This vacancy has now closed

Top job! Head of Advocacy

  • Full time
  • £55,778
  • Edinburgh/Home Working
  • Closing 29th November 2023


  • Advertised from 14th November 2023
  • Excellent benefits including 30 days holiday and flexible working

Role

Do you have a proven track record of devising, managing and leading successful campaigns to influence Scottish or UK political institutions plus good people management skills? Then join Shelter Scotland as Head of Advocacy and you could soon be leading the team that produces compelling, outcome focused influencing programmes for change that have lived experience and anti-racism at their heart.

About Shelter Scotland

A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet over a million people in Scotland struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change, with individuals, in communities, across society, and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

At Shelter Scotland we are united by our purpose to defend the right to a safe home. Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. We believe that to win that fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement for change. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent.

We have committed to combat racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland and welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

About the Team

Our Communications and Advocacy department promotes Shelter Scotland’s brand and leads our public campaigning and digital communications to achieve change for those that don’t have a safe, secure or affordable home in Scotland. Within it, our Advocacy team is responsible for developing our policy positions at a national and local level and campaigning on housing and homelessness issues aimed at tackling the root causes of Scotland’s housing crisis. It also hosts the Scottish Government funded Scottish Empty Homes Partnership that supports local government Empty Homes Officers and supports local people to bring homes back into meaningful use.

About the role

As Head of Advocacy, you’ll have overall management and operational responsibility for our Policy Advocacy and Supporter Engagement Teams. That will involve line managing and supporting the development of three direct reports, as well as other team members as required. You’ll also get to work closely with the Assistant Director of Communications and Advocacy to set the strategic policy agenda, direction and development for the team. Managing, coordinating and overseeing all outputs from the team and ensuring insight gained from service users, client data trends and expert research, analysis and policy development shape our strategic policy agenda will be key, as will ensuring we are fully GDPR compliant. And, when it comes to deputising for Head of C&P when required on key campaigns and policy matters or acting as a spokesperson for Shelter Scotland’s key issues to the media, key stakeholders and formal institutions, again, we’ll rely on you.

About you

To succeed, you’ll need a senior level understanding of Scotland’s political and public policy scenes, including a detailed working knowledge of the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament and Committee processes. You’ll also need to be knowledgeable about how public policy is made, influenced and shaped. Experience of managing externally funded projects and having budgeting and financial accountability for project deliverables is also required, as is project management experience - especially in a research, political or policy environment. Crucially, you’re used to managing and motivating a diverse team with wide-ranging skill sets and relish the opportunity to champion and drive our future output.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter Scotland helps over half a million people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help.

To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter Scotland please visit our website. Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Application notes

To find out more and apply please visit our website

Closing date: 29th November 2023 at 11.30pm