Duration: Permanent 

Job Level: 3 

Hours: 35 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered 

Disclosure Level: Basic  

Team: UK Policy and Advocacy 

Reports to: Head of UK Policy and Advocacy 

Location: Working from home and 2 days per week at 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ  

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world. We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children.   

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights. 

ABOUT THE TEAM    

The Advocacy team sits within the organisation’s Influence and Impact Directorate. The team exists to champion children’s rights and influence those with power to create change for children in the UK and around the world.    

The UK Policy and Advocacy team presents UK decision-makers with compelling, evidence-based cases for change and delivers exceptional policy influencing and public advocacy. We work closely with colleagues across campaigns, communications, political affairs, and programmes to maximise reach and impact. Central to our approach is ensuring that children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) are realised across the UK. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

This permanent role sits within the UK Policy and Advocacy team and leads substantive education policy work, with a current strategic focus on early childhood learning and development.  

The role provides strategic leadership on UK education policy across the organisation, applying expertise across early education and childcare, the home and community learning environments, family support, integrated services, and wider aspects of children’s development and wellbeing.   

This is a cross-cutting role that requires close collaboration across the department to drive change at national and local levels. The postholder will work closely with Senior Policy Advisers on health and child poverty, reflecting UNICEF UK’s integrated, rights-based approach.  

WHAT WE WILL EXPECT YOU TO ACHIEVE 

• Use your expertise on education policy to lead the development of robust, rights-based policy positions, analysis, and research on children’s right to education in the UK – specifically our current focus on early childhood   

• Shape and deliver rights-based influencing strategies on UK education policy, with a current strategic focus on early childhood learning and development, addressing key challenges affecting children’s wellbeing and outcomes – including inequality, inclusion (e.g., SEND), and access to high-quality services   

• Collaborate closely with other policy colleagues, including the Senior Policy Adviser – Devolved Nations, embedding an integrated approach to education and early childhood influencing. This includes recognising the links between learning, development, health, and child poverty 

• Draft and produce high quality, well targeted, external policy publications, briefings, and presentations for a range of audiences as part of an advocacy strategy 

• Build and sustain influential relationships with stakeholders across government (national and local), civil society, and academia – to support the achievement of our objectives for children. This includes representing UNICEF UK externally   

• Work closely with other UNICEF UK teams as appropriate, especially Political Affairs and Campaigns & Mobilisation, to support integrated influencing rooted in evidence-based and influential policy content   

• Support meaningful opportunities for children, their perspectives, and their lived experience to be heard in policy development and influencing (with guidance from the Youth Engagement Team)   

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work   

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential. 

Effective behaviours 

Supporter driven and mission aligned   

• Committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a world that is fit for every child   

Communication  

• Conveys complex ideas clearly and persuasively to different audiences to progress advocacy objectives  

• Adapts style, content, and mediums to maximise understanding and influence 

Collaboration  

• Consults others and shares expertise, know-how and ideas with colleagues for best results and constructively responds to feedback from colleagues 

  Positive Relationships  

• Develops and sustains strong professional relationships with colleagues at all levels and with external contacts and partners to advance advocacy goals  

Relevant experience 

• Expert leadership of evidence-based policy positions and influencing strategies related to early childhood or education at national or local level  

• Planning and delivery of advocacy outputs such as reports, consultations, events or parliamentary activity on children’s right to education 

• Briefing and advising colleagues, especially senior staff, on education policy issues impacting children in the UK   

• Direct engagement with decision-makers and political stakeholders, including presenting positions and evidence to influence decision-making in the UK 

Specific knowledge and skills 

• In-depth knowledge of the education policy landscape in the UK – including political context and key stakeholders 

• Strong understanding of UK policy making in relation to education, including the roles of central government, devolved administrations, and local authorities  

• Excellent research and writing skills, with the ability to synthesise information, identify strengths and gaps in evidence, and communicate evidence-based arguments 

• Influencing and stakeholder management skills with the ability to build networks and influential relationships that help deliver advocacy goals 

• Ability to work inclusively and collaboratively across teams to achieve shared goals