Head of policy jobs

The Head of Policy & Influencing is responsible for shaping and delivering the Foundation’s policy and influencing strategy within the Impact on Urban Health (IoUH) directorate. The role leads the development of parliamentary and government engagement strategies, ensuring a coordinated and impactful approach across multiple programme areas.

The Head of Policy & Influencing provides strategic oversight of all influencing work, guiding Policy & Influencing Managers and the Policy & Convening Manager, and advising colleagues on how to maximise policy impact. The role drives a unified urban health influencing strategy that aligns with the Foundation’s priorities and contributes to meaningful changes in policy.

The Head of Policy & Influencing builds and maintains strong relationships with stakeholders across government, the policy sector, and partner organisations, acting as a spokesperson and creating opportunities for collaboration. The role supports senior leadership with stakeholder engagement, oversees budgets and manages a team, while ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded in all influencing activity.

Key Responsibilities 

• Develop and deliver our parliamentary and government engagement strategies across all our issue areas.
• Provide strategic oversight of programmatic influencing strategies developed by the Policy & Influencing Managers and Policy & Convening Manager, ensuring a coherent and complementary approach across all programmes. 
• Lead on our cross-programme urban health influencing strategy.
• Provide high-level strategic advice to Heads of Programme and Portfolio Managers on programmatic influencing strategies and the development of influencing partnerships. 
• Develop and maintain a broad range of stakeholder relationships, with a view to creating opportunities for us to partner on our influencing work and acting as a spokesperson for our work at external events.
• Support senior leadership with stakeholder engagement.
• Oversee budgets for our programmatic policy and influencing work.
• Deputise for the Director of Policy, Influencing & Communications as required.
• Line manage the Policy & Influencing Managers and Policy & Convening Manager.
• Bring a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all our policy and influencing activity, and support cross-organisational work on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Role responsibilities are not exhaustive, and you would be reasonably expected to take on wider tasks that are commensurate with the level of your role. 

Skills, abilities, and attributes

• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills at all levels.
• Enjoys working in places with a clear and ambitious mission, a matrix structure and ways of working that challenge the norm.

Knowledge, experience, and qualifications

• Significant experience working in public affairs and policy in a UK setting, with demonstrable impact on policy making in Westminster Parliament and/or the devolved administrations. 
• Experience leading teams to deliver against impactful influencing strategies.
• Experience working across a broad policy brief, and the ability to develop expertise and familiarity with different policy areas quickly.
• Experience developing and managing budgets.
• In-depth understanding of the UK political environment and operation of Government.
• Expertise in public policy, ideally in issues relating to health equity or social justice. 

Benefits 

• Contributory pension
• Annual health and wellbeing personal allowance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and parental leave pay accessible without length of service requirements.
• Health and wellbeing programme that offers optional free yearly health check-ups.
• Support for healthy eating via fruit bowls and onsite lunch facilities. 
• Agile working, flexible hours, and supportive IT kit. 
• Shower facilities and bike lock area. 
• Generous annual leave (27 days + bank holidays)
• Subsidies for glasses
• Employee Assistance Programme

Prospectus is delighted to be leading the search for the Head of Research Policy and Legal. This role leads the development of evidence-based, equity-driven research, policy and legal interventions that advance a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK.

Our client supports efforts to create a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK. We urgently need to phase out oil and gas drilling to stay within safe climate limits. Yet, despite having renewable resources in abundance, the UK remains Europe’s second largest oil and gas producer.

We can and must be ambitious about moving past oil and gas production, while empowering and supporting workers and communities who rely on the industry for their livelihoods. Working with everyone from policy-makers and Parliamentarians, to academics and campaigners, the organisation undertakes research, analysis and campaigning to support a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK.

This role leads the development of evidence-based, equity-driven research, policy and legal interventions that advance a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK. Core responsibilities will include:

Team management and staff development

• Leading the organisation's RPL team, fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture and line-managing senior staff.
• Supporting Principal advisers and researchers to lead their respective sub-teams Implementing project management, commissioning, and prioritisation processes for smooth organisational integration, and overseeing monitoring, evaluation, learning, and the team budget to support fundraising.

