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Policy and Public Affairs Officer (Devolved Nations)
£34,839 pa plus excellent benefits
Home-based
35 hours per week, full-time
Permanent
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is seeking a talented and motivated Policy and Public Affairs Officer to join our Devolved Nations team. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to policy development, advocacy and communications activity that helps improve child health outcomes across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Working as part of the Policy and Public Affairs (Devolved Nations) team, you will play an important role in supporting the College’s policy and public affairs priorities. You will help build relationships with policymakers and stakeholders, support advocacy campaigns, develop policy positions and create engaging communications content that raises the profile of child health issues across the devolved nations.
This varied and rewarding role offers the opportunity to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including paediatricians, senior College Officers, politicians, government officials, charities and healthcare organisations.
Key responsibilities include:
• Supporting the development of policy positions specific to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ensuring they reflect the needs of RCPCH members and have influence across the wider UK policy landscape
• Drafting consultation responses, policy briefings, reports and stakeholder communications on child health and paediatric issues
• Providing expertise and advice on the political, governmental and health service landscape within the devolved nations
• Supporting the delivery of public affairs and stakeholder engagement activity, helping to build productive relationships with governments, policymakers and health sector organisations
• Producing content for websites, social media, newsletters and other digital communications channels to support advocacy and engagement objectives
• Drafting media content, including quotes, press releases and briefing materials, in collaboration with colleagues across the College
• Supporting senior College Officers and staff during meetings and engagement with policymakers and external stakeholders
• Coordinating and supporting the work of Executive Committees across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Assisting with administrative and financial processes, including invoice processing and supplier registration
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the College to maximise the impact of policy, communications and public affairs activity
Essential skills and experience include:
• Demonstrable experience in policy, public affairs, communications or a related field
• Strong knowledge and understanding of policy and legislative processes in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
• Experience producing high-quality policy and communications outputs, including consultation responses, policy briefings, reports and media content
• Experience creating engaging content for digital channels, including websites, social media and email communications
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work to tight deadlines
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment
Desirable:
• Experience working within healthcare, government, a membership organisation or the third sector
• Knowledge of public health, health inequalities or wider health service issues
• Experience working on issues relating to children and young people
The RCPCH has more than 25,000 members and fellows worldwide and employs around 200 staff across the UK. Our devolved nations teams play a vital role in ensuring that the needs of children and young people are represented at every level of government and policy-making.
Our values – Include, Influence, Innovate and Inspire – are central to everything we do. We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are under-represented at this level of the organisation.
We operate a flexible and modern hybrid working policy. While this role is home-based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, travel across the devolved nations and occasional travel elsewhere in the UK will be required.
Policy and Public Affairs Officer (Devolved Nations)
£34,839 pa plus excellent benefits
Home-based
35 hours per week, full-time
Permanent
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is seeking a talented and motivated Policy and Public Affairs Officer to join our Devolved Nations team. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to policy development, advocacy and communications activity that helps improve child health outcomes across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Working as part of the Policy and Public Affairs (Devolved Nations) team, you will play an important role in supporting the College’s policy and public affairs priorities. You will help build relationships with policymakers and stakeholders, support advocacy campaigns, develop policy positions and create engaging communications content that raises the profile of child health issues across the devolved nations.
This varied and rewarding role offers the opportunity to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including paediatricians, senior College Officers, politicians, government officials, charities and healthcare organisations.
Key responsibilities include:
• Supporting the development of policy positions specific to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ensuring they reflect the needs of RCPCH members and have influence across the wider UK policy landscape
• Drafting consultation responses, policy briefings, reports and stakeholder communications on child health and paediatric issues
• Providing expertise and advice on the political, governmental and health service landscape within the devolved nations
• Supporting the delivery of public affairs and stakeholder engagement activity, helping to build productive relationships with governments, policymakers and health sector organisations
• Producing content for websites, social media, newsletters and other digital communications channels to support advocacy and engagement objectives
• Drafting media content, including quotes, press releases and briefing materials, in collaboration with colleagues across the College
• Supporting senior College Officers and staff during meetings and engagement with policymakers and external stakeholders
• Coordinating and supporting the work of Executive Committees across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Assisting with administrative and financial processes, including invoice processing and supplier registration
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the College to maximise the impact of policy, communications and public affairs activity
Essential skills and experience include:
• Demonstrable experience in policy, public affairs, communications or a related field
• Strong knowledge and understanding of policy and legislative processes in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
• Experience producing high-quality policy and communications outputs, including consultation responses, policy briefings, reports and media content
• Experience creating engaging content for digital channels, including websites, social media and email communications
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work to tight deadlines
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment
Desirable:
• Experience working within healthcare, government, a membership organisation or the third sector
• Knowledge of public health, health inequalities or wider health service issues
• Experience working on issues relating to children and young people
The RCPCH has more than 25,000 members and fellows worldwide and employs around 200 staff across the UK. Our devolved nations teams play a vital role in ensuring that the needs of children and young people are represented at every level of government and policy-making.
