HEAD OF MEMBERSHIP, EVENTS & COMMUNICATIONS

The Political Studies Association (PSA) exists to develop and promote the study and teaching of politics and related disciplines. Founded in 1950, we are the leading association in our field in the United Kingdom, with an international membership including academics in political science, theorists and practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and students in higher education as well as members from the school community.  

Contract and Salary ; Permanent and Salary Band D (£45k FTE)

Hours: 0.6 or 0.8 FTE i.e. over 3 or 4 days each week

Reports to the PSA’s Chief Executive

Location: All roles are based at our offices in Camden London but the PSA staff work hybrid  and supports its staff to work remotely. Post-holders will be required, however, to come into our offices regularly and The whole team is endeavouring to collaborate in our offices regularly, especially on Wednesdays each week.

Job purpose: The postholder will support our aim to be the leading advocate for and supporter of Political Studies in the UK. Working with the CEO, the rest of the PSA Team and trustees you will lead the association’s membership services, communications, outreach programmes, and events including:  

·        Teaching and Learning Network

·        Postgraduate students and Early Career Network

·        Schools & Student programmes

·        Specialist Groups 

·        Recognising professional contributions including our prizes and awards

·        Advocacy for Political Studies.  

The PSA is the home of Political Studies and in doing so the PSA’s staff and trustees work to bring our community together and advocate its importance to achieve our mission. This role plays a vital role in achieving this.

You will build and sustain a team of motivated and skilled staff and contractors and support them to continuously develop, innovate and enjoy their work. You will reflect the values of sustainability, diversity, advocacy and excellence in everything that you and your team do.

The post-holder will also contribute to the association’s income and membership targets, work within assigned budgets and creatively with partners as well as monitoring and reporting performance to trustees.

Operational priorities in the first year in being in post will include:

·        Embedding a new website and CRM

·        Implementing a new PSA 2025+ Strategic Plan including reviews of our membership offer and specialist groups

·        Delivering the association’s annual conference

·        Recruiting new team members to successfully deliver this strategy.

Team Structure & Context: The post will line manage a team of membership, communications and events personnel including the services of several external expert suppliers. You will also, on occasion, deputise for the CEO.  This role works closely with the Operations & Finance team on governance, budgeting, grants and awards, digital systems and delivery.

Interview: There will be a two-stage interview process, first stage interview with be on either 6th or 8th November via teams and second stage will be in person in Camden on 15th November.

Main responsibilities:

Governance, Strategy and Leadership:

• Work with the PSA’s trustees and PSA team to shape and deliver the PSA’s strategy and annual business plans and support our aim to be the leading advocate and scholarly community for Political Studies in the UK
• Ensure key performance indicators relating to your work area are monitored, reported and used to continuously improve our operations.
• Work with trustees and lead by example to embed the values of sustainability, diversity, advocacy and excellence throughout the organisation
• Lead, support, and motivate staff so they are engaged and committed to delivering the organisation’s culture, values and objectives while meeting their individual potential and enjoying their work
• You will be able to approve expenditure in accordance with the PSA’s Scheme of Delegation and finance policies and procedures
• On occasion, co-ordinate the PSA’s response to government and other consultations and represent the association while engaging stakeholders.

Membership Services and Communications: 

Lead and support your Membership, Events, Communications & Programmes line-reports to develop and deliver the following:

• Devising the PSA’s membership, marketing and communications strategies with the wider PSA Team and trustees so that the association maintains and enhances its profile, size, and impact
• Manage team members and contractors to ensure the development and delivery of these strategies including the organisation’s membership services, codes of conduct, professional standards and package of member benefits
• Work with your team and trustees in shaping our membership offer which supports our members as they progress through their studies and careers. This includes the development and delivery of new membership categories including the PSA Fellowship
• Work with your team members to continuously improve the PSA’s member communications and content ensuring that all web and other digital and printed content and data is timely and good quality. You will ensure an ongoing programme of content and calls for action including promotion of Political Insight magazine and journals, the PSA Blog, e-newsletters, and social media as well as the efficient and effective deployment of the CRM so we can give our members, donors and stakeholders the best experience possible
•  Work with your team to ensure the membership recruitment, renewal and services run smoothly and achieve the continued growth in the association and that expectations are met
• Run the annual academic prizes programme as a part of our PSA member benefits package and in partnership with others including the American Political Science Association and the Academy of Social Sciences
• Support the CEO and Head of Operations and Finance with implementing the PSA’s grant and other support programmes as part of our member benefits package
• Support the PSA’s Chair and CEO on wider engagement with the higher education and learned society sectors including supporting heads of department gatherings and communications. 

