Hybrid Policy Engagement Manager

at UK Research and Innovation

• Job title: Policy Engagement Manager
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Mid level, Senior
• Salary: £46,743 per year
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Swindon, United Kingdom

About the role

• Senior Policy Engagement Manager developing policy engagement strategies for ADR UK. Focusing on evidence-based policy decisions in partnership with government and key stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Strategic planning: Develop a policy engagement strategy, building on work achieved so far, that ensures ADR UK has the greatest impact on real-world policy decisions and includes monitoring techniques for regular reporting processes.
• Implementation lead: Once planned, manage and report on the policy engagement strategy over time, developing and delivering new workstreams or activities as needed to achieve our objectives.
• Policy monitoring and horizon scanning: Develop and manage a systematic approach to horizon-scanning in the short and long term to identify policy impact opportunities for our work, for example through All Party Parliamentary Groups, Select Committee Enquiries, or sector events, for which we can provide evidence and insights.
• Partnership management: Lead on development and management of a policy partnership programme of work, including leading on a partnership contact database (or similar) to record contacts and activity, developing positive and fruitful collaborations across policy engagement (such as Parliamentary contacts, Government contacts, NGOs etc).
• Project management and evaluation: Where needed, produce comprehensive project plans, and manage resulting projects throughout, reporting at evaluation phase to demonstrate tangible results.
• Inclusive communications and collaboration: Produce inclusive and accessible communications as needed, promoting good equalities practice and valuing diversity. Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners, including across the nations.
• Crisis communications and team support: Support with crisis communications management when necessary, following procedures as required.
• Leadership: Assist the Head of Communications and Engagement as needed, including deputising where appropriate, and collaborating with the wider team on shared projects in a generous manner.
• Professional development and team contribution: Contribute to the development of the Communications and Engagement team by sharing knowledge and expertise. Keep skills and knowledge up to date by proactively seeking new opportunities for development.

Requirements

• Strategic planning: Bring a strategic approach to your work, connecting the dots between ADR UK’s policy impact objectives and the opportunities available to us to produce a compelling strategic approach to guide this area of our work.
• Management and organisational skills: Effective management, planning, and organisational skills across time-bound activities such as projects or campaigns, including working collaboratively with others to lead or participate in shared projects.
• Partnership management expertise: Proven experience in building and managing partnerships, including within a policy engagement context (or transferable sector).
• Political awareness and institutional understanding: Political awareness and understanding of the context in which UKRI and ADR UK operates. Knowledge of the functioning of UK Parliament, Whitehall, Devolved Governments, and the policymaking process.
• Evaluation and monitoring: Experience monitoring the outcomes and impact of workstreams and/or specifically research programmes, to monitor, report on, and tell the story of outcomes and impact to internal and external audiences.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the experience to adapt communication style for different audiences and translate complex information into compelling narratives, including policy briefs.
• Continuous Learning: Commitment to staying informed about industry trends, content marketing best practices, and emerging technologies in the data landscape.
• Creative content production: Familiarity with using content templates through software such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite to create branded content that looks professional (i.e. for social media posts and/or event materials). Familiarity or willingness to develop skills with producing content such as short-form videos or podcasts to contribute to wider team shared projects.

Benefits

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.