Policy jobs

About Starlight

No one enjoys medical procedures, least of all children. From facing everyday vaccinations to the most serious of surgeries and chronic conditions, all children experience varying degrees of apprehension and fear. Feeling scared, powerless, or anxious in healthcare settings doesn’t just trigger a child’s emotions; it can create traumas that impact treatment success and that can have a life-long impact. Starlight’s aim is to transform children’s health through better experiences, by putting play at the heart of every child’s healthcare.

Evidence shows that play in healthcare can reduce anxiety, fear and even pain; it helps children engage and prepare for their treatment and cope better with procedures; it minimises trauma and contributes to a better experience; and supports children to have some sense of agency and control in an environment where these opportunities are limited. Play can also reduce the number of attempts to deliver treatment, the need for sedation and the need for repeat appointments. Prioritising children’s right to play in healthcare results in healthier, happier children who are involved in their own healing and recovery as well as more efficient treatment and care.

We work in over 900 healthcare settings across the UK with an ultimate vision to ensure that no child endures trauma in healthcare.

Our Culture

We believe that our success depends upon focusing on our purpose and business results and taking individual responsibility for a culture where everyone can belong, feel safe and thrive. Our values are the agreed standards that govern our behaviour and are central to our decision-making and the choices that we make. Our development programme focuses on individual awareness of our own values, strengths, and preferences – what makes us who we are – to help all colleagues think for themselves, manage their environment, and make appropriate, balanced decisions for themselves, others and Starlight. We believe that our strength is in our differences and constantly strive towards an authentic workplace culture with equity, diversity, and inclusion as central principles.

Our Strategy and the role of Policy and Public Affairs Coordinator

As a result of the rapid progress and positive outcomes of us leading, managing and coordinating an increasingly cohesive alliance for systemic change in children’s healthcare, we are now in the position of moving some of our focus to the Government and Parliament. This will involve sensitive networking, stakeholder engagement and relationship management. To sustain the momentum and maximise these opportunities, we now want to appoint a permanent coordinator who is dynamic, empathic and curious; with the experience and ability to coordinate and administer the work of a small team working at pace in a fast-changing environment.

The postholder will need to maintain superb attention to detail while juggling multiple priorities (and a diverse range of relationships). There will be growing opportunities to be involved in policy research and preparation of briefings, as well as organising and project-managing events, publications and other activities. There will be a continued focus on meetings of various kinds; aiming to ensure these are seamless and problem free for everyone involved. This will require considerable administrative support in diary management, arranging meetings, preparation of papers, accurate minute taking and follow up actions.

Hybrid / Homebased - London, Edinburgh, Belfast, or Cardiff

£49,943 (London based salary) or £45,310 (non-London based salary) FTE + excellent benefits

Part-time, 21 hours per week

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) is seeking an experienced Senior Policy Manager (Workforce) to lead on the development and management of influencing and advocacy in national policy, legislation, funding and health and education decisions related to workforce across government sectors, providing strategic oversight and expert guidance.

Who we are

The RCSLT is the professional body for speech and language therapists across the UK. The RCSLT has over 24,000 members and employs around 70 staff predominately based in a London office. The RCSLT also has offices in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Our mission is to improve the lives of people with communication and swallowing needs by facilitating and promoting research, producing guidance, holding events, and influencing government. We aim to promote better education and training for speech and language therapists and provide information to our members and the public about speech and language therapy.

The role

We are seeking a dynamic advocate to advance and promote the speech and language therapy profession by shaping and implementing policy, monitoring national developments and responding to changes in the external environment. You will lead RCSLT’s policy agenda on workforce matters, providing strategic advice on risks and opportunities to the CEO, Executive Team, Board, Committees and senior stakeholders.

As the policy lead on workforce-related initiatives, you will influence legislation, national funding and guidance across health, social care, education, and justice sectors. You will represent RCSLT at ministerial, government, parliamentary and external stakeholder meetings, as well as on national working groups and advisory boards, ensuring the profession’s voice is prominent in policy and decision-making.

You will build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders, providing leadership to drive policy initiatives that promote the profession, influence government decisions, and enhance RCSLT’s national reputation. You will also develop strategic external partnerships to support RCSLT’s influencing priorities and serve as a resource for our members. Working collaboratively within the wider team, you will help increase RCSLT’s impact across all relevant sectors.

What we are looking for

You’ll bring experience of influencing health, education or social care at a national level and carry experience of policy research, consultation, development and analysis. The ideal candidate will have experience of building external professional networks as well as be able to effectively campaign and influence. The successful candidate will be able to research, analyse, interpret and present complex and detailed information for a variety of audiences with strong written and oral communication skills.

What we can offer you

 A competitive starting salary

Generous annual leave entitlement

Excellent staff training and development opportunities

Supportive and flexible working environment including, hybrid working arrangements

Generous Pension scheme

Life insurance cover

Season Ticket Loan scheme

Eye care voucher scheme

Family friendly employer including enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Cycle to Work scheme

Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and more!

