RSPCA - Assistant Director, Campaigns & Prevention

Assistant Director, Campaigns & Prevention

2030

We’re proud to be the oldest welfare charity around.

About RSPCA 01 02 03

Our vision is a world where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion. Our mission is to ensure animals have a good life by rescuing and caring for those in need, by advocating on behalf of all animals and by inspiring everyone to treat them with compassion and respect.

The world is changing at a rapid pace; from the growing climate emergency and the post-Brexit trade environment to the recognition of loneliness in our society and the changing nature of how we live, work and interact, not least as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why we’re introducing this bold, ambitious strategy - to put ourselves in the best possible place to improve the lives of even more animals.

Reduce neglect, abuse and cruelty to companion animals – including exotic pets – in England and Wales by 50 percent.

04

End severe suffering for animals used in science.

End the illegal selling of puppies and kittens in the UK.

See more than half of all the UK’s farm animals reared to RSPCA welfare standards.

05

Secure legal protection for animals. Establish an Animal Protection Commission.

06

Achieve statutory powers in England and Wales for RSPCA inspectors under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Secure the adoption by the United Nations of a comprehensive Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.

Inspire a one million-strong movement for animal welfare by 2030.

Our five priorities to 2030

01 02

Rescue and Care

We

Advocacy

03

Support

We will grow

Organisational Effectiveness

We strive for

Introduction The Role

The Policy, Prevention and Campaigns team at RSPCA is responsible for influencing change amongst governments, corporates and the public to advance animal welfare. We do this directly by creating the evidence base for change, lobbying politicians, working with corporates, delivering public campaigns, and running education and prevention programmes. RSPCA also works behind the scenes to try to change the conversation about animal welfare, with the intention of making it an essential social consideration.

In order to deliver against our ambitious 2030 Strategy, we are recruiting two senior Assistant Director positions related to Campaigns & Prevention and Evidence, Advocacy & Policy.

Title: Assistant Director, Campaigns & Prevention

Department: Policy, Prevention and Campaigns

Location: Flexible mix of homeworking, attendance at London and Southeast offices and regular national travel. You must have existing right to work in the UK to apply for this position.

Direct reports: Head of Campaigns & Public Affairs, Head of International, Head of Prevention (with a total team of 35 people)

Reporting to: Emma Slawinski, Director Policy, Prevention and Campaigns

Salary: c£70,000

This role will provide strategic planning and leadership to the campaigns and prevention team. The team are responsible for influencing, campaigning, and prevention programmes at RSPCA, targeted at major stakeholders (government, corporates and the public) – including what they are, how they are delivered and what impact they have.

To bring this to life, campaigning work at RSPCA might include activities such as working with political parties to push for a desired legislation change through manifesto commitments, an influencing programme might seek to secure UN support for RSPCA initiatives, or to see a reduction in the use of animals in research in or outside of the UK. While prevention programmes involve education initiatives typically delivered with schools, other educational settings, or targeted programmes working with people who are considered at risk of harming animals.

The global context is important, and this role will support the Head of International to embed an international mindset across the organisation. Working better with communities, for example through local RSPCA branches and charity shops, and engaging volunteers more in campaigns and prevention initiatives, is also a priority and will require new ideas, that will be spearheaded by this person.

The mandate for this team is extensive and the Assistant Director will need to develop a broad overview of all areas and the ability to offer leadership and support to subject matter experts. This role will also provide a connection between this team and the evidence and policy team (in the same Directorate), as well as colleagues.

Responsibilities

In this role you will:

Lead the Team

• Provide leadership to our expert Heads of Department and lead the RSPCA’s development of influencing, campaigning and prevention programmes and approaches to ensure delivery against our 2030 Strategy

• Be accountable for the delivery of our engagement work with communities and volunteers, ensuring our priorities across public affairs, prevention and international are well represented.

• Deliver effective people management and inspiring leadership, including performance management, coaching, development and mentoring through formal and informal mechanisms.

• Lead the development of plans and budgets for the financial year for your team, in order to inform the wider directorate’s annual plans and budget.

Develop new ways of working

• Create a new strategy for closer work with branches, volunteers and community groups by considering ways of engaging them in our activities and ensuring their insight and experience is shaping our work.

• Introduce and encourage new ideas and ways of working to help animal welfare campaigns and prevention programmes to be even more effective, internationally, nationally, locally and crucially, creating buy-in and support for new ways of working internally.

