Position: Policy and Public Affairs Officer (Scotland)
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours a per-week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Home Based in Scotland
Salary: Starting from £26,384 per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 1, Charity
You will start at our entry point salary of £26,384 per annum, increasing to £28,033 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £29,682 after a further 6 months.
About us
We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.
Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.
Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.
Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.
About this job
We’re looking for an enthusiastic and talented policy and public affairs professional to join our team. You should have experience of working to develop policy and have the ability to communicate our position to a wide range of audiences across Scotland.
In this exciting role you will work with the MS community to influence change in public policy, continuing to make the case for improvements in the treatment, care and support of people affected by MS.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who understands the political and policy environment in Scotland, who has experience in external facing influencing roles, who is outcome-focused and delivers tangible results. The successful candidate will work closely with the MS community, the Scottish Policy and Communications team as well as key external partners such as MSPs and their teams.
Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Monday 1st of June
Interested?
PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Equal Opportunities
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.
We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application.
Disability Confident Employer
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.
You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.
If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.
More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to):
Encouraging work life balance
- 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
- More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
- Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us)
- Flexible working options
Caring for you and your family
- Generous sick pay entitlement
- More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment
- Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year
- Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis
- Enhanced leave for new parents
- Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
- Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
- 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time
- 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time
- Cycle to work scheme
- Death in service scheme
- New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
- In the event of miscarriage or still birth
- To support fertility treatments
- For antenatal appointments for both parents
Thinking about your finances
- Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
- Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
- Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
- New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing
Enriching your life at work
- Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
- Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
- New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely
- Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups)
- Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support
- 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community)
- 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal
Safeguarding
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.
This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.
We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.
We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.
Your right to work in the UK
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.
You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.
No agencies please.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
To fund world-leading research, share the latest information and campaign for everyone's rights. Together we are a community. Together we can stop MS
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Great opportunity to lead and support our charity's team through the next phase of development to drive One Medicine forward.
Job Purpose
To lead the operational delivery of Humanimal Trust’s charitable aims and strategic objectives, as set by the Board of Trustees, ensuring that plans are translated into clear priorities, well-managed programmes and effective day-to-day operations. The postholder will line manage the operational team, oversee the finances and the fundraising activities, and maintain strong governance and compliance within Charity Commission requirements, at all times representing the Trust’s One Medicine purpose with professionalism and integrity.
Dimensions
· Line management responsibility for the operational team
· Budget responsibility: manage agreed operational budgets and monitor expenditure against plan
· Oversee delivery of the annual business plan and operational work programme
· Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, supporters, partners and suppliers
· Oversee the fundraising activities
Main Responsibilities and Role
· Provide visible operational leadership for Humanimal Trust, championing One Medicine and role-modelling the Trust’s values
· Translate Board-approved strategy into clear operational priorities, delivery plans and measurable outcomes
· Line-manage the operational team: allocate work, set objectives, provide coaching, and manage performance and wellbeing
· Maintain and improve operational policies, procedures and controls in line with charity regulation, GDPR/data protection and recognised good practice
· Ensure effective delivery of core operational functions (administration, supporter care, governance support, data management and supplier coordination)
· Protect the Trust’s reputation by maintaining high standards of quality, confidentiality, safeguarding and risk management
· Monitor progress against the operational plan, tracking risks, issues and dependencies and reporting regularly to the Chair/Trustees
· Lead on team resourcing and capability: recruitment planning (where applicable), induction, training and continuous improvement
· Work closely with the Chair and Trustees to support good governance, prepare papers, and ensure actions and decisions are implemented
· Attend and present at Board meetings
Finance
· Manage day-to-day financial processes for the Trust, ensuring appropriate approvals, controls and timely processing
· Oversee expense claims and supplier payments in line with policy; ensure accurate records are maintained for audit and reporting
· Track and report on income/expenditure and operational costs, highlighting variances and supporting budget planning with Trustees and finance support (where in place)
· Maintain a clear audit trail for key financial decisions, contracts and delegated approvals
Planning and Organising
· Develop and implement operational plans that translate Trustee priorities into clear workstreams, milestones and accountabilities
· Plan, organise and prioritise team workload and resources to deliver objectives, balancing immediate operational needs with longer-term planning
· Maintain and review the organisational risk register, escalating issues and ensuring proportionate mitigations are in place
· Maintain and review the Trust’s policies and guidance documents
· Monitor and report delivery, performance and compliance (e.g., quarterly/annually as agreed), supporting effective governance and continuous improvement
Decision Making
· Make operational decisions to deliver the Trust’s agreed plans within delegated authority, escalating strategic or high-risk matters to the Chair/Trustees
· Lead and line-manage the operational team, including recruitment planning (where applicable), workload allocation and resource deployment
· Liaise with external partners, supporters, volunteers, suppliers and professional advisers to support delivery and maintain effective relationships
· Liaise with the Chair of Trustees and the Trustees on a regular basis.
