Policy research jobs

We are looking for someone with excellent communication and organisational skills to support with developing and communicating policy positions that contribute to the charity’s key strategic objectives.

In this dynamic role, you’ll work as a core part of the team and across the wider organisation to coordinate and draft responses to consultations and lead on responding to policy enquiries.

Your ability to influence and work together with others will help you to succeed as Policy Officer to learn from colleagues and external networks in order to contribute to policy positions, confidently represent Diabetes UK and influence others appropriately.

You will also be keen to seek out opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills and have an appetite to develop expert knowledge in particular policy areas.

Join us and be a part of something truly transformative. Together, we can change the narrative around diabetes and make a positive difference to the lives of people impacted by the condition.

Liberty is looking for an exceptional Policy & Campaigns Officer with a strong understanding of civil liberties and human rights to join the team as we begin work on our exciting new three-year strategy.

This position, which sits in the Policy & Campaigns team, plays a key role in developing and implementing Liberty’s policy and campaigning priorities: undertaking high-quality research, influencing decision-makers, building coalitions, producing policy and campaign materials, providing policy input to strategic litigation, and building public and political support for Liberty’s work.

We are seeking someone who holds Liberty’s values and ambitions close to their heart, as we work to ensure everyone in the United Kingdom is treated fairly, with dignity and respect. This is a key role in securing the long-term policy change needed to protect the human rights and civil liberties of everyone who lives in the UK.

Policy & Campaigns Officers monitor and respond to policy threats to our human rights frameworks, to our rights to protest, and to live free from discrimination. They work with political players and civil servants to steer policy and legislation. They produce high-quality, persuasive content and translate complex legal and policy arguments in a clear and compelling way for mass audiences. They lead and support other human rights and civil society organisations, lending expertise and building solidarity. We have worked with civil society to fight back against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023, and to see off threats to our Human Rights Act.

We are looking for a strategic thinker with strong political instincts who brings a collaborative approach to their work. You will have policy and research experience in human rights, or a related field. You will have a strong understanding of how to secure policy change in challenging political environments.

You will have a strong commitment to Liberty’s anti-oppression values and strategy.

Liberty fully embraces flexible working and is committed to employee development. We aim to encourage people from all backgrounds to work with us and are particularly interested in hearing from people from minority backgrounds and all socio-economic sections of society. Liberty supports hybrid working, with a minimum of two days per week in the Westminster office.

The deadline for applications is 12pm Monday 23 February 2026

Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Please be aware that we do not accept CVs for this role. All applicants must complete the application form to apply.

First round interviews will be held on 11th and 12th March

Second round interview will be held on 18th March

Apply via the Job Board on our website. 

Job Title - Managing Director of Research Programmes (UK)

Contract – Permanent

Hours - 35 hours per week

Salary – Circa £75,000 per annum (negotiable)

Location - Coram Campus, Bloomsbury, with occasional travel and some working from home as agreed

About Coram

Coram, which is the oldest children’s charity, is a group of specialist organisations; we help more than 1 million children and young people from infancy to independence, creating positive change that lasts a lifetime.

Established by Royal Charter in 1739, as the Foundling Hospital, and operating from its distinctive 3.5 acres headquarters in the heart of London, Coram has built a position of insight, influence, and research by working closely with other organisations and other sectors, universities and government, professionals, and families. We have ambitious plans for the future, to be the UK’s leading recognised research organisation, dedicated to improving life chances as the Institute for Children.

About the role

This role works directly with the Chief Executive as a member of the Senior Management Team in achievement of this vision and strategy; it will lead the advancement of the Coram Institute for Children as a UKRI recognised independent research organisation (IRO), drive research capacity and capability, champion and deliver internal and external evaluations, advance Coram’s sector credibility and relationships, and inform and contribute to the group’s reach, relevance and results.

This senior position leads a large team of mixed methods researchers and data analysts and comprises an important opportunity for a credible research leader and experienced charity senior manager who is dynamic and multi-skilled with an entrepreneurial approach to lead the only IRO in the children and young people’s sector.

The successful candidate will have a strong business focus and commitment to translating research findings into policy and practice and direct experience of securing research council funding, or funding from sources such as What Works Centres, local and central government or Trusts and Foundations.

