Purpose of job:
The Policy and Public Affairs Officer will support the Policy and Public Affairs Manager and Policy Director on a number of key research projects and help to represent HBF in communications with its members and stakeholders, including Government.
Context and environment:
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the representative body of the home building industry in England and Wales. Our members account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies.
The HBF represents and serves its members in a range of ways including:
- Ensuring politicians and government officials are aware of housing issues and the challenges faced by our members;
- Working with stakeholders and policymakers to ensure housing policies are introduced that facilitate housing supply in a way that is workable for the industry;
- Representing members’ interests in discussions with key decision makers in government and during formal consultation processes, both nationally and regionally, on the issues that affect our members including: technical, planning, economic and environmental matters;
- In the national, regional and trade press. We maintain strong relationships with the print and broadcast media to ensure that the homebuilding industry is robustly represented. We regularly provide expert analysts for all the high-profile news and current affairs programmes on radio and television and contribute articles to a range of publications;
- Ensuring our members are fully briefed on industry developments that will affect their businesses via our regular communications and specific briefing notes;
- Forming working groups with members to assist in formulating policy on issues of importance and facilitate the exchange of information and ideas;
- Holding regular member meetings at all levels on relevant issues, in London, the regions and online, to ensure a two-way flow of information and to keep in touch with all our members.
The Policy and Public Affairs Officer is an exciting role within the Policy Team reporting directly to the Policy and Public Affairs Manager.
HBF is a small, professional team where all functions work closely together, thus enabling individuals to immerse themselves in a breadth of activities, making a real contribution and ensuring their personal development.
Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:
- Keep abreast of policy, legislative and media developments of relevance to HBF and its members;
- Monitor Parliamentary activity and proactively identify opportunities for HBF to engage with policymakers and Parliamentarians;
- Identify external events, consultations and initiatives to which HBF might contribute, linked to our research, knowledge, publications, and policy positions;
- Use existing and original data sources to present concise and compelling information to influence stakeholders and provide information to HBF members;
- Assist with the development of credible policy positions that are informed through engagement with colleagues and members;
- Coordinate and take ownership of the production of briefings for a variety of audiences, including MPs;
- Draft high-quality policy papers, reports and newsletters;
- Ensure relevant policy and legislative updates are included in our Weekly News Summary for members;
- Keep the CRM stakeholder lists and contact programme up to date;
- Assist with the organisation of events including breakfast briefings, party conference fringes and member events;
- Suggest tactics for effective engagement to raise awareness of the issues facing the home building industry;
- Prepare detailed biographies of key stakeholders (e.g. MPs) for colleagues in advance of meetings;
- Source the latest data and statistics for use in HBF’s Key Messages document to ensure it remains up to date;
- Update HBF’s Monthly Survey;
- Collaborate with colleagues in the communications team to review HBF’s Twitter account and ensure we are following and engaging with people of interest;
- Ensure content on the website is up to date and draft new copy where required;
- Support the delivery of policy events with internal and external stakeholders to discuss key policy issues, and/or launch our publications and policy content, including co-ordination with partners, guests, and liaison with contributors/speakers;
- Maintain a forward planner of key dates to aid the planning of HBF’s policy and communications work;
- Support the wider work of the Communications department where required.
Skills and requirements:
- Ability to research and analyse complex policy areas;
- Understanding of the role of a membership body;
- Excellent communication skills;
- Good attention to detail;
- Strong IT skills;
- Basic knowledge of the political environment affecting the home building industry.
Location:
The role will be based at our London offices. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on the number of people that can attend the office at one time, it is likely that the successful candidate will be required to work remotely in the first instance.