Public Affairs Manager

Voice 21; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An education-focused organization in City of Westminster is seeking a Public Affairs Manager to enhance its influence with policymakers. The role involves developing public affairs strategies, engaging stakeholders, and delivering effective PR activities to raise the organization's profile. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in public affairs and policy-related work, aiming for impactful change through oracy education.

Qualifications

• Experience in public affairs creating policy impact.
• Proven relationship-building with policymakers.
• Ability to articulate public affairs strategies with measurable goals.

Responsibilities

• Drive Public Affairs strategy and build key relationships.
• Engage with policymakers across various levels.
• Lead public relations activities to enhance visibility.

Skills

Creating tangible policy impact

Building and nurturing relationships

Public affairs strategy development

Delivering eye-catching PR work

Using research for narratives

Communicating externally about policy

Job description

Overview

This is a critical role in the Communications, Campaigns and Public Affairs Department. As Public Affairs Manager, you will support the Head of Communications, Campaigns and Public Affairs to make oracy education ordinary, co-ordinating, project-managing and delivering public affairs work as well as leading public relations work that increases our profile with policy makers. In doing so, you will play an integral role in ensuring all children, regardless of their background, find their voice for success in school and in life. This is a senior role in the Communications, Campaigns and Public Affairs Department, as part of the wider Learning, Impact and Influence Directorate Public Affairs (80%).

Responsibilities

• Drive forward Voice 21's public affairs strategy, building key relationships, understanding and momentum that develops Voice 21's influence with Government and non-parliamentary policy makers, ensuring that we have a meaningful role in shaping an oracy entitlement for every child
• Deliver Public Affairs business as usual work, for example; organising school visits, leading political and parliamentary monitoring, stakeholder mapping and horizon-scanning and organising events in parliament and at party conferences
• Work with policy makers on local, regional and national levels to influence schools, multi-academy trusts and local authorities
• Engage and manage stakeholders and other key people across and beyond the organisation who work with the Learning, Impact and Influence directorate to leverage relationships in pursuit of our organisational strategy and mission
• Lead on Voice 21's role as secretariat to the Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)
• Produce / co-produce consultation responses, blogs, internal and external briefings, parliamentary questions and other related communications in line with our content strategy
• Act as an internal expert consultant on public affairs, decision makers and implementation of our agenda
• Deliver public relations activity to raise our profile and support our brand, including through awards, events and speaking engagements
• Spot reactive communications opportunities in line with the public affairs strategy
• Within 1 month, you'll have: started building strong working relationships with the team, warm policy makers and sector partners
• Within 1 month, you'll have: created a database of influential school leaders
• Within 1 month, you'll have: helped refine our policy asks in key areas into easy-to-communicate goals
• Within 3 months, you'll have: used analysis and polling to build reports on key advocate groups who can help spread our messages
• Within 3 months, you'll have: launched our Oracy APPG
• Within 3 months, you'll have: refined our monitoring and reactive opportunity spotting systems
• From 6 months onwards, you'll have: worked with our research team to map the state of play regarding oracy in policy at local and national levels
• From 6 months onwards, you'll have: migrated our contract tracking to Salesforce and expanded it to capture relationships at local and national levels
• From 6 months onwards, you'll have: developed a public profile among education policy makers

Qualifications / Experience

• Have experience in these areas
• Creating tangible policy impact through public affairs activity
• Building and nurturing relationships with policy makers at national, regional and local levels
• Creating public affairs strategies with clear objectives and KPIs
• Delivering eye-catching PR work such as award entries, speaking events and receptions
• Using research to create strong and compelling narratives
• Communicating externally about policy positions
• Ability to form excellent working relationships, internally & externallY with sector colleagues
• You may also have experience in these areas
• Relevant experience in and a strong understanding of the education sector

Reporting lines

Reporting to : Head of Communications, Campaigns and Public Affairs

Voice 21 believes that every voice should be heard and valued. We are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.