Policy and briefings officer jobs

All of us at The Talent Foundry (TTF) believe that a young person's success should be determined by the talents and abilities they have, not where they come from.

For 16 years, we've been bridging the gap between school and work and improving social mobility for young people in underserved schools.

Educational inequalities are vast, and the widening disadvantage gap is diminishing social mobility progress. We work with amazing partners across the rail industry, financial services, professional services, technology companies and healthcare to deliver free, industry-focused, skills workshops to enhance opportunities for young people (aged 9-18+).

Each year we support 60,000 young people thanks to our transformational industry partnerships and their volunteers’ engagement across lightbulb moments in schools, through to intensive connections with employers.

Everyone on our team is:

• Passionate about the charity's vision to improve social mobility
• Motivated by team success 
• Proactive in getting things done 

The values of ambition, inquisitiveness, and inclusivity and equity guide us in everything we do.

The Programme Manager role

Due to the continued expansion and sustainability of our programmes, we are seeking a new team member to support our next period of growth into the 2025-2026 academic year.

You will be a consumate account manager to support our skills and employability programmes designed in partnership with industry. You will work collaboratively with our corporate and industry partners to support teachers and students in schools and further education institutions access a range of TTF educational programmes.

What you will be doing

• Management of multiple projects and events
• Team management to deliver programmes (proven experience of line managing direct reports)
• Building exceptional relationships with partners, teachers and volunteers
• Use systems and administrative processes
• Evaluation and reporting

To succeed in this role you will be an individual who thrives in a fast-paced working environment, be highly organised, a professional communicator, and not be fazed when you need to adapt your plans to meet schools’ needs (you will always have a plan B).

Job details

• £35,000 salary
• Full time (37.5 hrs per week)
• Hybrid working*
• 28 days holiday + bank holidays (inclusive of Christmas closure days)
• Training budget

If you join our team, you can expect to receive feedback like this from our former students: 

"I just wanted to say a big thank you for your help. Without networking with you I would not have been so prepared for the interview. If it wasn't for Powering Potential all those years ago I would not have developed into the person I am today. So for that, I thank you." 

*Hybrid working

This is a hybrid role. You will be working from home and will join Team Together Days in a co-working space in London 2-3 individual days each month. These days are considered commuting days. You do not need to live in London to apply for this role, but you will need to consider what you feel is a reasonable commuting distance and to be able to attend our team days in London. You can read more about our approach to hybrid working on our website. 

We take safeguarding seriously, please note for safer recruitment purposes, all applications must clearly state continuous work history for the last 10 years, or since leaving full time education. It is ok to have employment gaps on your CV, please provide a note to explain these. Any CVs without full history (including start and finish months and years) will not be considered. 

To read the full job information pack, download the attachment. Please read this before completing your application as it contains some helpful advice of the key experiences and skills we are looking for which include: 

• Account management - working with funders and balancing priorities, objectives and deadlines
• Project delivery - operational, event and logistics management
• Staff management

We receive a very high number of applications for our vacancies, please make sure you read the application pack before applying to ensure your skills and experience match the person specification. 

Using AI in your application 

Robots need not apply. Human skills and authenticity is incredibly important in the work we do with young people. We want to hear your voice and personality in your application. AI is a tool, not a shortcut. This means not asking AI to do the work for you, or copying and pasting answers, as this limits the way you can showcase your personal experiences and strengths. AI doesn't know you or your work history, so use sparingly. 

The best way to learn about our work is from our website, not AI. We receive many applications generated by AI platforms which often include incorrect information about our charity - providing incorrect or misinformation may mean we discount your application. 

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing and welfare of children and we require everyone associated with The Talent Foundry Trust, including all trustees, employees, and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the role, including completing our Safer Recruitment process, references from past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.