Medact is looking for an experienced campaigner to lead our work to advocate for a health-centred economic system. 

Background

Medact supports healthcare workers to work together towards a world in which everyone can truly achieve and exercise their human right to health. We cover some of the most pressing national and global threats to health and wellbeing including climate change; human rights abuses; conflict and violence; and rising inequality. We’re a member-led organisation, and our members are made up of a range of people who work in health including nurses, doctors, midwives, and clinical researchers.

After ten years of austerity, the UK is one of the most unequal countries in Europe. Health workers are often the first to see the impacts of an unequal society, through the ways in which factors such as poor housing, precarious work, and food insecurity affect their patients. And yet, health is left out of many important conversations about the economy. Our members have told us they want to work for a more equal society, but health workers often feel underqualified to intervene in economic discussions. 

We believe the health community has huge potential to drive progressive social change – come work with us to help make that a reality.

About the role

The Economic Justice Campaigner will lead Medact’s campaigning for an economy which puts health and health justice at its centre. We’ve recently received new funding, and this role is an opportunity to design new work to support a group of healthcare workers to campaign on an issue that’s deeply important to them. It’ll include collaborating with our members and allies to develop Medact’s own policy positions on key economic issues, analysing the political context to identify how Medact can create change most effectively, and working to make that change happen.

About you

This isn’t an entry-level role but you don’t need to have had a job in an NGO before or be a professional campaigner to be right for it. You might have worked with your local community to campaign on a social justice or health issue that you care about. Or you might be a healthcare worker who has seen the impact of inequality on your patients and wants to tackle the root causes of that inequality. You’ll have a strong understanding of power and how to work with others to create pressure for change. You need to be a great communicator, able to build trusting relationships with Medact members, academics, partner organisations, and community groups alike – and you’ll have an eye for a good media story and know how to get it out into the world.