Overview
Job Title: External Affairs Officer
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £35,641.63 (£39,226.75 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday
Location: London / Liverpool / Hybrid
Please attach a current CV and covering letter. Riverside recruits to potential, not just on skills and experience, so apply even if you don\'t meet all the essential criteria.
The difference you will make as an External Affairs Officer
You’ll be joining a high-performing and politically engaged external affairs team that sits at the centre of the organisation in the Corporate Services department. This role plays a crucial part in the organisation’s influencing and public affairs strategy, by tackling some of the biggest issues facing housing associations at a vital and exciting time for the sector with a new Government in place. You will be instrumental in driving forward our public affairs and media work by building strong relationships with key stakeholders, creating compelling content and enhancing our reputation, placing Riverside as one of the strongest and most respected voices in the sector.
You’ll have the freedom and backing of your team to make this role your own, from influencing activities to media relations and everything in between, you’ll have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the social housing and homelessness sectors and help shape Government policy to transform lives.
Role Profile
Role Requires You To
* Support the execution of a public affairs strategy with the External Affairs and Policy team, helping the Group deliver its corporate objectives and transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across the country.
* Maintain up-to-date knowledge of policy developments in housing and care sectors at a national level in England and Scotland to support influencing work with national Government, regional authorities, and local authorities.
* Work with colleagues to establish clear positions on key policy areas, enabling Riverside to articulate messages for external and internal audiences and respond to political events.
* Collaborate with the Strategy and Communications Department to optimise external and internal channels for key messages.
* Provide timely and accurate responses to media enquiries in collaboration with the EA team, wider strategy and communications department, and senior directors.
* Work with our media relations partner and PR agency to identify opportunities for proactive media pieces and deliver media relations campaigns that develop the brand and reflect our values.
* Pitch positive news stories and secure coverage in local and trade media.
* Engage with colleagues and customers to understand real-life experiences and tell compelling stories through political and media campaigns.
* Identify and maintain a database of key influencers and cultivate relationships with parliamentarians and other politicians.
* Develop and manage the delivery of high-quality briefings to senior leaders using our political monitoring software.
* Support the Group to deliver key media, public affairs, and research projects, including through membership organisations.
* Maintain links with public affairs specialists in the housing sector and opportunities for collaborative working.
* Develop succinct briefing material for campaigning, media and influencing activities, including Parliamentary briefings, consultation responses, case studies and blogs.
* Undertake lobbying activities and engagement with key political contacts and stakeholders, including attending meetings, conferences, and events as Riverside’s representative.
* Support stakeholder engagement events such as roundtables, policy briefings, visits, and conferences, sharing insights to support the public affairs strategy.
* Manage proactive and reactive social media channels and campaigns to meet influencing strategy goals.
* Support general administration tasks for the External Affairs and Policy team and undertake other duties as defined by the Head of External Affairs and Policy.
Person specification
Essential
* An interest in the housing and care and support sectors.
* A positive, energetic, can-do attitude that demonstrates Riverside’s values.
* Experience in public affairs, public policy, external affairs, parliamentary research, media relations, or journalism.
* Strong political awareness and a good understanding of government.
* Experience working with social media platforms.
* Comfortable and confident working with senior leaders.
* Experience drafting briefings, press releases, and corporate responses related to policy announcements.
* Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for a range of external audiences.
* A self-motivated individual capable of overseeing projects from inception to completion.
* Experience working in a collaborative team environment to achieve project aims and objectives.
* Demonstrable experience creating clear, concise, accessible materials.
Desirable
* Experience in a housing-related or not-for-profit environment.
* Experience within Parliament, a political party, or strong knowledge of party politics.
* Experience in public affairs or public relations agencies.
* Experience planning and delivering integrated public affairs or engagement campaigns.
* Relevant political contacts or ability to build and maintain networks.
About Us
Riverside is a leading not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisation, owning or managing around 75,000 homes across the UK. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, with a track record spanning over 90 years. We plan to build over 15,000 affordable homes in the next decade.
Our Values and Behaviours
Creating an Inclusive Environment
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