Participation Officer
3 days ago
Epsom
Do you have experience of capturing the views of people with lived experience and influencing for positive change? We are looking for a Participation Officer to join Samaritans and support our policy and influencing work, including participation activities that connect people with lived experience to policymaking. You’ll lead on our work through the Suicide Prevention Consortium, an alliance of Samaritans, the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and Support After Suicide Partnership. Contract • £32,000- £34,000 (FTE) per annum plus benefits, • Part time (25hrs per week), • Fixed term contract until 31 March 2026 (a funded role as part of the DHSC VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance), • Hybrid – Linked to Ewell (Surrey) office with flexibility to work from home, Ewell and London Bridge, • We are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences About the Suicide Prevention Consortium The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Alliance is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and is made up of 18 VCSE Members that represent communities who share protected characteristics or that experience health inequalities. Samaritans is proud to lead a Suicide Prevention Consortium which also includes the National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA), and Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP). The Consortium aims to harness the collaborative efforts of its members to identify and prevent inequalities which lead to increased risk of suicide. What you’ll do Our Participation Officer leads the management of the Consortium, connects people with lived experience to policymaking, and is involved in directly influencing Government and health system partners What you’ll bring You’ll have experience in policy, influencing and public engagement with the ability to bring the voices of people with lived experience into policy making, and have been directly involved in shaping and influencing government policy decisions. You’ll have experience working with a wide range of stakeholder groups with an understanding of policy development in a large and complex organisation. Job Description and Person Specification here Why Samaritans? At Samaritans, you’ll be part of a people-first organisation deeply committed to inclusion, compassion and learning. You’ll contribute to a team where your voice matters, your expertise makes a difference, and your work helps save lives. We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience and encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to creating an environment where all our people feel seen, heard and supported. You’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission and a collaborative culture. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland. For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure available here. You can also visit our careers website to access this. We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans. Apply now If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please apply. You’ll be asked to upload your CV and answer three application questions about your transferable skills and experience. We do not require a cover letter as part of your application. We kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, or to generate interview answers. We want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths. Applications close: 7th Sept 2025 Interviews: w/c 15th September 2025