You will be able to work individually, in a team and across the organisation. Strong critical thinking ability, partnership building skills and knowledge, experience and commitment to improving lives of children are essential.

To apply for this role, please visit the Coram website to complete an application. Please note CV’S will not be accepted.

Closing date: 18th February 2026 at 12 noon

Interview date: 26th & 27th February 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

Leading national policy strategy

As Head of Policy and Public Affairs, you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan.  Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall. 

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services

• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits

• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups

• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people

• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level

• Professional development standards for school inclusion

Developing implementation expertise in the middle tier

In your first six months, you will advise on the internal development of a new programme for middle tier policy actors: multi-academy trust and local authority leaders.  You will support the Programme team in its design, to plan strategically for the recruitment of trusts and local authorities, and you will plan the research and influencing work which will seek to share their success nationally.

Building the evidence base

In your second six months, you will work with the CEO to build out our research function. Your influencing plan will include how The Difference can learn from the work across our multi-academy trust, local authority and internal AP pioneer partners over the next four years, to develop influential publications. Research work ahead will include publishing sector-facing publications of The Difference’s own research, carried out by our research lead and associates; alongside managing external contractors and internal colleagues to bid for and deliver aligned research disseminating our ideas.

Raising your voice

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to inclusive policy change. The Difference has always punched above our weight in national and sector press reach. In post,  you will publish blogs and comment pieces, disseminating our shared ideas.  You will be a prominent voice on inclusion.

The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being highly autonomous, reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 
We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.

Research Grants Manager
Harrogate, North Yorkshire

We offer hybrid working.

About Us

Yorkshire is one of the regions hardest hit by cancer. Together, we can change this.

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a charity dedicated to funding research so that you and those you love live longer healthier lives, free of cancer.

Thanks to supporters, the charity funds vital cancer research and pioneers innovative new services for people with cancer. These life-giving medical breakthroughs are helping more people survive cancer – in Yorkshire, and beyond.

As an inclusive employer, our aim is to ensure our workforce reflects the rich diversity of our region. We believe a diverse workforce is vital to us taking action to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire. We offer equal opportunities regardless of race, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnerships.

The Benefits

We offer all employees a wide range of benefits including an enhanced contributory pension scheme, 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service), flexible working arrangements, private medical insurance, enhanced maternity leave, career progression, learning and development, wellbeing initiatives, offices within walking distance of Hornbeam Park train station, and a whole lot more.

We’ve got a strong set of values that inform everything we do and we’re looking for people who are aligned with these. As our Research Grants Manager, you will put people in Yorkshire at the heart of everything you do, unite with colleagues and other organisations in this cause, and dare to think big and bold to make positive solutions happen.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Research and Clinical Trials, you will manage the portfolio of active Research Awards and develop an in-depth knowledge of the portfolio to support internal and external communications. This will include developing appropriate monitoring strategies for projects within the portfolio to ensure key milestones are tracked against plans, acting as a key contact point for Award holders and staff within the Charity.

As Research Grants Manager, you will support the delivery of our research strategy and progress with our strategy through engagement with researchers and collection of key data. The role includes engaging with researchers, developing and maintaining monitoring systems and data collection, and oversight of ongoing research awards and budgets.

Specifically, you will:

Research award management and governance

Ensure Research Awards are effectively managed, allocated funding is used as planned and the impact is monitored:

• Develop strong relationships with award holders and serve as the main point of contact for any issues with research awards.
• Manage funded awards, ensuring monitoring processes are fit for purpose. Monitor the progress of research awards, through regular meetings with award holders and ensuring satisfactory progress reports are submitted.
• Develop appropriate management processes for new funding initiatives.

Research strategy development and implementation

· With the Head of Research and Clinical Trials and the wider Research Funding Team, set the Research Funding Team objectives and budgets ensuring they underpin the delivery of the organisational strategy.

· Maintain awareness of the external research environment, including working with the, AMRC and relevant funding organisations such as the NIHR and other health charities and developments in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. 

·  

Team collaboration, management and development

· Coach and develop the Research Funding team, whilst role modelling the values of the charity.

· Work closely with the other Research Grants Managers and provide cover when needed.

About You

To be considered for this role, you will need:

· To have a Post Graduate Qualification in a relevant subject or a degree in a relevant subject area with demonstratable experience in a charity, research or health environment, at a similar level.

· To have an in depth understanding of research funding mechanisms including peer review processes and management of research awards. 

· To have demonstratable experience of research funding and/or management of clinical research.

· To have experience of managing budgets and analysing expenditure of grant awards.

· To have experience of developing and maintaining strong relationships with a broad range of external stakeholders including senior academics, medical consultants, public health experts and members of the public.

· To have excellent communication, networking and interpersonal skills with an ability to engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

· To be an experienced user of PubMed and other research literature databases.

· To have good project management skills including budget control.

· To have excellent organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise workload to meet deadlines and coordinate multiple complex projects.

· To be able develop reports and present complex information to range of stakeholders.

· To have strong IT skills including MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access) and experience in using databases.

Application

Before applying, please visit our Careers Page to view the full role profile and find out more about working for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

To apply please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to Claire Wooldridge, Head of People,  before 17 February 2026. Please read our privacy notice before applying.

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a responsible and flexible employer.  We welcome any discussion for flexible working at the interview/offer stage where we will consider an individual’s circumstances against the needs of the charity.

We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. If we can make any reasonable adjustments to support your application, please contact us via our website. 

By providing finance and support, at SIB we enable charities and social enterprises to exist, grow and thrive. We have disbursed £0.8bn to thousands of organisations since 2002. Our team believes in the power of the social economy, champions the charities and social enterprises we support - and we are all working together to build stronger communities and a fairer society. 

It is a hugely exciting time to join the organisation. We are growing, investing in our expert team, and building on the successes of the last few years. 

Find out more about our values and what we do by visiting our website.

Our values are: People First, Curious, Bold, Collaborative, Accountable

About this role:

Reporting to the Head of Policy and Communications, the Policy and Communications Coordinator will support SIB’s track record of sector, government and media engagement, notably the high standard of publication set through its media partnerships with Tortoise and the Financial Times, its contributions to the policy landscape in the social sector, and its in-house data analysis and insight generation. This new post will contribute to SIB’s ongoing communications and public policy work and its reach and influence, building on a growing base of expertise across SIB’s three strategic priority areas: Green Transition, Infrastructure and Services.

Key responsibilities

1. Support the Head of Policy and Communications to deliver the Policy and Communications strategy for SIB.

2. Making use of media and parliamentary tracking software keep abreast of SIB’s strategic policy areas, sharing accessible updates and digests of relevant legislation and central and local government programming and media coverage.

3. Attend / watch online relevant parliamentary committees, All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) and Commons and Lords sessions, capturing relevant outcomes and identifying MPs and Lords that SIB should seek to work with / influence.

4. Support the Head of Policy and Communications to identify a key parliamentary contacts list. Create tailored communications for these key contacts which share relevant statistics and case studies from SIB’s portfolio, alongside policy influencing lines. This will include drafting questions and briefings where relevant, and ensuring that regular contact is maintained. 

5. Support the drafting of consultation responses and press releases using SIB’s core messaging, reporting, research and data.

6. Support SIB’s annual party conference attendance with coordination and administration in advance and in person.

7. Support the Head of Policy and Communications with attendance at influencing meetings and webinars with, for example, the Association of Decentralised Energy, Community Energy England, Locality, Better Society Capital, the Access Foundation and others.

8. Draft internal and external copy for newsletters and the SIB intranet and website.

9. Monitor the press email address and support correspondence with journalists on reactive and proactive stories.

10. Attend and provide oversight to the Social Investment Forum, as part of SIB’s secretariat and hosting.

11. Write, edit and produce engaging and relevant content at pace for web, social media and e-newsletters, as well as earned and paid channels.

12. Management of external suppliers of communications and policy activities, including agencies, designers, consultants and think tanks.

13. Work with the Marketing Manager, Marketing and Events Coordinator, Business Development Manager and wider team to deliver successful external events with customers, stakeholders and partners including attendance at Party Conferences.

14. Work in line with the organisation's values, principles and processes to achieve operational excellence.

15. Adopt our continuous improvement and learning ethos

16. Support and embed equality, diversity and inclusion into day-to-day behaviours and activities within your role as well as contributing more widely across SIB’s commitment to E, D & I

17. Support and contribute to the implementation and delivery of SIB’s strategy

18. In agreement with manager to undertake other tasks and work on cross team projects that support the objectives of SIB as required

Core competencies

• Previous experience of working in a public policy, PR, marketing, external affairs or communications role
• Excellent writing skills
• Good research skills, with an ability to absorb large amounts of information at pace, including in unfamiliar policy areas and produce cogent syntheses
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively teams across functions in an integrated way
• Good established networks through experience in a similar role, and a commitment to expanding those networks to support SIB’s strategic aims
• Experience of building effective media partnerships
• Good working knowledge of data-driven storytelling in a variety of outlets from organisation websites to mainstream media and confidence in interpreting data and understanding the key points to be drawn from it to gain traction in media and campaigning environments
• Experience of developing and delivering effective communications campaigns, including through a range of digital channels
• Strong planning skills and an ability to multi-task, work well under pressure and meet deadlines
• Strong understanding of UK political context, especially as it concerns the social economy, and parliamentary process
• An understanding of how to promote research, policy papers, data analysis and other activities of a think tank and consultancy
• Excellent IT skills and the ability to learn new programmes quickly

Desirable competencies

• Data visualisation skills
• Data storytelling
• A good aesthetic eye and ability to shape images, visuals and formatting, and to liaise confidently with designers
• Understanding of the UK charity and social enterprise sectors

Education / Professional experience

• Experience in policy, research and media
• Experience of collaborative working across teams
• In-depth digital communications expertise

If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves, learn by doing and kick-start your career in policy and public affairs; we’d love to hear from you.

This is a 9-month paid internship opportunity. This role is largely home-based, with regular travel to Westminster and occasional UK travel. NASS represents and supports special schools across England and Wales. With 2025 set to be a pivotal year for SEND reform and the anticipated 2026 Schools White Paper, we are seeking a Policy and Research Intern to provide additional capacity to our small, ambitious team. This is a newly created role, offering a real opportunity to shape our work and help ensure NASS remains a strong voice for special schools. This is a hands-on role offering excellent experience in policy, research and public affairs. You will support media and policy monitoring, parliamentary tracking, research, briefings, communications and events.

Longer working lives and ongoing economic transitions are reshaping careers: how we start them, and how we move through them. But too many people remain paid in low-paid, low-quality work – with damaging consequences for them personally, and our economy as a whole. We’re seeking a senior, policy-oriented research leader to help us and our partners generate insights that enable more people to move into and progress through better work.

You’ll have a proven track record in scoping and securing funding for research and influencing activity, with significant autonomy to lead your own programme at L&W. You’ll be supported by committed researchers and managers whom you will coach, lead, and develop—alongside a peer group of Deputy Directors working across other key pillars. We welcome quantitative expertise, but most important are the skills to design and deliver high-quality, impactful research programmes.

You’ll join an organisation with a national reputation for driving policy change—and a friendly, highly capable, delivery-focused team. 

Location: Hybrid working: 40-60% in an L&W office. Our offices for this role are currently in Leicester and London, but if you are based elsewhere, please contact us to talk about how the role could work for you.

Team:Research and Development

Salary:£64,450 -£77,880 per annum (pro rata), dependent on experience and location

Duration:Permanent

Working hours:0.8 to 1 FTE, with flexible working supported (e.g. condensed hours, flexible start and finish times)

Main Purpose

The Deputy Director, Policy and Research (Better Work and Progression) will have overall ownership of the ‘Better Work’ pillar of our strategic plan at L&W: overseeing all projects and activity in this area and generating new work (including developing project ideas and securing funding).

While there is significant scope to shape the ongoing programme of research and impact work, we anticipate that key areas of focus in this area going forward will be: understanding & better supporting career change; understanding and improving policy to increase employer investment in skills; high quality and fair access apprenticeships and technical education; understanding how to better support progression from low pay.

They will be a senior leader for the organization – helping to continuously shape our strategy and the plans we are implementing to deliver it.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Intellectual leadership of the Better Work pillar: developing and owning policy positions, messages, theory of change and research priorities, and supporting the wider team to feed into and understand them
• Line management of senior and mid-level staff
• Act as a senior leader at L&W – including taking on specific organization-level responsibilities where appropriate

Income

• Write and/or co-ordinate responses to reactive research and evaluation tenders in the areas of employment, better work and progression
• Develop pro-active proposals that will drive change in your area, and respond to the interests of funders and partners
• Build relationships with current and potential funders and research partners

Impact

• Act as an external expert on the issues of better work and progression: writing press quotes, articles and blogs;speaking on platforms
• Building relationships with practitioners, policymakers and partners to improve our insights, and get our recommendations implemented
• Develop appropriate means of tracking impact towards our better work goals, and monitor against them. 

Delivery

• Deputy Director/Project Director-level oversight of projects being delivered in your and related areas: supporting project team to shape research plans, deliver sharp insights and manage funder relationships
• Quality Assurance of research proposals and outputs
• Use your research skills and experience to support the wider development of the Learning and Work team

Person Specification

Experience

Experience of developing, overseeing and delivering programmes of policy-relevant research at a high level - Essential

Experience of business development in a policy/research context: developing ideas, writing bids and building relationships with funders- Essential

Experience of building senior-level relationships with external stakeholders for impact and influence -Essential

Track record of delivering national and/or local policy change - Essential

Experience of senior organisational leadership as part of a team - Desirable 

Experience of responding to tenders- Desirable 

Skills

Advanced research skills (qualitative of quantitative) -Essential

Quantitative skills: experience of using key national research and administrative data sets to generate insights into the labour market -Desirable 

Clear and direct written communication style - Essential

Knowledge

Knowledge of, and commitment to, L&W’s charitable aims and purpose.- Essential

Demonstrable knowledge of employment and/or skills policy in the UK - Essential

Demonstrable knowledge in the specific areas of Better Work and/or progression -Desirable 

Learning and Work Institute works across the UK. Our work in Wales is led by a Cardiff based team, but all staff are required to follow the guidance set out in our Welsh language scheme when working in Wales.

We are looking for a dynamic Senior Research & Analysis Officer to manage and deliver information, data, and analysis to help Youth Futures build evidence for impact.

This is an opportunity for a researcher with excellent data analysis, trial design and data skills to work widely across a busy and ambitious directorate, helping us understand and address youth unemployment in England.

Working with two teams in the Impact and Evidence Directorate, you will gain experience and contribute meaningfully across a range of research and evaluation activities.

• You will work with the Head of Evaluation and Principal Economist to support the design, delivery and management of data systems; scope, commission and manage high-quality evaluations; and conduct data analysis and quantitative social and economic research.
• You will also use your analytical expertise to extract insights from data, identify trends, and liaise with policy and communication teams to prepare outputs for external use.
• You will support the work of YFF’s evaluation team in generating new evidence for employment support programmes and Employer Practice through impact evaluations, including Randomised Controlled Trials.
• The role also offers opportunities to work on data visualisations for effective communication of data and research insights.

This role can be based at our Birmingham, Leeds or London hub. We currently operate a hybrid model of two-days per week in the office and three-days from home.

For more information on this role, please download our recruitment pack.

Due to receiving high volumes of interest in our opportunities, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. To ensure your application is considered, please submit it as soon as possible.

As Policy and Public Affairs Manager, you will help ensure London Youth is a credible, influential voice on issues affecting young people and the organisations that support them. Sitting within the Fundraising and Communications Directorate, you will work closely with the CEO, senior leadership, and youth participation, communciations, fundraising and delivery colleagues to deliver demonstrable external influence and impact. 

You will craft clear, evidence-based policy positions that shape debate and influence decision-making at London and national level, ensuring the policymakers understand and respond to the realities facing young people in London. Through effective internal engagement, you will also ensure colelagues and our members are well-informed and equipped to respond to key policy developments. 

You will successfully represent the voice of London Youth's members and the young people they support, helping to secure greater recognition, investment, and support for youth services. By building strong relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, and sector partners working to address the issues affecting young people inthe capital, you will help position London Youth as a trusted and respected contributor to relevant policy discussions. 

At a time of significant change across the youth sector, you will play a central role in campaigning for systematic change and in building the profile of London Youth and the wider voluntary sector as the Government's 10-year National Youth Strategy, Youth Matters, is implemented. You will help ensure commitments translate into meaningful outcomes for young people, particularly in relation to youth services, enrichment opportunities, and support for young people not in education, employment, or training, and strengthen long-term investment in youth provision. 

What you will be doing 

You will lead the development and delivery of London Youth's policy and public affairs work, building a clear and consistent understanding of the London and national context for young people and youth organisations. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, including communications, fundraising, delivery, and MEL, you will help develop a clear and compelling case for support and influence. 

You will work in close partnership with the CEO and CEO's office, acting as a trusted policy adviser, supporting the CEO's external policy engagements, positioning, and relationships with senior policymakers and influencers. 

You will monitor emerging political and policy developments and relevant funding announcements, providing insight and analysis to identify opportunities for engagement. You will draft swift organisational responses to key policy announcements, in collaboration with the CEO and communications team, and ensure relevant intelligence and opportunties inform the work of the fundraising team. 

You will develop, maintain, and communicate evidence-based policy positions, insights, and priorities, convening our members regularly to inform clear policy asks and advocacy. You will shape briefings and consultation responses that reflect the needs of London Youth's members and the young people they support. You will shape policy positions and provide high-quality briefings ahead of key senior-level engagements. 

You will oversee and track our policy influencing activity, identifying emerging policy developments, coordinating internal input, engaging stakeholders and representing London Youth in external policy and public affairs forums, and reporting on the impact of our policy work. 

You will strengthen policy work through insight and engagement, analysig relevant data and research from our membership and working with the Learning and Impact Lead to ensure insights from London Youth's network inform policy development. You will also identify opportunities for members and young people from our Youth Board to engage in policy work, including through consultations, networks, and events. 

You will build and maintain strong relationships with key London and national stakeholders, identifying opportunities for partnership working with other organisations and ensuring London Youth has a visible, credible voice in debates affecting young people. 

You will contribute to London Youth's communications, campaigns, and profile, working with colleagues to shape policy activity across digital channels, produce engaging written content including articles and speeches, craft organisational messaging, support youth-led engagement, and contribute to London Youth's thematic networks, influencing events and media opportunities. 

What you bring to the role 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Strong understanding of how policy is developed in the London and national context, and experience of engaging with political agendas on behalf of a charitable or membership organisation. 
• Experience in developing robust policy positions, responses, and solutions, and influencing politicians and decision-makers. 
• Up-to-date, proven experience in public affairs, parliamentary engagement or a related policy-influencing role, with a clear track record of driving meaningful change. 
• Good understanding of UK parliamentary and government processes, and of current policy areas impacting young people in London and across the UK. 
• Experience of producing a range of briefings and written materials, including research findings, public statements, consultation responses, and briefings for senior colelagues. 
• Proven ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with opinion-formers and other key stakeholders. 

Attributes and Behaviours: 

• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills, especially when it comes to policy partners. 
• Demonstrate confidence to engage and build productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including those at senior level. 
• A confidence verbal communicator and presenter able to represent London Youth within policy forums, consortia, and networking events. 
• Demonstrate ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, with proven ability to innovate and deliver change. 
• Demonstrate ability to analyse, summarise, and present evidence to different audiences. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to ensuring young people have prominent platforms to voice their views directly on the issues that affect them. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to strengthening London's Youth sector. 
• Be willing to work some evenings and the occasional weekend. 
• Understanding and supporting the vision, mission, and aims of London Youth. 

Demonstrate living our values of being: 

• Ambitious
• Collaborative 
• Inclusive 
• Accountable 

Why work at London Youth 

• Generous holiday allowance - 39 days paid holiday each year (including bank holidays and closure days). Pro-rata if you work part time. 
• Employer 4% pension contribution
• Additional leave granted to support voluntary activity 
• Free Health Care Cash Plan 
• Free access for you and your family to the Employee Assistance Programme 
• Free access to the 'Headspace' app for you and your family
• Flexible working opportunities considered 
• You'll be working with a fantastic team of passionate colleagues across London Youth 
• You will be making a difference to the lives of young people

Animal Free Research UK is the leading charity working to create a world where human diseases are cured faster without animal suffering. By pioneering excellence, inspiring and supporting scientists and influencing change, we are ending the use of animals and improving medical research.

We are looking for a Media & PR Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping our public profile, strengthening our reputation and helping to change how the world talks about medical research.

This is a managerial role that will:

• lead the development and delivery of high-impact PR and media activity aligned with organisational priorities
• position Animal Free Research UK as a trusted and authoritative voice across science, policy and public debate
• build strong relationships with journalists, broadcasters, influencers and external advocates
• secure sustained, high-quality coverage across national, sector and digital media
• lead on issues management, reactive media and crisis communications in sensitive or high-profile contexts
• work closely with digital and engagement colleagues to align media, social and campaign activity
• use insight and performance data to strengthen impact and inform future strategy

You will work closely with colleagues across the charity to ensure our media and public narrative supports scientific credibility, policy influence and public engagement at a critical moment for animal-free research.

About You

We are looking for someone who brings:

• demonstrable success in securing high-impact media coverage across national, broadcast and digital channels
• experience building trusted relationships with journalists, influencers and senior stakeholders
• strong copywriting and editing skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific or policy issues into compelling stories
• confidence operating in high-profile, fast-moving or sensitive media environments
• a strategic mindset with the ability to deliver tactically under pressure
• a deep commitment to animal protection, scientific integrity and the mission of Animal Free Research UK

A background in science or biomedical research is welcomed but not essential if you can demonstrate the ability to engage credibly with complex evidence and policy.

How to Apply

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. If you are unsure whether you meet all the criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway.

We recognise that people use AI tools in many contexts. For this application, please ensure your submission reflects your own specific experience and insights. We use follow-up questions at interview to confirm authenticity.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to take part in the application or interview process, please let us know when you apply or contact us via email.

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter explaining how you meet the person specification and requirements of the role. 

Closing date: Monday 9 February 2026, 5pm
First-round interviews: Thursday 12 February 2026 (via Microsoft Teams)
Second-round interviews: Monday 23 February 2026 (via Microsoft Teams)

Annual leave: 33 days (plus eight bank holidays)

Benefits:

• enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental pay
• family-friendly policies
• 8% employer pension contribution (Aviva) 
• three x basic salary life assurance cover
• free health cashback plan (Medicash): employee cover plus up to four dependent children
• 24/7 virtual GP access (UK registered), plus access to Best Doctors
  free, confidential employee assistance programme (Medicash)
• access to a wellbeing app
• flexible working options including hybrid working, flexible working patterns such as part-time, compressed hours, and more*
• learning and development opportunities including bespoke training and access to LinkedIn Learning)
• commitment to employee health and wellbeing.
• we have a Menopause Friendly accreditation and are a Disability Confident employer

Join Dementia UK as a Policy Officer where you will play a crucial role in driving our long-term policy and influencing strategy in alignment with our 2025-30 strategic plan. As a member of our dedicated Policy, Campaigns, and Public Affairs division, you will lead and shape areas of public policy that affect the quality of healthcare delivered for people living dementia and their carers.

You will play a pivotal role in advocating for improvements to legislation, public policies, and statutory services on behalf of individuals affected by dementia in England. Reporting to the Policy Manager, yourresponsibilities will include monitoring and analysing policy developments while establishing external relationships with sector colleagues and central government. Working closely with the Insights and Evaluation team, Research team, and the broader Clinical Directorate, you will conduct and interpret both qualitative and quantitative research. Your findings will inform the creation of comprehensive public policy documents, reports, briefings, and consultation responses on behalf of the organisation.

The ideal candidate for this role will bring prior experience in public policy within a charity or public sector setting. You should possess a strong track record in policy making and influencing, with  proficiency in conducting qualitative and quantitative research. Effective communication skills will be essential, as you will need to adeptly negotiate and influence stakeholders to drive positive change.

If this sounds like you, join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by dementia.

We would love to hear from you! 

Our culture

In addition to a competitive salary and a generous benefits package, we truly value our people. It’s important for us to create a working environment that looks after our workforce to support them in achieving their full potential. You will become part of a diverse and dedicated team who are supported to use and develop their skills. We recognise and value the key role you will play in delivering our strategic plans for the benefit of those living with dementia.

Our staff have a voice. Representatives from different roles and levels across the organisation positively contribute to and lead on our working groups around health and wellbeing, menopause, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Dementia UK is proud to welcome everyone. We aim for a truly inclusive culture with talented, diverse teams that represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We celebrate difference and individuality and encourage everyone to join us and be their whole selves always.

Dementia UK is a Disability Confident Employer. 

By applying to join Dementia UK, you acknowledge that in the event you are successful for the role, any offer and your ongoing employment will be conditional on you having or obtaining the right to work in the UK.

*Please note that any decision on flexible working is based on business needs 

When you apply for a job at Dementia UK, we will collect certain information about you to process your application and assess your suitability for the role. Further details can be found in our privacy notice.

Location: Hybrid working between the Aldgate, London office and home.

A great opportunity has risen for a Policy Manager to support our ambitious external affairs team in influencing national and regional policy to drive improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory conditions.  

Asthma + Lung UK is the only charity in the UK fighting for everyone with a lung condition, aiming for a world where everyone can breathe with healthy lungs. We fund cutting-edge research, provide advice and support for the 12 million people who will get a lung condition during their lifetime. We also campaign for clean air and for better NHS diagnosis and treatment.

You will lead a programme of proactive policy and influencing work covering a range of areas depending on organisational strategy and business planning, but likely to include: health inequalities, tobacco control and smoking cessation, the implementation of the NHS England 10 Year Plan, local health systems influencing, and support for the Taskforce for Lung Health working groups.

You will have excellent analytical skills, an understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the health policy landscape, and an understanding of how to effectively communicate and translate the challenges people living with lung conditions face into policy solutions. You will be organised, a good communicator and a team player. You will interact with colleagues at all levels across the organisation and have a great opportunity to develop your leadership skillset.

As well as a competitive salary, you’ll enjoy a range of benefits including 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), membership of a health cash plan, employee assistance programme, cycle-to-work scheme, interest-free annual season Travelcard loan and pension scheme. This is a fantastic opportunity to join an organisation committed to being the driving force behind the transformation of lung health.

Prospectus is delighted to be partnering with our client in their recruitment of a new Policy and Comms Officer, on a full-time, permanent basis. This is an exciting new role for the organisation which offers flexibility, with the option to either be office-based, hybrid, or remote (condensed working will also be considered).

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which is uncommon, complex and poorly understood. It affects the immune system and can cause lasting damage to the kidneys, skin, heart, lungs and/or brain. Our client is the only national charity supporting people living with lupus and those that care for them. They hold an ambition for a world where people with lupus can live full and active lives and work hard to empower people by providing information about lupus and offering support so their voices are heard and their condition diagnosed and managed effectively. With 35 years of service, the charity is now embarking on an ambitious new strategy, aiming to broaden and deepen its reach across the lupus community.  

Reporting up to the Health Information, Policy and Research Manager, your role will involve the scoping and mapping of the charity's current policy work, the policy landscape and potential opportunities, working collaboratively internally to develop a prioritised policy plan. You will ensure that the charity's policy work, and key updates in the policy landscape are effectively communicated with the lupus community, including producing and disseminating articles, press releases, social media posts, and other material as appropriate. You will provide regular organisation-wide briefings to ensure that colleagues are aware of key policy positions, arguments and evidence, and will develop and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience of lupus, other patient and advocacy organisations, clinicians and researchers, and government bodies.

To apply for this role, you will be an attentive, proactive individual, experienced in communicating complex information in an easy to understand, accessible, and engaging manner, in a range of different formats. You will have demonstrable experience of undertaking policy research, having written reports and briefs and evaluated evidence of their impact, and will have a strong understanding of local, regional, and national government, and the healthcare system in the UK. You will have excellent interpersonal skills, and an ability to influence and persuade a wide range of stakeholders.

Please apply by submitting your CV in Word format (cover letters are not required at this stage). Successful candidates will be contacted and invited to provide a supporting statement.

Interviews to take place week commencing Monday 23rd Feb.

As a specialist recruitment practice, we are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are invested in supporting you through your application journey.

Please note, occasional evening and weekend working and travel may be required, including travel to the four nations of the UK.