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Policy Officer
Join a nature restoration charity, whose mission is to restore beavers to regenerate our landscapes.
We are looking for a Policy Officer to influence national policies and strategies that enable the restoration of beavers, rivers and wetlands.
Position: Policy Officer
Location: Remote, resident in mainland Britain
Hours: Full or part-time. 4 days per week (30 hrs), 4.5 days per week (33.75 hrs) or 5 days per week (37.5 hrs)
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £29,403 per annum, pro rata
Closing Date: 9:00am on Monday 20th April 2026. We reserve the right to interview candidates and close the ad ahead of the closing date, should a strong candidate be identified.
Interview Date: Online interviews will be held on Tuesday the 12 May. You will be asked to give a short presentation to the interview panel and may also be given a task to undertake during the interview
About the Role
Working closely with and supporting the Policy Lead, the role involves engaging with stakeholders to build strong, effective relationships and help drive policy change in support of the charity’s mission. Sitting in the Influencing team, the Policy Officer will collaborate across the organisation, including with Restoration, Communication & Education, Fundraising, and Support & Governance teams.
Key areas of responsibility include:
- Research and monitor changes in policy and legislation with direct and indirect impacts on beaver restoration across Britain.
- Draft relevant responses, policy documents and political briefings.
- Organise policy events and meetings to support influencing work.
- Monitor the policy positions and activities of stakeholder organisations, including partners and those with opposing views.
- Cultivate and maintain stakeholder relationships, including with politicians, government officials, and partners to bolster support for the trust’s policy positions.
- Represent the organisation at meetings and events, including those of Wildlife & Countryside Link, Wales Environment Link, and Scottish Environment LINK coalitions.
- Support delivery of campaigns.
- Personal data administration to ensure compliance with the GDPR
- Work closely with the wider team to ensure cross organisational working to maximise influencing impact.
About You
You will have an understanding of the environmental policy landscape - including agri–environment schemes - across Britain at both local and national levels. With strong influencing and communication skills, you will have the ability to articulate policy positions clearly and persuasively to support policy change.
You will have proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders, including those who may hold differing or opposing views. For example government officials, NGOs, partners, and landowners.
With the ability to synthesise, interpret and apply scientific research to inform policy development and advocacy, you will have:
- Experience of producing high-quality reports, briefings and written communications for diverse audiences.
- Highly organised, proactive and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to the organisation’s mission and values.
- IT and visual content creation skills.
- Willingness to travel extensively across Britain for work, including frequent overnight stays, with access to transport to get to areas not covered by bus/rail.
All shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Thursday the 30 April. If you have not heard from us by this date, please accept our thanks for applying and assume that you were not shortlisted on this occasion.
About the Organisation
Join a nature restoration charity, restoring beavers to regenerate our landscapes. Our client’s team is small with a diverse skillset and extensive experience in beaver ecology and restoration, human-wildlife coexistence, and policy. They provide practical solutions to help people to co-exist with beavers and influence legislation in Scotland, Wales and at Westminster that rebuilds ecosystems, improves river health, and strengthens climate resilience in a time of ecological and climate crisis.
Benefits include:
- 25 days holiday, plus Christmas day through to New Year’s Day paid, plus 6 days of floating holidays.
- Flexible approach to hours of work.
- Travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses will be met by the trust in
- Pension contribution of 3% of your total pay each month
- One-off contributions toward the cost of an ergonomic office chair and toward purchases of essential devices (laptop, mouse and smartphone)
- Monthly home working allowance, plus an annual contribution toward the maintenance and/or replacement of the essential devices.
We are committed to inclusive recruitment and are happy to make reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the environmental sector, including people of colour, disabled people, those from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities and all other protected characteristics
You may have experience in roles including Policy, Policy Officer, Policy Executive, Grants and Policy, Environment, Environmental, Environmental Policy, Environmental Policy, Nature. #INDNFP
Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client – Not For Profit People.
Thank you!
Join our Psychology and Therapy Hub (PATH) and make a meaningful difference in everyday life for adoptive, kinship and care-experienced families. We’re recruiting an Occupational Therapist with specialist expertise in sensory processing/sensory integration and attachment-informed practice to deliver practical, trauma-informed assessment and intervention that strengthens regulation, participation and connection.
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Make a difference that families feel every day: co-produce practical strategies that support calmer routines, better sleep, smoother transitions and greater participation at home, school and in the community.
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Bring specialist sensory expertise: assess sensory processing and regulation needs and translate findings into clear, realistic plans for parents/carers and partner professionals.
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Work at the sensory–attachment interface: use a trauma- and attachment-informed lens to understand behaviour and build felt safety and co-regulation alongside sensory strategies.
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Thrive in an MDT: contribute an OT perspective to formulation-led work within PATH, collaborating with psychology and therapy colleagues to create joined-up support.
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Flexible, UK-wide reach: deliver support primarily online with occasional travel for team days, training or commissioned work (as required and agreed).
You’ll need:
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HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist.
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Strong experience supporting children/young people and their parents/carers (including complex presentations).
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Proven skills in sensory processing assessment and intervention, including regulation strategies, activity adaptation and environmental modification.
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Confidence working in an attachment- and trauma-informed way with adoptive/kinship/care-experienced families (or closely related work).
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Excellent communication and report-writing skills, able to translate specialist thinking into practical, non-judgemental guidance that families can use.
