5 Policy manager jobs

About the role 

The Motability Foundation is recruiting two Policy Managers to join its newly established policy team, which sits within the Communications department. These roles will lead discrete policy areas, develop robust policy positions, and support the Motability Foundation in improving transport accessibility for disabled people. 

The Motability Foundation is building a future where all disabled people have access to accessible transport options so that they can make the journeys they choose. To achieve our ambitions, the Motability Foundation works closely with a wide range of stakeholders to develop, and then advocate for, policy and legislative solutions which result in tangible, real-world change. These roles are exciting opportunities for applicants who wish to play a crucial role at one of the UK’s foremost charities in doing this. 

The successful applicants will work closely with the Government Relations and Public Affairs team, as well as colleagues within the Motability Foundation and at Motability Operations, to advance our policy priorities, support the integrated communications strategy, and help raise the profile of issues affecting disabled people in their everyday lives. You will also engage regularly with policymakers and external organisations. 

These roles will suit experienced, proactive and collaborative policy professionals who want to strengthen their advocacy experience and help make transport more accessible and inclusive for disabled people. 

What you’ll be doing 

As a Policy Manager, you will lead policy work across agreed priority areas. This will include: 

• Developing robust policy positions, from defining the problem and intended outcomes, to assessing evidence and options, testing discoverability, and making clear recommendations – working closely with colleagues within the Motability Foundation and at Motability Operations, and external stakeholders. 

• Drafting high-quality policy outputs, including policy briefings, consultation responses, calls for evidence, and external correspondence. 

• Collaborating closely with Communications teams colleagues to promote policy positions to government, public and professional audiences, including contributing to campaign development. 

• Tracking political, legislative and policy developments, horizon-scanning for risks and opportunities and adapting policy positions and plans as needed. 

• Building trusted external relationships with policymakers, industry stakeholders and others who shape or influence policy – namely, disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations. You must be comfortable with effectively communicating complex policy positions to a wide range of stakeholders.

• Working collaboratively across the organisation to ensure policy work is aligned and informed by wider insight. 

• Contributing to the development of the policy function, including its priorities, ways of working, and culture of collaboration, openness, and continuous improvement. 

Your experience 

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas: disability and welfare, transport, tax and fiscal policy, or growth policy. Where candidates do not have direct experience, they should be able to demonstrate strong policy skills and the ability to apply them quickly to complex issues. 

Must haves:  

• Strong experience in policy analysis and developing evidence-led and creative policy positions - ideally on high profile and pivotal policy. 

• Demonstrable experience of communicating policy to senior officials, Ministers, advisers, Parliamentarians and wider industry stakeholders, both verbally and through high-quality written outputs.

• Strong understanding of UK and devolved policy-making and legislative processes, and strong political acumen and awareness of UK and devolved governments’ priorities.

• Understanding of, or commitment to developing expertise in, disability, accessibility, and inclusive transport policy.

• Ability to work collaboratively within a larger team and a complex matrix organisation, and build effective internal and external relationships. 

Nice to haves: 

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline. 

• Policy experience in the public, charity or not-for-profit sectors and/or in government (particularly HMT, DWP, No 10, BIST or DfT), Parliament, devolved administrations, or local government. 

• Experience helping to establish, improve or professionalise policy processes in an organisation. 

• Experience informing organisation-wide campaigns with policy expertise, insights and advice. 

About Woman's Trust

The charity was established in 1996 to meet the gap in specialist mental health services. Woman’s Trust is led by and for women and aims to ensure that women affected by domestic abuse can live a life free from further harm and abuse. Our approach is trauma-informed and person-centred, empowering survivors on their journey to recovery from the trauma. We are committed to a positive, inclusive and equitable environment for our staff, service users and volunteers.

Alongside delivering our existing 1-1 counselling, self-development workshops and therapeutic support groups for women who have experienced domestic abuse, we are focused on developing our innovative mental health services for young women and girls, delivering new peer-led support groups and providing therapeutic groups to children and their mothers. We are also committed to developing further awareness-raising workshops and training for professionals, building on our research and policy to improve systems nationally.

About the role

The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will establish and lead Woman’s Trust’s policy and public affairs function. She will grow the organisation’s influence with UK and London government, Parliament, NHS systems, commissioners and sector partners so that the voices and experiences of women and children affected by domestic abuse shape policy, commissioning and practice.

The postholder will develop and deliver an evidence-led influencing strategy; own a focused portfolio of policy priorities; build and manage senior stakeholder relationships; produce high-quality analysis, briefings and consultation responses; and provide timely political and public affairs advice to the CEO, Chair, trustees and senior colleagues.

Working across services, data, communications and fundraising, she will ensure Woman’s Trust’s external positions are grounded in frontline expertise, robust evidence and appropriately supported survivor involvement. She will identify opportunities for the organisation to influence debate and policy at the intersection of domestic abuse, women’s mental health, health inequalities and public services.

Hours: 35 hours per week. A four-day/0.8 FTE arrangement will be considered.

In return, we can offer:

• 25 days' holiday + 3 days at Christmas + Public holidays (pro rata for part-time working)
• Hybrid & flexible working - office based with minimum of 50% of working hours in Woman’s Trust London office, we also support mutually agreed flexible working arrangements
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Mandatory job-related training
• Individual staff professional development budget
• A caring, committed and highly collaborative environment
• Several social events/lunches per year
• Friendly, all women team

To find out more and apply with your CV, please visit our website via the apply button.  

Please note, CVs and cover letters should be sent in Word format.

Closing date: Monday, 7th September 2026.

First stage interviews: Friday, 11th September 2026.

Second stage interviews: Wednesday, 16th September 2026.

Please note, this post is open to female applicants only – Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1 applies.

Policy Engagement Manager - 12-month Fixed Term Contract

At The National Lottery Community Fund we are passionate about strengthening communities and improving lives.We are driven by our strategy, ‘It starts with community’ and its four community-led missions, as well as our equity-based approach to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.

To help us in supporting communities in Northern Ireland, we are now looking for a motivated Policy Engagement Manager with a strong understanding of the social policy context in Northern Ireland, and the environment in which our grantholders operate. You will play a key role in shaping and strengthening our engagement with government, voluntary and community sector organisations, and funding partners. Working closely with the Head of Policy Engagement in Northern Ireland, you will help build influential relationships, provide strategic policy insight, and ensure that the experiences of communities inform our funding and development priorities. You will play a key role in enabling the Fund to use our insight, position and influence in Northern Ireland to celebrate and promote the power and expertise of communities.

Key Responsibilities

As Policy Engagement Manager, you will be an excellent relationship-builder with a strong understanding of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. You will be comfortable working across complex stakeholder environments and translating policy developments into practical insight, including providing insight and policy context to inform medium and long-term funding initiatives across the UK.

You will develop a thorough understanding of the policy environment relating to our four community-led missions and our commitment to addressing poverty, discrimination and disadvantage through an equity-based approach. 

You will maintain a broad understanding of the policy and social context in which our grantholders operate, convening grantholders and stakeholders to explore shared challenges and opportunities. We’re looking for someone who is values-driven, passionate about the Fund’s purpose and deeply committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We invite you to join our team and contribute your skills and experience to creating lasting change for communities and society.

Regular travel around Northern Ireland is expected, as well as some travel to other parts of the UK to connect with colleagues. We offer a flexible and supportive working environment and an excellent all-round benefits package.

Interview Details:

Date: 1 October 2026

Format: In Person

Location: Belfast - We have a hybrid approach to working

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the recruitment team.

For any questions about the recruitment process, please email the recruitment team

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential criteria

• Experience of engaging with government, public sector, VCSE or funding stakeholders.
• A strong grasp and knowledge of the policy environment and the developing issues and themes relevant to our Missions and grantholders in Northern Ireland.
• Experience of analysing and interpreting policy and political developments.
• Demonstrable strategic influencing skills
• Strong communication including written communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and contribute to strategic planning and development.
• Understanding of the use of digital tools and systems to manage relationships, share information and support policy development.
• Experience of project management

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Who we are

IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) is a national charity working to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the educational support they are legally entitled to. Since we were formed in 1983, we have helped to improve the education experience of thousands of children and young people across England. We do this by providing free and independent legal advice and casework support for families, undertaking policy work and delivering training on the SEND legal framework.

What you’ll do

Reports to: Chief Executive

Location: Home-based or Hybrid (with frequent travel for events and meeting with parliamentarians and other stakeholders) 

We are seeking a Policy Manager to lead IPSEA's policy and influencing work to achieve positive change for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Head of Legal and Training, trustees and colleagues across the organisation, you will set strategic policy priorities and develop evidence-based influencing plans that support IPSEA's mission and long-term objectives.

Drawing on insights from our advice and tribunal services, legal expertise and the experiences of families, you will identify systemic issues within the SEND system and develop policy solutions that improve children and young people's access to the support and education to which they are entitled. You will ensure that IPSEA's policy positions are credible, legally robust and informed by the lived experiences of those we support.

You will lead IPSEA's engagement with government, Parliament and other key decision-makers, identifying opportunities to influence legislation, policy and practice at both national and local level. This includes overseeing responses to consultations, parliamentary inquiries and calls for evidence, as well as preparing briefings and strategic advice to support senior-level engagement and advocacy.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across legal, communications, fundraising and training teams, you will ensure IPSEA's policy, campaigning and public affairs activities are aligned and maximise the organisation's impact. You will also monitor developments across the political, legal and policy landscape, helping IPSEA respond proactively to emerging opportunities and challenges affecting the rights of children and young people with SEND.

This role offers the opportunity to make a real difference as part of a small, friendly, and dedicated team. If you are passionate about helping children and young people with SEND and have the skills and experience needed, we would love to hear from you.

Who are we looking for?

You will have significant experience in a senior policy and campaigning/public affairs role and have good knowledge of local and national government structure including the legislative process.

You the ability to build and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders including MPs, civil servants, campaigners and parents. You exhibit tact and diplomacy and can be impactful with people of varying levels and experience.

Your research and critical thinking skills enable you to analyse policy and data to produce relevant reports and position papers. You have experience of drafting organisation responses to government consultations and parliamentary calls for evidence.

IPSEA should also reflect the communities we support. We would particularly like to hear from candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people, under-served communities and disabled people, as well as those with lived experience of the SEND system, either as a child or as a parent/carer.

What we can offer you

• 5% employer pension contributions
• Healthcare cash plan
• Flexible working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus an additional day off for your birthday (pro-rata if part-time).

To apply

Visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form.

Deadline for applications: 9am on 7 September 2026.

First-round interviews: on 15 September 2026 in our offices in Takeley, Essex, with second-round interviews (online) on 18 September 2026.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE.