Senior Participation Officer - B3

We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled candidate to lead the participation approach of the Poverty and Inequality Commission, including managing the Commission's Experts by Experience Panel.

The Commission is an advisory non-departmental public body which exists to provide Scottish Ministers with advice and scrutiny on poverty and inequality. The secretariat’s work is directed by the Commission, and is independent of Scottish Ministers, although its staff remain employed by Scottish Government.

The Commission has a statutory role in providing advice and scrutiny to the Scottish Government on child poverty, and also has discretion in carrying out a range of other activities – such as carrying out research or publishing reports – to reduce poverty and inequality in Scotland. As a core principle of its work, the Commission seeks to work with “experts by experience” – people with experience of poverty – to help make sure they are part of identifying issues, designing solutions, and scrutinising progress.

Our Experts by Experience Panel consists of 12 people from across Scotland and from a diverse range of backgrounds who have experience of poverty. It meets at least monthly, and plays a central role in in the Commission’s advice, scrutiny, and advocacy work.

This role is a maternity cover post to lead on work with the Panel, working with members to bring their voices and experiences into the work of the Commission. This includes the day-to-day management of the Panel and engagement with our Panel members, preparing Panel sessions and integrating the outputs of the sessions into the Commission’s wider work, and strategic longer-term work on the Commission’s participatory approach. The postholder also works closely with the analytical manager to ensure that the Panel have a voice in research and analysis that underpins the Commission’s work.

Responsibilities

• Lead on the development and implementation of the Commission’s Experts by Experience Panel work plan, and integrate the outputs from the Panel into the Commission’s advice and scrutiny work, including by drafting and delivering reports and presentations.
• Inform and engage with the Commission on all matters in relation to the Panel, by preparing summaries of the outcomes of Panel meetings and discussions, and where appropriate sharing these or other aspects of the Panel’s work with third parties, and building constructive relationships with them (including Scottish Government officials and third sector organisations the Commission partners with).
• Be the first point of contact for Panel members with the Commission, build trust and rapport with them and support them to meaningfully engage with the work of the Panel including consideration of any accessibility requirements Panel members may have.
• Build upon existing work carried out by the Commission and other partners on how experts by experience should be thanked for their time and contributions to the work of the Commission.
• Manage the Panel’s budget and line manage a colleague with responsibilities for providing effective administrative support for the Panel.
• Lead on communicating and promoting the work of the Panel and the Commission through a range of channels, both to promote the outcomes from the Panel and share the Commission’s learning on participatory approaches.

Working pattern

This role is a temporary position with an expected commitment of 10 months.

How to Apply

Applications for this position will only be accepted from substantive B3 employees.

Please submit a statement outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team (maximum 500 words).

Selection Process

All candidates will be invited to an informal discussion with the Hiring Manager.  

Informal discussion dates tbc.

Further Information

If you have specific questions about the role, please contact [email protected] 

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.