Job Title:
Senior Policy and Campaigns Manager
Hours Per Week:
37.5 hours per week
Department:
Policy
Reports to:
CEO
Location:
Northwick Park, Harrow
Key Messages:
The Patients Association is a national independent
Health and Social Care charity seeking a senior
policy and campaigns manager to take forward our
work to develop, protect, promote and expand with
a focus on patient engagement and involvement,
emphasis on taking forward the Robert Francis
recommendations and putting the voice of the
patient at the heart of decision making in health
and social care. The post holder will be based at
the PA offices in Harrow but some travel may be
necessary.
The Patients Association is a leading campaigning charity that champions
patient issues across the NHS and Social Care. We work with other
stakeholders and the media to ensure the patient voice is heard and at the top
of the political agenda.
We are currently undergoing an exciting period of growth and increasing
opportunity expanding the helpline which is our core function and embarking
on work with CCGs and Acute Trusts as well as many Community providers of
Care.
We require an experienced and confident Senior Policy & Campaigns
Manager from the healthcare arena to work on the day to day implementation
of our policy and campaigns, strategic development and project work. You will
need to be enthusiastic, flexible, committed and hard working.
Experience of events management, parliamentary liaison and acting as a
media spokesperson strongly preferred.
The Post holder will join the Patients Association and work closely with all
staff . The Policy Manager is responsible for defining and communicating the
Patients Association policy direction and key priorities. This includes defining
the Patients Association policy direction, raising and maintaining our profile
with key audiences – internally and externally – through high quality public
relations, publications, web content, internal communications and effective
customer relations and inquiry management as well as meeting with MP’s,
NHS England , Department of Health and other Stakeholders.
Main Purpose of job
 Lead the development and implementation of the Patients
Association’s strategic objectives including policy provision and future
growth.
 To develop and implement The Patients Association communication
strategies, ensuring partnership working internally and externally and
close links with Corporate Members.
 To provide advice and guidance on policy, partnership and specialist
services.
 To proactively and publicly diffuse healthcare issues of most
importance for patients.
 Co-ordinate the Patients Association policy position on key public
health and professional issues
 Ensure that the Patients Association influences UK and EU decisions
makers on key health and social care issues in liaison with the Director
of National Projects, the Ambassador Manager and the information
from the Helpline
 Coordinating “special projects” for the CEO and other staff within the
organisation
 Commissioning policy development work from external bodies.
The Patients Association’s philosophy is to listen to patients, carers and the
public and to highlight their areas of concern. We enjoy a prominent and
influential national profile, enhanced most recently by launching our CARE
campaign, and significant impacts on UK health and science policy.
It is the talent, expertise, intelligence and information gathered via our
Helpline and through our research that ensures the Patients Association can
bring the authoritative opinion and practical guidance to complex issues in the
delivery of health and social care.
The senior policy and campaigns manager will be part of The Patients
Association Team, which alongside its policy function, provides direct support
to the CEO and other staff, with a collective responsibility to apply for external
grants and exploiting other funding opportunities.
Purpose and Scope
The senior policy manager will work across the organisation using the
resources of all staff within the organisation to coordinate activities, maximize
the resources of the respective Trustees and drive the organisational policy
work forward.
The senior policy and campaigns manager will:
 Identify challenges and opportunities for The Patients Association, and
horizon-scan for future threats, particularly in the context of the health
and social care reforms.
 Lead the community in responding to consultations and ensure the
voice of the patient, carer and the public are heard.
 Engage with relevant external organisations as necessary.
 Highlight gaps in support in the information gathered, and work with
funders to catalyse and implement solutions.
 Gather intelligence on capacity and resource within UK 3rd sector
organisations, and act as a conduit of information to the respective
constituencies of the PA
 Work closely with the relevant committees and working groups, where
necessary, establishing a strong mechanism for information exchange
and joint working.
 Initiate and support working group projects as appropriate
 Promote this area of work to other stakeholders via their website and
other communication channels
 Help with maintenance of website, including the organizations social
media output.
 Support the Board of Trustees with presentations
It is expected that the post holder will have, or quickly gain, an
understanding of:
 NHS and social care reforms, patient and public involvement,
engagement and shared decision making
 Current NHS structure and how changes to infrastructure may impact
on the delivery of health and social care
 The range of organisations and cross-agency committees involved in
the delivery of health and social care, along with their responsibilities
and interactions
 The impact of workforce reforms on the UK’s healthcare endeavor
Works closely with:
Other members of the Patients Association.
