Policy & Public Affairs Officer

The Mental Health Foundation is recruiting for a Policy and Public Affairs Officer to support the Policy team based at our Belfast office.

Deadline: 5pm on Wednesday 23rd April 2025
Location: Belfast
Salary: Starting at £31,350 rising to £35,381 pro-rata
Hours: Part-time (21 hours) [Currently reduced to 19.2 hours (on same pay) as part of our 32-hour week pilot and may revert to 21 hours after July 2025]
Contract type: Permanent

This is a great opportunity to use your skills to help us prevent mental health problems by influencing policy and engaging politicians in our mission of good mental health for all. This exciting role will support developing and delivering the Foundation’s policy and public affairs programme in Northern Ireland and work with teams across the UK.

What does the role involve?

• Monitor the Assembly and wider policy environment to identify opportunities to influence others to champion our policy priorities.
• Carrying out background research, developing influencing plans, responding to government consultations and providing briefings for politicians and other external stakeholders.
• Ensure the Foundation’s stakeholders, including people with lived experience, are involved in developing policy work and strategy.

What skills, knowledge and experience are we looking for?

• In-depth knowledge of policy development systems and processes in Northern Ireland.
• Experience of working with the Northern Ireland Assembly.
• Knowledge of the mental health policy landscape in Northern Ireland.

Safeguarding is Everyone’s business – Mental Health Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its beneficiaries, those who surround them, its staff, volunteers, and anyone else who comes into contact with its services and expects all trustees, staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to appropriate vetting procedures (proof of eligibility to work in the UK, proof of residency and satisfactory employment screening, including a Disclosure check and two most recent references) along with 3-year renewals of Disclosure checks. We are unable to provide sponsorship for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK.

How to apply

If you think your skills match and you’d like to be part of a dynamic and growing organisation, please complete and submit your application on our website. Please ensure you attach an up-to-date CV and statement of suitability answering all points of the person specification. Applications will close at 5pm on Wednesday 23rd April and we are unable to accept late applications. Interviews are planned for Wednesday 7th May.

We believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. Diversity and inclusion is a strategic priority for us as an employer and mental health charity, and we are proud to be signatories of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter and the Disability Confident Committed Scheme. Applications from under-represented sections of the community are actively encouraged.

If you have a disability, require any additional support or have any questions regarding the role, please contact us at vacancies@mentalhealth.org.uk. We make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment. Disabled candidates who meet all the essential person specification criteria will be offered an interview. Therefore, please do ensure you tick the relevant box on the application form and clearly indicate in your application/covering letter if you consider yourself to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 / Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

We are currently operating mostly digital recruitment (including interviews via video conferencing). We have moved to a hybrid working model of a minimum of 2 days per week in the office and the rest working from home.

We look forward to hearing from you!