Senior Public Affairs Officer

Do you have previous experience in a Public Affairs role? Do you have successful experience in political campaigning and policy research and development?

We are recruiting for a Senior Public Affairs Officer to lead on the planning, coordination and implementation of Dogs Trust’s political engagement in the UK for specific areas of responsibility (which may change over time depending on the needs of the team).

The Public Affairs team works across Westminster, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the EU, to ensure the health and welfare of dogs is always taken into consideration by policy makers. In addition to our direct political engagement, we chair the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) which aims to combat growing concerns regarding the irresponsible advertising of pets for sale, rehoming, and exchange. We also provide the secretariat for the EU Dog & Cat Alliance, through which we engage with EU policy makers, and call for EU action to build a better Europe for dogs and cats.

The Senior Public Affairs Officer will be responsible for implementing the Public Affairs programme in your areas of responsibility, to raise awareness of the charity and our policies and positions amongst key opinion formers. You will be a senior figure in the research and implementation of Dogs Trust’s political activities.

To be successful in this role you will have demonstrable experience in public/parliamentary affairs and knowledge of the UK political landscape including the working of Westminster, Whitehall and the devolved administrations is essential, and knowledge of the EU is desirable. You will be positive and flexible with exceptional organisational skills, the ability to keep to a clear timetable, working to tight deadlines and achieving agreed performance targets. Experience of project management is desirable.

To apply for this position please click the APPLY NOW button. Our application process requires you complete an application form and a covering letter explaining your interest and suitability for the role.

At Dogs Trust we value diversity and we're committed to creating an inclusive culture. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, abilities and cultures and believe that a diverse workforce will help us to achieve our mission. Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, either at application or interview stage, please contact us on jobs@dogstrust.org,uk