Main areas of responsibility
 Personally establish strong and credible relationships with statutory,
patient and civic organisations
 Contribute to the overall strategic development and management of the
organisation
 Acting, if necessary and in agreement with the CEO, as a
spokesperson for the Patients Association
 Actively contributing to the fundraising and marketing programme for
The Patients Association
 Working with sponsors and external contractors to deliver projects,
research and reports
 Attending and actively contribute to working groups and meetings held
by external partners
 To liaise with corporate members to ensure that they are kept informed
of relevant developments at The Patients Association
 To provide background briefings and materials for the Chair, Trustees
and CEO on Government policy, potential corporate members and
other sponsors
 To develop potential subject areas for policy and research work with
existing Corporate Members and other sponsors
 Responding to consultation documents and engaging in consultation
exercises
 Working with staff at the Patients Association to develop and
implement an agreed work programme for health and social care
reforms
 Leading the Patients Association in policy activities and coordinating
and developing the PA’s work. This includes: drafting and contributing
to policy documents; organizing working group meetings, seminars and
workshops and preparing the necessary supporting materials; and
preparing consultation responses on a regular basis
 Researching new areas of policy work; horizon-scanning relevant
policy developments; maintaining a watching brief on a number of
ongoing policy issues, including revalidation, health service and
healthcare workforce reforms and the relationship between the various
disciplines responsible for the delivery of health and social care
 Supporting the respective committees of the PA. This includes
organising meetings, preparing agendas, briefing materials, papers and
meeting notes
 Developing and maintaining an effective network of external contacts to
inform the work programme and increase impact; representing the
Patients Association at external meetings and reporting back to the
CEO on the outcome of meetings
 Ensuring that the CEO meets with key decision makers in Government,
funding agencies and elsewhere; supporting these meetings through
the production of briefs and meeting notes
 Drafting policy papers for the PA and PA council and Governance
meetings
 Contributing to the evaluation of the policy work, and the development
of new ways of working
 Working with staff to identify and secure opportunities for external
project-specific funding
 Maintaining relevant policy areas of the Patients Association websites,
liaising with the Helpline and other staff to ensure internal and external
engagement with relevant organisations
 Performing any other duties that might be reasonably expected, and
which are commensurate with this level of post
 Any other duties as may be reasonably expected when working within
a team and which are commensurate with the level of the post
 Adhere and comply with the provisions of the PA’s Health and Safety
Policy and relevant PA policies when working at The Patients
Association.
 Other duties requested by members of the Patients Association team
Experience
 Experience of working in a health policy environment.
 Ability to use rigorous analysis and research to understand the key
issues of debate within a wider agenda
 Developing and managing policy projects, including event management
 Proven experience of attracting funds for an organisation and/or
individual projects
 Have written and/or edited policy material
 Work independently and manage projects, including the ability to
exercise sound judgment, organize work and set priorities, within a
strategic context
 Show initiative, to motivate and supervise the work of others and to
assist in the management of a team
 Familiar with media communications including production and issuing
of press releases and briefing of journalists
 Ability to create and sustain positive relationships with media and other
stakeholders that generate confidence, respect, credibility and trust
 Able to communicate succinctly with negotiation and liaison skills
 Ability to use the Microsoft Office package to produce reports,
presentations, correspondence, spreadsheets, etc. and understanding
of how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be used
to support effective and efficient working practices to support the group
in an effective manner
 Communicate effectively in face-to-face situations with a range of
people including Parliamentarians, National Governing Bodies
members, Healthcare Workers and other healthcare partners
 An understanding of the role of National Governing Bodies of health,
and other healthcare organisations
 Able to take part in live media interviews on both television and radio
with confidence, with full awareness of boundaries and organizational
positions
Terms and conditions
Salary Scale:
£30,000 per annum on appointment
Annual Leave: 23 days annual leave plus statutory holidays (Full time)
The Patients Association operates a “No Smoking” policy
Person Specification
Position: Senior Policy and
Job Number:
Campaigns Manager
Department: Policy and Campaigns Date:
General and Professional Education
Essential
Application
Interview
Educated to degree standard
Technical Competencies
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Application
Interview
Essential
Excellent understanding of the Health and social
care environment and familiarity with current policy
issues
Experience of working within a similar policy role
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Experience of advising senior colleagues and
decision makers on complex policy issues
Ability to quickly assimilate complex issues and
develop policy stance and “lines to take”
Excellent communication skills, including first class
presentation skills, excellent writing and editing
skills, and meticulous attention to detail
Experience of dealing and building relationships
within a team and organisation, and with a wide
range of external organisations
Able to establish priorities and manage a complex
workload in order to meet tight deadlines
Ability to generate and implement ideas
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Excellent IT skills
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Commitment to the goals of the Patients
Association
Able to be flexible about working hours on
occasion and able to travel from time-to-time in the
UK
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Desirable
Experience of managing workloads and identifying
and securing external funding
Generic Competencies
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Application
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Interview
Essential
Interacts with staff and other professions with
respect for difference and diversity
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