Parentkind is a national charity working with more than 23,500 Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), Parent Councils and Schools. We are the voice of parents in policy making.

We are an ambitious organisation and we are looking for an ambitious and highly motivated individual to support our work in Westminster and Whitehall. The successful candidate will have demonstrable experience of public affairs, advocacy and/or working in a policy environment.

We are looking for an ambitious and motivated individual able to take on responsibility and lead our work in this important area.

The role will involve:

• Managing the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Parents to make this one of the most high profile APPGs in Parliament.
• Organising events to communicate our research, including roundtables, lunches/dinners and launch events in Westminster.
• Leading our political and policy stakeholder engagement activity to ensure we have strong relationships where they matter.
• Dissemination of our research to political and policy audiences to ensure our research is seen by the right people.
• Support our parent research, including polling of parents and making policy recommendations based on this research.

As a UK wide charity, you will be expected to support our work in other parts of the UK and the devolved administrations.

We would particularly welcome candidates who can demonstrate some media experience, including writing press releases and placing stories with national media outlets.

Duties and key responsibilities

Managing the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Parents.

• Developing a plan for the APPG to achieve our ambition of making this one of the most high profile APPGs in Parliament.
• Raising the profile of the APPG for Parents and increasing the number of MPs and peers engaged with its work.
• Organising well attended APPG meetings and events.
• Providing the secretariat to the APPG and working with the Officers to deliver the work of the Group.

Organising events to communicate our research, including roundtables, lunches/dinners and launch events in Westminster.

• Manage and organise research/policy led events with political/policy audiences, including roundtables, lunches/dinners and launch events.
• Increase attendance at these events to make sure we are successfully engaging with political/policy audiences.

Leading our political and policy stakeholder engagement activity to ensure we have strong relationships where they matter.

• Developing our stakeholder database of priority contacts.
• Actively arranging high value meetings to promote Parentkind.
• Maintaining a consistent level of communication with political/policy audiences on behalf of Parentkind.

Dissemination of our research to political and policy audiences to ensure our research is seen by the right people.

• Taking responsibility for high quality dissemination of our research and evidence to political/policy audiences.

Support our parent research, including polling of parents and making policy recommendations based on this research.

• Working across the organisation to support our parent polling activity with engaging and topical questions.
• Support the development of policy recommendations based on our research.
• Writing concise and compelling briefing documents.

Person specification:

Experience:

Essential:

• Significant experience of working in a policy or political environment in Westminster.
• Experience of organising policy led events such as roundtables, dinners/lunches, panel events and report launches.
• Experience of (or a good understanding of) the work of All Party Parliamentary Groups in the UK Parliament.
• Experience of (or a good understanding of) Parliamentary business and processes, including Parliamentary Questions.
• Experience of presenting and/or briefing political audiences and acting as a representative of a policy led organisation.
• A background in engaging political/policy audiences and securing high value meetings.

Desirable:

• Experience in a think tank, journalism or working in a research role for a senior political figure.
• Experience of writing press releases and placing stories in the national media.
• A range of political and policy relationships.
• Good knowledge of education policy.

Skills:

Essential:

• An ambitious individual willing to match the ambition of the charity.
• Ability to lead work and take responsibility for delivery.
• A very strong understanding of political processes and structures.
• Ability to work at pace and change priorities as the situation demands.
• A good internal communicator and an understanding of the importance of working in a policy and research team. This is particularly important for a ‘home working’ role where it is important to communicate well with colleagues.

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent (although formal qualifications are less relevant than meeting the criteria above).

Other:

• A passion for politics.
• Availability to work occasional evenings and occasional travel to other parts of the U.K.