Permanent Human Rights Jobs in Yorkshire And The Humber
Join Fawcett Society as Head of Policy, Research and Advocacy
£40,800 for 4 days a week, permanent contract (£51,000 per year FTE)
Are you a passionate advocate for gender equality with the strategic insight to drive real-world change? Do you want to shape policy and research that dismantles the barriers facing women and girls across the UK? The Fawcett Society is seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead our evidence-based policy, research, and advocacy work.
About The Fawcett Society
We are the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of creating a fairer society where women and girls in all their diversity can fulfil their potential. Through cutting-edge research, impactful advocacy, and the strength of our members, we continue to drive the agenda for gender equality in the UK.
The Role
As Head of Policy, Research, and Advocacy, you’ll lead a dedicated team in delivering high-impact, evidence-led research projects and campaigns that influence policymakers, challenge inequalities, and create meaningful, lasting change. You will be the public face of Fawcett’s policy work, representing us at events, in the media, and engaging with politicians across the political spectrum.
Key responsibilities include:
- Strategically leading Fawcett’s research and policy advocacy, ensuring a focus on intersectionality and the voices of women most affected by inequality.
- Delivering influential, data-driven research that shapes national conversations and informs our campaigns.
- Building partnerships and coalitions with stakeholders across the political, academic, and voluntary sectors to maximise our impact.
- Managing and developing a high-performing team, including overseeing project budgets and contributing to fundraising efforts.
Who We’re Looking For
You are an experienced policy professional with a deep understanding of gender equality issues in the UK. You have a proven track record of engaging at a senior level within Parliament, influencing decision-makers, and developing evidence-based solutions to complex policy problems.
As a leader, you’re collaborative and inspiring, committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and anti-racism both within your team and across the organisation. You bring creativity, strategic thinking, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, from policymakers to the media.
We welcome applications from:
- Those seeking flexible working options, including job-share or compressed hours.
- Candidates from outside London who are willing to travel into Westminster for key meetings.
We particularly encourage applications from disabled candidates, older candidates, and Black and racially minoritised candidates, who are currently underrepresented in our organisation.
Location: Remote working is welcome, but regular meetings in Westminster are required. (Remote candidates will need to cover their travel costs to London)
Contract: Permanent, subject to a three-month probation period.
If you’re ready to lead transformative policy and advocacy work that makes a difference in the lives of women and girls, we want to hear from you!
Apply now and be part of the change.
For more details about the role and how to apply, visit our website.
Our vision is a society in which women and girls in all their diversity are equal and truly free to fulfill their potential
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Join Fawcett Society as Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer
£27,200 for 4 days a week, permanent contract (£34,000 per year FTE)
Are you passionate about influencing policy and advocating for gender equality? Do you want to shape key conversations in Parliament and government to create real change for women and girls? The Fawcett Society is looking for a driven and politically astute Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer to join our Policy and Campaigns team and help push for transformative policy change.
About The Fawcett Society
The Fawcett Society is the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights. We strive to create a society where women and girls in all their diversity can thrive and fulfil their potential. Through cutting-edge research, impactful campaigns, and the strength of our members, we drive the national conversation on gender equality.
The Role
As Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer, you will develop and deliver Fawcett’s engagement with Parliament, government, and other key stakeholders. You’ll use evidence-based research to identify the policy changes that will improve the lives of women and girls across the UK and work to ensure politicians and policymakers take up those ideas. You will play a key role in writing reports, consultation responses, and briefing papers that shape parliamentary discussions, while also empowering our members and supporters to participate in political campaigns.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing and managing relationships with key political contacts, including MPs, civil servants, and party members, to further Fawcett’s policy recommendations.
- Supporting the development and delivery of Fawcett’s public affairs strategy, including responding to Bills and Select Committee inquiries.
- Drafting reports, press releases, and consultation responses, ensuring timely and persuasive policy communication.
- Organising stakeholder events, such as the Women’s Caucus, to engage political leaders, employers, and civil society.
- Empowering Fawcett members and supporters to engage in political advocacy, from writing to MPs to attending protests.
Who We’re Looking For
You have at least two years of experience in a policy or public affairs role, with a deep understanding of the UK political landscape and a commitment to gender equality. You are a creative problem-solver with the ability to quickly digest complex information, make persuasive arguments, and build relationships with diverse stakeholders. You thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and have a proven ability to lead projects and campaigns.
We welcome applications from:
- Candidates who seek flexible working options, including job-share or compressed hours.
- Those based outside of London who are willing to travel into Westminster for key meetings.
We particularly encourage applications from disabled candidates, older candidates, and Black and racially minoritised candidates, who are currently underrepresented in our organisation.
Location: Remote working is welcome, with regular meetings in Westminster.
Contract: Permanent, subject to a three-month probation period.
If you’re ready to influence policy and advocate for gender equality, we’d love to hear from you!
Apply now and be part of the movement for change.
