economically vulnerable women in the UK.

Our policy and campaigns work has a strong focus on partnership working with voluntary
organisations, health professionals and unions to support women to exercise their rights. We
convene the Alliance for Maternity Rights and the Maternity Entitlement Group to promote
collaborative campaigning on employment rights and on charging for NHS maternity care.
We work closely with a range of voluntary organisations in our policy and campaign work,
including smaller frontline organisations working with marginalised women.

About you
We are looking for an experienced Senior Employment and Social Security Policy Officer to
undertake policy analysis, campaigning and research on employment rights affecting
pregnant women and new parents, including maternity discrimination, precarious work,
health and safety, maternity and parental leave and flexible working. You will be able to form
relationships with Government, Trade Unions, business groups, Equality and Human Rights
Commission and voluntary sector organisations. Working with staff across the organisation
you will be able to communicate about employment policy effectively to a wide range of
audiences.
You will have an understanding of the social security system as it relates to pregnant women
and new parents, and an ability to analyse policy developments relating to the Department
for Work and Pensions.
We particularly welcome applications from Black and minority ethnic candidates and from
people with lived experience of pregnancy or parenting, low income or migration.

The role
This is a hybrid role to be delivered from home and our office in Finsbury Park, London.
Total hours to be worked each week is 21; other than Thursday, which is a core day, we are
flexible about start/finish times and days worked, within normal business hours. Hours can
be spread across three, four or five days. All staff are required to travel within the UK
occasionally.
Please send us a covering letter outlining how you meet the selection criteria and your CV.
Applications close 9am Monday 23rd September 2024. Virtual interviews are expected to
take during the week beginning 30th September.
 

Job description: Senior Policy Officer – Employment and Social Security

Reporting to: Head of Policy
Salary: £37,616 pro rata
Hours: 21 hours per week
Job purpose: To undertake policy research and analysis relating to employment and social
security as they affect pregnant women and new parents.

Key tasks:

• Analyse Government policy and develop policy positions within the remit of this role
• Prepare reports, briefings, responses to Government consultations and policy submissions
• Undertake primary research with women, unions and voluntary sector workers on employment issues, including sensitive health issues, using interviews, online surveys and focus groups
• Represent the organisation in face to face and online meetings and networks
• Build and maintain effective relationships with Government agencies, unions, business organisations and voluntary organisations
• Build and maintain effective coalitions in support of policy and campaigning goals.
• Engage in advocacy with relevant Government agencies, unions and voluntary sector groups
• Communicate about policy and research work, including through presentations and social media
• Undertake monitoring and evaluation, and prepare reports for funders
• To undertake other duties as may be required from time to time.

Person description

Knowledge/Qualifications:

•  Degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent qualification or experience (E)
•  Knowledge of employment policy (E) Knowledge of one or more of the following policy areas: maternity discrimination; gender equality; precarious work (D)
•  An understanding of the social security system as it relates to pregnant women and new parents (D)
• Knowledge of organisations and networks engaged in debates on employment rights and gender equality (E)
• Commitment to women’s rights (E)

Experience:

• UK public policy experience in a relevant field (E)
• Experience in preparing reports, briefings, responses to Government consultations and policy submissions (E)
• Experience of making presentations and communicating using traditional and social media (E)
• Experience of carrying out research using interviews, online surveys and focus groups (D)
• Experience of working in a small team (D)

Skills:

•  Excellent skills in policy analysis (E)
•  Excellent spoken and written communication skills (E)
•  Good research skills, including literature reviews, interviews and focus group (D)
•  Good computer skills, MS Word and MS Excel (E)
•  Ability to work collaboratively in a small team (E)