Policy Officer

Job description

Purpose of the post

The Howard League exists to promote a more effective and more humane approach to people in conflict with the law. We want to see a reduction in the use of punishment, specifically a reduction in the use of prison and improved conditions for those people who remain in prison, including more support for reintegration. We understand that our current systems of punishment operate unjustly and are counter-productive; they make our communities less, rather than more safe.

We want to do even more, so we are looking for a Policy Officer who can help us achieve our goals of less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

The Policy Officer will support an exciting programme of work which focusses on reducing racial disparities in youth justice. This post forms part of the campaigns team but will involve working with colleagues across the organisation, including our legal team which runs a free advice line for children and young adults in custody.

Given the focus of this role on tackling racial disparities and the Howard League’s commitment to be an inclusive employer, we are particularly keen to recruit someone from a racially minoritised background.

Duties and responsibilities

• Working on the programme to reduce racial disparities in youth justice, dealing with topics such as remand and joint enterprise
• Develop and support an advisory group for the project on reducing racial disparities for children in the criminal justice system
• Identify pressure points for change and devise strategies to secure positive impact in these areas
• Prepare policy briefings, practitioner guides, and respond to consultations as required
• Work with the legal team to provide policy support relevant to reducing racial disparities in youth justice
• Monitoring and advising on developments in youth justice policy
• Developing and nurturing links with relevant agencies, community groups and opinion formers

Person specification

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and a proven track record of writing and producing materials to publication standard
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to keep a clear timetable and achieve agreed targets to timetables with a short turnaround
• Sound analytical skills and the ability to understand and identify key issues
• Knowledge of youth justice issues and the penal system
• Knowledge of the experiences of Black and other racially minoritised communities in the criminal justice system
• A good team player, with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships internally and externally.
• Computer literacy with experience in using a range of office software packages (including Word, Excel and Outlook).
• A commitment to social justice, human rights and prison reform
• A university degree or equivalent studies in a relevant field (such as criminology, law, sociology etc) would be desirable

Conditions of Service

The post is full time, or part time for the right candidate.

The terms and conditions are as laid out in the contract of employment and the office handbook and include 30 days paid leave plus statutory days and 10% contribution to the Howard League workplace pension scheme. You may choose to work in the office each day, or to work some days from home on agreement with management.

The Howard League encourages applications from suitable candidates with personal experience of the criminal justice system.

As an inclusive employer the Howard League actively encourages applications from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please fill in the application form. If for any reason you can’t use the application form, please provide an up-to-date CV and supporting statement, giving evidence and examples of how you meet the criteria, and what you feel you would bring to the role.  

Please e-mail the completed application to info@howardleague.org.

The deadline for applications for this role is Friday 30 June 2023

Interviews will be held on Thursday 13 July 2023

Download the job description.

Download the job application form.