Policy and public affairs officer jobs in Edinburgh
This is a senior communications and public affairs role at The British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) at a pivotal moment for human rights in the UK. You will help shape public and political narratives about the Human Rights Act, amplify lived experience, and ensure BIHR’s expertise cuts through in national debates.
You will lead BIHR’s external communications - including media, digital content, and website oversight – and support evidence‑informed policy positioning and parliamentary engagement. Working closely with colleagues across the charity, you’ll transform insights from our programmes into powerful, accessible messaging and high‑impact advocacy.
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a small but mighty team known for its expertise, credibility, and influence on human rights in everyday systems.
Please note this is not an entry‑level role.
Key Responsibilities
Please refer to the Application Pack for the full details, but below is a summary.
Communications
- Lead BIHR’s external communications strategy to ensure consistent, accessible, rights‑based messaging.
- Draft proactive and reactive press releases and media statements.
- Secure media opportunities highlighting BIHR’s work and the role of the HRA/ECHR.
- Manage the consistency and quality of website content.
- Create engaging digital content that translates complex human rights issues into clear, plain language.
- Maintain a content calendar aligned with key parliamentary, policy, and public affairs milestones.
- Track and analyse engagement data to inform strategy.
Policy Evidence, Analysis & Positioning
- Conduct policy research grounded in the HRA/ECHR framework.
- Translate lived and practitioner experience into evidence‑informed policy positions and recommendations.
- Draft high‑quality briefings, consultation responses, reports, and messaging documents.
- Horizon‑scan for risks and opportunities to protect and advance human rights.
- Maintain BIHR’s internal knowledge base on HRA/ECHR and priority policy areas.
Government & Parliamentary Engagement
- Monitor UK parliamentary activity and analyse implications for the HRA/ECHR and BIHR’s work.
- Build relationships with parliamentarians, government officials, and parliamentary offices.
- Support targeted advocacy to defend the HRA/ECHR and promote rights‑respecting law and policy.
- Represent BIHR at political and policy meetings and events.
- Ensure monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of public affairs activity.
Stakeholder Engagement & Representation
- Build and sustain partnerships with NGOs, academics, policymakers, legal professionals, civil servants, and parliamentarians.
- Represent BIHR externally and engage in sector networks.
- Communicate BIHR’s policy positions and resources clearly and effectively.
- Identify opportunities for collaboration and influence.
Other organisational requirements
- Work collaboratively as part of a small team.
- Support organisational processes and continuous improvement.
- Undertake other duties as required.
Who the Role Is Suitable For
This role is ideal for someone who brings strong communications skills, policy and advocacy experience, and a commitment to human rights as practical tools for change.
You’ll thrive if you:
- Can translate complex law and policy into accessible, compelling communications.
- Have experience engaging with parliamentarians, officials, and senior stakeholders.
- Are confident in human rights frameworks, particularly the HRA.
- Enjoy working in a small, collaborative team.
- Can manage competing priorities in a fast‑moving, politically sensitive environment.
- Live within approximately one hour of London, as regular Westminster/Whitehall meetings are expected.
Please refer to the Application Pack for a detailed Person Specification.
Applying for the role
Please click on the 'Redirect to recruiter' button (above or below) to:
- Get more information about the role, how to apply, and the selection and intterview process/timing.
- Download an Application Pack and Application form (and an optional Equality & Diversity Form).
Please also note that:
- Completed application forms must be received by 10am on Wednesday 11 March 2026; we regret that late applications will not be considered.
- You should not submit a CV and cover letter instead of using the application form; such applications will also not be considered.
Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to receiving your application form.
Registered Charity
6 - 10
BIHR's mission is to champion the Human Rights Act as a practical tool for everyday justice.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Team: Advocacy
Location: Remote with regular travel - Must be a commutable distance to Edinburgh or Belfast
Work pattern: Mon-Fri, 7 hours per day. Occasional weekend or evening hours required
Salary: Up to £37,565.95 per year
Contract: Permanent
We are the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. All over the country, our passionate employees, volunteers and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.