Strategy, thought leadership and advocacy

• Defining and overseeing the organisation's research, policy, and legal agenda.
• Translating the mission into evidence-based proposals, providing thought leadership to the climate sector.
• Strengthening messaging, brand, advocacy, and partnerships with high-quality insights and quality assurance, and building high-level relationships with external stakeholders and overseeing commissioned work.

Organisational leadership and management

• Contributing actively to organisational strategy and culture as a Senior Management Team (SMT) member.
• Monitoring risks, implementing mitigations, and ensuring smooth cross-team collaboration.

General responsibilities and duties

• Fulfilling duties professionally in accordance with operational policies and wider objectives.
• Contributing to the ongoing evaluation and improvement of activities.
• Maintaining positive stakeholder relations and work outside usual hours if required.

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process, then please contact Catherine Bunting at Prospectus.

About the team

We have big goals over the next few years.

We're going to be fighting for mental health in a way we never have before.

Together we'll be working to make sure everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets the support and respect they deserve.

Ynglŷn â'r tîm

Mae gennym uchelgeisiau mawr ar gyfer y blynyddoedd nesaf.

Byddwn yn ymgyrchu dros iechyd meddwl mewn ffordd fwy uchelgeisiol nag erioed o'r blaen.

Gyda'n gilydd, byddwn yn gweithio i sicrhau bod pawb sy'n wynebu problem iechyd meddwl yn cael y gefnogaeth a'r parch y maent yn eu haeddu

Team information

Will you join us?

Mind Cymru's Policy and Campaigns Team works to improve mental health policy, services and public attitudes across Wales. We seek to influence changes to the mental health system in Wales by developing evidence-based policy, responding to consultations and advocacy. We use research and lived experience insight to shape recommendations and campaign priorities. The team also leads public campaigns, builds partnerships with other organisations and supports Mind's wider network to amplify key issues. Its goal is to create a Wales where everyone can access the mental health support, rights and opportunities they need.

Gwybodaeth am y tîm

Hoffech chi ymuno â ni?

Mae Tîm Polisi ac Ymgyrchoedd Mind Cymru yn gweithio i wella polisïau iechyd meddwl, gwasanaethau ac agweddau'r cyhoedd ledled Cymru. Rydym yn ceisio dylanwadu ar newidiadau i'r system iechyd meddwl yng Nghymru drwy ddatblygu polisïau sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, ymateb i ymgyngoriadau a chynnal gwaith eiriolaeth.

Rydym yn defnyddio ymchwil a mewnwelediadau o brofiad byw i lywio ein hargymhellion a'n blaenoriaethau ymgyrchu. Mae'r tîm hefyd yn arwain ymgyrchoedd cyhoeddus, yn meithrin partneriaethau â sefydliadau eraill ac yn cefnogi rhwydwaith ehangach Mind i godi ymwybyddiaeth o faterion allweddol. Ein nod yw creu Cymru lle gall pawb gael y gefnogaeth iechyd meddwl, yr hawliau a'r cyfleoedd sydd eu hangen arnynt.

Key duties and responsibilities

The post holder willl:

-Provide strategic leadership, planning and insight on Welsh policy, campaigns and senior stakeholder engagement to achieve Minds strategy in Wales, including providing advice and guidance to senior management and trustees, representing the organisation at the highest level on complex policy issues and engaging lived experience in the work of Mind Cymru

-Maintain an inclusive approach that reflect Mind's values and behaviours in how work is delivered and how team-level outcomes are measured. Ensure diverse voices and experiences are sought, engaged and reflected in Mind Cymru's policy and campaigning

-Develop relationships to enhance Mind Cymru's influencing in Wales providing a strong voice on behalf of the federation and our beneficiaries, including with elected politicians, Ministers, Welsh Government and UK Government officials, NHS Wales and other key decision makers

-Build and maintain constructive working relationships with colleagues across the organisation to ensure the needs of Welsh audiences are taken into account on policy and campaigning activity

-Represent Mind Cymru internally or externally, acting as a credible spokesperson and advocate for our work, including in the media and through speaking opportunities.

