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Title: Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager
Salary: From £45,000 - £55,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 per week (Monday to Friday)
Holiday: 25 days per year plus bank holidays
Location: Home based with regular travel within / to London and across the UK
Probationary Period: 3 months
Reports to: Head of Department
Benefits: An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year, Flexitime policy, 5% pension contribution
Title and salary to be commensurate with experience.
We are River Action
We are a small and agile campaigning organisation on a mission to rescue UK rivers from a toxic cocktail of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution and water shortages. We support community action, galvanise and mobilise public opinion, influence government policy, take legal actions and call out destructive industrial practices to incentivise changes that end river pollution and secure freshwater.
We are building a talented team of positive disrupters and stakeholder mobilisers to deliver our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of communities, rivers and wildlife.
Britain’s rivers are our life support system and they are dying. We need urgent action to bring them back to life.
Who we are looking for
We are expanding our political influence by introducing this new position, which will work closely with our existing Policy and Advocacy Manager to bolster our strategic reach particularly in the areas of water scarcity, security and justice, sewage and chemical pollution, and water sector reform.
We are seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual who shares our passion for protecting rivers and securing our nation’s water, food, health, jobs and economy to join our team to drive forward our policy and advocacy work. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong policy insights capable of blending analytical problem-solving with intelligent advocacy to drive meaningful change. This role requires someone to have excellent writing skills and the ability to draft complex policy documents as well as top line arguments for wider communication.
The ideal person will bring a combination of expertise, energy and ideas to amplify our impact, holding decision-makers and polluters accountable with a professional and diplomatic approach. They will engage with influential people across the sector, government, industry and media.
If you thrive in fast-paced environments and want to be at the forefront of environmental policy and advocacy across multiple campaigns, we’d love to hear from you.
What you’ll be doing
As a Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager, you will lead the development and drafting of River Action’s overall policy strategy as well as leading on specific policy areas. You will play a leading role in shaping and advancing River Action’s political and policy influence, working closely with the Senior Management Team, Chief Executive and wider organisation to develop and execute an impactful policy and advocacy strategy.
River Action is the Co-Secretariat for the APPG on Water Pollution, offering our Policy and Advocacy Manager a unique opportunity to shape the policy direction for River Action and also to influence policy development across Parliament.
You will also work closely with our public affairs agency who manage our daily Westminster activities.
You will:
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Lead River Action’s development and delivery of our policy and advocacy strategy on sewage, industrial water pollution, and water scarcity
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Collaborate with River Action’s team and external partners to ensure our collective work is underpinned by robust and forward-thinking policy analysis and evidence.
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Develop policy analysis to support campaign, communications and policy strategies, based on a strong evidence base and a sound understanding of the relevant legal and policy frameworks.
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Translate complex policy and evidence into concise documents with clear messages and compelling campaigns to engage political and policy stakeholders.
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Monitor and analyse political and policy developments, interpreting their implications and opportunities for River Action and its supporters.
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Generate analysis to enable participation in public consultation processes, including drafting high-quality and persuasive consultation responses and briefings for Westminster and Whitehall audiences.
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Increase our political influence with exciting policy interventions, ensuring River Action’s voice is heard at the highest levels of decision-making.
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Build and maintain relationships with key policymakers, civil servants, industry experts and partner organisations.
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Support grassroots community groups and third-sector partners in engaging with their local representatives for effective advocacy.
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Organise and attend key political meetings and events, including the Water Pollution APPG, stakeholder roundtables and parliamentary events.
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Manage strategic policy partnerships, including our relationship with Wildlife and Countryside Link and other third-sector organisations.
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Ensure River Action’s policy and advocacy efforts align with our creative campaigns, by making sure colleagues and spokespeople are well-briefed and communications content is well-informed to maximise reach and impact.
You will also:
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Actively engage in professional development and training.
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Adhere to health and safety policies while working in different locations.
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Maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.
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Demonstrate a strong commitment to an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace.
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Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our mission while being true to our values.
UK travel will be required and regular trips to London. Training and operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case costs will be covered and standard River Action procedures will apply.
What you’ll bring
The position will suit a self-motivated, strategic and determined person. You will be an excellent communicator, with exceptional writing skills and comfortable representing River Action and engaging with diverse stakeholders in positions of responsibility. You will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and to hold decision-makers and polluters to account.
Essential knowledge, skills and experience:
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Experience in a senior policy and advocacy role, ideally within the environmental sector and including experience of water policy.
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Policy and/or legislative experience, with a good understanding of the workings of the UK government and Parliamentary procedure.
