Senior advocate jobs in Birmingham

Monitoring and developing our Covid-19 Inquiry Recommendations Tracker, you will be an essential conduit for influencing policy and campaigns, part of a small but highly effective team. 

Job description

• Take overall responsibility for the Inquiry Recommendations Tracker, including its development, structure, accuracy and upkeep.
• Ensure the tracker is kept fully up to date, with progress on each recommendation accurately recorded and supported by relevant evidence.
• Monitor developments relating to Inquiry recommendations, including government responses, implementation activity and public statements, and provide colleagues with clear analysis to inform campaigning and parliamentary engagement.
• Gather and assess information from a range of sources to inform the tracker, including official publications, parliamentary material, stakeholder engagement and direct correspondence.
• Draft policy reports following module report publications, including analysis of recommendations and supplementary recommendations where appropriate, and provide briefing material to support campaign and parliamentary activity. 
• Engage with members to ensure their feedback and lived experience inform reports, supplementary recommendations and the Recommendations Tracker.
• Work with colleagues to ensure policy outputs support wider campaigning, parliamentary engagement and communications activity.
• Help identify gaps, weaknesses or areas of concern in implementation, and support the development of evidence-based proposals for further action.
• Maintain clear internal records and documentation relating to recommendations, progress updates and evidence gathered.
• Contribute to team meetings, planning discussions and wider organisational work as required.
• Undertake other duties reasonably consistent with the role, recognising that this is a small team and flexibility is important.

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of policy research, policy analysis, public affairs, or related work.
• Strong drafting skills, with the ability to write clearly, accurately and persuasively for different audiences.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage complex information carefully and systematically.
• Experience of maintaining records, trackers or monitoring systems to a high standard.
• Ability to analyse complex material and present it in a way that is accessible and useful.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines.
• Confidence in engaging professionally with external stakeholders, including parliamentarians, officials or partner organisations.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a small team.
• Commitment to working in a member-led way and ensuring lived experience informs policy work.
• Personal belief in and support for the aims of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK

Desirable

• Experience of working in Parliament, government, the charity sector, campaigning, or a policy-focused organisation.
• Experience of producing briefings, reports or recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Experience of engaging with members or people with lived experience in shaping policy or campaigns.
• Familiarity with spreadsheet-based trackers or similar monitoring tools.
• Knowledge of public inquiries, accountability processes, or pandemic preparedness policy.

Covid-19 has affected us all, but some communities were disproportionately impacted, including Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities and disabled people, so we particularly welcome and encourage applications from candidates from those backgrounds.

Please submit your CV and a covering letter explaining how you meet the essential criteria for this role.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for a part time governance and compliance officer to oversee our governance and risk framework as a non-profit regulated by the Charities Commission (England and Wales) and OSCR (Scotland).

You will identify, develop, maintain and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance and risk mitigation with the various regulations that we must adhere to such as Charities Commission, OSCR, Fundraising Regulator, Companies House, UK Data Protection and Safeguarding.

As governance and compliance officer, you will deliver high quality, professional and compliant governance across the charity, nationally and in supporting our network of support groups (see About IA) ensuring we comply with statutory regulations, that protect our members and the charity itself while applying best practice principles.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Developing and documenting a detailed understanding of charity practices, paying specific attention to areas where IA is bound by statutory regulations
• Developing robust policies and procedures that ensure charity compliance and best practice
• Remaining up to date with current regulations that IA is bound by and ensuring any changes are implemented within any imposed deadlines
• Regularly review and maintain policies and procedures auditing your findings to ensure exemplary record keeping following up with implementing changes
• Implementing policies and procedures amongst staff, volunteers and the Board of Trustees with robust record keeping introducing governance cycles to keep everyone updated with current policy and communicating changes where necessary
• Identifying risks, recommending mitigating actions and reporting your findings to the management team and Board of Trustees
• Reviewing and updating IA’s risk register
• Recommending and monitoring recommended training among staff and volunteers especially where IA is bound by statutory regulations
• Liaise with third-party suppliers to IA who are responsible for providing services to the charity that support our governance and risk framework
• Supporting Trustee recruitment, induction, training, and evaluation processes

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE 

• Demonstrable experience of at least 12m in governance and risk management within a not for profit environment with working knowledge of UK charity regulations. Exceptional candidates from a commercial background would be considered
• A thorough working knowledge of risk management
• Development, implementation, monitoring and maintenance of governance and risk frameworks
• Documenting, reviewing and mitigating risk
• Demonstrable experience of regular reporting to management
• Strong working knowledge of UK data protection regulation
• Working knowledge of safeguarding requirements
• Exceptional record keeping skills to satisfy audit requirements
• Management of third-party relationships including suppliers to IA and volunteers who are carrying out their volunteering role in line with IA’s policies and procedures
• Team player

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE

• Experience across the not-for-profit sector
• Working with volunteers
• Basic understanding of AI and the benefits of using it within the not-for-profit sector
• Experience supporting Boards or Trustees
• Regulations governing charity fundraising

SKILLS AND QUALITIES

• Highly organised
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexible, adaptable in approach, creative thinker to manage the balance between governance and continuing to provide a personal approach to vulnerable adults
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Proactive and solution-focused

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

To apply, please submit:

1. Your CV (up to 3 pages)
2. A covering letter outlining your suitability to the role (max 500 words)

Interviews will be two-stage for successful candidates. Initial interviews will be held via video conferencing (such as Zoom) discussing previous experience and role fit with successful candidates going through to a second round. This includes alignment to IA’s values. Please allow up to 1 hour for this stage.

Second round interviews are expected to be via video conference. Successful candidates will, in advance of the second round, be given a short brief and asked to present at interview their understanding of a governance issue  facing charities. Please allow up to 1 hour for this stage.

Applications should be submitted via the advertising platform including your CV and covering letter. See attached role profile for recruitment timetable and further details about us/the role, including contact details for an informal chat, if required, before applying. Applicants are encouraged to ensure availability in line with the recruitment timetable in the attached job specification.

While IA recognises the value of AI technology in the current climate, IA reserves the right to ignore applications where we have reason to believe that they have been wholly produced using generative AI tools.

Please let us know if you require any additional support to attend or undertake an interview or if there is anything we should consider as part of the interview process