Policy officer jobs

Policy and Public Affairs Officer

Salary: £37,207–£42,070

Location: Hybrid, Cambridge

Application deadline: Friday 15 May (9:00AM)

We are looking for a Policy and Public Affairs Officer to lead and deliver the Foundation’s policy and influencing work to support evidence-based system change.

As part of our influencing team, you will drive the delivery of an influencing strategy and create strategic partnerships that have the potential to deliver regional and national impact.

You will work closely with senior colleagues, programme teams, and external partners to ensure that learning from the Foundation’s work informs national and regional policy debates. The role combines policy development and public affairs engagement, with the role holder representing the Foundation in external policy forums, as well as building partnerships across the sector, and positioning the Foundation’s research, evidence, and learning to inform public policy. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with experience in policy development and stakeholder engagement for system change, who is motivated by our charitable mission.

Person Specification

Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.

• Experience of influencing Government and public policy in a comparable role.

• Demonstrable significant experience in parliamentary affairs and an excellent knowledge of the UK political landscape including the workings of Westminster, Whitehall, and regional Government.

• Demonstrable experience in developing and maintaining collaborations with a wide range of partners.

• Experience of developing policy positions and articulating these convincingly to decision makers and stakeholders.

• Experience of efficiently and accurately analysing complex information in a clear and concise manner for written materials and for different audiences.

• Experience of working productively across multi-disciplinary teams.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of methods used in public policy development and influencing.

• Knowledge of the structures of Government in the mayoral strategic authorities.

• An understanding of how structural inequalities impact on policy and political outcomes.

• Knowledge of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion principles and how to apply them in real world settings.

Personal skills/qualities

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively at all levels with partners and senior stakeholders including brokering new partnerships.

• Ability to drive the delivery of the influencing strategy and able to think laterally and creatively about opportunities.

• Outstanding written communication skills including the ability to write for different internal and external audiences.

• Excellent verbal communication skills, in order to be able to effectively communicate complex positions to policy makers and other stakeholders.

• Ability to develop policy positions and articulate these convincingly to decision makers and stakeholders.

• Ability to process large amounts of detailed information and present them in a succinct and persuasive manner.

• Ability to maintain political impartiality and be discreet.

• Self-motivated, with drive and commitment.

• Exceptional organisational skills, ability to keep to a clear timetable, work to tight deadlines and under pressure and an ability to work independently.

• Excellent facilitation and relationship management skills.

• Well-developed ICT skills, including word-processing, Excel and CRMs.

• A team player, able to work both on own initiative and in a collegiate manner.

• Commitment to the Foundation’s vision and mission.

The Foundation is committed to ensuring all staff are empowered to contribute fully to our work and the Foundation strives to ensure equity and fairness throughout the organisation. We support equality of opportunity and promote an inclusive culture.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds, across all protected characteristics and socio-economic status and particularly encourage submissions from those with lived experience of speaking another language.

We can only accept applications from those who have the right to work in the UK.

Planning and Policy Officer
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part-Time, 21 hours a week
Salary: £27,108 - £29,860 FTE per annum
Location: Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Bewick House 22 Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1RY
We offer hybrid working as a flexible working arrangement. 

About Us

Norfolk Wildlife Trust is the county’s largest environmental charity, committed to the protection and enhancement of Norfolk’s wildlife and wild places.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust is a registered charity and the oldest Wildlife Trust in the country. Established in 1926, we now manage over 60 nature reserves and other protected sites in Norfolk including ten kilometres of coastline, nine Norfolk broads, nine National Nature Reserves and five ancient woodlands.

About You and The Role

The Planning and Policy Officer will play a crucial role, leading on planning and development responses on behalf of the Trust.

The successful candidate will bring experience of preparing or responding to development plans and planning applications, and a good knowledge of the UK planning system and environmental protection legislation. They will use their skills and experience to make sure nature’s voice is heard in the planning system.

In return, we offer a competitive benefits package.

The closing date for applications is Monday 11th May 2026.
Interviews are likely to take place the w/c 18th May.

Interested?

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

We value respect, integrity, trust and responsibility. We want our people to be as diverse as nature itself and so we particularly encourage applications from those currently under-represented within our sector, including people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities. We welcome people of all backgrounds and levels of experience with nature, and continually strive to improve our culture and practices. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. Please let us know if you require any adjustment processes to make our recruitment process more accessible.

No agencies please.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with experience working in a policy role focused on food or related issues (climate, nutrition, health or education). You will have knowledge of the political landscape in the UK and experience working with or in government departments, academia and NGOs on a range of policy issues.

It is an exciting time in food policy, and in this role you’ll have opportunities to work across our national policy portfolio, whether its exploring the link between climate change and food prices, developing our proposition for a Good Food Bill, improving the Healthy Start scheme, or strengthening public sector procurement.