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A good understanding of the UK water industry, the key UK water-related policies and the issues that are impacting our rivers, land and wildlife.
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Knowledge of the challenge of water scarcity.
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Excellent communication and writing skills with close attention to detail and the ability to produce concise and persuasive briefings, reports and consultation responses.
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Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to working creatively and at a fast pace with colleagues, stakeholders and partners.
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Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to proactively plan and prioritise work and to report your progress and impact.
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Ability to work flexible hours and travel as necessary.
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A good and supportive team player with a willingness to muck in as and when required.
Why join us?
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Be part of a mission-driven organisation working to restore and protect the UK’s rivers.
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Work at the heart of political and environmental change, influencing decision-makers at the highest levels.
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Work in an agile, supportive and happy work environment where your ideas and expertise will have real impact.
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Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organisation.
Diversity and inclusion
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. So if you like the look of this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with everything in the job description, we’d still love to hear from you. You may be just the right person for this role.
How to apply
To apply, please submit to jobs at riveractionuk dot com with the subject Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager’:
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your CV (2 pages),
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a cover letter (2 pages) explaining why you want to work for River Action and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, and
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a written submission (2 pages) as described below.
Only applications including all three documents will be accepted. Please provide your documents in pdf format.
Written submission
Please prepare a 2 page policy briefing for Parliamentarians on the issue of water scarcity and water justice and how it affects UK rivers and our security. Your briefing should be written in a clear, persuasive style suitable for a Parliamentary and government audience and:
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Identify causes of water scarcity and injustice.
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Provide a concise analysis of the impact on rivers, biodiversity and our economy.
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Summarise and assess gaps in relevant UK Government policies, legislation and plans.
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Propose two or three practical policy recommendations for decision-makers.
Application process
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 5pm on Wednesday 15th July.
Should your application be selected during sift, the next stage will involve an initial 15-minute interview. You may then be invited to attend a second interview with a panel.
Interviews will be held in the weeks commencing 19th July and 26th July via video conference.
Please indicate in your covering letter or in a covering email your availability for interviews.
If you have any questions about the role or your application, please contact us on jobs at riveractionuk dot com.
Role purpose
To manage the programme’s policy activity and provide support and expertise to help ensure effective delivery of the programme’s strategy to influence policy change. Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, the role will plan and deliver activities to help ensure Trussell’s analysis and arguments are taken up and the organisation’s policy recommendations are reflected in decisions made by UK government, in line with the programme goals.
This role is part of Trussell’s Making Social Security Work programme, the goal of which is to ensure that social security and employment support are accessible, well-designed and sufficiently funded in order to prevent people experiencing hunger and hardship, and that the UK public view social security as an asset to society. This role is focused on the successful delivery of the overall programme outcomes, contributing to the fulfilment of our long term vision of a UK without the need for food banks.
Key responsibilities
Develop credible policy proposals
Plan and deliver policy development activities to achieve the goals of the Making Social Security Work programme. Create credible proposals, including embedding participatory approaches to ensure policy positions are rooted in the lived experience of individuals affected by poverty, to build a strong case for policymakers to implement asks.
Manage policy influencing activities
Plan and deliver policy influencing activities to strengthen Trussell’s ability to secure policy change. This includes briefings and presentations promoting the organisation’s policy positions to external stakeholders and audiences, ensuring alignment across programmes and all nations and regions of the UK. Ensure policy outputs are timely, high-quality and support engagement with key audiences, including UK government officials and Parliamentarians.
Coordinate reactive policy work
Ensure Trussell’s policy positions are included in real-time debates on key issues. Coordinate responses to reactive work on relevant policy issues, including policy consultations, activity in Parliament, in the media or in response to requests from food banks in the Trussell community so Trussell’s voice, evidence and analysis are included in key policy debates, raising the organisation’s profile and influence.
Build stakeholder relationships and networks
Build collaborative relationships and networks with anti-poverty sector organisations and other external stakeholders to strengthen UK policy activity. Represent Trussell in key sector coalitions and share detailed policy analysis and recommendations with external stakeholders and audiences to raise the organisation’s profile and influence.
Person Specification
Core knowledge
Good knowledge of policy issues relevant to Trussell’s vision, including social security, disability and employment
Good understanding of the machinery of government and policy making in the UK at the national, regional and local levels and of effective policy development and influencing
Good understanding of how to use evidence and analysis to develop, judge and advocate for policy solutions
Proficiency in MS Office (e.g. Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and project management processes
Essential skills
Skills in developing policy solutions, ability to use different approaches and tailor solutions to organisational goals and external context.
