Kathleen F.
About me
| Kathleen F. | |
| Politics, Economics and Philosophy | |
| Philosophy and Politics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| James | |
| 2019 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| National Influencing Officer (Campaigns Officer) | |
| Alzheimer's Society | |
| United Kingdom |
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A day in the life of a National Influencing Officer (Campaigns Officer) in the United Kingdom
Leading campaigns to influence policy and drive change ... particularly for people affected by dementia
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work for Alzheimer's Society - one of the UK's largest dementia charities
What do you do?
I design and lead campaigns to influence policy and drive change in health and social care, particularly for people affected by dementia. This involves managing national campaigns in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, engaging politicians, collaborating with stakeholders, and embedding lived experiences into strategies to ensure impactful and inclusive outcomes.
Some activities I regularly do include:
Compiling campaign proposals that build narratives and journeys to ensure we secure stakeholder buy-in for our policy calls
Finding and supporting campaigners to come to in-person events to meet politicians and share their stories.
Supporting at Parliamentary events and Party Conferences to communicate our priorities to politicians.
Working with the media and social media teams to secure coverage of our political campaigning and raise public awareness and pressure.
Regularly meet with internal teams to find ways to turn other supporters into campaigners
Find creative ways to cut through the political noise and personalise our messaging for key politicians
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
Straight out of university I was unsure what I wanted to do but I found a job in publishing. I applied with a CV and Cover Letter and went in for an in person interview where I had to answer questions and complete a proofreading task. I have always been interested in story-building and I thought the world of books might be where I wanted to be. I liked my job a lot but it didn't feel like my passion.
During COVID-19 I realised I needed to return back to something more related to my degree and specifically I wanted to work in health care policy. At university I took an Ethics and Public Policy module, a Food Politics module, a module on Foucault and a module on Gender and Public Policy, and within those I had chosen to focus on aspects of healthcare. I took a course in Public Affairs, but from a journalism perspective, which really helped to boost my knowledge of the political and health care system. Candidly, I had to move back home after the first lockdown due to my contract being unable to be renewed. During this time I worked freelance for my former company and was fortunate to find an (unpaid) internship at an environmental non-profit. This was quite a jump into the deep end because whilst I was unpaid I was expected to do a lot - I don't endorse this but it meant I developed a lot of skills (like HMTL coding) that bolstered my CV.
I spent ages on Charity Jobs and applied for so many jobs, getting interviews for some but lots I wouldn't hear anything. After a few months I managed to secure a paid temp job with the charity Ageing Better; because of these new skills, this job was extended and then off the back of this I secured my first fulltime job in the charity sector in mental health working in communications. I did this for a year and built so many skills in working with people with lived experience and telling truthful but impactful stories. I knew though, I really wanted to come back more to politics and policy so I looked out for a job in public affairs. I applied for an officer role at Alzheimer's Society and though I didn't get that role, I made it through to the second round of interviewing and they offered me an assistant role. I said yes and it was the best career move I've ever made. After 9 months an officer role came up internally and I went for it and here I am.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes and no. I didn't really know what I wanted to do when I graduated - I actually thought I'd do a Masters but decided against it. Now I look back and think my journey from graduation makes a lot of sense and really builds on what I loved during my degree but it definitely didn't feel that clear when I was in it.
Describe your most memorable day at work
Getting to attend my first Labour Party Conference with Alzheimer's Society has to stick out in my mind. I'm a politics nerd so being in a room full of politicians and speaking with them at our stand was surreal. So many of them mentioned their connections to dementia and shared their own stories which was so inspiring. We were encouraging them to play an activity to demonstrate the difficulties people face with diagnosis and so many of them took time out of their busy schedules to stop by and hear our policy calls. We heard from them that many came to our stand on the ask of our campaigners (their constituents), this is so rewarding for a campaigns officer to hear. It also was an amazing bonding experience with my team. I was quite nervous in the lead up to it, but my Head of National Influencing was really supportive, encouraging me to do the pitch to MPs and even pushing me to take time away from the stand to network as I was the most junior member of staff there. It was long days on my feet but it was a real rush of adrenaline! Also I met Lord Dubs which is a personal highlight.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Yes! Politics isn't known for being straightforward. From MPs rescheduling meetings to whole Government plans being scrapped - there will be disappointments and frustrations and unfortunately there is no way to fully avoid them. But as a team we brace for these moments and we're good at acknowledging challenges and pulling together to work out a plan b. There are also hectic times - the general election being announced for July 2024 caught us off guard! But these can also be the most fun times when the team comes together to support each other.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
I am contracted remote but recently moved to London so I go into my office a few times a week. I like to have the freedom to work in a way that suits me best. There are no real rules around clothing - except when we are meeting stakeholders. our organisational values are: Determined to make a difference, Trusted Expert, Compassion and Better Together. We have some days with lots of group meetings to get everyone on the same page, but then I have some days with very few meetings. Each Wednesday afternoon is blocked out for a no meeting time. I also have flexible working and work slightly increased hours so that every other Monday I have as a non-working day.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was in the climbing and bouldering society which actually led me to work as a climbing instructor for a summer. This experience is something I draw on whenever I feel imposter syndrome because I remind myself I literally used to have children's lives in my hands - I can speak up in a meeting!
I also wrote for The Yorker (not sure if this still exists) - this was great for developing my written communication skills.
What would you like to do next with your career?
I currently specialise in campaigns, I want to expand my expertise to build knowledge in policy and public affairs functions. I'd like to work up to a senior officer role or even a management role.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Talk to as many people as possible. The options for job roles are endless - you are exposed to so few job roles when you're young its so hard to know what you want to do! Try and distil what activities, experiences or skills you want to have in a role - they don't have to be traditional. You might want a job that gives you the experience of travel or the freedom to work part time. It's all valid. Don't compare yourself to others - most of us will have squiggly careers and being in a role that isn't your dream job means your building additional skills you can bring to a role later down the line that those who follow a more straightforward path might not have.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Happy to answer most questions. My suggested areas would be questions on what the charity sector is like, what working in public affairs and campaigns is like - I'm particularly interested in getting lived experience at the heart of our work and would love to chat this through. I also think I can talk to building confidence and battling imposter syndrome. I'd also love to what through practical advice for applications.
Next steps...
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