About this job
Keen to start a career with the biggest and best health trade union?
UNISON is the UK’s largest trade union with just under half a million members employed across a wide range of occupations in the health service in the four parts of the UK.
We work collectively with other unions to represent and advance the interests of health workers with Governments, policymakers and employers.
Our central Health Service Group team plays a leading role in Industrial Relations and workforce policy in the NHS and works with our regions, branches and other teams to win improvements for the whole healthcare workforce.
We employ 1,200 staff, approximately 370 at our headquarters in Euston, central London and the remainder in our 12 regions across the UK, including Northern Ireland.
We are looking for a permanent Assistant National Officer to join our Health Service Group team this spring.
The person we are looking for will work in our health team helping deliver our ambitious programme of negotiations, campaigns and influencing to make the NHS a better place to work.
Assistant National Officers are based in our London headquarters (with access to hybrid working arrangements) and support the following types of work:
- Running national networks for specific health occupations or issues e.g. nursing and midwifery and overseas nurses
- Overseeing campaigns and projects run through our branches on issues like hospital food, safe staffing and the health and well-being agenda
- Supporting with the running of discrete negotiations within the NHS Staff Council work programme
- Supporting our engagement with policy-makers on health workforce issues including through the NHS Social Partnership Forum
- Commissioning/conducting research and providing analysis of official data to inform and boost our policy positions
Our ideal candidate will have experience of a membership or other democratic environment; be able to organise and analyse data from a range of sources; have had exposure to policymaking through government or other formal bodies in the UK; and have good writing and digital communication skills. A knowledge of the national health service and UK devolution would be a useful extra.
We are looking for someone who is:
- able to deploy good research and technical skills in support of formal consultations, pay and policy processes
- a good communicator in person, in writing and over social media with experience of campaign or project work
- willing to share and/or develop your expertise in policy or industrial relations issues for staff employed in the health service
We would love to hear from you! We are particularly keen to receive applications from under-represented groups.
How to apply
Please note that only the General Application Form will be accepted. Use of any other application form will result in your application not being considered.
Please send completed application forms along with the recruitment and monitoring form to h.govia@unison.co.uk quoting the ref: BNE/36. Completed application forms must be received by no later than 5pm on Thursday 29 Februrary 2024.
Successful candidates will hear from us by 18 March 2024. Interviews will be held on 27 and 28 March 2024.
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.
