Senior Policy Officer

Supporting the development and delivery of the Charity’s policy and public affairs programme and working across the Charity so that policy informs and supports all aspects of our work.

1.       CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF JOB:

1. To develop and maintain a good knowledge of political and policy issues, and service developments, relating to elder abuse spanning all four UK nations and internationally, with a particular focus on ageism.
2. To represent the charity in alliances, working and advisory groups, providing advice and information on the nature, extent and issues associated with elder abuse.
3. To lead on the English Advisory group and similar.
4. To evaluate the effectiveness of policies to protect older people from abuse, collaborating with statutory and Third Sector colleagues to establish a UK perspective, and propose methods by which such policies could be improved, contributing to the development of more holistic and integrated services for victims across the UK.
5. To provide direct advice, guidance and information to social policy makers, including appropriate Members of Parliament, responding to demands for information and calls for evidence along with identifying gaps in knowledge and existing service provision.

2.       MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

2.1     FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

2.1.1 To work within authorised spending and purchasing limits, monitoring and controlling individual budgets as required.

2.2      POLICY ACTIVITY

2.1.    To influence and provide direct advice, guidance and information to social policy makers, including appropriate members of parliaments, on the nature, extent and issues associated with elder abuse.

2.2     To represent the charity at key external meetings and to take strategic decisions at those meetings in order to further the charity’s strategies. This may involve advising staff and volunteers on social and health care policy and campaigns To draft policy briefings, newsletters, and other public documents, coordinating and producing robust evidence-based material for submission to Government, parliamentarians, the civil service and other statutory bodies, working to tight external deadlines.

To write policy resources, policy messages including reviews, positions, briefings and blogs for a variety of stakeholders using our website and social m

In conjunction with the Chief Executive, to plan and lead on campaigning and lobbying strategy on policy areas, working with internal and external colleagues and volunteers.

 3.       MEDIA ACTIVITY

3.1      To actively work with the communications agency, identifying opportunities for promotion of the charity, providing any necessary information or research, and acting as a spokesperson for the charity in newspapers, radio and television.

3.2     To represent and promote the work of the Charity at events, conferences and seminars as required.

4.       TRUSTEE BOARD:

4.1     To contribute to and produce reports for the Board of Trustees as required and to speak to them when requested.  To attend meetings of the Board as requested.

5.       HUMAN RESOURCES:

5.1     To provide supervision and/or support to the Research Officer and any volunteers working to the post.

6.       GENERAL:

6.1     To respond appropriately to telephone, written and email enquiries, and maintain own diary (making travel/booking arrangements as necessary).  To travel as required.

6.2     To travel as required. Meetings may be in different parts of the UK, and some meetings may be during evenings or at weekends.

7.      INFORMATION

7.1     To provide information on a weekly basis to ensure that the AEA website is regularly updated, and to directly contribute to the social policy outlets of the charity.

Senior Policy Officer

Person Profile

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, preferably in a relevant field
• Good experience in the voluntary sector or equivalent
• Good understanding of legislative requirements applying to adult protection and domestic abuse;
• Effective communication skills both written and oral
• Proven ability to develop effective relationships with senior staff in statutory agencies, voluntary agencies, regulatory bodies
• Knowledge of major developments in terms of adult care provision, adult protection, domestic abuse and care regulation
• Ability to manage complex and varied workload
• Experience of disseminating research findings
• Experience of working in partnership with other organisations and agencies

General requirements for roles at AEA

• Willingness and ability on occasion to work outside normal office hours and travel within the UK
• Willingness and ability to operate in accordance with the values and policies of AEA
• Willingness and ability to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements
• Commitment to bring into the work the views and needs of people with direct experience of abuse