Policy and engagement officer

🎯 Position: Policy and Engagement Officer

📍 Location: LifeLine House, 25 Neville Road, Dagenham, RM8 3QS

💼 Company: LifeLine Projects

💸 Salary - £25,000 - £27,000

⏰ Hours - 37.5 - Full time


MAIN JOB SUMMARY:


This role is in the centre of a fast-moving, developing organisation – dedicated to strengthening our team, supporting member organisations on the frontline, and assisting with our policy and influencing work as we amplify the voices of faith communities to local and national government.


This is a dynamic role, offering practical support to the FaithAction team in local and national health policy influencing. Working across FaithAction’s Barking and Dagenham Healthwatch and VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance projects, you will need a passion for and interest in health and care policy, as well as a drive to see health inequalities reduced. Healthwatch exists to ensure the voice of residents is fed into local health and care decision making, whilst the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance facilitates strategic input into national health policy via the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England. The role therefore allows a unique view of the development and implementation of health policy in a range of contexts, as well as insight into how this affects patient experience.


The role includes undertaking engagement activities and supporting the team in the development and completion of several health, care and wellbeing related projects. This will be achieved through seeking the views and experiences of stakeholders including residents, community groups, faith organisations, seldom heard communities, NHS and local authorities. This role requires the post holder to capture people’s needs and feedback using several engagement tools and techniques so that these can effectively drive improvements and be used as evidence.


FaithAction is a values-driven organisation, with roots in an East-London faith-based charity. We are passionate about championing the vital role that faith groups play across society and advocating for faith-based partnerships with local and national government. You don’t need to be a person of faith but should understand and be sensitive to the active role that faith plays in inspiring social action.


MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:


1. Assisting with projects from inception to completion, including writing, reviewing, and preparing reports in formats appropriate to contracts. (This will include data analysis).


2. Working across Barking and Dagenham Healthwatch and VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance projects. This may involve reading and digesting communications and reports, assisting with research and “horizon scanning” for further opportunities for influence. Healthwatch exists to ensure the voice of residents is fed into local healthcare decision making, whilst the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance facilitates strategic input into national health policy via the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England. You will need to be willing to understand the changing landscape of public policy, and the role of faith within it.


3. Gathering feedback from stakeholders such as residents, statutory organisations and Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations on a number of issues connected to health, care and wellbeing. You will be required to use several tools and techniques including face-to-face engagement. This will include looking for opportunities to engage with sections of the community whose voices are rarely heard.


4. Serving as 1st point of call for some external stakeholders – including local residents, project partners and policymakers in both national and local contexts. So, you will need to be confident, diligent, and clear in all methods of communication both written and spoken.


5. Supporting the team in relation to the recruitment, retention and mentoring of volunteers, people on work placements and students (this will include arranging and leading volunteers in conducting activities such as Enter & View visits of health and social care premises).


6. You will be required to attend meetings and represent the organisation as required, so will need to be confident in communicating clearly, thinking on your feet and responding to questions and discussion points in real time. You will be required to give presentations to external audiences. Meetings will vary and will include representing the voice of residents and faith-based organisations.


7. There will also be general administrative duties including note taking, maintaining and updating systems utilised across the organisation, event preparation (including sourcing refreshments and materials), phone cover, preparing hard-copy reports for meetings and ensuring timely distribution.



8. All projects produce an e-news bulletin which is sent to registered members, as well as special emails, updates to websites and social media accounts. You will be part of the team that produces this material, researching and writing blogs and updates, proof reading, uploading content to websites, collating news and events and scheduling tweets, ensuring regular and effective communication with the audiences we serve.


9. Networking and building meaningful relationships with the community and stakeholders to create opportunities for engagement, including VCFSE organisations, local authorities, faith organisations and NHS services and commissioners.


10. Involvement in other FaithAction projects and initiatives, as required, including support with national events and general assistance to the wider FaithAction team.


11. This requires flexibility to work outside of standard office hours when necessary, including occasional evenings and weekends. The post holder must be willing to attend regular in-person meetings, participate in site visits, and engage in external events. The position involves regular travel within the London area and occasional travel across the UK.


Please note

The above-mentioned duties are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the line manager, within the grading level of the post and the competency of the post holder.


The details contained in this job description reflect the requirements of the role at the date it was prepared. Over time roles may change, existing duties may no longer be required, and other duties may be gained without changing the general nature of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Consequently, the organisation will expect to revise this job description from time to time and will consult with the post holder at the appropriate time.


QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT:


Education

Educated to degree level or relevant demonstrable experience in policy or engagement roles.


Essential


Experience

· Demonstrate experience of effective engagement.


· Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft word and Outlook.


· Proven planning, time management and organisational skills.


· Experience in research, analysis and report writing.


· Strong interpersonal skills including an ability to enthuse and convince others.


· First class communication skills both verbal and an excellent standard of written English


· Experience of building networks or of developing professional relationships with external partners.


Skills & Abilities


· Ability to work in a fast-paced environment but still maintain excellent attention to detail.


· Proven ability to work well as part of a team.


· Ability to relate to people of diverse backgrounds, ages, and abilities.


· Ability to work in a self-directed fashion, organising own workload and taking initiative as well as working as part of a team


· Able to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively


Knowledge


· An understanding of the Health and Social Care sector or a willingness to work and train to develop knowledge in this area.


Preferred :


Experience

· Experience of organising community events and activities.


· Experience in using social media effectively to drive engagement


· Experience in administration


· Experience of effective engagement


· Experience of working in a similar role in research, policy or engagement


Knowledge


· Knowledge of voluntary sector, including faith-based organisations.


· An understanding or interest in health policy or a willingness to work and train to develop knowledge in this area.