Head of Programmes and Partnerships

Our client is the largest wildlife conservation organisation in Europe, they are looking for a strong leader to establish and grow the movement for nature and climate.

With over one million members, they speak out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment.

Position: Head of Movement Building (internal title)

Location: Head office is Sandy, Bedfordshire, however the location can be entirely flexible as homeworking is available.

Salary: £48,848 - £54,321 per annum

Hours: Full time, permanent

Benefits: Flexible working, 26 Days Annual Leave, Free access to our reserves, up to 20% discount off retail items in our shops. Free access to a confidential Employee Assistance programme that provides support and advice around financial, physical and mental health wellbeing. A substantial Learning and Development offer.

Closing date: 11 October 2020

Interview date: 21 October 2020

About the role:

As Head of Programmes and Partnerships you will provide strategic leadership and contribute to the development and implementation of the charity’s programmes, by leading a specialist department and providing professional support to operational teams.

To tackle the nature and climate emergency more people need to feel enabled and empowered to act for nature. The charity needs to connect, empower and mobilise more people to save nature and support this movement to shape social, political and economic change. They need to put people at the heart of the mission to save nature, and that is what their ‘Saving Nature Through People’ strategy is all about. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in leading and implementing this strategy.

Key responsibilities include:

• Contribute to the charity’s strategy at a programme level by providing country/operational context and functional expertise and analysis
• Motivate and engage teams and external audiences
• Provide cross organisational leadership of change, programmes, projects and teams to deliver outcomes as required
• Develop high level, strategic and collaborative external and internal relationships with key stakeholders
• Develop, monitor and manage programme and function budgets
• Identify and manage potential or current financial, operational, legal, reputational and health and safety risks across function
• Prepare papers and reports for the charity’s governance including Council Committees, and contribute to the development of business metrics
• Act as an advocate with both internal and external audiences

About you:

As Head of Programmes and Partnerships you will be an effective, charismatic leader who can support and nurture the leadership of others and set up the Movement Building department to succeed. The successful candidate will passionately believe in enabling and empowering others and understand movements for change.

You will have experience of activating programmes and partnerships and navigating complex organisations to make things happen. You will have strong change leadership skills, and the ability to build networks and relationships across the movement.

With a portfolio of Campaigning, Community Empowerment and Education, Families and Youth teams, this is an exciting opportunity for you to help play a crucial role in facilitating many more people to save nature. If you have the energy, passion and leadership skills to do this we would love to hear from you.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Head of Movement Building, Head of Charity Development, Head of Development, Development Director, Head of Community Empowerment, Head of Campaigns, Campaign Director, Head of Charity Operations, Head of Engagement, Head of Partnerships, Head of Brand and Communications, Head of Strategy etc.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Backed by our passionate scientists and supporters, we’re challenging the way people think about dementia, bringing together the people and organisations who can speed up progress, and investing in research to make life-changing breakthroughs possible.

By working at Alzheimer’s Research UK, you will be part of an organisation that has been recognised nationally as an outstanding place to work. In 2020, we were listed 39th in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Not-for-Profit Organisations to Work For.  We were also awarded a 2-star accreditation by Best Companies, recognising outstanding levels of workplace engagement and were listed in the 75 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

We are recruiting a new Head of Policy to lead the Policy Team at Alzheimer’s Research UK. The Head of Policy reports to the Director of Policy and Public Affairs and will work closely with the CEO, Research and wider Policy and Public Affairs teams.

The role includes frequent work in Westminster and Whitehall and elsewhere in the UK. The post holder needs to be a self-starter and comfortable working with colleagues at the highest level of an organisation. The role will develop a credible and comprehensive policy base for ARUK and oversee the external stakeholder engagement activity with all key influential audiences that will help the charity achieve its aim of finding life changing treatments for dementia.

