About us

Locality is the national membership network for community organisations. Our goal is simple: to help local community organisations be the best that they can be and to create a supportive environment for their work.

You will be working for an organisation which really values it staff. In June 2023, we were awarded “We invest in people accreditation” as well as “We invest in wellbeing accreditation” through Investors in People.

Our workplace is one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop. Like many organisations in our sector, our staff team is under-represented by people from minoritised backgrounds. We are actively addressing this as an organisation with strong policies and actions around diversity, equity and inclusion and we strongly encourage applications from people from minoritised backgrounds. Within this rewarding role, your vital work will assist us in helping communities thrive and empower countless people, giving you the chance to make your mark on a truly transformative organisation. Moreover, you will be immersed in an incredible and supportive environment, collaborating with a team that is committed to making the world a better place. So, if you’re ready to take on a new challenge and enrich your expertise, we would love to hear from you!

About the Role

In a crucial year for UK politics, this exciting new role provides an opportunity to put community power at the top of the general election agenda.

Locality is one of the founding partners and current host organisation of We’re Right Here, the campaign for community power. Over the last two years, the campaign has successfully brought together community leaders around the country to call for a big change in where power lies, via a Community Power Act. As we head into an election period, we are looking for an organised and energetic person to drive forward the campaign, as well as providing support for Locality’s wider public affairs work.

For around 3 days a week, this role will help deliver the We’re Right Here Campaign’s two main workstreams – maximising political impact and broadening the campaign’s base in communities. Working closely with the campaign’s co-founder and strategic adviser, the role will coordinate a small team distributed mainly across the national organisations supporting the campaign. The team also includes an administrator supporting with logistics, and a ‘Community Builder’ tasked with broadening our base in communities.

For around 2 days a week, this role will support Locality’s wider public affairs work, focused on maximising our political impact in this election year and during the early phases of any new government. We have recently published “Building Thriving Neighbourhoods: The Locality Manifesto”, which sets out how the next government can inspire a “community power revolution”. This role will work with Locality’s policy and public affairs team to help develop our proposals and build the political support necessary to put them into practice.

For more information about the role please see the full Job Description and Person Specification (PDF)

About you

Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following essential skills and experience:

Essential Experience: 

• Significant experience in a public affairs, political, campaigns, policy role or similar

• Experience of working both independently and collaboratively with colleagues and others and building effective relationships

• Experience of managing a complex workload to meet tight deadlines

The Benefits

• Salary of   £ 43,534 rising to   £ 47,573 - including London Weighting of £3,733 (depending on location of post)

• Flexible working and home working options

• 25 days’ holiday (increasing with length of service)

• Three grace days between Christmas and New Year

• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

• Simply Health Cash Plan

• Interest-free season ticket loan

• Cycle to work scheme

Digital Open Day

We held a digital open day to give candidates an opportunity to find out more about Locality and the role. We strongly encourage applicants to watch this session, before submitting an application.

Recording: Click here to watch the recording

Timestamps

00:00:00-00:04:15 - Welcome and introduction

00:04:15- 00:15:47 - About the Policy Projects Officer role

00:26:15 - 00:34:55 - Working at Locality

00:35:00 - 00:34:55 - Application Process

00:41:30 - 01:04:27 - Q&A

Application Process

If you would like to have an informal chat about the role, please contact Ed Wallis (Director of Policy and Engagement) on ed.wallis@locality.org.uk  to arrange a call.

Once you are ready, click the apply button where you will be asked to give some initial information and then be asked to submit answers to five capability questions.

Please consider your responses to these questions carefully. You will be able to save and go back to these up until you submit your application.

A note on generative AI/ChatGPT: We require candidates to confirm that they are personally answering the questions in their application, and that the answer is not one from generative software like ChatGPT. Our recruitment platform is working to enable detection of AI-generated content.

Finally, you will be asked to submit your CV.

Our normal process is to longlist initially, inviting candidates to a fifteen minute on-line informal interview to be held on Wednesday 3 April 2024. As part of this process, we will talk about your level of experience and knowledge. If you are shortlisted, you will have the opportunity for feedback and coaching to help you prepare for the final interview which will take place Tuesday 16 April 2024.

If you have any queries on the application process – please email danielle.newson@locality.org.uk