· Evaluate and improve processes, systems and ways of working to enhance quality, efficiency, supporter experience and internal control
· Identify learning and development needs for the team and support continuous improvement and professional development
· Manage operational capacity and prioritisation, ensuring resources are aligned to the Trust’s delivery commitments
· Approve expenditure, contracts and commitments within delegated authority and in line with policy
Internal and External Relationships
Internal
· Chair of Trustees and Board of Trustees (including sub-committees), providing timely updates, papers and delivery reporting
· Operational team and volunteers, providing leadership, coordination and support
External
Supporters, donors, partner organisations, volunteers, suppliers and professional advisers (e.g., finance, HR, legal), acting as an operational point of contact as required
Knowledge, Experience, Skills and Style Required
Essential
· Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience), with strong digital/IT capability (MS Office and CRM/databases) and a clear understanding of GDPR/data protection.
· Proven experience in an operational leadership/management role, delivering organisational plans, improving processes and achieving measurable outcomes.
· Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively with Trustees, colleagues, volunteers and external stakeholders.
· Strong people management skills, supporting staff through change, setting clear expectations and creating an inclusive, high-performing team culture.
· Demonstrable experience working in or with a charity/not-for-profit, with a good understanding of governance, compliance and supporter-facing operations (experience in human health, animal health or science an advantage).
· Strong judgement and analytical skills, able to manage competing priorities, budgets and risks and to deliver reliably in a small-organisation environment.
Desirable
· Understanding of the UK charity regulatory environment and good governance practice.
· Experience working with Boards/Trustees, including preparing papers, reporting on delivery and supporting effective decision-making.
· Knowledge and experience of fundraising operations and supporter care.
· Demonstrable understanding of, and commitment to, One Medicine.
Job Context and Special Features
This role is a key senior management position within Humanimal Trust, with responsibility for ensuring that strategy is translated into effective delivery, that the operational team is supported to perform at its best, and that the Trust operates with strong governance, compliance and financial control.
This is a one-year fixed term appointment for a 28-hour (3.5 day) working week, starting at the earliest opportunity. The role is home-based in the UK, with occasional travel to other locations in the country.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Strategic Lead for Systems Change
Starting Salary: £59,098 (if London-based); £55,587 (if not London-based)
Contract: Full-time, 2-year Fixed-Term Contract (we are open to conversations about flexibility - so please ask)
Location: Remote role - can be based anywhere in England or Wales with an expectation of regular travel across England and Wales including overnight trips to London
About Lloyds Bank Foundation
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is an independent charitable foundation, backed by Lloyds Banking Group and the people within it. We want everyone to be in a good place - personally, in a home that’s a good place to live, and in a community that’s a good place to belong.
We play our role by connecting and catalysing community-led change, providing the money, time, tools and connections that build organisations’ capacity and capability, to make people’s lives better and their communities stronger.
We back people and communities across England and Wales, to make that happen, because when you back brilliant people, brilliant things happen. Our communities are full of ambitious, energetic and determined people stepping up to make their neighbours’ lives better and their communities grow stronger. Day in, day out.
About the Role
This is a key role strengthening the Foundation’s ability to work confidently within complex local systems and to support systems change across England and Wales. You will play a central role in shaping and developing our systems change approach, ensuring it is practical, consistent and embedded across our work in places.
You will work closely with regional teams and partners to support effective collaboration within local systems, ensuring our work is well-informed by context and lived experience. A key part of the role is enabling others - building confidence, capability and practical understanding of systems change across the organisation.
This is not a delivery-heavy role. Instead, you will focus on enabling, coaching and strengthening practice so that colleagues and partners are better equipped to work within complexity and drive meaningful change.
About You
We are looking for someone with strong, practical experience of working within systems change, place-based work or complex multi-stakeholder environments. You will bring confidence in working across boundaries and supporting others to navigate complexity.
You will be skilled in coaching, facilitation and capability building, with the ability to translate systems thinking into practical approaches others can use. Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work credibly with a wide range of stakeholders will be essential.
A commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging is essential.
How to Apply
Please click ‘Apply’ to be redirected to our website, where you can download the Candidate Information Pack and find details of how to apply.
For an informal conversation about the role and application process, please contact our recruitment partner, Atkinson HR via the information available in the Candidate pack.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We hold Disability Confident Employer status (Level 2) and are working towards full status by 2027. If you are a disabled applicant and your CV and application answers clearly demonstrate that you meet the essential criteria, we will invite you to interview.
We are committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we work with. We actively welcome applications from people under-represented in the charity sector, including Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities, disabled people, and those with lived experience of the issues our funded charities address.
Key Dates
Closing Date: Midday, Monday 8th June 2026
Optional Q&A Session: Wednesday 6th May 2026 at 09:00-10:00
First Interview: Wednesday 17th June 2026
Second Interview: Friday 26th June 2026
Registered Charity
21 - 50
We support small, local and specialist charities across England and Wales.