How to apply

Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, or for more details about the role, please contact the HR Team.

For more information and to apply, please visit our careers page.

Closing date: Monday, 9 March 2026.

Interview dates: 19 and 20 March 2026 (at our London Bridge office).

Please note, there will be a task as part of the interview process.

We are committed to a fair, transparent, and inclusive recruitment process. All applications are handled with strict confidentiality to protect your privacy and encourage openness throughout the process.

The RCSLT is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. We aim to embed equity, diversity, and belonging practices throughout our recruitment and selection procedures. We strive to ensure everyone is valued equally for their contribution, experience, knowledge, and skills. We welcome applications from candidates of all different backgrounds.

Salary: £45000-£49000 p.a DOE

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Reports to: Senior Insight Manager

Direct reports: There is potential for line management responsibility for an Insight Officer to support their development, oversee elements of their work, and help to ensure high standards of research quality and delivery.

Location: Harlow, Essex. Easily commutable from London Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale Station. We offer a free minibus service to/from Harlow Town Train Station as well as free parking and EV charging on site.

Extra Information: Open to conversation on hybrid, flexible and compressed working arrangements. The team works a minimum of two days a week from the office.

About the role:

At the Motability Foundation we fund, support, research and innovate so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose. We oversee the Motability Scheme and provide grants to help people use it, providing access to transport to hundreds of thousands of people a year. We award grants to other charities and organisations who provide different types of transport, or work towards making transport accessible. We also carry out ongoing research, in partnership with disabled people and key stakeholders in the industry, to inspire innovations that continue to champion accessible transport for all.

This role will support the Senior Insight Manager in delivering policy research and insight as part of the new insight function. This role sits at the intersection of research and policy, ensuring that evidence is not only generated, but interpreted and mobilised effectively to inform forward-looking organisational positioning.

What you will be doing:

As Policy Research Manager, you’ll play a central role in building and mobilising the evidence needed to influence policy and public debate on mobility, disability and welfare reform. Working closely with colleagues across Insight, Policy and Public Affairs, you’ll help to ensure that the Foundation has a robust, timely and compelling evidence base to support advocacy, engagement with decision-makers, and external partnerships.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Developing clear and persuasive evidence narratives that demonstrate the social value and impact of the Foundation’s work, drawing on research, evaluation findings and wider policy evidence
• Scoping, developing and oversight of rapid evidence reviews and insight summaries to inform policy positions, responses to consultations and support external engagement
• Delivering forward-looking policy analyses using futures and foresight approaches (including horizon scanning and trend synthesis), assessing potential implications for disabled people and organisational positioning.
• Acting as the lead for policy-relevant research on welfare reform and related priority areas, synthesising internal and external evidence to inform organisational responses
• Supporting coordination with Motability Operations on shared policy and research priorities
• Supporting relationships with external partners including Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), think tanks and public research bodies, including representing the Foundation to contribute an evidence-informed perspective
• Supporting dissemination and engagement activity, including roundtables, briefings, thought pieces and events that help shape debate and explore innovative policy solutions
• Working collaboratively across the organisation to move our evidence and insight from reactive to proactive, strengthening our influence over time

Your experience:

You’re curious, motivated and motivated by public impact. You enjoy turning complex evidence into clear messages that resonate with different audiences, and you’re keen to see research used to influence real-world decisions. You understand what makes for good enough evidence to influence policy making.

You’re comfortable working across organisational boundaries and with external partners, and you bring energy, judgement and confidence to conversations about policy, evidence and social value.

You’re likely to thrive in this role if you:

• Enjoy synthesising research and data into compelling, accessible insight
• Are motivated by social purpose and improving outcomes for disabled people
• Have a strong interest in public policy
• Have a strong understanding of how evidence can be used to influence decision-making
• Are proactive, organised and able to respond quickly to emerging issues
• Are confident representing an organisation externally and contributing to policy discussions
• Like working collaboratively and building trusted relationships across teams and sectors

If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience, we'd still encourage you to apply.

Requirements

We recognise that candidates may come from a range of backgrounds. We’re particularly interested in people with strong potential who are keen to develop their skills in a purpose-driven environment.

Must haves:

• Experience conducting or coordinating research, evidence reviews or analysis in a policy, public affairs, research or related setting
• Familiarity with government policy-making processes, consultations and/or parliamentary engagement
• Ability to synthesise complex information into clear, concise written outputs
• Understanding of how research and evidence can be packaged and used effectively to inform or influence public policy
• Experience working with or alongside external organisations such as think tanks, charities, DPOs, academic or public research bodies
• Strong written communication skills and confidence contributing to external briefings, reports or events
• A relevant degree or postgraduate qualification in a social science, public policy or related discipline, or equivalent work experience

Nice to haves:

• Experience working on disability, welfare, transport or social policy issues
• Experience supporting advocacy or public affairs activity using evidence
• Experience designing or managing rapid evidence reviews or insight products
• A recognised professional research qualification such as the MRS Advanced Certificate, or equivalent professional research training.

