1. Home
  2. Jobs
  3. Director of UK Policy and Advocacy

Director of UK Policy and Advocacy

London, United Kingdom

ABOUT THE ONE CAMPAIGN

ONE is a global, nonpartisan organization fighting for a more just world by demanding the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. We do this by deploying trusted and dynamic advocacy that leverages hard-hitting data, credible grassroots activism, creative political engagement, and strategic partnerships. We use all this to influence decision-makers to take action and tackle the world’s biggest challenges. Read more at www.one.org.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Director of UK Policy and Advocacy will lead ONE’s policy work and government and parliamentary relations in the UK, and will be responsible for designing and delivering strategies to ensure ONE achieves impact through its policy analysis and engagement on our key policy issues. S/he will work closely with the UK Director of Campaigns to design and lead integrated change strategies, and with ONE’s global policy and communications staff to help identify trends and issues regarding aid development, develop innovative actions and leverage UK government efforts to maximise our impact.

S/he will be responsible for ensuring ONE builds and maintains effective relationships with key UK targets in parliament, government and the policy community, to advance ONE’s objectives.

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished and “hands-on” leader and self-starter with excellent people management and communications skills, able to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic working environment, and to represent ONE to senior external stakeholders with credibility and impact. Demonstrable knowledge of international development issues in a UK context is essential.  The postholder will report to the Executive Director for UK, Middle East and Asia Pacific, and will be based at our London office (hybrid). 

IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL

  • Develop strategies to identify and engage with parliamentary and government targets and lead on building and maintaining those relationships
  • Lead on policy & advocacy work for UK campaigns, including managing relationships with relevant external policy actors, preparing documents on specific development issues for a range of stakeholders, lobbying targets and audiences and crafting articles for blog posts, briefing documents and talking points 
  • Working closely with the UK Campaigns Director and other relevant staff across the organisation, identify trends and issues within the development sector and wider UK public and political context, and develop strategies, projects and interventions around these as appropriate
  • Ensure the provision of policy and political analysis on UK development policy issues, and UK perspectives to ONE’s global policy discussions, ensuring global and UK positions are compatible
  • Ensure access for ONE at relevant high level meetings, lead the setting of strategies for these meetings, represent ONE at these meetings as required, and/or ensure that other ONE representatives such as the Executive Director are properly briefed
  • Lead the conceptualisation and organisation of events as required to advance ONE’s UK policy and advocacy objectives, including at UK party conferences and other high-profile moments
  • Line manage the Policy and Advocacy Manager and other roles as required
  • Any other duties as required by the role

WHAT YOU BRING TO ONE

  • Bachelor’s degree in development, politics, economics, international relations or a related field, or relevant work experience
  • Minimum 10+ years of relevant work experience plus 5+ years’ in a management or lead capacity within international development, civil society, media or government
  • Experience of managing people and budgets, and directing team performance for maximum success
  • Significant experience of working on development policy in an NGO, think tank, legislature or government, including at least three years in a management or leadership capacity 
  • Strong political judgement and understanding of the UK political environment and relevant parliamentary and policy processes.
  • A demonstrable understanding of the links between advocacy, policy-making, legislation, and the role of external factors such as public opinion, grassroots activism, media coverage and high profile influencers
  • Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills with the ability to synthesise complex policy documents and translate these for a wider audience 
  • Superb professionalism and diplomacy; ability to interact with high-level individuals internally and externally
  • Entrepreneurial spirit; does not mind unstructured and sometimes unpredictable environments
  • Quick turnaround research skills-must have the ability to seek out key facts and statistics that help explain complicated policy topics to broad audience 
  • Ability to manage and mentor a small team
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with shifting priorities
  • Ability to make a strong positive contribution to a diverse global team 
  • Previous work or life experience in Africa or on African issues desirable

OTHER ATTRIBUTES

  • An understanding of the complexities surrounding a global organization
  • Highly organized, detail oriented, self-motivated, and collaborative
  • Ability to remain positive and constructive engaged in high pressure and stressful situations
  • Solid critical and analytical thinking
  • Strong written and oral communication skills
  • Able to handle difficult conversations with diplomacy and exercise confidentiality
  • Action oriented and results focused
  • Flexible and resourceful in approach
  • Independent problem solver
  • Outstanding interpersonal and relationship building skills, sound judgement

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Fluency in English required. Proficiency in other languages such as French and German is a plus.

TRAVEL

Travel up to 10%.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

Hybrid workplace environment. Team schedules and business needs may dictate the specific days/times you need to be in the office. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

ONE offers competitive compensation and an exceptional benefits package along with the opportunity to contribute to worldwide causes impacting those most in need.

GBP 70,000 – GBP 75,000 per year

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

If you are ready to join the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, please submit a resume and cover letter to this opening at ONE jobs (http://www.one.org/jobs ).

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants. When an applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to compete for a job, they may request it orally or in writing (please email [email protected]). ONE will process requests for reasonable accommodation and will provide reasonable accommodations where appropriate, in a prompt and efficient manner.

We understand that a diversity of strengths, experiences, and backgrounds makes our team stronger. If this position interests you, we encourage you to apply and tell us why you are a great candidate for the role. ONE does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. To learn more about our diversity and inclusion work and priorities, visit https://www.one.org/us/about/diversity/.

Due to the number of inquiries that ONE receives, we thank all candidates for their interest yet only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.