School-Home Support gets children and young people into school, ready to learn. Whatever it takes. What starts as poor school attendance can become low educational attainment, exposure to anti-social behaviour or crime, a future with low pay or no job – generation after generation. For nearly 40 years, School-Home Support has worked with children and families to tackle the root causes of low attendance, strengthening the bridge between home and school, family by family so children can make the most of their education.

Are you passionate about shaping the future of education and family support? Ready to make a real impact on children’s lives? S-HS is on the lookout for a Policy and Campaigns Executive to help us create lasting change by ensuring every child gets the education they deserve.

Purpose of role

We want to create positive systemic change in education and family support to help the families of children who have low school attendance so they don’t miss out on their education and damage their life chances. This means amplifying their voices and delivering evidence-based campaigns that make change happen. The Policy and Campaigns Executive is responsible for supporting the Policy and Engagement team with policy and public affairs expertise to design and deliver our influencing work. The role reports directly to the Head of Policy and Engagement.

The role would be ideal for someone looking to build on existing policy and public affairs experience in a second or third job, possibly gained working for an MP, a campaigning charity
or Think-Tank.

Key Qualities and Experience

• Strong policy writing skills
• Experience in political engagement and identifying opportunities for
  impactful change
• Knowledge of the education sector is desirable but a passion for fostering equal opportunities for all children a must

Main responsibilities and tasks
The work includes:

• Monitoring the policy and influencing landscape
• Developing policy briefings, position statements, consultation responses and reviewing evidence
• Building and maintaining excellent working relationships with elected representatives, officials, external partners and SHS colleagues
• Delivering our public affairs work by organising engagement opportunities with political stakeholders in and around Westminster including meetings and events
• Supporting our exciting campaigning activities
• Identifying  and acting on opportunities to promote our work, such as Select Committee inquiries, consultations, bills and news developments
• Ensuring equal opportunity principles are complied with and promoted in accordance with SHS values and equal opportunities policy
• Ensuring that a high level of confidentiality is maintained in all aspects of the work
• Conforming to health and safety legal requirements
• Undertaking occasional travel within the UK
• Carrying out any other duties as requested by the line manager from time to time

This job description is not exhaustive; it outlines the key tasks and responsibilities of the post. These key tasks and responsibilities are subject to change. Any changes will be made in consultation with the postholder. You will be expected in undertaking the above role to comply with any policies and procedures that SHS may issue.

Essential criteria

• Effective working knowledge and understanding of a range of IT applications including Google
• Experience of delivering influencing strategies at national level
• Experience of building relationships with MPs, Lords, think tanks, third sector organisations
• Experience of spotting political opportunities and risks and acting on them
• Experience of managing customer relationship and political monitoring systems
• Experience of using relationship management systems
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to produce high quality written materials under time constraints
• Knowledge of the Westminster Parliamentary landscape and processes
• Have the analytical skills needed to engage with the data to build a strong case for need
• A proactive, can-do approach
• Is passionate, resilient and conveys a positive attitude
• Displays tact and diplomacy 
• Demonstrates commitment to School-Home Support’s values and aims and maintains the highest quality standards in all aspects of their work

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of education sector issues and landscape

Bring your skills, drive, and commitment to SHS, and join us in making a real difference in children’s lives