Would you like to use your skills in public affairs to support the UK's largest charity for gardeners and horticulture? The RHS is seeking a temporary experienced Public Affairs Officer from March to August to support the charity's public affairs strategy as part of the Communications Team.
The role: Working with the Public Affairs Manager you'll be supporting the delivery a range of high profile visits to RHS Shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show throughout the summer. As well as supporting the work of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Gardening and Horticulture.
For more than 210 years the Royal Horticultural Society has been the force behind the nation's gardening. Our charitable purpose is to inspire passion and excellence in the science, art and practice for horticulture. Our vision is to enrich everyone's life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. As a charity, the RHS aims to inspire a wide range of audiences by demonstrating the wonders of gardening through all that we do including gardens and shows, in our publications and online, and through our work in the community.
Overview of the Role:
- To work with the Public Affairs Manager to support UK political and parliamentary engagement, by delivering a range of high-profile visits to RHS Flower Shows as part of the charity's public affairs strategy.
- Maintaining an overview of relevant parliamentary activity and policy that impacts the horticulture industry.
- Updating the contact database, delivering events administration, drafting agendas and minutes, supporting the team to prepare briefing material for internal and external stakeholders.
- Liaising with Westminster contacts, arranging meetings and drafting briefing notes as required.
-Flagging relevant opportunities for the RHS to raise the profile of Greening Grey Britain, Britain in Bloom, and Campaign for School Gardening.
- Supporting the secretariat function of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group.
We are looking for someone with excellent written and communication skills with the confidence to deal with people at all levels of seniority.
You will be educated to degree level or equivalent and possess relevant experience in a similar role, in Westminster, agency or in-house at a charity.
You'll have knowledge of UK Parliamentary processes, experience in events management and understand the range of communication tools to build support with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
You must be highly organised, conscientious and professional with outstanding attention to detail.
The RHS provides a number of great benefits for employees including:
* Free access to all RHS Gardens, Shows and Libraries
* Employee discounts including airport parking, hotels, retail and gym membership
* 25 days holiday
* Monthly Garden Magazine and access to Horticultural advice
It's never been more exciting time to join the Royal Horticultural Society. We are making a landmark GBP 160 million investment in the future of horticulture over the next 10 years. This will allow us to bring the joy of gardening to millions more people and make some of the most significant and exciting changes in the history.
Hours: 'Full time'
Contract: Fixed Term 5 months
Reports to: Public Affairs Manager
Reports: None
Job Purpose:
To support the day to day running of the RHS Public Affairs function. Working with the Public Affairs Manager to deliver the charity's public affairs strategy in order to enrich everyone's life through plants and make the UK a greener, more beautiful place. This Public Affairs Officer will work to ensure increase influence and profile in Westminster, Whitehall and to support the wider horticultural industry.
To support the delivery a range of high profile visits to RHS Shows (such as RHS Chelsea Flower Show) throughout the summer. Working with the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Gardening and Horticulture.
Dimensions:
Day to day activity will include: maintaining an overview of relevant parliamentary activity and policy that impacts the horticulture industry, monitoring developments, maintaining the contact database, delivering events administration, supporting meetings with MPs, drafting agendas and minutes, supporting the team to prepare briefing material for internal and external stakeholders.
To work with colleagues at all levels across the RHS and form strong working relationships with external stakeholders.
Accountabilities:
1. To work with the Public Affairs Manager to support UK political and parliamentary engagement and deliver a range of high-profile visits to RHS Shows.
2. Supporting the Public Affairs Manager and Senior Colleagues to build positive relationships in Westminster and Whitehall.
3. Liaising with contacts, arranging meetings, drafting briefing notes as required.
4. Identify opportunities to respond to parliamentary activity and raise awareness of RHS and the horticulture industry to government.
5. Maintain accurate records of parliamentary meetings activity and feedback timely intelligence to all relevant internal staff.
6. Develop and update the parliamentary contact management database, assessing information from Hansard and parliamentary monitoring, acting on it where necessary
7. Flagging relevant opportunities for the RHS to raise the profile of Greening Grey Britain, Britain in Bloom, and Campaign for School Gardening.
8. Supporting the secretariat function of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group.
9. To ensure own safety, and the safety of others who may be affected by your actions. Employees must follow instructions and co-operate at all times with their line manager to enable the RHS to meet its legal responsibilities. Employees must stop work if the nature of the situation involves risk of serious injury to any person and must report any hazardous situation or defective equipment to their line manager without delay.
10. To undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required of you in the post
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential:
Experience of working in a public affairs, advocacy or a stakeholder engagement role.
Track record of events management and profile raising activities, understanding of opportunities and risks of working collaboratively with other stakeholders.
Sound knowledge of the workings of government and parliamentary procedure and good political nous.
Experience of effective communications to engage with target Ministers, MPs, Special Advisors and civil servants
Experience of writing clear, concise and persuasive copy for a range of audiences and in a variety of formats. Including minute taking.
Experience of drafting briefing documents, consultation responses, letters, Q&As, speeches and presentations
Experience of providing public affairs advice and subject specific briefings to senior colleagues.
Well-developed team-working skills and an ability to work with all levels of colleagues across the organisation.
Desirable:
An understanding of the RHS's charitable purpose
An interest in gardening
Experience of delivering public affairs in a charitable, heritage or arts organisation
Skills - Job Competencies
Ability to communicate accurately, effectively and creatively in verbal and written English
Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills
Ability to prioritise effectively when working under pressure
Use of Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint) at an intermediate level including producing reports and formatting letters
Use of a database including inputting data and searching for information
Ability to build relationships with colleagues at all levels across the organisation
Proactively identify areas of concern and deal with confidential and sensitive information and escalate as appropriate.
We want to enrich everyone's life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.