Senior Policy Officer - Health And Social Care

MS Society are looking for a Senior Policy Officer (Health and Social Care) to join our ambitious and expert Policy and Evidence team. Helping us to secure improvements to neurology services, treatments, care and support for people living with MS.

Senior Policy Officer (Health and Social Care)
Type: Full-time (35 hours a week), permanent
Location: Office-based in London, N4 with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £36,309 - £38,786 per annum plus excellent benefits 
Salary Band: Band F1 

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK. 

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference. 

About this job

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a high-performing team, operating at the heart of a friendly and supportive directorate, with an excellent track record of influencing policy change. You’ll be part of the team shaping our policy priorities as we move towards the General Election.

As part of the role, you’ll be:

• Reporting to our Policy Manager for Health and Care, and contributing to the development of our policy positions, statements and arguments in pursuit of our goals to improve the lives of people living with MS.
• Ensuring our policy work is built around strong evidence and is informed by, and developed with, people living with MS, their carers and Health and care professionals
• Working closely with our colleagues in Campaigns, Public Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement, PR and Research to develop effective policy positions, campaigns and influencing programmes around key issues facing people living with MS. 

We have strong relationships across the sector. You’ll have the opportunity to collaborate closely with coalition partners to effectively influence external stakeholders and amplify the voices of people living with MS.

We recognise the significant and excellent contributions; experience; and skills our employees bring to the MS Society.

Working with external pay and reward consultants, we’re taking active steps this year to review our employees’ pay and benefits package. Ensuring we’re aligned with the most accurate and up-to-date benchmarks for the UK charity sector.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Tuesday 23 April 2024
Anticipated interview date: week commencing 6 May 2024

Interested?

More information can be found by downloading the attached documents in 'supporting documents' and then to apply for this role, please submit the following:

• an updated CV
• a supporting statement indicating how you meet the essential criteria as set out in the person specification in the attached job description

Top Tip: you will need to save your Cover Letter, CV and Optional Equal Opps form as one document and upload this to the site.

More about our employee benefits:  
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
• In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
• To support fertility treatments
• For antenatal appointments for both parents
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme 
• Health cash plans to help offset the cost of health care for you and your family 

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing  

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities  
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.