ADVOCACY OFFICER – Job Description
(Muslim Women’s Network UK)
Summary
·
Salary: £23,
324 – 35 hours / week
·
Location: Birmingham
·
Reporting to: Executive
Director
About
Us
Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK)
is a small charity (no.1155092) that works to improve social justice and
equality for Muslim women and girls. We find out about the experiences of
Muslim women and girls through research and helpline enquiries. We identify
policy and practice gaps and use this information to inform decision makers in
government and to inform our community campaigns. We also develop resources and
train women so they are better aware of their rights.
Purpose
of Role
The purpose of the role is to support
MWNUK’s advocacy work to advance
social justice and equality for Muslim women and girls so that policy
and practice better meet their needs. The Advocacy Officer will therefore play
a critical role in carrying out research and supporting the Executive Director
and trustees with lobbying and policy work. The Officer will also work closely with the
Executive Assistant and the MWN Hub Officer.
Responsibilities
Stakeholders and Partnerships
·
Identify
activists from different sectors who are knowledgeable on problems, issues and
inequalities experienced by Muslim women and girls and set up an Advisory Group
·
Facilitate
the Advisory Group and regularly seeking their views for consultations and to
guide research including decisions on which issues to prioritise
·
Provide
secretariat support for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Muslim Women
·
Build
relationships with stakeholders through regular communications
·
Work
with other civil society organisations to co-ordinate advocacy e.g. engaging
with other stakeholders to support their advocacy campaigns and to inform them
about our influencing work including seeking their support
·
Manage
relationships with decision makers such as politicians, senior government
officials and other public servants
Research
·
Map
stakeholders e.g. those we need to influence, those who can help us influence
decision makers and those who will be supportive of our advocacy work including
those who can contribute with knowledge, expertise and evidence
·
Engage
MWNUK members via online research surveys and collect responses
·
Co-ordinate the collection of responses to policy
consultations from Advisory Group members and other stakeholders as directed by
the Executive Director
·
Organise
focus groups and APPG meetings to gather, discuss and disseminate evidence
Monitoring
·
Monitor
government website to identify consultation inquiries relevant to MWNUK work
that we should be responding to
·
Monitor
media for issues relevant to MWNUK research and advocacy work and alerting
management
·
Identify
advocacy opportunities to promote our research and campaigns
Communications
·
Support
the Executive Director to develop an advocacy strategy
·
Help
to develop policy positions based on evidence / research
·
Be
able to put consultation responses in a report format
·
Ensure
our advocacy and relationships always remain non-partisan and cross party, in
line with our charitable aims and objectives.
·
Represent
MWNUK at external meetings including delivering presentations at workshops and events when required
·
Help to plan and deliver campaigns
·
Identify opportunities for partnerships and for
influencing
·
Work closely with the Executive Director, Executive
Assistant and MWN Hub Officer
Management
·
Supervise
and support Interns or volunteers (in the office) who can assist with advocacy
work (as required).
Personal Specification
Essential
·
Demonstrable
knowledge and understanding of issues faced by Muslim women in Britain
·
Demonstrable knowledge and experience
of the UK parliamentary system
·
Demonstrable
experience of developing and implementing advocacy strategies on issues
particularly impacting women
·
Demonstrable
experience of developing and delivering campaign work on issues particularly
impacting women
·
Demonstrable
knowledge and experience using research and case studies to influence
policy
·
Excellent IT competency (Word, Excel,
Internet, Outlook, Powerpoint)
Desirable
·
Educated
to degree level
·
Knowledge and experience of supporting
local and national advocacy initiatives of others.
·
Experience
of delivering public presentations to influence, inform and challenge a variety
of stakeholders
·
Be
organised, be able to prioritise and meet deadlines and work under pressure
Skills and
Abilities
·
Strong project planning skills with
proven ability to organise and prioritise tasks and to manage own time
efficiently and use initiative
·
Excellent
analytical, research and problem solving skills
·
Excellent written report writing
skills
·
Excellent interpersonal and oral
communication skills; including facilitation, public speaking and presentation
delivery
·
Be
able to work collaboratively both internally and externally
with an energetic, solution-orientated approach to work
·
Ability to represent the organisation
in a variety of fora in the UK
·
Willing
and able to work flexibly and be willing to travel outside of Birmingham when
required to attend meetings and events
Please email your CV & cover letter to contact@mwnuk.co.uk at midday on Thursday 29th April 2021.
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