Policy and Convening Manager

The Policy and Convening Manager helps drive the Foundation’s mission to improve urban health by shaping how the organisation influences policy and decision-making. The role sits within a Policy and Influencing function that works closely with programmes teams to turn evidence from funded projects into strong networks, higher visibility and meaningful policy impact. 

The Policy and Convening Manager develops influencing strategies based on the insights from Impact on Urban Health programmes, builds coalitions and leads a new cross-programme approach to convening – including showcasing evidence from the Foundation and its partners, and delivering targeted policy-focused events. The role involves experimenting with new approaches to deliver impact, spotting opportunities to influence, and leading investment partnerships with a policy angle, which may include commissioning research or designing campaigns. 

The Policy and Convening Manager works with the Head of Policy and Influencing on engagement with key parliamentary and governmental stakeholders and collaborates with Communications colleagues to create impactful policy communications. 

Key Responsibilities

• Working with the Head of Policy and Influencing, develop and deliver compelling influencing strategies for our Urban Health programmes. 
• Lead on development of a new policy convening strategy, encompassing our approaches to building coalitions, delivering policy events, and platforming the work of our funded partners. 
• Develop, lead and manage through our partnership life cycle a portfolio of investment partnerships with a particular influencing focus within these programmes.
• Act as a source of policy expertise and political insight for colleagues across the organisation, proactively briefing on key political events and policy developments.
• Lead horizon scanning to identify proactive and reactive influencing opportunities, and deliver this activity in partnership with internal and external colleagues.
• Working closely with Communications Managers, develop and deliver impactful communications to influence.
• Bring a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all our policy and influencing activity, whether in how we work with our partners or in our own systems and processes.

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, Knowledge and Attributes

• The ability to develop expertise and familiarity with different policy areas quickly.
• Strategic thinking and a strong entrepreneurial approach – being able to spot and distil areas of influencing opportunity within complex programmes of work.
• 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.
• Willingness to prioritise diversity, equity and inclusion in all our work. 

Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications: 

• Experience working in public affairs and policy in a UK setting, with impact on policy making in Westminster Parliament and/or the devolved administrations (essential)
• Experience developing impactful influencing strategies and delivering activity to achieve these strategies (essential)
• Experience in developing and delivering impactful policy events(essential)
• Experience working with coalitions for policy change (essential) 

Benefits

• Contributory pension
• Annual personal development budget
• 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