Our vision is a society in which women and girls in all their diversity are equal and truly free to fulfill their potential
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
ABOUT GLAN
The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) works with affected communities to pursue innovative legal actions across borders to challenge states and other powerful actors involved in human rights violations and systemic injustice. Our actions address the most pressing instances of human rights concern and they fall within the following themes: War and occupation; accountability and supply chains; environmental and economic justice; and migration and border violence.
Since our establishment in 2016, we have developed legal strategies directly addressing human rights impacts in over 23 countries and territories. Our cases include the successful legal challenge against imports of cotton produced with forced labour in Xinjiang (East Turkistan) into the UK on behalf of World Uyghur Congress and the climate case against 32 European States before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, brought on behalf of six Portuguese youth-applicants.
More recently, we have supported the preeminent Palestinian human rights organisation Al Haq, to rapidly challenge UK weapons exports to Israel due to the risk of these arms being used in violations of international law.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As the Head of Strategic Communications at GLAN, you will spearhead the development and execution of a comprehensive communications strategy that amplifies GLAN's mission and impact on a global scale.
You will lead the strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of all communications efforts to enhance the organisation's brand, increase public awareness, and support advocacy and fundraising initiatives.
A key part of your role will be to establish GLAN's voice and brand, ensuring it resonates with diverse audiences. You will lead on improving our website and communications style, producing high quality content and ensuring consistent and compelling messaging across all platforms.
By fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders, including the media, partners, and the affected communities we support you will play a crucial role in advancing GLAN's vision to challenge injustice through innovative legal strategies.
Reporting directly to the CEO you will form part of the Senior Leadership Team to drive organisational growth & development; looking beyond your immediate communications responsibilities.
This is an exciting time to join GLAN. We are seeking a Head of Strategic Communications to build an ambitious communications strategy focused on some of the biggest human rights and climate change issues of our time. At this point in time, the team is small with some budget to work with external freelancers, consultants or agencies. We are looking for someone to grow with GLAN; joining us with a communications team of two and developing your team in the years to come. You should recognise that in the short to medium term, the role will involve some hands-on responsibilities until such time that we can expand the team.
KEY RESPONSIBITIES
Communications Strategy
- Align cross-media communication strategies with thematic goals to maximise success across all initiatives. Develop campaign & advocacy communications which will influence change.
- Collaborate with project delivery teams across GLAN to ensure a consistent calendar of communications, highlighting all key areas of work.
- Lead and mentor a high-performing communications and advocacy team, currently including a Campaigns Coordinator.
- Create and manage the departmental budget in alignment with the overall communications strategy.
- Utilise data and insights to map and analyse audience behaviour, informing and optimising communication activities.
- Monitor and evaluate the success of campaigns, tracking performance against strategic KPIs.
GLAN brand
- Oversee the review and redesign of the organisation's website to enhance user experience and engagement.
- Champion and promote the use of GLAN's brand among colleagues, fostering a unified brand identity.
- Develop a strong brand presence and establish comprehensive brand guidelines that reflect GLAN’s core values, emphasising the voices of affected communities in all communications.
Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
- Serve as a key member of the senior management team, contributing to strategic decision-making and organisational planning.
- Represent the organisation externally at events, conferences, and meetings.
- Prepare communications updates and reports to the Board and relevant committees Work with SLT to improve impact measurement across GLAN.
- External stakeholders Be a Face of GLAN; building & cultivating tactical relationships and networks
- Develop a robust relationship management system to enhance engagement with key press contacts, partner organisations, related networks, and other critical stakeholders.
GENERAL RESPONSBILITIES
- Undergo ongoing training to stay updated with changes and new developments in the legal field.
- Always conduct yourself in an ethical and professional manner. Adhere to all company policies and procedures.
- Undertake any other reasonable task or duty as may be assigned by the Director, Chief Operations Officer, Senior Lawyers or Board of Trustees.
POSITIVE ACTION STATEMENT
We regret that GLAN’s workforce is currently not representative of society. We seek excellence in our team, and we are aware that in not attracting diversity, we are missing exceptional candidates. We are looking to expand on the range of experiences and perspectives of our colleagues, as we believe this will better serve the people we represent. We especially invite applications from those with knowledge of the language, culture, and political environment of countries in the Global Majority, particularly those in which we currently work.
BENEFITS
You are likely to join the Global Action Network because you are passionate about our work. But here are some other great reasons to work with us:
- Salary £50,000 - £55,000
- Home working
- We’ll enrol you in a pension scheme, with 3% contribution from GLAN if you put in at least 5%.
- We have access to an Employee Assistance Programme.
- 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and three days gifted between Christmas and New Year
- Enhanced maternity, paternity & adoption pay
- Enhanced compassionate & bereavement leave
- Paid wellbeing leave
- Access to co-working spaces
- Homeworking allowance (as per HMRC guidelines)
- Potential for sabbatical leave to support staff who wish to take time away from work to pursue travel, study or other personal life changes
QUALIFICATIONS
A degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline.
