About this job
Working with the Regional Management Team in Northern Ireland your role will involve undertaking research, policy and project work in accordance with the Regional Plan. This translates into a wide range of activity supporting the union internally and externally. It involves work with the senior team, the whole staff team, senior union activists and, where appropriate, direct assistance to branches. The post will play an important role in developing UNISON data bases to assist the wider staff team and lay structures and requires excellent research and communication skills.
Key functions will include:
- supporting both national and regional UNISON policy and bargaining objectives, including from an equality and human rights perspective;
- drafting responses to NI Government and, where appropriate, UK and international, consultation documents, calls for evidence and draft legislation – with a particular emphasis on equality and human rights – and disseminating a concise summary of UNISON’s responses through the activist base to relevant external organisations and, where appropriate, through the media;
- supporting UNISON’s democratic structures, including providing briefings for branch and regional delegations to UNISON and wider trade union conferences and providing regular updates for UNISON NI Regional Committee and Regional Council;
- contributing to the development of key UNISON policy across all our objectives and providing staff, activists and branches with concise, accessible guidance;
- liaising with employers and external organisations, political parties and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions as appropriate;
- liaising with UNISON HQ and, in particular, UNISON’s Policy Department as appropriate;
- keeping the UNISON team updated on relevant developments in EU, ETUC, ILO, UN treaty monitoring bodies and wider programmes, policy and legislation as it affects membership and public services in Northern Ireland;
- undertaking lobbying and advocacy as and when appropriate;
- contributing to the co-ordination of UNISON NI strategies on equality and human rights across our organising, bargaining and campaigning objectives and programmes of work;
- working with our wide range of allies and partners in the equality and human rights field;
- assisting with developing UNISON NI’s unique partnership programme – designed to improve service delivery and the working lives of UNISON members;
- supporting UNISON’s recruitment, organising, bargaining and campaign activities;
- engaging with the print and broadcast media as appropriate.
You will be committed to the principles and policies of UNISON in particular and the trade union movement in general. You will have excellent research and communication skills, and a sound knowledge of public policy and its role in developing equality and human rights. You will have a sound knowledge of the political system. You will have the ability to travel as required.
How to apply
To apply for this opportunity, please download and complete the General application form and monitoring forms (under “Documents”) and see job description and person specification (under “Documents”).
Please note that only the General application form will be accepted.
Please email your completed application form along with the NI Equality Monitoring Forms to m.bradford@unison.co.uk quoting ref: R5/37T.
The closing date for completed applications is 2nd June 2021 at 5pm
Interview dates are TBA
About UNISON
UNISON is the UK’s leading public services trade union, with over 1.3 million members working in the public sector, private, voluntary and community sectors and in the energy services. We employ approximately 1,200 staff, with around 370 at our national centre in Euston in central London and the remainder in our 12 regions across the UK, including Northern Ireland.
UNISON is a dynamic, progressive union, committed to equality. We encourage men and women of all ages, Black and minority ethnic groups, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to work with us.