-Maintaining and applying knowledge across the policy and political environments in Wales and the UK

Prif ddyletswyddau a chyfrifoldebau

Bydd deiliad y swydd yn:

-Darparu arweinyddiaeth strategol, cynllunio a mewnwelediad ar bolisi Cymru, ymgyrchoedd ac ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid uwch er mwyn cyflawni strategaeth Mind yng Nghymru. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys darparu cyngor ac arweiniad i'r uwch dîm rheoli ac ymddiriedolwyr, cynrychioli'r sefydliad ar y lefel uchaf ar faterion polisi cymhleth, a sicrhau bod profiad byw yn rhan greiddiol o waith Mind Cymru.

-Cynnal dull cynhwysol sy'n adlewyrchu gwerthoedd ac ymddygiadau Mind yn y ffordd y caiff gwaith ei gyflawni ac wrth fesur canlyniadau ar lefel tîm. Sicrhau bod lleisiau a phrofiadau amrywiol yn cael eu cynnwys a'u hadlewyrchu ym mholisi ac ymgyrchoedd Mind Cymru.

-Datblygu perthnasoedd i gryfhau dylanwad Mind Cymru yng Nghymru, gan ddarparu llais cryf ar ran y ffederasiwn a'r bobl rydym yn eu cefnogi. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys gweithio gyda gwleidyddion etholedig, Gweinidogion, swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU, GIG Cymru a phenderfynwyr allweddol eraill.

-Adeiladu a chynnal perthnasoedd gwaith cadarnhaol gyda chydweithwyr ar draws y sefydliad er mwyn sicrhau bod anghenion cynulleidfaoedd Cymru yn cael eu hystyried wrth ddatblygu gweithgareddau polisi ac ymgyrchu.

-Cynrychioli Mind Cymru yn fewnol ac yn allanol, gan weithredu fel llefarydd ac eiriolwr hygred dros ein gwaith, gan gynnwys yn y cyfryngau a thrwy gyfleoedd siarad cyhoeddus.

-Cynnal a chymhwyso gwybodaeth am yr amgylcheddau polisi a gwleidyddol yng Nghymru ac ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig.

Mind's equity statement

Mind is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Please refer to the Job Description while completing your application as candidates will be shortlisted based on how closely they match the criteria in the personal specification.

This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

We retain the authority to close this vacancy prior to the advertised closing date and without prior notice, once an adequate number of applications has been received. Applications will be assessed on a continuous basis, and we respectfully advise prompt submission to ensure consideration.

Datganiad Cydraddoldeb Mind

Mae Mind wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau cyfle cyfartal i bob aelod o staff, ac rydym yn croesawu ceisiadau gan unigolion beth bynnag fo'u hoedran, anabledd, rhyw, ailbennu rhywedd, cyfeiriadedd rhywiol, beichiogrwydd a mamolaeth, hil, crefydd neu gred, neu statws priodasol a phartneriaeth sifil.

Cyfeiriwch at y Disgrifiad Swydd wrth gwblhau eich cais, gan y bydd ymgeiswyr yn cael eu rhoi ar y rhestr fer yn seiliedig ar ba mor agos y maent yn bodloni'r meini prawf a nodir yn y fanyleb person.

Mae'r swydd hon yn gofyn am wiriad gan y Gwasanaeth Datgelu a Gwahardd (DBS).

Rydym yn cadw'r hawl i gau'r swydd wag hon cyn y dyddiad cau a hysbysebwyd a heb rybudd ymlaen llaw, unwaith y bydd nifer ddigonol o geisiadau wedi'u derbyn. Caiff ceisiadau eu hasesu'n barhaus, ac rydym yn cynghori ymgeiswyr i gyflwyno eu cais cyn gynted â phosibl er mwyn sicrhau y cânt eu hystyried.

