Scottish Women’s Aid has an exciting opportunity to Head up their policy team. This is an influential and dynamic position, where the role holder will be responsible for leading on a diverse range of policy areas and levers for change to end domestic abuse and violence against women and girls in Scotland. They will be a key member of the Senior leadership team and will support and manage a team of policy officers, identify, shape an develop policy priorities, and SWA’s campaigning an advocacy work in line with our strategic objectives. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, the Head of Policy shares responsibility for the leadership of the organisation and the management of people, services and resources. They will also work closely with the Membership, Training and Communications teams.

Background

Scottish Women’s Aid is the lead organisation in Scotland working to end domestic abuse. We are both a children's rights and a women's rights organisation.

• We directly campaign to institutions and leaders for policies and laws that address the drivers of women’s inequality and improve responses to domestic abuse. This work makes women and children safer and helps them disentangle themselves from their abusers.
• We provide training to public and private bodies from the police and judiciary to child welfare systems, to effectively respond to survivors.
• We raise the profile of domestic abuse nationally and internationally so that domestic abuse is treated like the critical threat to human rights that it is.
• We host Scotland’s 24-Hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline to ensure help is always available while actively supporting a network of 33 specialist local Women’s Aid services that directly support and provide refuge to women and children of Scotland affected by domestic abuse
• We are the umbrella organisation for 33 autonomous Women’s Aid groups delivering direct services to women, children and young people across Scotland.

What you’ll do

Working with the Chief Executive, Policy and other teams within SWA, you will develop and implement strategies to achieve key objectives on policy social change. You will provide leadership and line management to the Policy Team to ensure that SWA achieves its strategic objectives. You will collaborate on and direct work including but not limited to; analysis and challenge of government and public policy reports, development of consultation responses, parliamentary briefings, and policy and advocacy materials for a range of audiences. You will build strong relationships and work collaboratively with government officials, other organisations and charities to influence and promote SWA policy and objectives, representing SWA well to target audiences, including government and Parliamentary liaison where you will speak at public events, committees and give evidence.

What We Need

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Experience in a similar role, with strong leadership skills working across a range of complex issues to develop and deliver effective policy and strategy.
• Awareness and understanding of the feminist analysis of domestic abuse and the impact on women, children and young people
• Knowledge and understanding of the UK and Scottish policy and legislative context in relation to violence against women and children and domestic abuse in Scotland, and the environment in which SWA operates, including the opportunities and risks it faces.
• Experience of leading, supporting and managing teams and of providing line management of staff, including the supervision and quality assurance of policy work.
• Excellent written skills, demonstrable track record of leading research, analysis and development of government public policy reports, consultation responses, briefings and advocacy materials
• Communications experience, you’ll be skilled in the ability to engage confidently with a range of different audiences, building maintaining alliances with key stakeholders and speaking with government minsters, MP’s/MSP’s, to committees and at events.

Location

Blend of home working and office, based in Rose Street, Edinburgh. There will be a requirement to attend in-person events and meeting, based predominantly in Edinburgh. Please talk to us about your flexible working requirements!

What we offer

There are many reasons to work for Scottish Women’s Aid. We have a great working culture and our mission and vision attracts a brilliant staff team. Your hard work is rewarded with a package of support and benefits including:

• Flexible working - We offer flexible hybrid working options for the majority of our employees. Some posts are eligible for full-time homeworking. We also offer flexibility for staff and work/life balance through a number of flexible working options such as flexi time, condensed hours, job sharing.
• Pay - SWA are a Living wage employer, our pay and grading system offers a competitive starting salary and yearly progression.
• Annual Leave - We offer a full-time annual leave entitlement of 30 days (210 hours) per year plus 10 Public Holiday days (70 hours) per year. Leave is accrued at the rate of 3.33 days (23.3 hours) per month.
• Pension - SWA believes it's important that we help you save for your retirement so access to Nest pension scheme is given to all eligible employees. SWA contributes 10% of gross contractual earnings on the provision that the employee contributes a minimum of 3% towards their pension contributions.
• Learning and Development - SWA supports and develops staff to ensure they have the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities. There is an internal schedule of training on key skills and knowledge relevant to all staff. There is also scope to attend ad hoc training for employees who are working to develop specific skills.
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay - SWA offers staff who meet the criteria for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) an enhanced maternity pay of 20 weeks on full pay and 20 weeks on half pay.
• Wellbeing - As part of SWA’s commitment to staff wellbeing, staff are offered access to a confidential 24/7 health and Wellbeing service with AIG which provides confidential advice, counselling and legal support to all staff, and where applicable, immediate family members.
• Bike 2 Work - An interest-free loan to purchase a bike, can be arranged up to the value of £1,000.
• Edinburgh Leisure Gym Subsidies - Edinburgh based staff are able to access Edinburgh Leisure facilities for the reduced price of £1 per session.

Positive Action

SWA are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the people we serve.

We are taking positive action to address an under-representation of minoritised and marginalised women within our workforce. We offer Disabled and racially minoritised women the option of requesting that their application is considered under the terms of our Guaranteed Interview Schemes. You will be asked if you wish to be considered when you complete our application form.

Applications will be accepted from women only under Schedule 9, part 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Scottish Women’s Aid is an equal opportunities employer, all women, including women with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, may apply for women-only roles.

If you would like to discuss the job or any adjustments, whether due to disability or any other reason, please contact us on recruitment@womensaid.scot or on the phone on 0131 226 6606.