JOB DESCRIPTION

Main Details

Job Title / PolicyPublic Affairs Officer
Grade / TBC
Department / NUS-USI
Responsible to: /

Director Nations or NUS-USI Manager Designate

Place of Work / NUS-USI Offices, Belfast
Hours of Work / 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Additional Hours / Evening and Weekend work may be required to meet the needs of the role. An unsociable hours allowance will be payable.

Purpose of Job

To provide expert research, policy, project delivery and monitoring & analysis work to help NUS-USI realise its goals for students and students’ unions.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  • Provision of expert policy support
  • To develop and deliver the research strategy of NUS-USI
  • Carry out project delivery work
  • Carry out political Lobbying, Monitoring and Analysis
Job Activities

Provision of expert policy support

  • Develop and maintain knowledge of a wide range of relevant policy areas.
  • Develop and maintain specialist skills, so as to enable effective ad-hoc advice and support across several operational functions, including public affairs, research, and education & welfare policy.
  • Provide written and/or verbal political advice to the NUS-USI executive as required, across a wide range of subject areas affecting the organisation
  • Solicit expert advice from within NUS and USI, and from external sources where required
  • Author articles, speeches, statements, quotations, and similar, for use as required.
  • Accompany and support at internal and external events and/or meetings as required.

To develop and deliver the research strategy of NUS-USI

  • Determine and deliver the research strategy for the organisation
  • Conduct primary and secondary research necessary to the delivery of NUS-USI campaigning goals
  • Liaise with researchers, government departments and other agencies on issues relating to tertiary education in Northern Ireland
  • Collate and interpret statistical information on matters relating to tertiary education in Northern Ireland.

Carry out project delivery work

  • Take responsibility for driving participation in consultation work with constituent members and stakeholders
  • Carry out training, briefing and visit work with students’ unions on a range of key issues
  • Carry out desk research and create briefings based around effective practice in students’ unions
  • Construct written briefings, notes, speeches and presentations as required

Carry out political Lobbying, Monitoring and Analysis

  • Develop and maintain specialist knowledge of Northern Ireland public affairs
  • Keep in touch with political developments and issues in the Assembly
  • Be responsible for stakeholder relationships and the lobbying of Northern Ireland decision makers
  • Arrange/attend meetings as appropriate with external bodies and others to maintain links and understanding of other organisations’ policies and attitudes
  • Brief staff and elected officers about parliamentary processes/issues and nalyse issues of concern for NUS-USI
  • Foster and develop relationships with a wide range of governmental, corporate and other partner organisations
  • Provide a range of written and oral presentations and materials on public affairs

General

  • To advise the NUS-USI Trilateral Committee, NUS-USI Executive Committee and Council on all areas relevant to the job
  • The post-holder will be required to attend training events and NUS-USI Annual Conference in order to undertake such duties as required to ensure the smooth running of the events
  • The post holder may be required to perform other duties analogous to this post in order to contribute to the work of NUS-USI and the overall work of NUS and USI
  • As the post holder may be a point of contact for many external organisations, individuals, the media and the membership, she/he will be expected to remain conversant with and aware of developments in NUS, USI and NUS-USI’s work
  • As the post will require the handling, processing and recording of restricted information, strict confidentiality is required to be maintained where necessary.
  • Maintain a high standard of customer care in service delivery
  • Attend events and meetings as required
  • To use IT applications (word processing, email etc) to service the posts administrative needs.
  • To work towards the achievement of organisational goals and quality standards in accordance with NUS’ Strategic Plan
  • To take part in organisational projects as required

Additional

  • The post holder may be required to perform other duties in order to contribute to the overall work of NUS or USI, and to carry out duties on behalf of NUS or USI where specialist skills or knowledge apply.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

  • Educated to degree or equivalent academic standard
  • Experience and familiarity ofNorthern Ireland Public Affairs
  • Experience of carrying out primary or secondary research
  • Experience of writing articles, speeches, statements, quotations, or similar, for use by elected officers
  • Ability to consider and develop sophisticated policy positions, briefings and proposals for use by elected officials
  • Experience of planning and delivering projects
Desirable
  • A background in research and the production of reports and responses to consultation exercises

Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • To communicate clearly, both orally and written
  • Ability to win trust and support from a wide range of people, including students, students’ union officers and staff
  • Ability to use information technology as a communication and resource tool
  • To work within NUS-USI aims and values and to operate within a line management structure, accountable to student officers.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of the student environment in tertiary education
Personal Characteristics & Behaviours
  • Commitment to the creation of an environment that promotes equality of opportunity whilst recognising and valuing diversity
  • Commitment to excellent customer service
  • Willingness to attend regional and national events
  • Commitment to the Mission, Vision, Values & Beliefs of NUS

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