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

• Provide a high level of expertise on dementia policy across the organisation and externally and lead the policy team in developing new thinking and solutions on research policy, early detection and access to treatments.
• Lead ARUK’s policy development and work with key stakeholders at a UK-level, in Europe and internationally with the aim of ensuring ARUK continues to be a thought leader in dementia and medical research policy.
• Develop, manage and deliver a substantial programme of high-quality policy analysis and proposals for change.
• See through, from inception to launch, ground breaking policy publications of the highest quality that have significant influence on government policy and practice.
• Lead the strategic development of ARUK’s Policy function.
• Manage the team’s budget, ensuring the team operates cost effectively in meeting its objectives
• Work with the Head of Public Affairs to develop a synergistic Public Affairs strategy that embeds and exploits our policy work
• Develop and lead a structured programme of policy work that builds our evidence base, identifies the key challenges in the field, and brings forth new innovative policy ideas and solutions
• Work across Policy and Public Affairs teams to ensure there is good co-ordination and communication of policy throughout the charity in order to foster a shared understanding of ARUK’s policies and issues.

External relations and influencing

• Establish and maintain effective collaborative relationships with external stakeholders and identify opportunities and strategies to improve engagement with science leaders, pharmaceutical industry, political and health and care officials, corporate leaders, scientific bodies, donors and other charities.
• Work closely with colleagues across the charity to ensure that ARUK’s external messaging and activities reflect our policy priorities and positions.
• Ensure ARUK is taking opportunities to apply its policy expertise through engagement in external events and conferences and acting as a media spokesperson.
• Play a key role in delivery of projects focused on improving the external environment for dementia drug discovery and development, at a national and international level.

Evidence, impact and analysis

• Develop strategic research programmes or commission analysis to further the aims of the organisation.
• Identify policy areas in which ARUK is seeking greatest action and develop strategies to influence and effect positive change.
• Responsible for the involvement of people affected by dementia in the development of ARUK’s policy priorities and positions.
• Lead the team to keep abreast of the policy environment to build and maintain a deep understanding of current issues and trends and producing insight and analysis for the organisation.

Other duties

• Undertake any other relevant duties and projects delegated by the Director of Policy and Public Affairs in line with the responsibilities of the post.

What we are looking for:

• Educated to Degree Level or equivalent
• Experience of leading policy development
• Experience of leading on key policy areas – NHS, medical research
• Experience of building relationships with civil servants, decision makers
• Experience of working at the interface between scientific research and policymaking
• Experience of writing complex policy reports
• Experience of delivering consultation responses and working with government teams to embed ideas
• Ability to strategically lead large programmes of work
• Ability to manage people, lead and develop a team of 6
• Confidence working with computers – good knowledge of Word, Excel and outlook
• Excellent scientific understanding
• Professional and hard-working team player
• Outgoing, enthusiastic and able to remain calm under pressure
• Willingness to work outside of regular office hours and overtime during busy spells
• Willingness to travel as and when the role requires

Location: Granta Park, near Cambridge.

Salary: Circa £57,500 per annum, plus benefits

Please download the Vacancy Pack for more details.

The closing date for applications is the 4th October 2020, with interviews to be held week commencing the 26th October 2020, with potential dates of the 27th, 28th and 29th October via Microsoft Teams. Please indicate in your cover letter if you are unable to attend on any of these dates.

To be considered, please create an online account using our Online Recruitment System which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies Page. You will be able to attach a CV and covering letter to your application, track your application and view other vacancies that may be of interest.

To view further details about this role and the benefits of working for us please visit the Alzheimer’s Research UK website.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Backed by our passionate scientists and supporters, we’re challenging the way people think about dementia, bringing together the people and organisations who can speed up progress, and investing in research to make life-changing breakthroughs possible.

By working at Alzheimer’s Research UK, you will be part of an organisation that has been recognised nationally as an outstanding place to work. In 2020, we were listed 39th in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Not-for-Profit Organisations to Work For.  We were also awarded a 2-star accreditation by Best Companies, recognising outstanding levels of workplace engagement and were listed in the 75 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

We are recruiting a new Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns to lead the Public Affairs team at ARUK. The Head of Public Affairs will report to the Director of Policy and Public Affairs and line manage the Senior Public Affairs Officer and the Public Affairs Officer.