• Be a role model for continuous improvement, regularly benchmarking against external organisations, current and future trends. Develop new partnerships with other organisations to deliver on joint agendas, for example working with social support organisations to reach animal owners struggling with debt or housing difficulties.

• Co-develop and be accountable for the join-up between,

engagement targets, which might include goals like reaching every key stage 2 young person in England and Wales with our education programme and getting animal welfare on the national curriculum.

Connect across the organisation

• Share and embed best practice for community-based work into the organisation, and work with communications and fundraising teams to ensure all the work of RSPCA, including our international work, is visible to our supporter base.

• Work across the organisation and directorate to bring trends and new thought in animal welfare into campaigns and prevention / education programmes.

• Collaborate with colleagues in Fundraising to get better at audience segmentation, making a clear plan for who should receive what targeted messaging connected to the work in your team.

• Lead and influence, as a member of the Senior Leadership Group (SLG), to the overall organisational strategy and direction. Contribute as a senior leader to the effective functioning and team working of the SLG, advising on and contributing to, the work of Board of Trustees’ committees and working groups as required.

Competencies we look for at RSPCA in leadership positions

• Leadership – outstanding stakeholder management skills and extensive understanding and experience of the political and legislative process, and attitudinal and behaviour change concepts.

• Strategic thinking – demonstrating a holistic view of issues, events and activities, with a perception of their longer-term impact or wider implications.

• Action orientated & results driven – able to prioritise work, with a clear readiness to make decisions, take the initiative and focus on delivery. Seeking better ways of doing things, looking to improve on status quo and willingness to deal with difficult situations that affect output and impact, whatever the organisational level of the role.

• Quality – taking a lead role in setting goals, standards and priorities. Following through to ensure that quality and productivity standards are met.

• Influencing – the ability to influence, motivate and empower others in order to reach organisational goals. Recognising the value of sharing ideas, knowledge and information with others and taking personal responsibility for doing so.

• Strong at oral and written communication – writing and speaking fluently and persuasively and able to deliver arguments in a compelling manner to influence both individuals and groups.

• Flexible and resilient – successfully adapting to changing demands and conditions. Maintains effective work behaviour in the face of setbacks or pressure.

• Personally motivated – Committing to work hard towards goals. Showing enthusiasm and career commitment with personal energy, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

• Accountability – ability to work in the interest of the organisation as a whole - working closely with colleagues across all functions to get there. Motivates their team, displays effective approach to internal communication and holds excellent interpersonal skills

Person Specification

Essential:

• Experience in a role which has a focus on influencing public opinion and creating behaviour change amongst different groups of people, such as campaigns and public affairs. This includes expertise in mass public engagement as well as familiarity with techniques for reaching hard to reach groups. Success navigating through intra-governmental bodies would be especially useful.

• Experience of bringing innovative ideas and approaches into organisations and acting on insight and experience internally to improve ways of doing things.

• Experience of working at a senior level within a complex organisation and building and leading internal change and collaboration initiatives.

• Previous experience in a senior position, which includes considerable people and budget management and working through ambiguity and change.

• Communications expertise, which includes confidence in speaking and influencing publicly to very different audience groups (imagine MPs, farmers, journalists, teachers, corporate directors and volunteers). As well as experience of strategically changing and tailoring campaigns for different audience groups.

• Knowledge of legislation that impacts on animal welfare and relevant national and international regulations would be a strong advantage, with a proven desire to stay abreast of the scientific, ethical and social/political issues connected to our work.

• A strong commitment to our mission and to improving animal welfare

Desirable:

• Master’s degree or PHD in relevant area

• Wide contacts base in the charitable sector

• Proven experience of working at a senior level in a change-making environment in Wales or England, perhaps with an NGO or in politics

• Experience of working within a communications or campaigns focused organisation

How to Apply

To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter in two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit. The documents should be saved as a PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name- Date (mmyy) e.g., PatJones-CV-102022-RSPCA.

Timeline

Closing Date: 25th November 2022

Equality statement

Diversity, Inclusion and Equality, are at the core of RSPCA’s values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

Selection process

All candidates will be notified about the status of their applications. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undergo a background check and references prior to final appointment. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email rspca-dir-cp@oxfordhr.co.uk in the first instance.

About Oxford HR

Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors. We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy.

Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our client.