This role will play a leadership role in delivering our ambitious policy influencing programme, helping to shape and implement influencing plans to bring about the changes needed to reduce, prevent and eventually end the need for food banks in the UK.  It will provide management and oversight to some of our strategic projects.

Role responsibilities

·       Developing and implementing Trussell’s influencing strategy

Working with teams across the organisation to ensure key groups, including our community of food banks, corporate partners, churches and church-related organisations have a clear role in our policy influencing approach.

·       Planning and delivering impactful public affairs activity

Ensuring systems are in place to help plan, monitor and evaluate public affairs activity and maximise opportunities to engage with key audiences, including Parliamentarians, advisers, and UK Government Ministers; and support close working with colleagues in all UK nations and regions.  Managing the development and delivery of public affairs activity to support high profile influencing campaigns.

·       Building and managing strong relationships with key external stakeholders

Developing relationships, partnerships and networks to help raise the profile, credibility and influence of Trussell and our policy positions, particularly in the UK Parliament.  Representing Trussell and promoting the organisation’s policy position to key audiences, including in meetings and events with Parliamentarians.

·       Developing public affairs support to the food bank community

Working closely with a small team of Network Policy and Research Officers and the Organising and Local Mobilisation team to support our community of food banks to build and maintain strong relationships with their local MPs.  Ensuring public affairs activity is well aligned to campaign strategies involving the food bank network.

·       Embedding participatory approaches across our public affairs and wider influencing activity

Supporting further development of a participatory approach to policy influencing to ensure it is rooted in the lived experience of individuals affected by poverty.  This includes ensuring an ethical approach in line with our values.

·       Providing advice and line management

Have line management responsibility for individuals within the team, providing pastoral and development guidance along with task management on key projects.  This includes regular 1:1s, objective setting and collaborative monitoring, and support with development needs.

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

·       Track record of successfully influencing politicians and key decision-makers to achieve strategic goals at different levels of government.

·       Track record of delivering strategic public affairs activity based on robust evidence, from development to evaluation.

·       Can explain components of effective policy influencing, including knowledge of the machinery and structure of government (UK, devolved, local) and experience of informing campaigns activity to mobilise support for policy change.

·       Demonstrates a good understanding of policies that affect UK poverty and hunger.  Can explain policy motivations of main political parties and can advise on how to influence them most effectively.

·       Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in demonstrating enthusiasm and experience when communicating complex topics to non-specialist audiences.

·       Experience of line managing, including dealing with performance issues and supporting team development.

Behaviours and competencies:

·       Works collaboratively, managing challenges in a constructive manner

·       Balances competing priorities and work to tight deadlines

·       Demonstrates a dedication to the values of Trussell

·       Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantages, marginalised or socially excluded backgrounds

·       Role models inclusive behaviour, values and leadership

Key Stakeholders

·       Wider Policy, Research and Impact Directorate, including Senior Research Manager and Senior Policy Partnerships and Campaigns Manager

·       Policy and Public Affairs leads in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

·       Participation and Organising and Local Mobilisation teams

·       Public Engagement and Strategic Communications directorates

·       UK Parliamentarians

·       Anti-poverty sector partners

·       Food banks in the Trussell community