Engagement Officer - Healthwatch (Volunteers & Admin)

Salary: £33,417 per annum

Location: Edinburgh with Hybrid Working

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 per week

Closing Date: Wednesday 20th March at 11:30pm

Do you have a good understanding of social and/or economic policy issues and a proven ability to undertake policy development or campaigning work on specific issues in a wider context?

Then join Shelter Scotland as an Advocacy Officer and you could soon be playing a vital role in helping us to deliver positive change for those affected by the housing emergency in Scotland.

About Shelter Scotland

We exist to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. We do this with campaigns, advice and support – and we never give up. We believe that home is everything.

A home is a fundamental human right, yet over a million people in Scotland struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction.. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

At Shelter Scotland we are united by our purpose to defend the right to a safe home. Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. We believe that to win that fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement for change. What’s important isn’t your level of education or the opportunities which you have had, it’s about you and how you seize the opportunities ahead of you. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent.

We have committed to combat racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland and welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

About the Team

The wider Communications and Advocacy department is responsible for promoting Shelter Scotland’s brand and leading our policy advocacy, public campaigning, and digital communications to fight the housing emergency and achieve change for people who do not have a safe, secure, or affordable home in Scotland.

Our work targets national and local government as well as communities and stakeholder groups. We use rigorous research, client insight and human stories to develop advocacy action plans and public campaigns for change to tackle the root causes of Scotland’s housing emergency. The Advocacy team sits within the Communications and Advocacy department and includes our advocacy, public affairs and our Empty Homes team.

About the role

You will contribute to the wider team’s work of advocating for the structural changes that are needed to solve the housing emergency, in line with Shelter Scotland’s strategic objectives. Specifically, advocating to a wide range of audiences on the need to increase the supply of social homes and strengthening people’s housing rights. You will be advocating for these changes yourself, as well as supporting the wider team and organisation in doing so.

The role will involve:

• Building relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Producing high quality written outputs such as briefings, consultation responses and reports.
• Data and policy analysis.
• Influencing and informing stakeholders on Shelter Scotland’s policy positions.

About you

First and foremost, we are looking for an individual who is driven by a desire for social change and to fight housing inequality. You will be someone who is able to build relationships with key stakeholders, analyse evidence to form policy positions, identify opportunities for advocacy work and who can advocate for change using high-quality written outputs as well as face-to-face influencing.

A good understanding of how the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Local Authorities are formed, operate and develop new policies is important too. Familiarity with housing and homelessness policy would be useful but is not essential.

How to Apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit a CV and a Supporting Statement. Your supporting statement should include responses to the 'About You' points outlined in the job description of no more than 350 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviour below throughout your responses:

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter Scotland helps over half a million people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help.

To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter Scotland please visit our website. Apply to be part of our  team and be the change you want to see in society.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.