Duration: Fixed Term - 2 years

Salary: Circa £48,000 per annum

Job Level: 3

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

Disclosure Level: Basic. This role involves no direct or indirect work with children.

Reports to: Head of UK Policy and Advocacy, with a dotted line to the Director of UNICEF UK in Scotland

Location: Working from home and at Mansfield Traquair, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we collaborate to achieve the best possible results for children 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

UNICEF UK’s advocacy focus is to champion children’s rights and influence those with power to create change for children, in Scotland, the UK, and around the world. We present decision-makers with a compelling case for change based on evidence, and through exceptional political affairs, policy engagement and public campaigning. We champion and amplify the voices and participation of young people and work with partners and Government to support the implementation of the UNCRC (Scotland) Act 2024.

Our Scotland team is a talented cross-organisational team working across high value fundraising and advocacy, as well as supporting our domestic programmes teams to transform systems and services for children. The team sits in the Partnerships and Philanthropy Directorate and works closely with the UNICEF UK’s Advocacy Department.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Senior Policy Adviser for the Devolved Nations will lead UNICEF UK’s policy work for children across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with a primary focus on Scotland. The role will identify opportunities to uphold and advance child rights under devolution, including the development of key policy asks and influencing strategies, that are aligned with the context for each country. Based in Scotland, the role will undertake policy research and detailed analysis whilst collaborating with colleagues in the UNICEF UK Advocacy Department, the Scotland team and partners in the devolved nations to deliver compelling and impactful advocacy targeted towards the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments.

What we will expect you to achieve:

• Lead the development of robust policy analysis and positions on children’s rights in Scotland and other devolved nations, including our current UK priorities of child poverty, early years mental health and early education and childcare. Support and work with partners on children’s rights.

• Create a strong evidence base to help develop devolved policy positions, undertaking research and commissioning research where necessary, in collaboration with colleagues in UNICEF UK and UNICEF Scotland. Write and edit a range of policy publications and briefings.

• Develop and deliver impactful advocacy strategies, with clear objectives and outcomes, for UNICEF UK’s child rights policy and advocacy work in the devolved nations, working with the UNCRC Senior Policy Advisers, the Advocacy Department and the Scotland team.

• Build and maintain effective, influential relationships with officials in the devolved nations, UNICEF, civil society, academia to meet our objectives for children and build support for our policy asks.  

• Represent UNICEF UK at external events on relevant issues, to network and promote UNICEF UK’s positions, where appropriate.

• Represent UNICEF UK in and contribute to advocacy coalitions and working groups on child rights issues, building networks of allies to help achieve our policy and advocacy objectives.

• Support senior colleagues when they act as spokespeople, provide clear briefings to support high level influencing, and provide advice and policy expertise as required.

• Work collaboratively across the Advocacy Department, including with the Campaigns and Mobilisation and Political Affairs teams, to support the delivery of the UK campaigns and enable UNICEF UK to drive and respond to the news agenda in Scotland.

• Engage with other UNICEF UK teams as appropriate, particularly in the Programmes Teams on child rights issues.

• 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 in order to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential.

Effective behaviours

Positive relationships

• Nurtures professional relationships with colleagues at all levels and with external stakeholders and partners to support the achievement of objectives.

Analytical

• Uses expert knowledge and insights to analyse available information and make logical and sound judgments. Questions assumptions and seeks further insight to inform decision making.

Communication

• Conveys complex ideas using a variety of methods to engage an audience and win understanding and support.

• Anticipates and responds to the needs of an audience, adapting content, style, and language to deliver maximum clarity.

Collaboration

• Effective cross-organisational and external collaboration, consulting others and sharing expertise, knowledge and ideas with colleagues for best results.

Negotiation and influencing

• Adept at using a range of approaches to gain commitment, tailoring information in a compelling way to different audiences.

Relevant experience

• Experience in developing and implementing successful influencing strategies to achieve desired change, grounded in a good understanding of devolution, the limits and opportunities of decentralised policy-making in the devolved nations.

• Expertise and previous experience of working on child rights issues in the UK, which may include child poverty, early childhood, education and mental health.

• Experience in developing compelling, evidence-based policies, shaping agendas and working in coalition to achieve change.

• Experience of translating policy and research into change through advocacy.

• Experience in meeting with and presenting to policy makers in government as well as other relevant stakeholders.

Specific knowledge and skills

• In-depth knowledge of child rights and a child-rights based approach to policy, including a commitment to youth voice and participation.

• Working knowledge of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, its status in legislation and policy across the devolved nations and UN reporting processes is an advantage.

• Detailed knowledge of the UK devolved political context, devolved policy, and key policy priorities of the Scottish and other devolved administrations.

• Excellent research and writing skills with the ability to effectively condense, summarise and make sense of substantial amounts of information quickly, pulling out salient points and spotting potential weaknesses or problems.

• Excellent influencing and stakeholder management skills with the ability to convey complex issues in a compelling manner.