Parliamentary Affairs Officer

Parliamentary Affairs Officer

Do you want to influence politicians and decisions makers on how they can benefit people with a learning disability? Do you have a good understanding of parliamentary processes? Great, we may have an exciting role for you. 

Mencap are recruiting for a Parliamentary Affairs Officer on a full time (37.5 hours per week) permanent contract. We are flexible with where you do your work, but we would love you to work in our London office once a week, more if you wish to.

Your primary role as a Parliamentary Affairs Officer is to support our work in Parliament and across Whitehall by helping to build and maintain relationships with MPs, Peers, Ministers and Civil Servants. You will work to actively bring the lived experience of people with a learning disability and their families into the heart of parliamentary debate as well as to the ear of key decision makers. You will be working with the Public Affairs and Parliamentary Manager on briefings, legislative work, and parliamentary engagement as well as aiding the organisation of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Learning Disability.

We are an equitable, diverse and inclusive organisation and we particularly welcome and encourage disabled applicants and those from the Black and Asian communities to apply for the role as they are under-represented within the workforce.

What will the Parliamentary Affairs Officer do?

• Contribute to delivering Mencap’s public affairs strategy in Westminster, including briefings for debates and questions and influencing bills.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including MPs, Peers, Ministers and their staff as well as Civil Servants, stakeholders and coalitions across the charity sector.
• Monitor Parliamentary business, highlight opportunities to build Mencap’s influence and identify developments that might negatively impact the charity or people with a learning disability.
• Work with colleagues across Mencap to design and deliver Parliamentary elements of Mencap’s campaigns.
• Support people with a learning disability to engage with Parliamentarians through the APPG on Learning Disability and to meet with MPs.

What you will bring

• A commitment to improving the lives of people with a learning disability
• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and external partners
• The confidence to challenge senior decision makers and influencers
• A good understanding of parliamentary processes and how to influence them

Your experience

• Experience or a good understanding of how to engage with Parliamentarians and Civil Servants and the legislative process.
• Strong written and oral communications skills and ability to tailor messaging for different audiences
• Experience of working with colleagues across different teams

Please apply now with an up to date CV. This role will close on Thursday 24th October and interviews will take place shortly afterwards.

Benefits

As well as knowing that what we do is making a positive difference to people’s lives, you will receive fair pay and have access to a wide range of rewards and benefits as one of our employees.

• 24 days holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing with long service plus the ability to buy up to another 10 days via our HolidayPlus scheme
• Service related sick pay when 6 month probation is completed
• Eligibility to join Mencap Pension Plan where Mencap matches contributions up to 5% on a salary sacrifice basis meaning NI savings. If you don’t join the Plan you start, you will be auto-enrolled after three months with us.
• Membership of Mencap Pension Plan to include up to 3 times salary death in service live cover AND Income Protection of 50% salary to be triggered at 26 weeks of long term sickness
• Discounts and cashback from 3% to 30% at high street shops including major super markets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via Mencap Extras
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc.
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support

*T&C's apply based on contract

About Mencap

We work in partnership with people with a learning disability, and all our services support people to live life as they choose. Everyone wants a purposeful job - to do something meaningful. At Mencap, we can give you that. You will have opportunities to develop as a person, colleague, leader and activist. We want to make you feel inspired to reach your potential. 

Our work includes;

• Providing high-quality, flexible services that allow people to live as independently as possible in a place they choose
• Providing advice through our help lines and web sites