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We are looking for an exceptional leader to head up our growing Public Affairs team. You will have a strong track record in public affairs, media management and an interest in campaigning, have a history of exceeding expectations in the places you work, be a natural empathetic leader and developer of people, believe public affairs can change society in the long-term and have a genuine passion for our mission of building stronger more connected communities.

About The Challenge

The Challenge is the leading UK charity for building a more integrated society by age, income and ethnicity.  We work on a local level to connect people together across all ages and walks of life. Founded in 2009, we have grown rapidly and now employ over 400 staff and work with over 30,000 young people a year. We run three youth and community programmes - National Citizen Service, HeadStart and Step Forward - that have the central aim of mixing together diverse groups of people of different ages, incomes and ethnicities. We are one of the fastest growing charities in the UK. We are headquartered in Central London, with operations across London, the West Midlands and Northwest England. We pride ourselves on having a vibrant and entrepreneurial culture as well as an environment that combines ambition and challenge and empathetic support for professional growth.

About our Public Affairs, Media and Campaigning work

We are the largest charity in the UK that delivers programmes that mix people together from different backgrounds. Our Public Affairs, Media and Campaigning work has included launching the Social Integration Commission. In future, our work focuses on three core aims:

  • Protect Programmes: Protect and grow existing programmes through building understanding of our programmes among key influencers in politics and media;
  • Build Demand for Social Integration: Raise understanding and demand for activities that increase social integration through publishing research and building profile for the issue of social integration in the media;
  • Raise The Challenge’s profile: Raise the brand awareness of The Challenge through building a campaign under The Challenge’s name around the recommendations from the recent Social Integration Commission.

About the Opportunity

The Head of Public Affairs, Media and Campaigning will report to a member of our Directors Team. You will manage five internal staff and an external PR company.

The Head of Public Affairs, Media and Campaigning’s primary responsibilities are: 

  • Oversee and lead on engagement with politicians and policy makers to raise understanding of and support for our work and mission;
  • Oversee and manage our media strategy ensuring continued profile of our work;
  • Raise the profile of The Challenge as an organisation committed to social integration through establishing a campaigning capacity and overseeing the delivery of new campaigns around issues that will build a more integrated society;
  • Oversee policy work and research about the key issues around building a more connected society to ensure a depth of understanding and credibility about building a more integrated society.

About you

We are looking for exceptional candidates with the following experience and characteristics:

Essential:

  • Experience working in British politics with a deep understanding of politics;
  • Experience managing a team achieving high productivity across a range of complex projects;
  • Experience of longer-term strategic planning for advocacy and campaigns;
  • Experience and ability to be highly credible in front of senior political staff and media;
  • Experience engaging with journalists and understanding of the media. Confident leading on a media strategy;
  • Interest in campaigning;
  • Able to very quickly understand, summarise and re-order information about a new topic;
  • Very strong communicator in written and verbal form;
  • Passion for building stronger, more integrated communities;
  • Flexibility, persistence and resilience to thrive in a fast-paced, result-oriented environment;
  • Humble attitude – able to succeed without worrying who gets the credit;
  • A track record of delivering policy change.

Beneficial but not essential:

  • Experience and knowledge of how to set up and run successful campaigns;
  • Experience working with young people or community work;
  • Understanding of thinking around policy issues including integration, multiculturalism, social mixing, National Citizen Service;
  • Able to speak in front of a group;
  • Analytical skills and excel expertise to understand and request useful statistical data.

Further details

  • This is a permanent contract with a salary of £50,000 to £55,000 per annum;
  • We also offer a stakeholder pension and a Cycle to Work scheme.

Closing date

Applications for this post closed 11:59pm on Friday 1st May 2015