Salary: £54,000 (rising to £59,000 after one year)
Location: London office, with an optional hybrid model, but expected to be in the office at least three days a week.
Hours: Five days a week (flexible and HnH operates a nine-day fortnight)
Contract: Permanent
Benefits:
- 9 day working fortnight, with one full day off every two weeks
- 25 days annual leave + statutory holidays including Christmas to New Year
- Hybrid working
- Generous pension scheme
- Staff Learning Fund
- Enhanced parental benefits package
Why this role is important – and why you’ll make a difference doing it:
HOPE not hate, the UK’s leading anti-fascist organisation, is looking for a new Director of Communities and Policy. This is a really exciting opportunity to lead on a varied and wide ranging work stream that serves the organisation’s mission to counter the far right by supporting the communities that are susceptible to their messages, and challenging the issues that give rise to far-right-wing extremism.
We are looking for someone with research and policy experience, but also someone with experience in – and passion for – community action for change. You will be someone who sees our work in the bigger picture, driven by impact to find the most strategic points of intervention, whether at the community, local or national level.
Our ideal candidate will be motivated, professional and a great communicator with the ability to get the best out of the team.
If you’re passionate about challenging the far right, building a deep understanding about how to disrupt the context in which they thrive and would like to use your expertise to help us do this, then we want to hear from you.
What you’ll be doing in this role:
As the director for communities and policy, you will be responsible for leading a portfolio of projects that will:
- Conduct research that guides our approach to understanding and disrupting the context in which hate thrives.
- Find out ‘what’s working?’ for building resilient community relations, through pooling together existing knowledge, as well as new evidence and insights – and share these approaches where they are most needed.
- Support external partners with advice and guidance and respond when hate takes hold of communities. This includes working with the migration and refugee sector, local councils and community organisations with research, advice and advanced knowledge of far right activism.
- Use research and data to encourage partners and potential partner and statutory organisations to be aware of the threats and challenges we face.
In addition, you will::
- Develop and promote policy positions and create effective public affairs influencing strategies for key areas of HNH’s work.
- Identify and act on policy opportunities to promote HNH data, voice and our strategic aims around building community resilience, through a range of routes, such as select committee enquiries, consultations, Bills and news developments.
- Work closely with the communications and campaigns team to develop and draft timely proactive and reactive statements about major Government announcements and other significant policy developments that relate to HNH’s mission.
As a Director at HOPE not hate, you will join as a member of the senior leadership team. This means you will both have responsibility for leading your team, but also working with the SLT will also take on some strategic, governance, fundraising and operational responsibilities for the organisation as a whole. This includes:
- Management and oversight of the work of the policy and engagement team (currently two members of staff, with the possibility of hiring additional roles)
- Project management for ongoing funded work, this includes delivery, budget oversight, funder reporting and evaluation
- Bringing community, research and policy insights to help assist the organisation’s priorities
- Working with the SLT and the fundraising officer to help raise money for the organisation
About you:
The role is suited to someone who sees the bigger picture and is able to understand HOPE not hate’s work in the broader societal and political context. You will bring a strategic mind-set, able to understand where we can have most influence, and seek out opportunities to create effective change.
We expect applicants to show a range of experiences and skills, including:
- Experience of representing an organisation at a senior level, on public platforms and in the media
- Ability to manage and provide high quality leadership to a diverse team.
- Experience of line management, to build happy and effective teams, and experience setting strategy and work plans
- Being impact-driven, with knowledge and experience of navigating complex political environments to achieve organisational objectives
- Experience of multi-stakeholder engagement, with strong inter-personal, relationship building and organisational skills.
- Proven track record of working on public policy, with expertise on at least one of the following policy areas: community relations, immigration and asylum, education, counter terrorism, democratic engagement
- Strong research skills, a deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and the ability to see patterns in data, able to analyse and evaluate information from a range of sources, and disseminate accordingly
- Great influencing skills, persuasive in written and verbal communication, and confidence through an established reputation within their own area of expertise
- Ability to juggle multiple issues and ensuring joined up working across the organisation
- Ability to analyse complex issues and present policy arguments in persuasive ways to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- A campaigns mind-set to policy work, perhaps with a passion for messaging and framing using public attitude insights
- Efficient and effective project manager, with experience of seeing projects through on tight budgets and timeframes
- Multitasking, with the ability to prioritise and organise yourself and your team well
- Experience of fundraising and drafting grant applications
- You will have a sound political judgement
- A strong commitment to principals of anti-racism and equalities
- A self-starting, communicative and organised personality, ready to help HOPE not hate thrive and grow
- 100% commitment to HOPE not hate’s values and mission.
You will have emotional resilience to work in a field that can involve challenging content, good judgement and prioritisation skills, and the confidence and ability to work under pressure and reduced timescales. You will be comfortable working in an environment that requires discretion.
We believe that our work will be at its best if it is created by people with a range of backgrounds and experiences. We are keen to interview people who will add diversity to our team. We are an antifascist organisation, which strives to be an effective ally in the wider fight against racism and inequity.
To apply:
Please email [email protected] with the subject line ‘Director of Communities and policy – Application’ with:
- A recent CV
- A cover letter outlining how you meet the job requirements with examples (MAX 2 A4 sides)
- In addition, please answer the following questions (MAX 250 words for each question):
- What do you think are the core components of building community resilience to the far right?
- HOPE not hate works to monitor and challenge the far right, and to work on the issues and policies that give rise to them. Please tell us what you think is the single policy area where you would most like to have impact in the role and why.
If you would like to chat to someone about whether the role is a good match for you, please also email [email protected], and we can set up a time for a call. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to support you.
Closing date: 5pm, 8th February 2024
