Head of Influencing

We are looking for a new Head of Influencing to lead Switchback’s work driving change across the justice system, with the voice of young prison leavers at its heart.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the leadership team of an organisation delivering sector-leading impact. You will be growing Switchback’s work to tackle social and racial injustice through creative policy influencing and media campaigns based on insights from our frontline delivery, as well as overseeing our work co-producing research and policy solutions with our Experts by Experience Board and partners across the sector.

We are looking for someone to build on our fantastic progress shifting policy and perceptions – such as our most recent work influencing government policy on recall with insights from our participatory action research and through convening a third sector Recall Reform Coalition to build momentum and a compelling evidence-based case for change.

As Head of Influencing you will work closely with the CEO and your small but mighty Influencing team to campaign for a more human, more effective approach to resettlement. You will harness the powerful insights of Switchback Trainees, alongside the rich evidence from our delivery programme, and grow our collaborative influencing partnerships, including our ambitions to build a national participatory research programme building the business case for a national resettlement framework.

We are looking for a highly creative and collaborative individual with a strong strategic mindset and ability to see the bigger picture, helping Switchback punch even further above our weight. You will bring engaging communication skills and a strong track record of securing policy change through targeted policy work and public campaigning with lived experience at its heart.

You will see the value in shifting wider narratives about young people from poor or ethnic minority backgrounds and understand how to influence decision-makers. Above all, you will be driven to do this by centering the powerful voice and experience of the young men we support and working in collaboration with others across the sector to achieve our aims.