JOB DESCRIPTION: Campaigns and Public Affairs Assistant

Reports to: Campaign and Public Affairs Officer

Location London (with some travel required)

Salary £19,153 plus £3,332 Inner London Weighting, pro rata (based on NJC pay scale points 20 - 24)

Length of contract 18.5 hours per week, fixed term until 31st May 2018.

MAIN PURPOSE OF POSTThis exciting post will support a very busy and dynamic Campaigns and Public Affairs team. The key remit of the post will be to support the campaigns, policy and public affairs work of Women’s Aid, particularly supporting the continued development of Women’s Aid Campaign Champions, a network of local grass-roots campaigners, to ensure a wider participation in Women’s Aid’s campaigning work.

This role will include a range of responsibilities - including coordinating meetings of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Domestic Violence, arranging meetings with Parliamentarians and campaign advisory groups, organising policy-led events as well as writing communications materials, parliamentary monitoring, supporting the development of policy briefings and other administrative duties, as required.

DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Campaigns and Public Affairs Support

1.1To support campaigns work by drafting and sending campaign communications, arranging campaign meetings, responding to enquiries and liaising with the wider Women’s Aid team.

1.2To support the creation, and any updates of, Women’s Aid’s campaigning resources and materials.

1.3To support projects that widen participation in Women’s Aid campaigning work - through organising focus groups, events, training sessions and drafting copy for newsletters, Women’s Aid website and campaign communications.

1.4To be the main point of contact for Women’s Aid’s grassroots Campaign Champions network - responding to queries and engaging members of the network to support our campaigning work.

1.5To research and write briefings for key internal stakeholders for meetings with Parliamentarians and research and draft briefings for external stakeholders.

1.6To monitor Hansard, coordinate our Dods account, keep up to date records of Women’s Aid’s political contact, arrange meetings with Parliamentarians and provide briefings for staff members meeting with Parliamentarians or civil servants.

1.7To coordinate meetings with policy and campaign advisory groups, parliamentarians, civil servants, other stakeholders and the APPG on Domestic Violence - including diary arrangements and producing minutes.

Page 1 of 5

1.8To monitor and develop reports on Women’s Aid’s campaigning activities and political contact where required, and collate reports for funders.

1.9To assist the Campaigns and Public Affairs Officer and Campaigns and Public Affairs Manager in other related work on policy, campaigns and public affairs, as required.

2. General Responsibilities

2.1 To maintain clear and adequate records of work done and to produce reports on projects and activities as required by management.

2.2To contribute to team meetings and to participate in supervision and appraisal meetings

2.3To take direction on projects and priorities from your line manager, this may vary from time to time.

2.4To carry out word-processing, filing, and administrative tasks necessary to comply with the job description.

2.5To assist in the organisation of meetings, conferences or events organised by Women’s Aid, if required

2.6To abide by all organisational policies, codes of conduct and practice, and to work within a framework of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice

2.7To be flexible within the broad remit of the post.

3. Other

3.1 Based in London, this job may require some travel across England with prior arrangement.

Page 2 of 5

PERSON SPECIFICATION: Campaigns and Public Affairs Assistant

EXPERIENCEEssential:

Experience of writing briefings for internal colleagues. Experience of developing and/or maintaining administrative systems or

projects. Experience of delivering project work within a team. Experience of writing reports, communications materials, briefings and

minutes.

Desirable: Experience of writing and developing policy and campaigns briefings and

resources. Experience of working on campaigns within the charity sector. Experience of liaising and working collaboratively with external organisations

and supporters. Experience of organising events for a Parliamentary and public audience. Experience of parliamentary procedures - including using Hansard, using

monitoring systems (such as Dods), and writing to Parliamentarians.

SKILLS & ABILITIESEssential:

Effective oral communication skills, including a confident telephone manner, and the ability to deal with a range of enquiries to a busy public affairs team.

Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to write letters, briefings, minutes and reports.

Strong organisational skills and the ability to work to a high standard of accuracy.

Ability to work on own initiative, plan and prioritise, work to tight deadlines and respond to urgent demands in a complex, changing environment.

Proficient in word-processing, excel, PowerPoint and in the use of Email and the Internet.

Desirable Ability to communicate sensitively about issues affecting women and

children survivors of domestic abuse and to meet with and discuss campaigns with survivors.

KNOWLEDGEEssential:

A clear understanding of the work of Women’s Aid and its partners. Knowledge of the issues facing women and children affected by domestic

and abuse, and understanding of the working of Government and Parliament.

Desirable: Knowledge and understanding of confidentiality issues in relation to

specialist domestic violence service providers and women and children survivors of domestic violence.

OTHER REQUIREMENTSEssential:

Ability to work as part of a team and be self-motivated.

Page 3 of 5

Able to demonstrate a commitment and sensitivity of the aims and objectives of Women’s Aid;

Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities;Desirable:

Willingness to work occasional unsocial hours and travel as required.

Page 4 of 5

SUMMARY OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Terms of appointment: Confirmation of appointment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a probationary period. This will normally be of six months (less for short term contracts). During this time an employee will be expected to establish their suitability for the post. During the probationary period employment may be terminated in writing, giving one week's notice by either party (this may be waived by mutual agreement). Only any statutory dismissal procedure will apply during the probationary period. There is no probationary period for contracts of under 3 months.

Salary: £19,153 plus £3,332 Inner London Weighting, pro rata (based on NJC pay scale points 20 - 24) + benefits. Salary is paid in arrears through bank credit by the 25th of each month. Part time staff receive pro-rata payment based on hours worked.

Working hours: The standard working hours for this post are 18.5 hours per week, based in London. Benefits include a generous bank holidays and annual leave package and contributory pension scheme.

Support and supervision: Women’s Aid has a commitment to providing regular supervision and support to staff with annual appraisals forming a key part of staff development. We have a training policy in place and encourage staff to take an active role in their career development plan. Pension: Women’s Aid is enrolled with the People’s Pension scheme. Women’s Aid normally contributes 7% of salary and the employee contributes 3% towards the group pension scheme. Eligible staff will be automatically enrolled on the scheme when they have successfully completed the 3 month interim probationary review.

Annual Leave: Women’s Aid offers an annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year rising by one day per year until 30 days annual leave per year is reached. In addition, we offer 8 days public holidays plus 2 additional days in March and August. All leave entitlement is calculated pro-rata for part time employees.

Other leave: Employees have contractual rights to time off for reasons of sickness, maternity and other circumstances.

Period of notice: 1 month after your probationary period has been completed.

Union: You have a right to membership of a trade union. Women’s Aid recognises Unison.

Asylum and Immigration Act 1996: To comply with this Act, Women’s Aid will need to see the original of at least one document from a specified list, most commonly a British Passport.

Additional information is available on request.

Page 5 of 5