Prospectus is pleased to be partnering with a leading global anti-corruption organisation to recruit for a Head of Policy on a permanent contract, operating with a hybrid working model which will include UK and international travel.

The Head of Policy provides strategic direction and leadership to advance policy impact by translating evidence into systemic change to strengthen defence and security institutions globally. The postholder will lead policy and stakeholder engagement at regional and global levels and support nationally led efforts to influence decision-makers towards reforms grounded in evidence informed policy positions. As part of the leadership team, the postholder formulates and advances policy positions within budget and resource plans and manages a small team of advocacy and policy staff. 

The successful candidate will bring significant experience from within the defence and security space. You will bring excellent stakeholder engagement skills, leveraging your networks in this area. You will have demonstrable success in advancing policies, and with some experience of managing teams. With an empathy and passion for the mission, you will also have the ability to build strong internal relationships quickly. Experience of anti-corruption is not essential for this role – this knowledge can be developed over time.

To apply please click through to the vacancy on the Prospectus website, where you can also view the full job description. Please submit your CV only in the first instance. You may be asked to provide a supporting statement or further information as part of the recruitment process.

As a specialist Recruitment Practice Prospectus is committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Prospectus invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application.

Prospectus is delighted to be supporting our client, the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences, in its search for a Deputy Head of Global Strategy, Policy & Engagement.

The postholder will join the academy’s Global Strategy, Policy & Engagement Team at an exciting time for its international policy and engagement work. Reporting to the Head of Global Strategy, Policy & Engagement, this role will play a key part in shaping and delivering the academy’s international engagement strategy, strengthening relationships with key international partners, and contributing to the academy’s growing influence across global policy debates. The role will work particularly closely with a fellow Deputy Head leading on the Global (Dis)Order international policy programme and help lead the academy’s international engagement and partnerships portfolio, with particular responsibility for global relationship-building and engagement with international organisations and networks.

A key aspect of the role will be helping to develop and deliver the academy’s international policy activities in a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment. This will include identifying emerging opportunities and challenges, coordinating evidence-based policy outputs, convening expertise from across the humanities and social sciences, and ensuring the academy's work informs and influences decision-making at national and international levels. The role will involve fostering relationships with researchers, policymakers, governments, multilateral organisations, funders, think tanks and international partners to ensure the academy remains an influential voice within global policy discussions. The role includes the management of two Senior International Policy Advisers and candidates will be working with colleagues in the wider team in a matrix fashion requiring adaptability and flexibility.

The successful candidate will bring strong policy development and delivery experience, excellent stakeholder management skills and an ability to operate confidently across complex international environments. Experience of international engagement, diplomacy, multilateral organisations, international research policy or government relations would be particularly valuable. The academy is open to candidates from a range of backgrounds, including research funding organisations, government, think tanks, international bodies, academia or the wider policy sector, who can demonstrate the ability to work across multiple policy areas and thrive in a dynamic, fast-moving environment. The role requires candidates who enjoy working at pace, convening different stakeholders, and working in a versatile manner across a broad and various landscape of international engagement and policy issues.

Please apply in the first instance and we will contact suitable candidates for further conversations. Interviews will take place in person on 11th September. If you are not going to be available for an in-person interview on these dates, please make this clear within your application.

The organisation welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, in line with its commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment, promoting equal opportunity, and addressing under-representation. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process.

At Prospectus, we are committed to supporting you throughout your application journey. We welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy and maternity. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact Catherine Bunting at Prospectus.

This role leads the development of evidence-based, equity-driven research, policy and legal interventions that advance a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK.

About us

Uplift supports efforts to create a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK. We urgently need to phase out oil and gas drilling to stay within safe climate limits. Yet, despite having renewable resources in abundance, the UK remains Europe’s second largest oil and gas producer. We can and must be ambitious about moving past oil and gas production, while empowering and supporting workers and communities who rely on the industry for their livelihoods. Working with everyone from policy-makers and Parliamentarians, to academics and campaigners, Uplift undertakes research, analysis and campaigning to support a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK.