Head of External Relations

Role outline and purpose

The Head of External Relations leads strategic engagement and influencing activities to ensure hunger and hardship remain a priority for key external audiences, to build the breadth and depth of support needed to help end the need for food banks.  This role engages and influences target stakeholders in government, business, civil society and faith communities to prioritise hunger and hardship in their decisions and actions.

This role is part of Trussell’s Prioritising Hunger and Hardship programme, the goal of which is to keep hunger and hardship at the forefront of conversations and decision making – both amongst the public and key individuals and organisations relevant to our cause.  This role is focused on the successful delivery of the overall programme outcomes, contributing to the fulfilment of our long-term vision of a UK without the need for food banks.

Role responsibilities

·       Leading the organisation’s external influencing strategy to shape key conversations, decisions, and activities among target audiences to ensure hunger and hardship remain a national priority.  Working closely with colleagues across the organisation focused on influencing and advocacy with relevant stakeholders (e.g. policymakers, advice sector, local authorities).

·       Develop and maintain high-impact senior relationships with key parliamentarians, civil servants, faith leaders, youth organisations, the wider charitable food sector and other partners to build strategic support and unlock change.

·       Oversee targeted engagement programmes that deepen collaboration with, and activate, key stakeholders and organisations to build and amplify the long-term wide-ranging support needed to end the need for food banks – including youth and wider civil society organisations, charitable food providers and faith communities.

·       Shape and support coalitions that align around shared priorities, build a unified narrative, and strengthen the collective voice of organisations working to support people facing hunger and hardship.

·       Act as an external spokesperson representing the organisation in media, at external events and high-level meetings and through written commentary.

·       Provide team leadership, direction, support and line management.  This will include regular 1:1s and reviews to ensure object and targets are met.

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

·       Proven track record of developing and delivering successful influencing strategies, focused on wide-ranging and high-profile external audiences

·       Extensive experience in senior stakeholder engagement, coalition building, and influencing with impact across a wide range of partners, including a strong understanding of the UK political landscape and policy processes

·       An understanding and appreciation for faith communities, particularly the role churches play in mobilising communities to end the need for food banks

·       Knowledge of issues related to hunger and hardship, with an ability to translate complex policy into accessible messaging

Behaviours and competencies:

·       Strategic thinker with the ability to anticipate and respond to changing political and social environments

·       Role model inclusive behaviour, values and leadership including empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially excluded backgrounds

·       Comfortable working in a fast-paced and high-performing organisation, combining problem-solving with collaborative interpersonal skills

·       Effective communications and influencing skills: diplomatic, builds rapport, accessible and audience-appropriate presentation, and highly persuasive

Key Stakeholders

·       Programme Leadership Team, particularly Heads withing Prioritising Hunger and Hardship (Head of Programme, Communications, and Research)

·       Key influencing stakeholders within Making Social Security Work, Sustainable Holistic Advice, and Supportive Communities programmes (including Heads of Policy, Advice Advocacy, Community Building, and Community Design)

·       Senior Audience messaging specialist (in programme)

·       Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland leads

·       Assistant Director of Income Generation

·       UK parliamentarians and officials

·       Senior sector partners

·       Senior Church leaders