Benefits

Who are we?

We are building a future where all disabled people have the transport options to make the journeys they choose.

We fund, support, research and innovate so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose. We oversee the Motability Scheme and provide grants to help people use it, providing access to transport to hundreds of thousands of people a year. We award grants to charities and organisations who provide different types of transport, or work towards making transport accessible. We also carry out ongoing research, in partnership with disabled people and key stakeholders in the industry, to inspire innovations that continue to champion accessible transport for all.

Why choose us?

We want working for the Motability Foundation to be the best career move you’ve ever made. When you join the Motability Foundation you will join a group of people who are supportive, innovative and motivated to improve the lives of our beneficiaries.

We value everyone’s unique qualities and celebrate having a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where everyone feels safe to be their authentic selves. This is embedded into our values, Collaborative, Respectful and Evolving.

We bring our people together through our People Forum, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Forum, Social Squad and our Wellbeing Champions and our employee Spotlight Awards help us recognise the excellence and dedication of our staff.

We are proud to be recognised as Disability Confident Leader, have attained Platinum Level Award for Investors in People and are members of the Business Disability Forum.

A career with Motability Foundation can offer you so much more than earning potential, we pride ourselves in offering some fantastic benefits. Some of these include:

• 26 days annual leave, plus the option to buy/ sell up to five days.
• One wellbeing day for extra flexibility.
• Pension scheme - Up to 20%, including a 10% non-contributory contribution and matched contributions up to 5%.
• Life Assurance of four times your salary.
• Private healthcare through BUPA for you and your family, along with a Medicash Health Plan.
• Employee assistance programme: GP appointments, eye tests, flu vaccinations, sick pay and free gym and yoga sessions.
• Enhanced Parental Leave, including Adoption Pay.
• Free parking, EV charge points and a minibus service to/from the town centre and train station.
• Fresh fruit, breakfast snacks, and a Dress for Your Day dress code.
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, and we aim to be an employer of choice for candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we have committed to ensuring that disabled people and those with long term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential. We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing and when working with us, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.

To help us create an inclusive workplace we are committed to offering to interview every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the job. Some of our roles attract a high volume of applications and in some circumstances, we may need to limit the number of interviews offered to disabled and non-disabled candidates. re

This is an exciting role in our committed policy team leading the fight to end child poverty in the UK. The government has just published a UK wide cross-government child poverty strategy, and made some historic commitments to reduce child poverty including scrapping the two-child limit and expanding free school meals in England. However, there is more to do, and this is a great time to join CPAG as we look to monitor the impact of these changes and influence policy makers and parliamentarians to ensure child poverty is high up the agenda.

We are looking for someone with a track record of communicating complex policy areas in an accessible manner to a range of non-specialist audiences. You will have knowledge of parliamentary processes and the different advocacy levers that can be used to influence change. You will enjoy working collaboratively to identify policy issues and develop solutions, working closely with colleagues across the organisation as well as externally.

In addition, in a senior policy officer we are looking for someone to take a lead role in developing CPAG’s policy and research programme, including leading the delivery of research projects, helping to shape our press and campaigns work, and contributing to the development of future projects including fundraising.

You will have a track record of producing high quality research and analysis, including policy briefings, on social policy issues.

The postholder will be working in a fast moving, high profile and complex policy environment and will need to balance short term priorities with long term objectives. Current priorities include influencing the implementation of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, sharing analysis and expertise as part of the DWP’s review of universal credit, and monitoring the development of the green paper on the changes to disability benefits. 

We welcome applications from individuals with the skills and experience outlined and we can be flexible about working arrangements, including considering part time hours. We operate a hybrid working system and would be happy to discuss any flexibilities required. CPAG is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion which you can read more about in the job pack.

Please note we are recruiting for one person with the right fit at either the policy officer or senior policy officer level.

For more information about this post and to apply download the (Senior) Policy Officer job pack.

If you have questions or need specific arrangements or reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process please contact us.

Closing date for applications: Monday 16 March (midnight)

Interviews will be held in London w/c 23 March.

Future Commissioning Policy and Public Affairs Lead

Contract: Permanent
Salary: £60,000 per annum plus pension
Location: Hybrid – home-based, with regular travel to meetings and team days in London and Sheffield

About the Role

Funded by ten prime providers, this is a senior policy and public affairs role leading a high-profile campaign on behalf of the employment support sector. The postholder will ensure that decision makers, policy makers, and commissioners clearly understand:

• The value and contribution of large employment support organisations as prime contract holders
• The strengths and impact of the prime provider model
• What is required to deliver effective future employment support programmes

The role will be managed by the CEO of ERSA, with the CEO reporting into a dedicated campaign working group.