Will you join us and make life better for cats?
Responsibilities of our Advocacy and Government Relations Officer for Scotland/Northern Ireland:
- This role will cover both Scotland and Northern Ireland, the successful candidate will need to be able to travel between the two nations
- Lead engagement with the Scottish Government, the Northern Irish Executive, UK and local Government
- Support engagement with the UK Parliament
- Monitor parliamentary activity daily and conducting online research
- Preparing position statements and responses to external policy developments
- Developing public-facing charity campaigns including online resources, organising events and delivering presentations
- Media spokesperson for Cats Protection
About the Advocacy team:
You will be working as part of the Advocacy & Government Relations team in the Advocacy & Influence Directorate. The team is made up of 11 members who work across the whole of the UK speaking up for cats. Our campaigns change laws to better protect the health and welfare of cats.
What we’re looking for in our Advocacy and Government Relations Officer for Scotland/Northern Ireland:
- Experience of advocacy, public affairs or influencing work (which may include campaigns), ideally in Scotland/Northern Ireland
- Lives within a commutable distance of Edinburgh or Belfast or willing to relocate to the area
- Experience of policy work and research
- Experience of dealing with high profile/ VIP individuals e.g. Ministers, MSs, MPs, MSPs, MLAs, Government Officials, Local Councillors and officers, corporate executives; professional organisations
- Proven ability to multi-task and work independently on own initiative, accurately and under pressure
- Resilience and an ability to deal with potentially upsetting topics
- Experience of effective use of social media and the internet in an advocacy/campaign context
- A confident communicator with good written and oral skills; and great people skills
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to be flexible and adaptable
- Intermediate skills using Microsoft Office – Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint
What we can offer you:
- range of health benefits
- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service
- Salary Finance, which empowers you to take control of your financial wellbeing
- Access to a wide range of internal and external learning and development opportunities
- A friendly and supportive team
- We are happy to wait for the right candidate, please still consider applying if you have several months’ notice period
- and much more, which you can learn about
Application closing date: 11th February 2026
Virtual interview date: 5th & 6th March 2026
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment. Please note, applications received after the closing date may not be responded to.
If successful, your recruitment journey will include:
1. Anonymised application form
2. Video screening
3. Virtual interview
Please note, the process may change slightly dependent on application numbers. We will inform you of any relevant changes.
Please email us if you require any adjustments to be made for you to complete your application or to participate in the recruitment journey.
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
Making a better life for cats, because life is better with cats
Thank you!
The position is offered on a full time basis (36.25 hours per week). This role will be home-based but will require travel to Edinburgh and/or other parts of Scotland and the UK for in-person meetings as required.
Interviews will be held w/c 16th February in person at our Edinburgh offices.
Are you passionate about making a real difference in children's lives through impactful policy and public affairs engagement in Scotland and across the UK? Do you want to influence key decisions on child poverty and social policy while working with Scottish Government, MSPs, and UK-wide stakeholders? If so, we want to hear from you.
Barnardo's is looking for a Policy & Public Affairs Officer (Scotland) to help shape our influencing in Scotland and strengthen our UK-wide work on child poverty. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone eager to build on their existing knowledge and experience with policy makers in Scotland while playing a pivotal role in creating positive, lasting change for children, young people, and families.
In this role, you'll work closely with our Senior Policy and Public Affairs Lead (Scotland) to implement our influencing plan. You'll help raise Barnardo's Scotland's profile among key stakeholders and policy influencers. You'll be involved in:
- Monitoring key developments within the Scottish policy landscape
- Managing relationships and liaising with stakeholders at all levels
- Conducting research and producing reports to support our policy objectives
- Supporting reactive policy work to respond to emerging issues
- Organising events to showcase Barnardo's vital work and engage decision-makers
Your efforts will ensure that the voices of children, young people, families, and our services are central to our influencing activities in Scotland.
When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
This is a rewarding and varied part-time role at the heart of a national organisation working to improve life for the one in six people in England affected by a neurological condition.
As Administration and Membership Officer, you will play a key role in ensuring the Neurological Alliance runs smoothly, efficiently and professionally. You will support strong governance, effective membership engagement and well-run meetings and events, helping to ensure that lived experience, evidence and collective expertise shape health and care policy.
This is a practical, admin-led role with real responsibility and autonomy. You will manage day-to-day administration, support the Board and members, maintain accurate records and systems, and ensure financial and membership processes run effectively. In doing so, you will help amplify the voices of people affected by neurological conditions and our member organisations.
This role would suit someone looking for a meaningful, flexible part-time position where their work directly supports collaboration, influence and change. The role is home-based, with occasional travel for team meetings (around once every two months) and infrequent external meetings.
About you
You will be an experienced administrator who is highly organised, reliable and detail-focused, and who enjoys keeping things running well behind the scenes.
You will be comfortable working independently, juggling multiple tasks, and supporting colleagues, trustees and members. You’ll be confident using IT systems and databases, open to learning new digital tools, and interested in improving administrative processes over time.
You will bring a friendly, professional and collaborative approach, and share our commitment to inclusion, partnership working and improving outcomes for people affected by neurological conditions.
About us
The Neurological Alliance is the only collective national voice for more than 100 organisations working together to improve treatment, care and support for people affected by neurological conditions across England.
Our vision is a world where everyone affected by a neurological condition is supported to live life to the fullest.
Our mission is to unite and empower people affected by neurological conditions and our member organisations to influence health and care policy in England, so it reflects real-life experiences and ensures everyone can access the support they need.
We are a small, collaborative organisation with a strong focus on evidence, lived experience and impact. We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and to supporting staff wellbeing through flexible working, regular 1:1s, and opportunities for learning and development.
Our values
- Inclusive – we listen deeply, value every voice and welcome diversity
- Bold – we speak truth to power, grounded in lived experience
- Together – we achieve more through collaboration
- Leading – we champion the rights and needs of people affected by neurological conditions
- Insightful – we connect voices, data and evidence to guide better decisions
Key responsibilities
The role includes:
- Day-to-day administration and office management
- Supporting Board, committee and member meetings (scheduling, papers, minutes)
- Membership administration, renewals and fee collection
- Financial administration, including invoicing and use of Xero
- Managing shared inboxes and responding to routine enquiries
- Supporting the AGM, member meetings and events
- Maintaining accurate records, databases and systems
- Supporting website updates, communications and surveys
The salary for this role is £28,000 per year, pro rata.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are a Disability Confident employer and are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. We actively encourage applications from disabled people and from people with lived experience of neurological conditions.
We will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace to support you to do your best work.
We may close the application window early if we receive a high volume of quality applications.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
The Organisation
Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity supporting low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.
We help thousands of families every year with essential grants, services and practical support. But we do much more than that. We champion families’ voices, challenge inequality and help shape the conversation on disability, childhood illness and disadvantage.
The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to shape how Family Fund connects with people across the UK. As a newly created role, it offers real scope to define and develop the function, while playing a central role in strengthening the organisation’s voice and influence.
We are looking for a bold, creative Group Director of External Affairs to join our Senior Leadership Team. At a time when families need us more than ever, you will raise Family Fund’s national profile and influence, positioning the organisation as a trusted, evidence led voice on childhood disability, serious illness and the broader challenges facing low-income families. You will build and sustain strong relationships with policymakers, funders, and the public ensuring the organisation secures the visibility, support, and resources needed to drive lasting change for the families we serve.
You will lead an energetic, specialist team spanning communications, media, public affairs, partnerships and research, bringing these areas together through a joined up external engagement strategy that delivers real impact.
