Policy Manager

Are you a passionate and strategic policy professional ready to play a key role in shaping the future of social housing? Join Shelter’s Policy Team as a Policy Manager, where you’ll lead innovative, evidence-based policy development focused on boosting social rented homes across England.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity join Shelter’s Policy Team as the Policy Manager responsible for Social Housing – at a pivotal time after the funding settlement for social housing is announced at the June Spending Review.

The successful candidate will lead policy work and be responsible for managing one Policy Officer. This challenging role means understanding the problems faced by people who come to Shelter every day for help, to enable us to respond to and influence national and local policy. It includes developing innovative and workable proactive policy solutions to fix the nation’s long-term housing problems. Shelter’s Policy Team prides itself on creating well-grounded but creative policy that can challenge any think tank – and winning real world change.

Role specifics

As Policy Officer for Shelter, you’ll drive our strategic campaigning on social housing, working closely with teams across research, campaigns, public affairs, and media to develop impactful, evidence-based policy and campaigns. You’ll identify emerging issues, lead policy development, and produce high-quality analysis and responses to influence government and public debate. You’ll build strong relationships with key stakeholders, represent Shelter externally, and line manage 1-2 Policy Officers, supporting their development and workload. You’ll also deputise for senior leaders when needed and play a key role in embedding our Anti-Racism Strategy and equalities across the team and campaigns.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team

The team is 7 people strong and sits in the Advocacy and Activism branch of the Communications, Policy, and Campaigns division.  The Activism and Advocacy branch includes the Research, Public Affairs, Digital Campaigns and Community Organising teams. Using the latest data, research and intelligence from our services, we analyse the problems in our housing system and identify effective and creative solutions. We are campaigners focused on winning change for people, and we work in multidisciplinary teams like media, public affairs, campaigns and research to develop creative and hard-hitting campaigns. We support our services to identify and campaign for local solutions and lend expertise to our Community Organisers who support communities to fight for change in their area. Our work is grounded in the experience of the people who use Shelter’s services every day and is based on expert research. The Team combines works at a national and local level to tackle the root causes of the housing emergency and fight for home.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies. 

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.