This workstream will strengthen and add capacity to existing work being led by the ERSA CEO on future commissioning. It will enable ERSA to further and more effectively represent the interests of the employment support sector and the prime provider model across future national and devolved commissioning activity.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of a coordinated policy and public affairs campaign
• Research, analyse, and interpret policy and commissioning developments relevant to employment support
• Produce high-quality reports, briefings, consultation responses, and policy submissions
• Build and maintain credibility with senior stakeholders, including policy makers, commissioners, and sector leaders
• Represent ERSA externally with confidence, authority, and credibility
• Work collaboratively with the ERSA CEO, campaign working group, and wider sector stakeholders

Person Specification

The successful candidate will be:

• An experienced policy professional
• Knowledgeable about the employment support sector and commissioning landscape
• Highly skilled in policy research and analysis
• An excellent writer, able to produce clear, persuasive, and evidence-based policy documents
• A confident and authoritative communicator, able to represent ERSA with gravitas

Reporting Line

The postholder will be part of the ERSA team and will report directly to the ERSA CEO.

Policy Campaigns Officer

A permanent position has arisen as part of the continued growth of our campaigns work within our friendly Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns department. The Policy Campaigns Officer will play a key role in helping the charity deliver high-impact campaigns that mobilise supporters, influence policy, and raise awareness of issues relating to dementia research.

In this role you will support the Campaigns Manager to deliver integrated advocacy campaigns aligned to Alzheimer's Research UK’s strategic objectives. You will contribute to the coordination, development and implementation of activity that connects public mobilisation with policy and government influencing priorities.

You will bring proven experience of working on advocacy or policy-focused campaigns, or in a closely related field where influencing decision makers and engaging the public has been central to your work. You will understand how campaigning activity contributes to political or institutional change and will be confident supporting the delivery of campaign tactics across digital and offline channels.

This role is ideal if you are looking to build on existing advocacy or influencing experience in a collaborative team, contributing to campaigns that aim to deliver measurable policy impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Campaign development and delivery

· Support the development and delivery of integrated advocacy and policy campaigns aligned to organisational priorities.

· Help design campaign plans, including objectives, audiences, tactics, timelines and evaluation measures.

· Deliver campaign activity and creative tactics across a range of channels, both digital and offline.

· Work with colleagues across the organisation to ensure campaigns are evidence-led, inclusive and aligned with organisational priorities.

· Monitor campaign performance and contribute to evaluation and learning.

· Act as a point of contact for work with external agencies and suppliers.

Influencing and supporter mobilisation

· Support efforts to influence decision-makers by mobilising supporters and amplifying public voices.

· Work with policy and public affairs colleagues to align public-facing campaign activity with political influencing messaging and objectives.

· Help build and maintain relationships with supporters, volunteers, partner organisations and coalitions.

· Assist with producing campaign briefings, messaging and supporter-facing materials.

Communications and digital campaigning

Work closely with communications and digital teams to deliver integrated campaign content.

· Support the development of email, social media and online action tools to engage supporters.

· Adapt campaign messages for different audiences, ensuring clarity, accuracy and impact.

· Contribute to content planning and delivery to maximise reach and engagement.

Events and engagement activity

· Support the planning and delivery of campaign-related events, both online and in-person.

· Represent the charity at relevant events, meetings and conferences as required.

· Assist with coordinating meetings and briefings involving supporters, stakeholders and internal teams.

· Liaise with colleagues, supporters and external partners to ensure effective delivery of campaign activity.

Knowledge, skills and experience needed:

· Experience of delivering campaigns, advocacy initiatives, or influencing activity aimed at shaping policy.

· Experience drafting materials intended to influence or mobilise external audiences (e.g. campaign actions and briefings, supporter emails, calls to action).

· Understanding of how public mobilisation aligns with influencing objectives and contributes to policy change.

· Experience of delivering digital campaigning tactics and coordinating in-person supporter mobilisation.

· Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues across different teams.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt complex issues into clear and compelling messaging.

· Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines

· IT literate, with experience using Microsoft Office and digital tools.

· Commitment to the charity’s vision, mission and values.

· Proactive, flexible and solution-focused approach to work.

· Strong team player with the ability to use initiative.

· Willingness to learn and adapt in a fast-moving environment.

· Willingness to work outside of regular office hours during busy periods (e.g. campaign launches or events).

Additional Information:

Ways of working:

As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £30,000 per annum, plus benefits.

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 8th March 2026, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, particularly from those in the global majority, those with disabilities, men and those from the LGBTQIA+ community. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website. 

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK: Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

Ready to step into a national leadership role - and make an immediate impact?

Centre for Mental Health is seeking a highly experienced policy leader for a 6–9 month interim role at the heart of our organisation. We need someone who can operate confidently at senior level from day one.

You will:

• Lead and direct our national policy and campaigning work

• Translate robust research into influential, high-impact policy proposals

• Represent the Centre with ministers, parliamentarians and senior stakeholders

• Provide strategic oversight to the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition

• Contribute as a full member of our leadership team

We’re looking for someone with significant experience in a policy environment, deep knowledge of mental health and public policy, and a strong track record of producing influential analysis and building high-level relationships. You’ll be politically astute, credible in national debates, and committed to tackling inequality and promoting antiracism.

This is a great opportunity for an established mental health policy professional to take on a visible, strategic interim leadership role, shaping national conversations and advancing mental health equality at pace.

Please note that interviews will be held in person at our London office on Thursday 19th March 2026.

If you have the experience and confidence, with a readiness to deliver on the Centre's vision of mental health equality for all, we’d love to hear from you.

The Royal Foundation is seeking an exceptional Delivery Manager (Policy) to play a key project management role in coordinating all of United for Wildlife’s influencing and engagement priorities with policymakers.

The Delivery Manager (Policy) is a vital role that will work closely with colleagues across the programme as we deliver ambitious nature conservation initiatives. The Delivery Manager (Policy) is line-managed by the Associate Director (Policy) with accountability to the Programme Manager for adherence to organisational delivery standards, reporting, and risk management.
They will be based within the core United for Wildlife team but will work closely with other Foundation teams, Kensington Palace, and external delivery partners.

The role will be varied and wide-ranging, working with other project team members to determine project needs and key deliverables.

Core responsibilities: 

· Managing preparation of policy meetings, papers, agendas, follow-up.

· Coordinating engagement with governments and international organisations, focusing on signatories to the 2014 London Declaration and subsequent policy statements, including communications, updates, planning meetings.

· Supporting policymakers and the TRF team to develop strategic policy initiatives that are clear and implementable.

· Managing delivery of strategic policy initiatives.

General responsibilities will include:

· Establishing and overseeing the project management processes required to ensure effective delivery of projects within specific strategic areas for our policy engagement work.

· Build and maintain relationships with appropriate internal and external stakeholders, and support the day-to-day management of the stakeholder ecosystem.

· Monitoring and reporting on delivery of specific projects against agreed timelines, ensuring risks, assumptions, dependencies, and actions are identified, tracked, and resolved.

· Chairing key programme update meetings, working with senior colleagues on agendas and ensuring actions and captured and carried out.

· Assist in soliciting and compiling data/inputs for routine narrative and impact reporting internally and externally together with the wider team.

· Promoting a strong partnership/team ethos and collaborative ways of working both within the programme team and wider United for Wildlife membership.

· Undertaking other duties that may, from time to time, be necessary and compatible with the nature and level of this post.

· Playing an active broader role in the programme team, working collaboratively to offer ideas on strategy and operational design.

Relevant knowledge, experience and personal qualities: 

Knowledge & Experience:

· Previous experience working in complex policy environments on issues related to nature conservation (essential).

· Knowledge and experience of project management, being directly responsible for the delivery of substantive projects (essential).

· Previous experience of working in a fast-paced delivery environment and/or on a complex project (essential).

· Experience of budget management (essential).

· Highly competent user of Word, Excel, Co-Pilot and other AI tools, PowerPoint and Outlook (essential).

· Experience of successfully dealing with stakeholders at different levels (essential).

· Experience with a project management tooling such as Monday. com, MS Project, Smartsheet, Trello, Salesforce (desirable).

Personal Qualities:

· You will be a collaborative and confident relationship builder, with strong stakeholder management and relationship skills; a genuine ‘team player’ who is able to influence and bring people with you

· You will be agile, able to respond confidently and positively to changing scenarios

· You will be highly organised and capable of balancing multiple, complex priorities 

· You will have an optimistic and energetic outlook, keen to maximise the positive change you and the team can deliver 

· You will be an excellent communicator, both in writing and orally, able to tailor your deliver based on the audience. 

· You take a creative/innovative approach to problem-solving, as well as being keen to offer ideas/input/challenge on issues not strictly within your remit.

The Royal Foundation is a high-profile organisation, and the successful candidate will appreciate the importance of discretion and confidentiality and have a mature and professional approach. 

Our Vision, Mission and Values: 

The Prince and Princess of Wales and The Royal Foundation lead with the belief that change is always possible and are committed to building innovative, collaborative and optimistic solutions that deliver positive impact where it matters most.  

Together, Their Royal Highnesses and The Royal Foundation have an unparalleled ability to take a long-term view and unite people, ideas and resources; inspiring action to deliver meaningful change for a better future for individuals, communities, society and our planet. 

We unite people and purpose to create a better future – for individuals, communities, society and the planet.

We spark progress by connecting people, ideas and ambition.

The Royal Foundation brings together experts, communities and organisations to pilot and scale solutions – including building coalitions to tackle homelessness, laying societal foundations through our early childhood work, advancing mental health support and championing conservation. By turning insight into action, we help create stronger communities and a healthier future for people and the planet. 

Their Royal Highnesses and The Royal Foundation bring together voices from every corner of society – forging powerful partnerships and taking a long-term view to create space for fresh thinking and shared ambition.

About United for Wildlife:

The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme was created in 2013 by HRH Prince William. United for Wildlife is an unprecedented global partnership of private sector, governments and not-for-profit organisations, working together to foster an effective response to the critical nature crisis, ensuring that wildlife, people and biodiversity flourish.

Employee benefits:

As an employee of The Royal Foundation, you will be entitled to:  

• 25 days of holiday per year, plus UK bank holidays.

• Your birthday off to celebrate. 

• Two volunteering days per year. 

• An 8% employer pension contribution, with the option to contribute to this yourself too. 

• Private medical insurance (available after probation).

About CoppaFeel!

CoppaFeel! are the UK’s only youth focused breast cancer awareness charity, and we’re on a mission to get every 18-24 year old checking their chest. We educate people on the signs of breast cancer and encourage them to check their chests monthly, so that if they notice something unusual they are empowered to contact their GP and advocate for themselves.

We do this because when diagnosed early, breast cancer treatments are more effective and survival rates are higher. Early detection can save lives.

Breast cancer does not need to be detected late, and as long as we are here and continue to be supported by people like you, we will do all we can to make sure this doesn’t continue to happen.

The Role

CoppaFeel! is looking for a Policy and Public Affairs Officer to help grow our influence in the policy and public affairs space, and ultimately improve outcomes for younger people with breast cancer. 

The Policy and Public Affairs Officer will sit within the CoppaFeel! Policy and Influencing team within the Education department and will work closely with the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager. They will support the implementation of our policy and influencing strategy that aims to build our policy expertise, influence the debate, grow our networks and drive system change. 

This is a hybrid role, with the expectation that you will attend the London office 2 days per week (though we are open to flexible arrangements). You will be required to attend the office for quarterly team meetings, department meetings and in person training, we will provide plenty of notice for when you are required to be in for these purposes. 

This is a fixed term contract for 18 months.

Duties and Responsibilities

Advance our policy expertise

• Research policy areas to support CoppaFeel!’s evidence-based policy work
• Monitor key policy developments in breast cancer and younger people
• Stay on top of new external research and data releases

Influence the debate

• Draft policy briefings on key policy issues for younger people with breast cancer
• Contribute to policy debates, e.g. by drafting consultation responses, briefings and statements
• Support the smooth running of policy events, including event organisation, stakeholder mapping and engagement

Reach the right people

• Engage a variety of stakeholders with CoppaFeel!’s work - from policymakers to journalists and other charities
• Support the development and maintenance of relationships with key stakeholders, and maintain CoppaFeel!’s stakeholder database

Drive impact

• Support the implementation of CoppaFeel!’s policy and influencing strategy
• Support and coordinate policy and influencing campaigns
• Measure and report impact of policy and influencing work 

Work across the organisation

• Work with colleagues across CoppaFeel! to ensure policy messages are aligned and embedded across the charity’s work and audiences
• Undertake any other reasonable duties or responsibilities as required by the Charity, in line with the needs of the organisation.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

Essential

• A good understanding of the UK political system and processes
• Experience working on an aspect of social policy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A passion for creating change
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work across teams
• Ability to engage with a range of stakeholders, from policymakers to the media and third sector organisations

Desirable

• Experience working on cancer or other health policy issues
• Event organisation or comms experience

Application information

Applications will close on Monday, 9 March with the aim to commence interviews in the W/C 16 March 2026.

CoppaFeel! reserves the right to close the vacancy early in the event that we receive a high number of applications before the closing date.

Main benefits, Terms & Conditions

Annual leave entitlement: 22 days, plus office closure at Christmas, a day off on our Founders birthday, and a day off for your birthday.

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health Cash Plan; cash back on everyday health expenses, as well as a GP advice line and access to PerkBox.
• Access to Self Space training and 1:1 therapy
• Core working hours of 10am to 4pm
• Flex Friday; every other Friday off, offering the time to recharge and ensuring work life balance, while remaining available in case of emergencies

All annual leave and benefits are pro-rata'd for part time employees.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

At CoppaFeel! we support a diverse range of communities and we understand that diversity within our team is central and crucial to meeting the needs of the young people we exist to serve. We strongly encourage applications from Black, and people of colour, LGBTQIA+ candidates, candidates with disabilities, from men, and from those with a lived experience of cancer because we would like to increase the representation of these groups within the charity.

We promote equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and make recruitment decisions by matching the charity's needs with the skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We recognise the value in encouraging a diverse range of perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge at the charity.

While the successful candidate will be selected purely on merit, in the event of a tie between two candidates with equal suitability, we may select a candidate with lived experience of the issues we are seeking to address through our work.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and we commit to offering an interview for all applicants with disabilities who meet our required criteria for the role. If you have any accessibility requirements or need any adjustments for the interview process please get in touch.

Role: Policy Manager
Salary Band: £28,000 - £46,015 gross per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Location: Woodstock, Oxfordshire

Plunkett UK is a national charity supporting people in rural areas to set up and run successful community‑owned businesses. These businesses — from shops and pubs to woodlands and farms — provide vital services, create local jobs, strengthen rural economies and bring people together. We’ve championed community ownership for over 100 years because it delivers thriving, inclusive and resilient places.

About the Role

We are looking for a Policy Manager to lead our policy and public affairs work, ensuring rural community‑owned businesses have a strong voice in local, regional and national decision‑making.

You will take a “listen first, act second” approach, building trusted relationships with our members and using their lived experience to shape evidence-based policy positions. Working closely with the Chief Executive and colleagues across the organisation, you will influence political stakeholders, raise awareness of the community business model, and help create a supportive policy, legislative and funding environment.

This role also leads our research output, including our flagship Better Business Reports, and contributes to strategic organisational initiatives.

Closing date for applications: 5pm Thursday 19 March 2026
Interview date: First stage interview to be held via video conference on Monday 30 March.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and our approach goes beyond ‘protected characteristics’ to thinking more broadly about inclusion. Every individual will think and feel differently and we believe that these differences should be embraced, and individual needs taken into account. Additionally, the makeup of the rural communities we work with leads to their own particular diversity and exclusion challenges and opportunities compared to urban areas. Our commitment to EDI, both internally and externally, has been tailored to Plunkett and the communities we serve.

Registered Charity: 313743

No agencies please.

Our client, a well-known anti-poverty charity is looking to recruit a Director of Policy & Engagement on a maternity contract of up to 12 months. This great charity provides front-line advice, advocacy and campaigning and policy work on behalf of people in London beneath pension age, who are experiencing issues around benefit payments, disability and housing or who are at risk of homelessness. The services they provide have become even more essential during the current cost of living crisis.

The role:
As Director of Policy & Engagement, you will lead the organisation’s policy, public affairs, and campaigns function, shaping and delivering local and national influencing to drive change on social security and housing issues. You will ensure the voices of people with lived experience are central to all of the organisation’s work, embedding meaningful participation across the organisation, in governance, services, policy and campaigns.

You will also oversee strategic external communications to support the organisation’s influencing, brand and fundraising objectives and will direct all fundraising for your department including managing funder relationships, identifying opportunities and leading on bid writing and reporting.
 
This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for influencing policy and practice locally and nationally and representing the charity as a spokesperson in the media, with government ministers, MPs, and other senior stakeholders. 
 
You will manage a small multidisciplinary team of four, ensuring integrated effective delivery across the organisation. 
 
The role will cover strategic leadership, policy, public affairs & campaigns, stakeholder & media engagement, external communications, embedding participation, fundraising leadership, team leadership and cross-organisational Integration.

The person:
The successful candidate will be a strategic, politically astute leader with experience of leading policy, public affairs and campaigns at a senior level. They will have experience of integrating research campaigns, participation, external communications and fundraising to deliver impact locally and nationally. They will have excellent media stakeholder and political engagement skills, with experience of acting as a spokesperson for an organisation. This person will value and embed lived experience in all aspects of their work and will have a strong understanding of social security and housing policy. 

This person will also have substantial experience of leading on research for social policy influencing purposes in addition to having developed and shaped policy  for an organisation in a charity which works towards combatting poverty and other social justice issues. Having managed political and media engagement and external influencing activities in the past, this person will be an effective relationship manager both internally and externally, in addition to having provided knowledge based leadership to small teams in the charity sector. In addition to being a highly effective project manager, this person will be a very strong communicator both verbally and in writing, and will be fully committed to the aims and objectives of this anti-poverty charity.
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This organisation is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of poverty, from global majority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and disabled people are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome evidence of experience from both work and non-work settings such as volunteering and personal life. 
 

The Bevan Foundation is seeking a new policy and research officer to join our team. Could you support the Bevan Foundation in its mission to end poverty in Wales?

About the Bevan Foundation

The Bevan Foundation is Wales's most influential think tank. We create insights, ideas and impact that help to end poverty and inequality. Over recent years the Foundation has helped secure real and lasting change for people across Wales, from universal free school meals for primary pupils to increases in Education Maintenance Allowance. We’ve built a reputation for trusted, evidence-based insights and ideas that influence decision-makers and improve lives.

About this role

This is new and exciting role in our policy and research team. This role will have a particular focus on poverty, with the successful candidate working on a wide range of poverty issues from child poverty to housing. You’ll gather and analyse evidence, help to develop practical proposals for change and be involved in persuading decision-makers to take action.

About you

You will have an excellent grounding in qualitative and quantitative research methods and a sound grasp of social and economic policies in Wales. You’ll be able to explain your work clearly and persuasively, with good written and oral skills. You’ll be able to engage effectively with a wide range of people, from stakeholders to people on low incomes. You’ll be well-organised and able to operate independently as well as collaboratively with a wider team.