Programme Management:

Deliver the PSA’s Schools programme: 

• Support PSA trustees in creating a programme in line with the PSA’s strategy
• Lead team members, suppliers, and partners to deliver this programme to as wide a range of teachers and pupils as possible
• Promote the teaching and study of Politics particularly post-16 and at undergraduate level
• Develop and deliver an offering for teachers and students (particularly post-16 resources and events) involving input from academics in line with PSA Strategy
• Support the PSA’s trustees on engagement and advocacy concerning post-16 curriculum and assessment.

Supporting Students, early career academics and those focussed on higher education teaching and learning: 

• Support your team members in managing member networks including the PSA’s Teaching and Learning Network (TLN) and Early Career Network (ECN), its volunteer convenors (committee members) and programme of communications, resources and events and imbed these as a clear part of our membership offering
• Support your team members in undertaking the election and training of incoming committee members and ensure the development of appropriate procedures and annual actions plans so that they adhere to the byelaws of the association and agreed budgets
• Support the PSA’s trustees with engagement and advocacy concerning Higher Education teaching and learning and the content of Politics courses
• Work with team members to organise and develop the annual PSA undergraduate Conference, and develop a wider programme of work with opportunities to undergraduate students to engage with the PSA  
• With support from the team, ensure the effective operation of the PSA’s family of specialist groups in particular the management and growth of their own membership and communications as well as supporting their events and, in liaison with the Finance Manager, their own income and expenditure
• Work with team members, trustees and association members on the provision of developmental activities including mentoring and training programmes.

Delivering the PSA’s Annual Conference, annual lecture, and other events: 

• Devise in consultation with colleagues and trustees, a conference and events strategy for the organisation aimed to bring our community together, further our strategy and maximise revenues. This should include events supporting all membership types, specialist groups and our networks.
• Manage the team responsible for delivery and ensure productive relationships between staff and suppliers as well as academic and commercial partners
• Develop and manage project budgets including the Annual Conference from inception to completion in consultation with team members and the Operations and Finance Team, reporting to the Chief Executive and Trustees.
• Oversee existing systems to monitor progress and expenditure through the regular scrutiny and review of budgets and project plans, from proposal though implementation and delivery
• Support team members in the delivery of PSA’s annual conference and the wider events programme, ensuring that all of these are of the highest quality and linked to the PSA’s wider strategic priorities ensuring all these events are risk-assessed, insured, delivered cost-effectively, on time and to a high professional standard
• Exploit opportunities to increase membership, profile, reach, and income including sponsorship and advertising as well as opportunities to increase inclusion through technology. This will include you and your team building relationships with potential sponsors, advertisers and exhibitors to maximise the opportunities available at PSA events and in our publications including selling sponsorship/stand/exhibition space to potential exhibitors/partners
• Conduct post-event evaluation to ensure continuous improvement and assess impact
• Ensure a pipeline of future annual conferences and other events through effective engagement with trustees and university Politics departments and other stakeholders.

 Other duties and responsibilities: 

The above role description is not exclusive or exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. All members of staff are required to be professional, co-operative, and flexible in line with the needs of the post and the organisation

• On occasion, this may entail supporting colleagues in work areas outside of this job description including deputising for the CEO
• These duties are subject to change from time to time as determined by business priorities and communicated by the CEO. As and when duties and responsibilities change the job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder
• The post-holder is expected to provide general support in running the PSA offices and line-manage their team members to do likewise
• Compliance with PSA policy including absence, appraisal, health & safety as well as the GDPR.