The post holder will be joining a friendly, busy and fast-moving Policy and Public Affairs team, with the scope to grow both the function and the post-holder’s role within ARUK. The role will work closely with policy colleagues to help develop opportunities for influencing key stakeholders within and outside government and its agencies to help ARUK improve the dementia research environment. This is a very creative directorate, and the post holder will have opportunities to work on projects that take the charity in new directions. The role is likely to include frequent work in Westminster, Whitehall and elsewhere in the UK

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

Public Affairs

• Advise Alzheimer’s Research UK about effective political positioning to achieve our goals; working to ensure we are able to successfully influence key Government policy and decisions.
• Build and maintain effective high-level relationships with key decision-makers and opinion formers, including in Government and in Parliament.
• Develop and deliver a public affairs strategy for Alzheimer’s Research UK, with a range of creative tactics that create pressure, build momentum and drive forward our influence in Parliament and with government.
• Provide leadership to the public affairs team and work closely with colleagues to grow political engagement in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Support implementation and further development of the strategy for public affairs & policy, in conjunction with Head of Policy.
• Work across the organisation to develop stakeholder management processes and mechanisms that help us to manage and derive insights from key organisational relationships.
• Play a key role in developing ARUK’s influencing stakeholder contact programme and identifying opportunities and strategies to improve engagement.
• Develop and deliver a programme of parliamentary engagement for Chief Executive, Chief Medical Officer, President and Director of Policy and Public Affairs, working in conjunction with the Senior Governance Manager.
• Work with the Head of Policy and the Director of Policy and Public Affairs to develop strategy and positioning on key parliamentary and policy issues.
• Ensure ARUK has a meaningful role in shaping future legislation on dementia and scientific research.
• Lead responses and briefings on key legislation and guidance, including proposed drafting amendments where appropriate.
• Co-ordinate parliamentary briefs, develop submissions for parliamentary questions and other opportunities presented through the parliamentary system.
• Represent the Charity to key decision-makers and stakeholders, managing a programme of meetings and to brief relevant staff.
• Identify opportunities to use the media to maintain pressure on political decision makers around our policy and influencing priorities
• Ensure compliance with Charity Commission guidance, and other legislation on charities’ lobbying activities

Campaigns

• Develop and implement campaign strategies that deliver against ARUK policy objectives.
• Build and sustain strong strategic partnerships, for example, with other voluntary organisations, think tanks etc to extend ARUK’s influence and impact
• Grow digital campaigns and public affairs opportunities, building our reach and engagement with key audiences.
• Manage and grow a supporter-based campaigning network, online and offline, to advocate on behalf of ARUK, including the involvement of people affected by dementia 

Events and meeting management

• Lead the delivery of high-impact parliamentary and other events and conferences, including national party conferences.
• Represent the charity attending external working groups as appropriate, under guidance from the Director of Policy and Public Affairs.

Other duties

• Undertake any other relevant duties and projects delegated by the Director of Policy and Public Affairs in line with the responsibilities of the post.

What we are looking for

• Educated to A Level or equivalent
• Expertise in lobbying, government relations and campaigning
• Thorough working knowledge of the UK political system, policy-making and Parliamentary processes, the media and which levers to pull to affect change
• Experience of building relationships with influencers and supporters
• Experience of delivering successful organisation-wide engagement strategies
• Experience of delivering impactful campaigns that influenced legislation, government policy or practice
• Ability to manage people, lead and develop a team of 2
• Experience of working with colleagues of a senior level
• Confidence working with computers – good knowledge of Word, Excel and Outlook
• Excellent personal communication skills, with the ability to communicate with people at all levels face to face and on the phone
• Experience of using the media to maintain pressure on political decision makers
• Ability to assimilate new policy and political issues quickly and make connections between different aspects of influencing
• Ability to write professionally, with an ability to adapt communications for different audiences
• Ability to work with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Good organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workload
• Ability to operate in a fast-moving environment, deal with competing demands and manage time effectively
• Strong negotiation skills
• Professional and hard-working team player
• Outgoing, enthusiastic and able to remain calm under pressure
• Willingness to work outside of regular office hours and overtime during busy spells
• Willingness to travel weekly to London as and when the role requires

Location: Flexible, with regular weekly travel to Granta Park, Nr Cambridge, as well as regular weekly travel to London when required

Salary: Circa £57,500 per annum, plus benefits

Please download the Vacancy Pack for more details.

The closing date for applications is the 4th October 2020, with interviews to be held week commencing the 26th October 2020, with potential dates of the 27th, 28th and 29th October via Microsoft Teams. Please indicate in your cover letter if you are unable to attend on any of these dates.

To be considered, please create an online account using our Online Recruitment System which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies Page. You will be able to attach a CV and covering letter to your application, track your application and view other vacancies that may be of interest.

To view further details about this role and the benefits of working for us please visit the Alzheimer’s Research UK website.