Key terms

The role is available for 5 days per week, on a permanent basis. 

The salary for this post is £28,393 - £31,273 (Grade 5), with the appointment likely to be in the bottom half of the scale.

We work in a hybrid way, with staff expected be office-based for two to three days a week and to attend monthly in-person team meetings. The Foundation’s offices are in Merthyr Tydfil.

If you are interested and want to find out more and to find out how to apply download our application pack.

Closing Date: Wednesday 18 March 11:00 AM

Interview date: Monday 30 March 

The Bevan Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation towards this programme of work. 

ImpactEd Consulting is acting as recruitment advisor to FEA on this appointment.

Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Influence at the Fair Education Alliance

We are proud to be a coalition of 300 organisations united behind a simple but powerful belief: that no child’s success should be limited by their socioeconomic background. We exist to shift the conditions that hold inequity in place through collaboration across schools, colleges, higher education institutions, charities, youth organisations, researchers, funders, and young people themselves.

Our 2025-30 strategy, From Neighbourhood to National: A Strategy to ensure every child and young person thrives, is rooted in systems change—tackling not just policies and practices, but also the resources, relationships, power and mental models that hold inequity in place. Our work targets root causes, deepens collective impact, and embraces the complexity—and opportunity—of true transformation.

We are now recruiting a Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Influence to strengthen the FEA’s external leadership at a critical point in our development. As we implement our strategy, we are placing greater emphasis on how we represent the collective insight of our members, and how we use our convening role to shape agendas at local, regional and national levels.  

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, and working closely with the Co-Chief Executive Officers, this role will lead FEA’s policy positioning and public affairs activity and play a central role in representing the Alliance externally. The Director will be trusted to shape where and how FEA engages in public debate and decision-making, ensuring that our collective voice is credible and influential, and grounded in the experience of our members and partners across the system. This includes working closely with young people, recognising them as critical contributors and often the most powerful spokespeople for our work, and creating meaningful opportunities for their voices to shape our policy and public affairs activity.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who is comfortable operating through influence rather than formal authority, and who brings confidence in navigating complex policy environments. It offers the opportunity to shape how a large, diverse coalition contributes to public debate and policy thinking at a moment when joined-up, system-level approaches to educational equity are increasingly needed.

We hope you will consider applying.

Key dates

• Applications close: Monday 16 March (10 am)

• First round interviews: 26th and 27th March (online)

• Final interviews: 1st-2nd, 7-9th April (in person at the FEA office in London)

• Start date: as soon as possible, to be agreed with the successful candidate

Are you passionate about driving meaningful change in suicide prevention policy? We are looking for a Policy Officer to join our Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns team at Samaritans.  Join our team and help influence public policy to achieve our vision: fewer lives lost to suicide.

This is a meaningful, high impact role where your work will directly contribute to safer, more compassionate public policy.

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Samaritans is the UK and Ireland’s leading suicide prevention charity. While we are best known for listening to those who need us, we also work to influence change in legislation and policy.  

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About the Role

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As Policy Officer, you will lead the development and influencing of policy positions on suicide prevention, using research and evidence to produce high-quality briefings, consultation responses and reports. You will build strong internal and external relationships, monitor the policy environment, and work collaboratively across the charity to communicate and advance our policy work.

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Contract

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• £30,000-£33,000 per annum plus benefits
• Full Time (35hrs per week)
• Permanent
• Hybrid working with link to Ewell office
• In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. We work in person around 2 days or more per month.
• We are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences 

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What You’ll Do

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• Support the development of Samaritans’ policy positions on suicide prevention.
• Produce clear briefings, consultation responses and policy reports.
• Analyse complex evidence to inform policy development.
• Spot emerging policy issues and support research needs.
• Keep teams updated on policy changes across the UK and Ireland.
• Represent Samaritans at policy events and support external communications.
• Work closely with colleagues across nations to ensure cohesive policy approaches.

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What You’ll Bring

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• Experience in policy or public affairs and understanding of influencing national/local change.
• Strong ability to turn complex info into clear policy insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement experience.
• Understanding of mental health or suicide prevention issues.
• Knowledge of mental health/suicide prevention policy, charity sector experience, familiarity with Samaritans, or experience in research processes (desirable).

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Why Samaritans?

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At Samaritans, you’ll be part of a people-first organisation deeply committed to inclusion, compassion and learning. You’ll contribute to a team where your voice matters, your expertise makes a difference, and your work helps save lives.

We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience and encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to creating an environment where all our people feel seen, heard and supported.

You’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission and a collaborative culture. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland.

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For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure available below. You can also visit our careers website to access this.

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We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.

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Apply now

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If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please apply. You will be asked to answer short application questions (please keep your answers to max 300 words) and to upload your CV (please avoid special characters in the file name).

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We kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, or to generate interview answers. We want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths.

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​Applications close: Tuesday 3rd March

Interviews: w/c Monday 9th March