Important dates
Application window closes: Monday 6th January at 9am.
Interview date(s): Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th January 2025.
Hours
Full time and part time available. Harmless operate a 4-day working model with full-time staff working 32 hours per week.
Salary
£24,030 per annum, pro rata, rising to £26,019 per annum, pro rata, on successful completion of a probationary period.
Job Description
MAIN PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE JOB
* The Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships Officer will increase awareness and understanding of the organisation's work among key audiences.
* Successfully advocate for the organisation resulting in policy changes or increased funding for suicide prevention initiatives.
* Grow the number and quality of strategic partnerships.
* Increase community engagement and support for the organisation's mission.
* Document the impact on suicide prevention efforts in the community.
Position in the organisation: Officer level
Reports to Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Public Affairs
* Policy & Advocacy:
o Monitor and analyse relevant policy developments and legislation.
o Develop and disseminate policy briefs, position papers, and other publications.
o Represent the organisation in public forums, meetings, and conferences.
o Build and maintain relationships with key policymakers and stakeholders.
* Media & Communications:
o Work alongside our Media and Communications Lead to develop and implement a comprehensive media strategy.
o Serve as the organisation's spokesperson and primary media contact.
o Manage media inquiries and requests for interviews.
* Events Coordination & Management:
o Plan, organize, and execute a variety of events, including conferences, workshops, and community outreach initiatives.
o Manage event logistics, including budgeting, venue selection, and vendor coordination.
o Ensure effective communication and promotion of events to target audiences.
Strategic Partnerships
* Partnership Development & Management:
o Identify, cultivate, and manage relationships with a diverse range of partners, including funders, corporate sponsors, community organisations, and academic institutions.
o Develop and implement partnership agreements and MOUs.
o Oversee the implementation and evaluation of partnership projects and initiatives.
* Fundraising & Resource Development:
o Collaborate with the development team to identify and pursue funding opportunities.
o Develop and implement fundraising strategies and campaigns.
o Cultivate relationships with individual and corporate donors.
* Community Engagement & Collaboration:
o Work closely with local organisations to facilitate in-house placements, internships, and volunteer opportunities.
o Develop and implement community engagement strategies to build awareness and support for the organisation's mission.
o Foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders in the suicide prevention field.
Person Specification
Skills, knowledge, and experience
* Qualification: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Desirable)
* Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentation skills. Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. (Essential)
* Specialism: Experience of working in a similar role, including in developing and managing stakeholder relationships. (Essential)
* Passion: Passionate commitment to the organization's mission in suicide prevention. (Essential)
* Organisational: An alignment with Harmless CIC values, ethos, and standards, including a proven commitment to continuous improvement. (Essential)
* Resilience: An ability to identify and respond to an ever- changing external environment that puts us in the best possible position to achieve our goals and objectives, namely, to survive, evolve and grow. (Essential)
* Forward thinking: An ability to identify and maximise opportunities and strengths to the benefit of its stakeholders both in the short-term, medium term and long-term. (Essential). And an ability to identity and respond to disruptions, challenges, and threats from an ever-changing changing internal and external environment. (Essential)
* Building Relationship: A history of building effective relationships and maintaining key stakeholder engagement up to senior level and policy level. (Essential)
* Business knowledge: A thorough understanding of Harmless CIC including its commitment to the communities it serves. (Desirable)
* People skills: Working collaboratively across our organisation, operations, and teams, to empower, inform, motivate, and contain our workforce. (Essential)
* Data and insights focus: Ability to read and use data and/or evidence to make informed decisions, measure success, and monitor performance in line with organisational priorities. (Essential) And an ability to present data and provide insight to help empower and inform the Senior Leadership Team to make responsible decisions. (Essential).
Benefits
Harmless CIC values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent and supporting colleagues to have great careers. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:
* Flexible working arrangements.
* 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, pro rata, on entry, increasing up to 35 days plus bank holidays, pro rata. *
* Occupational sick pay up to 30 standard working days per annum *
* Employer pension contribution up to 8%. *
* Other staff reward and recognition initiatives that operate throughout the year.
* Access to Harmless’ CPD accredited specialist training
* Access to Harmless’ annual CPD accredited national self harm and suicide prevention conferences.
* Other outstanding CPD opportunities including an opportunity to develop areas of special interest around self harm, suicide prevention and suicide bereavement.
*These benefits are linked to our employee loyalty programme and gradually increase based on the number of years of continuous employment. More information is available on request.
About us
Harmless is a Community Interest Company – CIC for short. This is a company with social aims, so we operate like a charity but with a great dedication to sustainability.
That means that whilst we seek grant and charitable funding we also operate a business (our training department) which generates income. All the money we raise then goes straight back into the operation to fund vital and life-saving services.
We have different pathways in our service, and different staff working across these pathways and these also operate in different localities.
Harmless is the registered Company responsible for managing and overseeing a variety of projects and initiatives including: The Tomorrow Project, The Harmless Academy and Fearless.