Good ability to make effective and appropriate use of evidence and analysis when developing and advocating for policy solutions, as well as identify gaps in evidence and make recommendations for filling them
Excellent communication skills, including written, presentations and speaking, ability to adapt to influence different audiences
Collaborative interpersonal skills, ability to build relationships and influence internal and external stakeholders.
Effective project management and ability to balance competing priorities, meet tight deadlines and maintain a constructive approach to challenges.
Role models inclusive behaviour and values, demonstrates commitment to the values of Trussell and empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially excluded backgrounds.
Key experience
Track record of successfully delivering strategic policy influencing activity based on robust evidence from development to evaluation
Experience of informing campaigns activity to mobilise support for policy change
Experience line managing or task managing staff and contributing to team development
Special Requirements
None
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Location: Remote, with some travel to Cannock, London and other locations as required
Reports to: Charity Director
Team: Charitable Service
At Newlife, we’re entering an exciting new chapter - we’re on a mission to empower disabled children and their families, to live life to the fullest and champion the joy of childhood.
So we’re investing in our people and building the team we need to deliver our new strategic ambitions.
Newlife is looking for an experienced and values-driven Policy and Public Affairs Manager to lead our policy, influencing, public affairs and campaigning work. This is an exciting opportunity to shape national conversations and drive meaningful change for disabled children and their families across education, health and social care systems.
In this role, you will ensure that lived experience is at the heart of Newlife’s influencing work, developing evidence-based policy positions, building strategic relationships and delivering campaigns that challenge barriers, raise awareness and improve outcomes for families.
About the role
As Policy and Public Affairs Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across Newlife’s policy, campaigns, public affairs and lived experience activity. You will identify opportunities to influence policy and practice, develop compelling cases for change, and represent Newlife with decision-makers, sector partners and external stakeholders.
You will also oversee the delivery and development of the APPG for Access to Disability Equipment, working with parliamentarians, government departments and sector organisations to increase awareness of the issues affecting disabled children and families.
Key responsibilities
o Lead the development and delivery of Newlife’s policy, public affairs, campaigning and influencing strategy.
o Develop evidence-based policy positions informed by research, service insight and lived experience.
o Ensure the voices of disabled children and families shape Newlife’s policy, campaigning and influencing work.
o Oversee the APPG for Access to Disability Equipment and build relationships with parliamentarians, policymakers and sector partners.
o Lead campaigns and influencing activity that raise awareness, challenge barriers and support policy change.
o Build strategic partnerships and coalitions to strengthen Newlife’s influence and collective impact.
o Represent Newlife externally at parliamentary events, conferences, roundtables and sector forums.
o Provide effective leadership for policy, campaigns and lived experience activity, including line management of the Lived Experience Coordinator.
o Contribute to organisational strategy, planning and growth as a member of the Charity Leadership Team.
About you
We are looking for someone with significant experience in policy development, public affairs, campaigning or influencing, ideally within the charity, public or not-for-profit sector. You will bring strong knowledge of policy and influencing processes, excellent communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and decision-makers.
You will be confident developing policy briefings, consultation responses, reports and position papers, and able to use evidence, research and lived experience to influence change. You will also be a collaborative leader with a strong commitment to inclusion, equity and the rights of disabled children and their families.
Essential experience and skills
o Experience of developing and delivering policy and influencing strategies.
o Experience of building relationships with parliamentarians, policymakers, government departments or national stakeholders.
o Experience of managing campaigns, consultations or public affairs activity.
o Experience of partnership and coalition working.
o Experience of using research, evidence and lived experience to influence change.
o Strong understanding of education, health, social care and disability policy.
o Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
o Strong leadership, people management, strategic thinking and analytical skills.
o Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
For the full person specification, please refer to the attachement below
Why join Newlife?
This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role in strengthening Newlife’s voice and influence, helping to create systemic change for disabled children and their families. You will work with passionate colleagues, families, professionals and partners to shape policy, improve practice and ensure lived experience drives meaningful action.
If you are a strategic, compassionate and influential leader who wants to make a lasting difference, we would love to hear from you.
Benefits
In return, you will receive 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, a generous in-store discount, a cash health plan, discounts on restaurants, travel and insurance, and access to an Employee Assistance Programme through Retail Trust.
#Policy and Public Affairs Manager #Policy and Public Affairs #Policy Manager #Public Affairs Manager
The UK’s largest charitable provider of specialist equipment for disabled children.


The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