Some key responsibilities include:
- Lead our communications, media, public affairs, partnerships and research teams
- Raise Family Fund’s profile as a trusted national voice
- Build strong relationships with policymakers, media, funders and partners
- Help drive real change for families through influence and insight
Who we’re looking for
We are looking for an experienced leader who loves the power of communication, influence and connection.
Key attributes will include:
- Senior experience in external affairs, communications or public affairs
- A strong track record of influencing policy and engaging senior stakeholders
- Experience leading teams and working at senior level
- A warm, confident communication style and great relationship skills
- A real passion for Family Fund’s mission and social justice
This is an exciting, high impact role with the chance to make a genuine difference to families across the UK.
Candidate Briefing Pack
For comprehensive information about Family Fund, the role responsibilities and the person we are looking for, please download the Candidate Briefing Pack.
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for this fantastic opportunity, please provide the following with your application:
- An up-to-date CV
- A supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4, outlining your experience, motivations and suitability for the role.
All applications are being handled by our recruitment partner, Russam. All applications should be uploaded via the Russam website.
If you have any difficulty uploading your application or if you would like to have an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Melissa Baxter - Managing Partner, Charities at Russam.
Closing date for applications: Monday 2nd February 2026
Initial interviews with Russam: 17th and 18th February 2026
Interviews with Family Fund: 4th, 5th and 6th March 2026
Flexibility will be provided if needed - do let us know as soon as possible if you are unavailable on these dates.
We commit to inclusion, equality and diversity and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. Family Fund is a Disability Confident Leader. We will invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the requirements for the role. If you have a disability, and are happy to let us know, please highlight this in your covering letter. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant, and we welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community.
Thank you!
The Head of Advocacy, Awareness and External Relations is a senior leadership role within AtaLoss, working closely with and reporting directly to the CEO. The post-holder will lead work across the public, bereavement and commercial sectors to deliver AtaLoss’ strategic outcomes by:
- providing national leadership in bereavement awareness, advocacy and policy influence, including through Parliament, the APPG and the media
- strengthening the website as the UK’s trusted gateway for bereavement support, ensuring accessible, high-quality content and effective signposting
- enabling holistic bereavement support in communities and workplaces through partnership development, training and the growth of Bereavement Friendly Communities
- contributing to organisational sustainability through income-generating training, cross-sector partnerships and effective external engagement.
The role sits at the heart of AtaLoss’ mission to ensure that every bereaved person can access the right support at the right time, and to position bereavement as a public health issue requiring timely, coordinated and understanding response.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are really excited to have welcomed our new Director of Income Generation and Development to Brain Tumour Research this month, a great new start for the new year!
This is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals.
We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraiser, to be based in the Mid-North Wales and West Midlands region.
As the Community Fundraiser covering Mid-North Wales and West Midlands, you will play a crucial role in helping the charity meet its strategic plans and objectives, which include campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK.
Your role will be to generate and grow our income through community fundraising activities, contributing to a regional team target of more than £1 million.
- Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
- Do you live in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire,Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire or Mid-North Wales?
- Do you have at least one years' experience of working in a professional Community Fundraising position?Have you answered Yes to these questions?
- Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start?
If you are excited to learn more about this position, please take a read through our recruitment pack provided with this advert.
If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we welcome your application. We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!
We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process. Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.
We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are really excited to have welcomed our new Director of Income Generation and Development to Brain Tumour Research this month, a great new start for the new year!
This is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraiser, to be based in the East Anglia region.
As the Community Fundraiser covering East Anglia you will play a crucial role in helping the charity meet its strategic plans and objectives, which include campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK. Your role will be to generate and grow our income through community fundraising activities, contributing to a regional team target of more than £1.5 million.
- Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
- Do you live in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk?
- Do you have at least one years' experience of working in a professional Community Fundraising position?
Have you answered Yes to these questions?
Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start?
If you are excited to learn more about this position, please take a read through our recruitment pack which is attached in this advert.
If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we welcome your application. We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!
We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process. Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.
We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.