Job Description

Interim Head of External Affairs

Location:

Remote with regular travel to London

Salary:

57000 (Grade 6) per year (plus Inner London Weighting of 3,483.94, if eligible)

Length of contract:

12 months

Hours per week:

37

Closing date:

We reserve the right to adapt the advert at any time per organisational circumstances and to close this vacancy early for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interviews:

Interviews will be scheduled for January 2026

Who are Women's Aid?

Women's Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. We are a federation of just under 180 organisations which provide over 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across England. For 50 years we have campaigned on behalf of our members and survivors to shape policy and practice, and to raise awareness of domestic abuse.


Our support services, which include the Survivors' Forum, the No Woman Turned Away Project, the Survivor's Handbook, Love Respect (our dedicated website for young people), the national Women's Aid Directory and our advocacy projects, help thousands of women and children every year.

Purpose of the Interim Head of External Affairs role:

The External Affairs team is focused on ensuring domestic abuse is at the top of the national political agenda, and positioning Women's Aid at the very heart of the debate. The postholder will ensure that Women's Aid tackles the misogyny that underpins domestic abuse throughout culture, with strong media campaigns and by placing Women's Aid's voice at the centre of public debate.


The Head of External Affairs shapes and positions Women's Aid's external profile to ensure its mission to end domestic abuse - leading on the organisation's political, media, events, relationships overview, and campaign work. As part of this, the postholder will lead on the co-ordination of key moments such as International Women's Day for the organisation, oversee Women's Aid's patrons and ambassadors, and ensure the charity's communications across the staff team and the federation of members is engaged and informed in its work. The role is also pivotal in overseeing Women's Aid's crisis communications responses.

Key duties and responsibilities of the Interim Head of External Affairs:

Ensure the organisation is strongly and positively positioned with all key government decision-makers, and stakeholders. Ensure the organisation delivers multi-faceted impactful change-making campaigns and key impact moments on behalf of survivors and members. Deliver impactful events which deliver and support organisational objectives. Lead Women's Aid Political Campaign Strategy to deliver tangible impact and change, ensuring alignment with the organisation's strategic goals and values and the changing political and external environment. Maintain a best-in-class corporate communications function that delivers strategic cross organisational events and co-ordinated key moments. Positioning Women's Aid as the authority on domestic abuse and advising media on domestic abuse content, including storyline development for TV, radio and film. Lead the organisations crisis communications response.

What we are looking for in our Interim Head of External Affairs:

Interest and commitment to the VAWG sector. Significant understanding of how digital technology can be used to drive and deliver organisational objectives. A detailed understanding of Westminster, Whitehall and local government. A good understanding of the work of Women's Aid and its partners. Strong understanding and demonstrable experience of working in the UK political and public policy environment . Significant experience in a voluntary organisation in Communications. Experience of developing creative content campaigns across multiple channels to drive income generation. Proven experience of leading, managing, and retaining a team. Significant experience of lobbying/making written and spoken representations on behalf of an organisation. Strategic oversight of digital assets and other publications as part of wider communications and campaigns delivery. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, oral and written, with excellent networking skills. A strategic and entrepreneurial mindset to create and implement an ambitious marketing, digital and brand strategy.

Benefits of joining us as our Interim Head of External Affairs include:

Generous Annual Leave: 25 days + 2 Company Holidays + 8 UK Bank Holidays, with an extra 1 day per year after 1 year of service, up to a maximum of 5 additional days. Valuable Pension Benefits: a generous 7% employer contribution. Flexible Working: remote working, a generous TOIL scheme, and family-friendly policies Wellness and Support: including a cycle to work scheme, free optician check-ups, annual flu vaccines, access to a 24-hour employee assistance counselling helpline, a 'Headspace' app for mindfulness, and 'Reflective Practice' sessions. Making a Genuine Difference: in a rewarding role where your work will directly result in helping Women's Aid to be able to provide lifesaving services for women and children across England.

NB:

Women only need apply under schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 If you have been shortlisted for interview, you will be informed by email. All posts, including remote posts, must be based in the UK. Women's Aid is committed to quality, equality, and valuing diversity. Applications are particularly welcome from Black and minoritised women. * Please read our Single Sex Statement on the Women's Aid Website