JOB TITLE: Senior Policy & Information Officer

REPORTS TO: Policy Manager

LOCATION: Central London

BACKGROUND

The Policy, Education and Influencing Department

The Policy, Education and Influencing Department is responsible for leading and delivering
Breakthrough’s key influencing, campaigning, education and policy programmes as well as
managing and developing the Campaigns and Advocacy Network (Breakthrough CAN)
representing the views of a significant stakeholder group, which underpins all our activities.

This developing department is a hive of reactive, as well as planned activity, where projects
stretch across teams to create an informed and powerful voice on breast cancer. It is made up of
two teams; Policy & Education and Health Services Improvement and Influencing.

Your Team

The Policy and Education team strives to develop a timely, accurate and expert evidence base,
which underpins all of Breakthrough’s work, helps to secure our reputation for high quality and
reliability and earns the organisation the respect and admiration of other voluntary agencies and
key stakeholders including the Department of Health. The team is also responsible for
Breakthrough’s health promotion projects and breast cancer information which are designed to
promote awareness, knowledge and understanding of breast cancer.

You will also work closely with The Health Services Improvement & Influencing team which
influences change by employing dynamic and innovative strategies which maximise the
engagement and participation of key stakeholders and advocates. The team ensures that by
effective engagement with healthcare professionals at all levels of the health service,
Breakthrough is able to influence quality improvements in access, delivery and experience of
services of benefit to people affected by breast cancer. The team is responsible for driving
forward Breakthrough’s integrated campaigning across the UK at all levels of influence utilising
the 1,200 plus members of the Campaigns & Advocacy Network (Breakthrough CAN) and our
contacts with key influencers including parliamentarians, both locally and nationally.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• To develop evidence-based policies and communications on key issues relevant to breast

cancer to underpin Breakthrough’s work to influence public policy and practice.
• To project manage research and policy-making projects to support Breakthrough in
maintaining and extending influence in this area.
• Act as a source of expertise on breast cancer across Breakthrough, including within the
Policy, Education & Influencing and Communications departments.

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 • Working closely with the Senior Health Promotion & Information Officer, to provide
accurate, evidence-based and timely information for Breakthrough information products
and in response to ad hoc requests.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILTY

• Play a key role in developing evidence-based policy positions on issues associated with
breast cancer.
• Working closely with the Involvement & CAN Manager and Involvement & CAN Officer,
ensure the views and interests of people affected by breast cancer are fully represented in
Breakthrough’s policy work.
• Working closely with colleagues across the department, play a key role in researching and
developing policy positions and messaging to underpin campaigns designed to achieve
improvements in services and treatments for people affected by breast cancer.
• Project manage innovative policy research projects to support Breakthrough in
maintaining and extending influence.
• Undertake thorough reviews on available research, and other relevant evidence, to ensure
that Breakthrough has accurate and up-to-date information on key issues relevant to
breast cancer.
• Demonstrate effective cross team working by providing policy support to the Policy,
Education & Influencing department and across Breakthrough, as necessary.
• Act as a source of expertise on issues associated with breast cancer both within
Breakthrough (i.e. to support the work of other teams and by providing high level expert
advice to senior colleagues, including the Senior Management Team and Chief Executive)
and when representing Breakthrough to external audiences (i.e. representing patient
views at relevant conferences, representing patient views as a member of external
advisory groups where relevant).
• Act as an ambassador at external meetings and conferences, develop contacts / build
relationships and spot opportunities to influence.
• Regularly horizon-scan for and identify opportunities for Breakthrough to influence public
policy and practice relating to breast cancer.
• Support Breakthrough’s media, information and breast health promotion work by providing
expert, accurate advice, evidence base and content for Breakthrough’s communications,
information products, information queries and media comments related to breast cancer.
• To carry out other duties commensurate with the position.
• Demonstrate Breakthrough’s values in contributing to the work of the department and
Breakthrough as a whole.

DIMENSIONS

Number of Staff:

• Department Total: 20
• Team Total: 8
• Direct Reports: 0

INTERFACES / INTERDEPENDENCIES

KEY INTERFACES

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Internal:
• All members of Policy, Education & Influencing Department.
• Members of other teams (particularly the Communications department).
• Chief Executive as appropriate.

External:
• Senior scientists, clinicians, government officials, senior policy-makers in wide variety of
external organisations (including Department of Health)
• People affected by breast cancer
• Numerous other charitable organisations and patient and non-patient led groups relevant to
the development of Breakthrough’s policy work

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

Essential:
• Advanced postgraduate degree (Ph.D.) in a relevant scientific or medical discipline
• Demonstrable knowledge of research principles and a good understanding of the systems
by which information about research and policies can be obtained
• Excellent critical appraisal skills and the ability to interpret data to the highest degree of
scientific accuracy
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) including the ability to translate
complex/scientific information into accessible language suitable for non-scientific
audiences e.g. policy makers, the media, the public and people affected by breast cancer
• Good writing skills, including excellent attention to detail, grammar and spelling
• Experience of and ability to lead and manage specific projects
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload in a busy environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people from the
general public through to senior scientists and clinicians
• Experience of working effectively, and on a cross-functional basis, at meetings and events
with internal and external stakeholders
• An interest in, and willingness to develop knowledge of, issues specific to people affected
by breast cancer
• Excellent computer skills with sound knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook and Explorer

Desirable:
• Some Ph.D. experience in a relevant discipline
• Expertise or demonstrable knowledge in the field of genetics
• Experience of developing evidence-based influential policy positions and / or producing
information intended for a lay audience
• Good understanding of how external agents (e.g. government, media, public opinion)
shape public policy
• Basic understanding of the principles of patient and public involvement (in health policy
making)
• Experience of networking/developing professional contacts

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 PERSONAL QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines, with a flexible approach
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Commitment to voluntary sector values and methods

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary range: £31000 - £36000 per annum

Term of appointment: Permanent

Hours of work: 35 hours per week. We also operate a TOIL scheme.

Pension: Contributory group personal pension scheme

Annual Leave: 25 days per year plus 3 days between Christmas and New Year in
addition to bank and public holidays

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