Public Affairs Officer

The Policy and Public Affairs team focuses on political engagement to help deliver against the Our Voice strategic priorities. With the Government having recently published a new Animal Welfare Strategy, we have a strong platform from which to try and influence change, especially in light of changing trends when it comes to attitudes towards pet ownership.

The Policy and Public Affairs team has a strong track record of delivering legislative change in recent years, and the Public Affairs Officer role has a key part to play in our day-to-day work of engaging and persuading political stakeholders.

The main responsibilities of the role are:
• Help deliver policy and legislative change for Battersea through effective engagement with relevant political stakeholders.
• Build and grow a network of parliamentary advocates for Battersea across the political parties.
• Help assess and demonstrate the impact of the team’s work, overseeing the team’s impact mapping project, and updating and maintaining reporting records.
• Improve co-ordination with other teams across Battersea to make advocacy work more efficient and effective

What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year.
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans.

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. If you would like to talk more about this, please contact jobs@battersea.org.uk or call us on 020 3887 8341. Greyscale copies of the recruitment pack are also available on request.

More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Acceptable use of AI:
At Battersea, we value expertise. We recognise each candidate that applies to us will have a range of expertise they can offer us, so we want to hear about this in your own words. We understand the support that generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can offer but it can also lead to numerous applications presenting as generic and impersonal. This makes it difficult to gain understanding of your unique experience.

To best showcase yourself, we encourage you to write your responses without the assistance of AI. If you require the use of AI software to aid in completing your application, we ask you use the generative responses as a prompt for writing your answers and avoid copying and pasting. You must also ensure the information presented in your application accurately reflects your experience.

Closing date: 17th August 2026
All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Interview date(s): Week Commencing 31st August 2026 (Online) - To Be Confirmed

For more information about the role, please download our Recruitment pack.

To apply for the role, please click the "Apply Now" button below.