Policy Officer at Difference

Contract Type: Fixed term

Role Type: Employment

Hours: Part time

Application deadline: Friday, May 2, 2025 - 12:00

Based: Home-based

Salary: £33,366 to 35,235 Pro Rata

Salary Type: Salary Scale

Location: Regionwide

Role description: Officer

Contract Type: 2 Years fixed term, ending July 2027.
Hours: Part time (for 0.5 post).

The Essence of the Position  

We are seeking a Policy Officer to work with us to fight for disability rights in the North East. You will work as part of a supportive team of disabled activists and campaigners but have the flexibility to manage your workload. This post aims to strengthen our impact by linking policy work to campaigns. You will build and maintain relationships with key policy leaders in the North East, such as other Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), politicians and councils. You will also research and identify the most promising policy areas where we can create change. The post holder will become well informed in policy areas that affect disabled people, including those of the Mayoral, local authority and national administrations.

About the Organisation

Difference North East is a disability rights charity covering the North East of England. Our objectives are to end discrimination, increase service access, and change perceptions of disability. We work on a policy level to achieve these objectives and actively campaign for disability rights. We are a small organisation, but we are growing, and we have reached a point where we need a policy officer to consolidate and organise all our existing work into policy areas with clear aims aligned with our strategic objectives.

Tasks of the Policy Officer will Include:

1. Learning about policies in the North East and how they affect disabled people.
2. Building relationships with policymakers to ensure Difference is included in key policy discussions.
3. Aligning our work with local government plans so we can plan effectively and measure our impact.
4. Researching which of our campaigns have the most potential to influence change.
5. Reviewing and analysing our past initiatives to improve future work.
6. Creating simple ways to track and measure our progress.
7. Helping to develop future strategies for our organisation.
8. Writing clear reports and policy updates for different audiences.

Skills of the Policy Officer will Include:

1. Knowledge of key policy areas that affect disabled people, such as housing, social care, welfare benefits, employment, equality and human rights
2. Good analytical and research skills: experience gathering evidence to support campaigns
3. Understanding of how government decisions are made at national and local levels and how to influence them
4. Ability to write clear and simple reports, case studies, briefings and blogs for a wide range of audiences
5. Understanding of intersectionality and structural inequalities
6. Strong communication and community-building skills
7. Willing to learn and try new ways of working
8. Ability to manage own workload and stay organised
9. Experience in influencing decision-makers to change policy or practice

What We Can Offer You

You will be joining a small and passionate team of disability rights activists. We are committed to ensuring that work is accessible for our team and are open to new and experimental ways of making this work for you. You will work flexibly from day one and have control over your working hours. You will have access to a staff wellbeing plan with ongoing support from your line manager. You will be provided with a smartphone and a laptop computer and will be enrolled into our pension scheme. We are a learning organisation; part of that is ensuring staff have opportunities to learn, grow and develop professionally and personally. This position will likely expand to more hours or the possibility of a job share, funding allowing. Your contract will be two years fixed term, ending in July 2027.

Lived Experience

Difference is run by disabled people, our work is delivered by and for disabled people.  We strongly encourage applications from disabled people who are underrepresented in the sector.

How to apply

You can apply by filling out the application form attached to this job advert and emailing to recruitment@vonne.org.uk. If another format is more accessible for you, such as a video or audio recording, you are welcome to submit your application in that way. Tell us why you are the best fit for this role, and give examples of your experience and skills.

Interview Dates:       6^th to 9^th May* (online video call)

*Please confirm when you apply that you are available on one of these dates.

Start date:                   1^st July 2025
 

For further information about the role, please get in touch with Christopher Hartworth at christopher@differencenortheast.org.uk

If you require this pack in an alternative format, please get in touch with Alli Madine at  recruitment@vonne.org.uk

This recruitment is being managed by VONNE and is featured as part of our Recruitment Support Service. If you would like more information on the recruitment support we offer please email recruitment@vonne.org.uk.