External Affairs Lead

Can you help us champion the cause of low-income households?

Closing date: Friday 1st November 2024.

The cost-of-living crisis has hit lower income households hard. Many are using high cost credit to meet the cost of essentials. Many are weighed down by debt problems.

We're a registered charity on a mission to improve the way that credit is provided and create better support and solutions for people who are struggling with debt. We conduct high quality research and test out innovative solutions. We're now seeking an External Affairs Lead to ensure we achieve maximum impact.

Working with our Chief Executive, you'll be responsible for developing and implementing our stakeholder engagement strategy and will lead our external communications and engagement, including with respect to Parliamentarians, regulators, funders, and the media. 

This a key position in our small but developing organisation, and the role requires a deep commitment to our mission and values. The successful applicant will have a wide range of skills and experience, including with respect to stakeholder engagement, marketing and communications, effective team working and project management.  

Job Description

Salary Range: £38,000 to £45,000. 

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week. Consideration will be given to four day working and other flexible arrangements. 

Pension: Company pension scheme with NEST, with employer contributions at 6% of salary. 

Term: Fixed for 12 months, with an intention to extend. 

Reporting to: Chief Executive. 

Location: Remote, but with a requirement to attend physical team planning meetings four times per year in locations around the UK (expenses covered).

Probationary period: 6 months. 

Duties and Responsibilities  

• Helping to develop our policy positions and approaches, including by preparing draft papers on public policy issues. 

• Designing and implementing communications and policy campaigns, developed in conjunction with other members of CfRC’s staff team. 

• Supporting launches of CfRC publications by drafting and distributing media releases, utilising social media, and creating clear engagement plans, identifying which stakeholders to engage with and how that can best be achieved. 

• Drafting briefings, speaking points and speeches concerning CfRC positions for internal/external stakeholders. 

• Representing CfRC in the media and at key external meetings including in Westminster. 

• Helping to develop, and subsequently implement our overarching stakeholder strategy, including by monitoring and reporting its outcomes. 

• Horizon scanning and working closely with other CfRC staff to analyse legislative/policy/ research initiatives impacting our priorities. 

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience 

University Degree (2:1 or above), or equivalent experience, in a relevant field such as Public Policy, Political Science, or wider social sciences (Essential).

Experience of stakeholder management: you have experience of building a stakeholder network and maintaining this. You will be able to design tailored and creative plans of how to best liaise with stakeholders and promote CfRC and its objectives (Essential).

Experience of running media (including social media) campaigns (Essential).

Experience of working with stakeholders, including Parliamentarians and Government, with respect to poverty/ low-income issues (Desirable).

Skills 

Demonstrated project management skills: able to develop a plan, drive forward progress with stakeholders, incorporating their feedback, and ensuring plans remain on track (Essential).

Initiative and Collaborative: you are able to work on your own initiative and also collaborate effectively with others as part of a team (Essential).

Excellent communication skills, verbal and written. You have a proven ability to communicate with stakeholders at all levels, write clear and tone-appropriate briefs, and engaging copy for different stakeholder channels (Essential).

Knowledge 

Knowledge of current policy issues relating to credit use, financial exclusion, and debt amongst lower income households (Desirable).

Knowledge of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice (Essential).