Our values – Include, Influence, Innovate and Inspire – are central to everything we do. We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are under-represented at this level of the organisation.
We operate a flexible and modern hybrid working policy. While this role is home-based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, travel across the devolved nations and occasional travel elsewhere in the UK will be required.
Closing date: 6 July 2026
Registered Charity
101 - 500
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health advocates on child health issues at home and internationally.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Who we are: Transform Justice is a national charity working for a fair, open and compassionate justice system. We believe that evidence about what works to reduce crime and prevent reoffending should be at the heart of policy decisions and embedded into practice.
We work to promote change by generating research and evidence to show how the system works and how it could be improved, and by influencing practitioners and politicians to make changes to the justice system. Current projects include our #FairChecks campaign for criminal records reform, our mass court observations programme CourtWatch London, and our work to reduce the use of pre-trial imprisonment for chidlren.
About the role: Transform Justice is seeking a research and policy officer to play a vital role supporting its work for a better justice system. Working closely with the charity’s director and deputy director (and alongside our communications officer), you will conduct high quality research, draft policy briefings, and organise and participate in meetings and events. This role will support a range of projects including the next round of our innovative courtwatching project, and our work to reduce the pre-trial imprisonment of children.
We are looking for someone inquisitive, flexible, and organised. The role is home-based using your own equipment, so you will need to be able to work on your own with minimal day-to-day supervision. There is the option to work at an office in Old Street, London up to two days a week with other Transform Justice team members. The team also meets regularly online and for in-person meetings in London.
Main responsibilities and duties:
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Undertaking qualitative and quantitative research including phone interviews, survey design, submitting FOI requests and analysing published data
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Reviewing relevant academic evidence and policy documents and identifying what’s important for our advocacy work
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Writing, editing and proofreading reports, briefings and submissions
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Liaising with policy makers and stakeholders including organising and attending meetings and drafting correspondence
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Organising online and in person events to support Transform Justice’s advocacy work
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Supporting the CourtWatch London project including engaging with volunteers, organising and supporting the delivery of training, reviewing data collection
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Support the drafting of funding applications
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Other reasonable duties as required including administrative tasks such as generating invoices
Skills and experience:
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Essential: At least two years of work experience in a research or policy-related role
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Essential: Demonstrable qualitative and quantitative research skills, for example using interviews, surveys, or published statistics to produce insights and recommendations
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Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
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Ability to take ownership of tasks when working remotely with little supervision, seeking advice and support when needed
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Ability to prioritise your workload when working on a range of different projects and tasks
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Excellent computer skills, with knowledge and practice of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
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Interest in criminal justice policy issues, and a commitment to help achieve Transform Justice’s vision
Location: Remote working with regular in-person meetings in London and the option to hot-desk in an office in Old Street, London up to two days per week.
Contract: One year term with the potential to be renewable
Salary: £29,000 - £32,000 pa full time (pro rata if part time).
Hours: Full time (also open to part-time 3 or 4 days a week)
Reporting to: Deputy director
Holiday/pension: 25 days FTE (pro rata if part time)
Probationary period: three months
How to apply: Please submit a CV and answer the screening questions through the CharityJob website by 9am Friday 26 June. Interviews will take place between Wednesday 15 July and Friday 17 July and will be conducted in person in London.
Candidates for interview will be notified by email. We are sorry that due to limited staff capacity we are not able to reply to all applicants.
Transform Justice is committed to fair recruitment and the inclusion of applicants with criminal records. This position is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. For this role, the disclosure of a criminal record is not required.
To reduce bias in the hiring process, Transform Justice uses CharityJob’s anonymous recruitment process. This automatically replaces personal information (i.e. name and email address) with pseudonyms on CVs until we invite a candidate to interview.
