The Royal College of Podiatry are seeking an enthusiastic, experienced individual with experience of contributing to policy and the ability to communicate our position in Wales to a wide range of audiences and increase our profile.

This is a fantastic role, over 2 days per week (14 hours), for someone who understands the political and policy environment in Wales, who is outcome-focused and delivers tangible results. A skilled communicator, with a good understanding of the policy making process, you’ll join a high performing, team to develop high impact policy and public affairs strategies.

Job purpose: 

• To support policy development in Wales in line with the Royal College’s strategic plan
• To raise the profile of the Royal College and establish the Royal College’s position with key stakeholders as the primary authority in relation to podiatry and foot health
• To identify examples of best practice in podiatry and promote this to internal and external stakeholders

Key responsibilities of the role:

Under the direction of the Head of Policy and Public Affairs and accountable to the relevant committees, to be responsible for:

• Developing evidence-based policy positions to influence policy at local and national levels
• Building effective relations with Ministers, MSPs, the Chief AHP Adviser, Arm’s Length Bodies and Civil Servants, ensuring that opinion formers are fully briefed on the impact of podiatry interventions
• Scanning the political horizon to identify areas of policy relevant to the Royal College in Wales and developing responses to external consultations
• Developing and maintaining effective, coordinated, working relations with political parties, healthcare professional bodies, charities and patient bodies
• Managing the Royal College’s public affairs presence at external events and representing the Royal College at external meetings as required
• Representing the Royal College and providing policy and public affairs support to the Welsh National Orthotic and Podiatry Standing Advisory Group (NOPSAG)
• To work from home self-directed to enable regular travel to meet members which may include regular overnight stays within travel policy
• To have regular complex and challenging conversations with internal and external stakeholders
• To contribute to corporate communications including, the members’ magazine, e-newsletters, and website
• To deputise for the Head of Policy when required
• Updating members on the Royal College’s policy and public affairs work by attending branch meetings and disseminating regular newsletters
• Using social media to promote the Royal College’s policy and public affairs work to stakeholders
• To be an effective advocate and represent the organisation and podiatry profession externally
• To take a coordinated approach with the wider Policy and Public Affairs team, identifying common themes and strategies, making best use of limited resources
• To conduct continual gap analysis on the organisation’s strategy and direction in Wales

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent and/or relevant work experience
• Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of government and NHS Wales processes
• Robust understanding of health policy and related issues
• Ability to work diplomatically across a range of stakeholders
• Experience of influencing and campaigning within a membership organisation or similar
• Ability to map, evaluate and implement national policy and its implications for the Royal College
• Ability to work independently and prioritise effectively, often to tight deadlines
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
• Excellent written, IT, presentation and verbal communication skills

Salary: circa. £24,000 pro rata (circa. £29,000 Full Time Equivalent)

Location: Home-based

Hours: 30 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

We have a diverse and exciting opportunity available for a Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor to join the team! This is a part-time, home-based role with remote working based in Wales. Join our External Affairs Directorate at the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. We proudly operate a trusting, collaborative, and hybrid working environment to allow flexibility.

About the role

As a Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor, you will be working with the Public Affairs Manager to plan and deliver the Association's public affairs and policy activities across Wales.

The key purpose of this role is to effectively deliver the MND Association's influencing, campaigning, and lobbying priorities to improve care, services, and support for people with MND, their carers, and families.

This opportunity will be varied, consisting of responsibilities including communicating the Association's position on policy issues to the Welsh Assembly and Government, ensuring alignment of work with the NHS Wales, Local Health Boards and other local authorities and external organisations; You will also support the implementation of a public affairs and campaigns strategy across Wales.

What are we looking for?

A good understanding of the political system in Wales, experience of responding to policy consultations and delivering campaigns and public affairs is key criteria.

Excellent communication, interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills are essential for this role, you will be developing and managing high level relationships with key decision makers and policymakers.

Occasional evening/weekend work and travel to meetings and events will be required.

Verbal and written communication in the Welsh language is advantageous but not essential.

For full role responsibilities please view the job description.

How to apply?

We would love to hear from you and encourage early applications.

If this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you, apply online now and submit a supporting statement and CV.

About Us

The MND Association was founded in 1979. Our mission is to improve care and support for people with MND, their families and carers. We also fund and promote research that leads to new understanding and treatments and brings us closer to a cure for MND. The Association also campaigns and raises awareness so the needs of people with MND, and everyone who cares for them, are recognised, and addressed by wider society.

We operate a hybrid working environment within a flexible office space using the latest technology and digital infrastructure. This, together with a high level of trust and performance driven culture, gives staff the freedom and flexibility to work in the best way for them, the Association and, most importantly, people with MND.

We are committed to equality and value diversity. We are working hard to remove perceived and actual barriers to participation for people with and affected by MND, current and future staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.

Important Notices

The MND Association operates a hybrid working culture and therefore we are open to discussing the possibility of variable hours, remote or home working, flexible start, and finish times etc.

Please submit your application as soon as possible; due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications.

Our selection process will be multi-stage; this may include video call screening, psychometric assessments, and competency-based interview/s.

We request that recruitment agencies do not contact us in relation to this role. We work hard to fill our roles directly and if assistance is required, we operate a PSL, which currently closed for review. We do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies/ head-hunters.

Are you highly organised with good grant management skills? Are you committed to improving humanitarian outcomes and do you believe that research and innovation should be at the centre of efforts to improve humanitarian effectiveness? Could you communicate effectively with a range of external stakeholders, at all levels of seniority, both verbally and in writing?

We are looking to recruit a highly effective programme officer to join our dynamic humanitarian innovation team. You will provide effective management across our portfolio of innovation grants and support the operational delivery of the programme and innovation management activities.

You will need to demonstrate

• Experience of coordinating grant management processes or similar, including excellent administration and organisation skills 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to liaise with a diverse range of grantees 

• Ability to understand and monitor financial expenditure reports 

• A resourceful, proactive approach with the ability to work in a constantly changing environment. 

• A strong interest in humanitarian innovation and the impact it can have on those living in crises 

About Elrha 

Elrha is a global charity that finds solutions to complex humanitarian problems through research and innovation. We fund and support projects that go on to shape the way in which people across the world are supported during a crisis. We are based in the UK, but our roles have a global reach. We’re an established and respected part of the humanitarian community, working closely and meaningfully with our fellow networks and actors to make change happen. 

Remote Working 

Elrha employees are currently working remotely within the UK in line with UK Government guidance. In Spring 2022 we will transition to flexible and hybrid ways of working (i.e. a mixture of remote/home and office-based working) as social distancing restrictions ease. 

We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview. 

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion 

Elrha is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work both external and internal. We strive to be an inclusive employer and particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBTQ+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions, and from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Salaries and benefits 

Elrha is committed to paying staff in a fair and equitable way and will benchmark all salary offers in line with the pay of existing staff. 

Elrha also has a comprehensive benefits package including 25 days holiday entitlement which increases year on year, 5% employer pension contribution (3% employee contribution) and life cover. 

Pre-employment Checks 

Any employment with Elrha will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date: 

• a satisfactory police record check to include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and/or an International Criminal Record Check (If applicable) 

• receipt of satisfactory references 

• proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role 

Elrha is a wholly owned subsidiary of Save the Children. We are able to benefit from a range of support services provided by Save the Children UK, including recruitment systems. For this reason you will be directed to Save the Children UK’s job portal upon clicking ‘apply’. 

Please ensure you read the full job description and complete the Personal Statement as requested in the application process. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Closing date: 30 January 2022 Interviews: w/c 7 February 2022