Policy and Campaigns Trainee; Occasional volunteers

Transcription

1 Job Description Job title Reporting to (post) Responsible for line managing (posts) Grade Department/section Senior Local Campaigns Officer Parliamentary Manager Policy and Campaigns Trainee; Occasional volunteers Grade D of Mind s salary scales External Relations Hours of work 35 hours per week, full time Located at Stratford Type of contract Fixed term to March 2016 Purpose of job We re Mind, the mental health charity. We won t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect. We provide advice and support to empower anybody experiencing a mental health problem and we campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. Mind employs over 200 staff and we have a team of volunteers. Most staff are based in Stratford, London, there is an office in Cardiff and Manchester and there are a number of dispersed staff working across England and Wales. You will responsible for key strands of local campaigning activity. This will involve working closely with our local Mind network and campaigners to influence local decisions makers such as clinical commissioning groups, mental health trusts, and local authorities. In addition you will work with colleagues in the Policy and Campaigns team and across the wider External Relations department to ensure that Mind s campaigners are engaged and provided with opportunities to contribute to our work. You will carry out both of these tasks in order to ensure the rights, needs and priorities of people with mental health problems are heard. Scope of the job You will be responsible for taking forward Mind s local campaigning work, to ensure that our national priorities filter down to local decision makers.

2 You will deliver a project supporting local Minds to recruit their own service user campaign ambassadors and work in collaboration with them to deliver a local campaign. You will also work with other members of the Policy and Campaigns team to identify and engage with key local stakeholders like Clinical Commissioning Groups, Health and Wellbeing Boards, and local Healthwatch, as well as local councillors and, in order to campaign for positive change and champion the rights and views of people with mental health problems. You will sit within the Policy and Campaigns team and work closely with all members of the team, as well as the broader External Relations department (Communications, Media, Information and Legal) and across the organisation, particularly the Networks and Communities department, the Fundraising department, and Mind Cymru. You will also work with Mind s networks, including its local Minds, and members and campaigners, many of whom have mental health problems. Mind aims to ensure that the needs and interests of people with mental health problems, women and black and minority ethnic communities, disabled people and lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and people of all ages are reflected in all its activities. You will be expected to contribute to this aim. Key responsibilities 1. To deliver, evaluate and budget for a project that enables people with lived experience to campaign alongside their local Mind on issues that are in line with our strategic goals. 2. To work with colleagues to establish effective relationships with key external stakeholders, organisations and local influencers including local authorities, Clinical Commissioning Groups, local Health Watch. 3. To work with other members of the Policy and Campaigns team, the External Relations department and Mind Cymru to ensure that our local and national campaigns are coordinated and that Mind s campaigners are given every opportunity to engage with our work. 4. To keep abreast of the current political climate in relation to regional devolution and, in conjunction with members of the policy and campaigns team, understand the impact for Mind and look for opportunities to further Mind s objectives. 5. To plan, organize, implement, and evaluate a variety of events designed to influence local stakeholders, e.g. roundtable discussions, visits, and conferences. 6. To engage people with mental health problems in all aspects of your work as appropriate and to deal tactfully and sensitively with people with mental health problems. 7. To represent Mind externally with individual stakeholders and organizations and at external events and as directed to act as a media spokesperson. 8. To supervise the Policy and Campaigns Trainee and their work to develop a toolkit for campaigners.

3 9. To establish effective working relationships and good rapport with colleagues across the organization. 10. To ensure project budgets are monitored effectively and expenditure is reported back to funders in line with their requirements as appropriate. 11. Ensure that Mind s contact management system is kept up to date 12. To undertake other duties that may from time to time be necessary, that are compatible with the nature and grade of this post. EXPECTATIONS A) To attend and contribute to the supervision and appraisal process and to team meetings. B) To ensure that all responsibilities and activities within this post are consistent with the terms and spirit of Mind s Equal Opportunities policy. C) To attend and contribute to Mind staff training and any other training identified as appropriate for the role. D) To travel to meetings in England and Wales, this may require the need for overnight stay. E) To occasionally work unsociable hours, e.g. attending evening or weekend meetings or travel outside London. F) The nature of the post will require flexibility in undertaking the role. G) To contribute towards making Mind a greener workplace

4 Mind Person specification: Senior Local Campaigns Officer Essential criteria Experience 1. Significant experience of working in a local or national campaigns role. 2. Demonstrable experience of engaging service users and/or campaigners in your work. 3. Demonstrable ability to establish personal credibility, and experience of developing and effective working relationships with individuals with differing perspectives and agendas. 4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including verbal, written, negotiation and persuasion skills. 5. Knowledge of current health, social and/or disability policy areas, including new local decision making structures, and awareness of how they impact on mental health. 6. Demonstrable understanding of UK political environment, local and national government structures and decision-making, and experience of influencing them. 7. Demonstrable experience of developing, carrying out and evaluating strategies for achieving change. 8. Ability to project manage, including planning, implementing, over-seeing and evaluating multiple projects to meet agreed deadlines and targets. 9. Ability to understand and analyse complex information and policy documents, and pick out salient points to communicate to relevant audiences. 10. Good team working skills, including understanding the role and demands of working with others, and of having a flexible approach to collaborative working. 11. Empathy with Mind s aims and values, including an understanding of and commitment to Mind s equal opportunity policy. 12. Excellent computer skills including using Microsoft office, databases, and use of internet, and understanding of campaigning software such as Engaging Networks and Charity Willingness to undertake occasional travel to work some unsocial hours.

5 Desirable criteria 1. Experience of supervising staff and/or volunteers. 2. Knowledge of mental health related policy issues. 3. Direct or indirect experience of mental health problems.