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- At least 5 years’ experience in a senior communications position with overall responsibility for organisational strategy design and delivery
- Experience in developing and implementing campaign based communications strategies, advocating and influencing change Line management and team development including KPI setting in line with strategy
- Brand identity and development Experience of maximising campaign success and creating compelling media assets on a small budget
- Experience of monitoring and evaluating multichannel communications and presenting this data as a tool to optimise communications
- Experience working with external agencies
Desirable
- A progressive communications style empowering the communities we support.
SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate and tailor content effectively for different formats and audiences and with high levels of accuracy and attention to detail
- Proven ability to meet tight individual and group deadlines and to manage one’s own workload through effective prioritisation, time management and organisational skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to spark collaboration with external and internal stakeholders
- Works well to deadlines
Desirable
- Experience of developing communications strategies for small NGOs
- Experience of, and interest in human rights and environmental issues
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
GLAN is a homebased organisation. It is expected you will have an appropriate space, free from distraction, to carry out your duties. You will be required to attend semi-regular meetings & events.
GLAN VALUES
GLAN has a set of core values. As a Lawyer you would be required to uphold these values through some of the examples below:
Community Centred
- Ensure effective development & delivery of communication strategies & plans that contribute to our vision and mission, ensuring our communications feature the voices and issues faced by the communities we support.
Partnership Focused
- Building and maintaining key relationships internally and with press, partners, networks and communities.
- Experienced in coordinating communication campaigns with external networks.
Radical
- Committed to deep, systemic change rather than superficial fixes both in how we work and how we run our organisation.
- We strive to dismantling systems of oppression that perpetuate racial and class inequalities within our organisation and the communities we serve.
Creative
- Bold, innovative, and creative in the identification, development and communication of our work.
Tenacious
- Build long term case strategies to persist in awareness raising and maximising support for our cases.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Salary: £42,453 starting salary (salary range will increase due to max £45,539 via the length of service). Plus £4190 Inner London Weighting if based in London per annum (pro rata where applicable).
Contract: Permanent basis
Hours: Full-Time 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks)
Location: Any Refugee Action Office: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford. We will consider a UK-based hybrid working option. Some travel to our London office will be required.
Our vision is that refugees and asylum seekers will be welcome in the UK. They will get justice, live free of poverty, and be able to successfully rebuild their lives.
Applying for this role – please read:
Applications for this role are only* open to people who identify as having lived experience of forced displacement due to war, invasion, persecution or human rights abuses
(This also includes British nationals living/working overseas who have been forced to leave due to war, invasion, persecution or human rights abuses)
*Current Refugee Action employees with and without lived experience, are eligible to apply.
About Refugee Action
Refugee Action exists to work with refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We are a national charity with more than 40 years’ experience of empowering people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes to secure the protection and support that they need to live with dignity and respect and build a new life in the UK. We do this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of partner organisations and campaigning on the policies that affect them.
About the role
This role will be responsible leading on the digital communications and content strategy focussing on developing fundraising messaging and digital influencing campaigns in an integrated way across all related channels to drive forward our ambitious fundraising and campaigns plans.
As part of the award-winning Fundraising and Brand team at Refugee Action, you will help create and implement bespoke supporter journeys across multiple online platforms with the aim of significantly raising our online presence, increasing donations, inspiring change and supporting the organisation’s growth. You will be a critical bridge between the Campaigns and the Comms & Digital teams, ensuring that our strategies are aligned and insights based. You will have the opportunity to create content, marketing materials and strategically manage social media and web operations for Refugee Action at a critical and exciting time.
To succeed in the role you will need to demonstrate:
- Proven ability to lead strategic digital content creation and understanding of the importance of emotional storytelling to successful fundraising and campaigning.
- Strong creative content development and strategy skills, including experience with Adobe Creative Software or similar (demonstrable video and image editing skills).
- Knowledge and experience of developing, delivering and managing specialised digital activism plans for campaigning.
- Knowledge and experience of campaigning and activism: knowledge of campaigning methods and tactics and a good understanding of what motivates people to take action.
- Commitment to removing barriers to power for people with lived experience, and commitment to anti-racist practices.
- Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it.
- Strong understanding of how campaigning can achieve change and shift power.
- Strong understanding of the role of digital tactics in the development and execution of campaign and fundraising strategies.
- Extensive experience of developing strategic digital communications within a charity or not-for-profit organisation with the aim of digital mobilisation.
- Experience of developing and implementing digital acquisition strategies across various channels, with a view to increasing donations.
- Thorough understanding of the digital landscape, and emerging trends in web and social technology.
- Good knowledge of website content management systems and Engaging Networks or a similar platform.
- Understanding of branding and core design principles.
- Experience of leadership skills and understanding of how to motivate a team and support the development of direct reports.
- Ability to build good working relationships across teams within a culture of generous collaboration.
- Understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to work with people from a range of different cultures.
Closing date: 23:59 on 6th October 2024
Interviews: 17th October 2024 (on Zoom)
Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.
This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List. If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.
You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:
- Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations
- Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education
We are currently campaigning for people seeking asylum to have the right to work in the UK, see our Lift the Ban campaign here.