Location: Office based (Market Harborough) or home based with access to Market Harborough and travel across the UK

HMC – The Heads’ Conference – is a professional association of heads of the world’s leading independent schools.

This is a newly created post the main purpose of which is to provide specialist support and carry out tasks to further HMC’s political objectives and communications strategy.

The role is designed to support the Director of Communications on public affairs work in the run up to and after the General Election (assumed to be held in 2024). The post-holder will be a member of the HMC communications team. As such, in addition to fulfilling role-specific responsibilities, the postholder will be expected to support the delivery of the wider work of the team.

Your key responsibilities will include;

• Delivering key aspects of HMC’s public affairs strategy either by supporting members to engage with stakeholders, or by engaging directly.
• Tracking and recording all political engagement by HMC and its members. Providing regular updates on progress against objectives to senior colleagues in both verbal and written forms.
• Monitoring political/media events and advising colleagues on implications for HMC and the independent sector.
• Making suggestions for proactive and reactive actions following political/media events.
• Building relationships with HMC members and their staff.
• Supporting HMC schools through various means to ensure they can engage with their local stakeholders.
• Developing and updating stakeholder tracking documents.

The right candidate must have/be:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in communications, marketing, digital marketing/communications or a related subject.
• Experience of running a long-term campaign, managing various stakeholders and tracking engagement.
• Experience of working in a public affairs/government relations role.
• Experience of managing multiple competing workload priorities/activities simultaneously and ensuring that tight deadlines are met.

If you wish to discuss the post, informally, please speak to Chris Fairbank, Director of Communications , who can be contacted by email for an appointment at chris@hmc.org.uk