The Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom
Job
Description
Job Title:
Associate Director – Policy, Parliamentary & International
Department:
Policy & International
Accountable to:
Director of Nursing, Policy & Practice
Responsible for:
Policy, International and Parliamentary Departments
Hours:
35 hours per week
Grade:
C - £70,278
London Allowance:
£3,600 per annum
Location:
20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN
Job Purpose:
To lead, manage and co-ordinate staff and activities of the
Policy, International and Parliamentary Departments;
facilitate UK-Wide & International health policy; coordination and provide a health policy focus throughout
the RCN
Job Summary
Reporting to the Director of Nursing, Policy & Practice, the post-holder has overall
strategic management responsibility for activities, finances and staffing within the
Departments under his / her remit.
The post-holder will lead on the strategic development of RCN health policy,
facilitating the co-ordination of health policy UK wide.
A central requirement of the role is the ability to create and shape nursing policy to
support the Nursing and health agenda. The post-holder will monitor the policy and
political environment for salient and emerging issues; and work with internal and
external stakeholders to influence health and nursing issues.
Work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders including RCN Council and RCN
members and staff across the UK, the General Secretary & Chief Executive and
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other senior members of staff to achieve consistency, clarity, appropriateness,
timeliness and impact of key organisational policy positions and messages.
Key Tasks
1.0 Strategic Leadership Role
1.1. Provide Leadership and programme development and management to
ensure the Policy initiatives reflect the core objectives of the RCN
1.2. Ensure that the RCN is proactive in the development of policy positions on
current, new and emerging health and nursing issues
1.3. Maintain and develop collaborative working links with Country Directors and
RCN policy leads within England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in
order to facilitate UK wide co-ordination of RCN policy
1.4. Work in partnership with other RCN internal departments, to ensure that
policy development is inclusive and integrated and that policy positions are
communicated effectively to members and other vested interests, including
politicians and policy makers
1.5. Manage the resources within the Department to achieve the management of
the operational plan
1.6. As a member of the RCN’s Senior Management Team and reporting to the
Director of Nursing, Policy & Practice, lead the development of the RCN’s
corporate objectives from a policy perspective
1.7. Lead the development, management and evaluation of policy strategies
involving, reflecting and representing RCN members and their interests
1.8. Provide strategic and operational advice to all stakeholders externally and
internally, including Committees and collectively as required on all aspects of
RCN health policy activity
2. Lead and co-ordinate a policy focus specific to RCN England
2.1. Provide Director of Nursing, Policy & Practice staff and members with policy
priorities, information and analysis on new and future health policy issues
2.2. Present the England and UK-wide perspective in appropriate policy
development forums, both internally and externally
2.3. Within Policy resources manage the provision of England specific policy
support and initiatives
2.4. Be a member of the Nursing, Policy and Management Team
2.5. Act as the deputy for the Director for Nursing, Policy & Practice, as
appropriate
2.6. Contribute to activity that increases the profile of the RCN and the recruitment
of members
3. Management and Supervision
3.1. Lead and manage the staffing team within the Department providing clear
leadership, communicating agreed organisational objectives and priorities,
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agreeing team objectives, facilitating team development and managing
ongoing organisational development
3.2. Be responsible for management of the Departmental budget communicating
and working within the RCNs financial, budgetary and business planning
procedures
3.3. Support and motivate staff within Department, agreeing professional and
personal objectives, managing recruitment, training and development
opportunities
3.4. Work with the Director of Nursing, Policy and Practice to ensure clear,
consistent strategies around the delivery of nursing services to members, and
effectiveness in lobbying and influencing on behalf of the RCN
4. Policy development and Communications
4.1. Ensure appropriate mechanisms are in place for developing RCN health
policy that involves Council, Boards, Forums, members and staff
4.2. Ensure that appropriate and timely mechanisms are available to deal with
inquiries relating to RCN policy positions on health/nursing issues (e.g. from
media)
4.3. Develop and issue briefings and analysis of policy implication. Set-up and
manage a web based facility to enable RCN members to both access
information on significant health policies and to contribute to the development
of RCN policy
4.4. Work closely with relevant departments on issues in developing and
delivering key health policy messages for high profile events such as RCN
Congress and Annual General Meeting and in the planning and execution of
major campaigns such as the General Election
4.5. Co-ordinate the development of links with key decision-makers (Government,
Department of Health, Nursing & Midwifery Council, The Healthcare
Commission, other professional associations), to ensure the RCN’s views are
communicated and, where appropriate, influence the development of policy
affecting nursing and health care
4.6. Identify opportunities for commissioning research, both on behalf of the RCN
and in partnership with other significant stakeholders, to support policy
development within the policy budget. Be responsible for the management of
these projects as appropriate
4.7. Monitor and analyse European and International health policy developments
and where appropriate support RCN lobbying and influencing
4.8. Be responsible for managing consultation documents received through the
Chief Executive and General Secretary’s office and the RCN
5. Equity and Diversity
5.1 Ensure that policy development and policy positions incorporate and promote
good practice in the areas of equality and diversity
5.2 Oversee the continued development, management and evaluation of good
equality practice in the Policy Department
5.3 Encourage a working atmosphere where everyone is treated with dignity and
respect
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6. Any other duties
6.1 Support the RCN response to high profile unexpected developments in health
policy that impact on nurses or nursing
6.2 The role requires regular travel throughout the UK and overseas involving
stays away from home
6.3 Undertake any additional duties as required by, and negotiated with, the
Director of Nursing, Policy and Practice
Revised February 2016
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