Senior National Officer – Equality Unit

UNISON has always led the way on equality and is proud of the work we do internally and externally to improve equality for members of our union and wider society.  We are proud of the work our Equality Unit does to support the work of our women members, Black members, disabled members, LGBT+ members, young members and retired members. As well as the work on equality, the role requires someone committed to driving up participation across all areas of your union to ensure that we truly represent our whole membership in all our structures and decision making.  

We are looking for a leader to join our busy London-based Equality Unit.  You will manage a team of staff that supports the work of our self-organised equality groups, as well as young members and retired members. You will also work closely with other UNISON colleagues to develop strategies to increase participation across all areas of the union and be involved in developing our negotiating and bargaining strategies.  

Core skills for the job include influencing and organising, along with excellent communication skills and the ability to run and shape our campaigns.  A detailed knowledge of equality, a track record in working as part of a team and experience of speaking up on behalf of members in a representative setting and working with elected leaders will be an advantage.   
 

The person

What we’re looking for...  

• Proven experience of analysing complex information, solving challenging problems and developing effective strategic plans.  
• Experience of designing, implementing and evaluating performance standards, with a strong focus on monitoring and continuous improvement.  
• A successful track record of leading organisational development initiatives and managing change in complex environments.
• Strong ability to operate, influence and build relationships effectively within politically sensitive environments. 
• Inspirational leadership skills, with experience managing teams, motivating others, encouraging innovation and handling complex people management issues.  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and make decisions across a broad area of responsibility.  
• Experience of project and budget management, with excellent organisational and time management skills. 
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with knowledge of employment law, workplace equality issues and the role of trade unions in promoting fair representation and democratic values.

Please refer to the job description and person specification for full requirements for this role.

To apply for this opportunity please download and complete the general application form from the UNISON job page, referring to the job description and person specification.

Please note that only the relevant application form will be accepted. CVs will not be accepted.

The completed application form, along with the Recruitment and Disability Monitoring Form, should be sent by email to hrrecruitment@unison.co.uk and quote reference BNE/59.  

Please save each of your documents to include your full name, followed by job title, region/dept and reference.  

Completed application forms must be received by no later than 11.59pm on Sunday 1 November 2026.  

In-person interviews will be held on 19 and 20 November 2026 at UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY.

About UNISON
UNISON is the UK’s leading public services trade union, with over 1.3 million members working in the public sector, private, voluntary and community sectors and in the energy services. We employ approximately 1,200 staff, with around 370 at our national centre in Euston in central London and the remainder in our 12 regions across the UK, including Northern Ireland.

UNISON is a dynamic, progressive union, committed to equality. We encourage men and women of all ages, Black and minority ethnic groups, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to work with us.