ROLE PROFILE
JOB TITLE:
Occupational Therapist
ACCOUNTABLE TO:
Clinical Lead
RESPONSIBLE TO:
Clinical Director
HOURS OF WORK:
Full time / Part time
LOCATION:
Remote working with travel flexibility
DURATION:
Permanent
SALARY / GRADE:
Grade 8 - £43.471
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
- Clinical Director and PATH Clinical Lead
- PATH team
- AUK staff
- Children and adults accessing our services
- Referrers and external agencies as appropriate
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The Occupational Therapist (Sensory & Attachment) will deliver high-quality, trauma-informed occupational therapy assessment and intervention to families with a history of adoption, kinship care and long-term fostering. The postholder will bring advanced expertise in sensory processing/sensory integration and the impact of early adversity, attachment disruption and developmental trauma on regulation, participation and family life. The role will work as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) within PATH, contributing to formulation-led support, practical strategies and therapeutic approaches that strengthen safety, connection, and everyday functioning at home, school and in the community.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
·Provide specialist assessment and intervention where sensory processing differences interact with attachment needs, developmental trauma, neurodiversity and emotional/behavioural presentations.
·Co-produce practical, strengths-based support plans with parents/carers and, where appropriate, the child/young person; provide clear strategies that are realistic for family life.
·Deliver evidence-informed interventions (1:1 and group-based as appropriate) including sensory-based regulation strategies, activity adaptation, routine design, environmental modification and caregiver coaching.
·Integrate attachment- and trauma-informed principles (e.g., PACE/connection-based approaches) into OT recommendations, ensuring strategies support safety, relational connection and felt security.
·Contribute to MDT formulation and case discussions, offering an occupational therapy perspective on function, participation, sensory-motor development and regulation
·Prepare high-quality written outputs including assessment summaries, recommendations, letters and reports suitable for families and professionals; contribute to documentation required for commissioning/regulated service evidence as needed.
·Support families to understand the sensory, neurodevelopmental and trauma/attachment factors that may underpin behaviour and distress, and to implement strategies safely.
·Maintain accurate, timely records in line with organisational policies, data protection and confidentiality requirements.
·Contribute to the development of resources (e.g., guides, webinars, workshops) that translate specialist OT knowledge into accessible tools for families and professionals.
·Contribute to delivery of training in your specialist area (sensory processing, regulation, sensory-attachment interface) internally and externally.
·Actively manage a caseload, prioritising risk and complexity, and working within agreed service pathways, timescales and outcome measures.
CRITERIA
Knowledge and Experience
• Significant experience working with children and young people and their parents/carers.
• Experience delivering assessment and intervention for sensory processing differences and regulation needs.
• Experience delivering remote/online OT interventions and caregiver coaching.
• Experience of group work (parents/carers and/or young people).
• Experience of working with adopted children, previously looked-after children, kinship or long-term foster families (or closely related settings).
• Strong understanding of attachment, developmental trauma and the impact of early adversity on regulation, behaviour and participation.
• Ability to integrate sensory strategies with relational/attachment-informed approaches.
• Training/experience in DDP, PACE, NVR, therapeutic parenting or other attachment-informed models.
• Expert knowledge of sensory processing and sensory-based regulation strategies.
• Ability to differentiate sensory needs from (and understand overlap with) trauma responses, anxiety, and neurodevelopmental differences.
• Sensory Integration training (e.g., postgraduate modules) and/or recognised competency frameworks.
• Knowledge of neurodevelopmental profiles (e.g., autism, ADHD, DLD, FASD) and how these can interact with trauma/attachment and sensory processing.
• Ability to provide accessible psychoeducation to families and partner professionals.
Qualifications and Education
•Degree/diploma in Occupational Therapy.
• Current HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist. Postgraduate training/qualification relevant to sensory integration, sensory processing or advanced paediatric OT practice.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (Essential)
• Training in a range of therapeutic modalities e.g. DDP, Theraplay, BUSS model, Sensory Attachment Intervention (Essential)
Skills and Abilities
• Experience of working within an MDT and contributing an OT perspective to shared formulations and plans.
•Leadership and support skills
•Group work skills
•A reflective and empowering approach
•Strong application of theory
•Creativity and innovative approach to service delivery
•A commitment to the voice of children and families
Accountability
•Consultant Clinical Psychologist
•Responsible for maintaining own professional standards
•Responsible for delivering practice within the policies and standards of the charity
Behaviours
•Demonstrates commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of role at all times.
•Contributes to an open and honest culture
•Supports, encourages, and motivates colleagues.
•Encourages challenge, creativity and innovation.
•Leads by example.
•Values transparency and consistency.
•Understands the role of individual and collective accountability.
•Actively contributes to Adoption UK’s mission.
•Has a clear understanding of other colleagues’ roles and responsibilities
•Shares skills and knowledge.
•Promotes Cross Functional team working.
•Offers outstanding service to members.
•Takes pride in Adoption UK and promotes its values in all interactions with external stakeholders.
•Identifies and uses the most appropriate form of communication.
•Communicates clearly, seeking clarity when unclear and valuing the opinion of others.
•Treats colleagues and other stakeholders with respect, honesty, fairness and courtesy
•Is responsive to colleagues, third party professionals and service users.
•Takes pride in own development.
•Enthusiastic and committed to achieving high standards and meeting agreed objectives.
•Takes an active interest in recognising professional and personal development needs and priorities within Adoption UK.
This role profile is a guide to the nature of the work required and may involve other such duties as deemed necessary by the Organisation. It is not wholly comprehensive or restrictive. The role profile will be reviewed with the post-holder at significant points for the Organisation.
Postholder is expected to abide by all organisational policies, codes of conduct and practice, and to work within a framework of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
Adoption UK is the leading charity for adopted and care experienced people and adoptive families.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.