The postholder will manage a variety of high impact activities and outputs that are used to drive forward change across our national policy areas and will work will colleagues across the organisation working in national policy, local policy, communications, events and food business transformation to do this.

Due to the evolving policy landscape, there will be a chance to tailor the role to the interests and experience of the successful candidate.

Across these workstreams, you’ll get a chance to:

• contribute to the refinement of policy asks and comms messaging,
• undertake desk research to inform policy,
• coordinate activities with different stakeholders and partners working across different policy areas
• support Ambassadors on advocacy related to dietary inequalities
• support communications and campaign work related to this work

Job Description:

Management and Strategy

• Support the policy portfolio of campaigns and projects across our national policy areas, including on food prices and food inflation, our Good Food Bill campaign, Healthy Start and early years.
• Work closely with the Policy and Advocacy Manager to develop and implement project plans and deliverables across these areas
• Maintain a careful record of our policy impact according to our agreed metrics within our Monitoring Evaluation and Learning framework.
• Policy and research
• Synthesize evidence for and play a significant part in the development of position statements/briefings/reports, working closely with the wider policy team and our designer.
• Support the Public Affairs lead to develop policy products for use in parliamentary engagement.
• Working closely with our Research Lead, identify evidence gaps and policy research questions which are relevant to our policy work to support new positions and generate new ideas for research or evidence collection which help achieve our policy goals.
• Work where needed with external contractors in the delivery of specific pieces of work, setting clear expectations and holding them accountable for delivery.
• Stakeholder engagement
• Develop and maintain a strong civil society network of stakeholders, working to broaden the support base for specific policies.
• Participate in coalitions of organisations who are campaigning together on specific areas of policy change.
• Develop and maintain relationships with junior civil servants in key departments across all policy areas.
• Work with the Citizens Engagement Manager to identify opportunities to bring Adult and Young Food Ambassadors into policy activities and research.
• Represent the Food Foundation and present our work in external events and meetings with relevant audiences and the media.
• Budgets and fundraising
• Administer grants which support our projects and ensure that funders are kept well informed, receive timely reports and that budgets are kept on track.
• Maintain good relationships with funders according to their requirements and provide input to proposals and funding bids.

Communications and campaigns

• Develop a comprehensive approach to dissemination of our policy outputs so they reach our intended audiences.
• Act as a local/regional media spokesperson, brief journalists, and respond to media queries.
• Contribute policy and evidence expertise to support campaign delivery.
• Contribute policy expertise to press releases, newsletters, web copy, podcasts and blogs.
• Support the maintenance of website pages related to project areas.
• Draft social media posts and newsletters.

Personal Profile

Technical skills:

• Knowledge and understanding of the food system, food and nutrition and/or health policy and policy levers for change.
• Strong knowledge of the mechanics of the UK policy-making landscape, including the workings of Westminster and Whitehall.
• Proven experience in synthesising evidence and using evidence to make a case for change.
• Proven experience in writing reports and briefings for different audiences, with the ability to explain complex and highly nuanced subject matter in plain English.
• Previous experience working in a policy role, refining policy asks and communicating these with different stakeholders
• Excellent analytic skills and close attention to detail.

Personal skills:

• Proven experience in budget management, project management and reporting to funders.
• Proven experience in managing multiple projects concurrently to tight deadlines and prioritising workload.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Strong presentation skills and confidence in speaking to external audiences.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to problem-solve and manage risk.
• Ability to work independently and manage own time effectively.
• Ability to build strong relationships with all members of the team.
• Open to giving and receiving challenging viewpoints.
• Resilience and tenacity whilst recognising the need for self-awareness and the impact of actions on others and the organisation.
• Willingness to travel for project meetings and dissemination events.
• A confident networker who enjoys building connections and relationships with new people.

This job description is intended as an outline indicator of general areas of activity only. The Food Foundation is a small charity and as such all staff are expected to vary their duties as necessary to meet the needs of the organisation.

Research Policy and Partnerships Officer

We’re looking for a Research Policy and Partnerships Officer to join the team.

Applications from individuals who are seeking flexible working options, including reduced hours or job shares are welcomed.

Position: CE402 Research Policy and Partnerships Officer

Location: Home-based, UK Nationwide. However, occasional travel will be required as part of this role (may include team meetings or other work related meetings)

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week

Salary: Circa £35,500 (inner London weighting £3,950 per annum or outer London weighting £2,457 per annum may be applied in accordance to where you live)

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (this will increase with service up to 30 days, full time equivalent) cashback and discount scheme, employee assistance programme, learning and development, pension scheme, Life Assurance, Eye Care vouchers, Long Service Award, Tax-free childcare, Health Cash Plan, Working Pattern Agreement, flexible working opportunities available.

Closing Date: 8 May 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

Interview Date: 26 May 2026

The Role

The Research Policy and Partnerships Officer monitors UK research policy and governance developments, synthesises evidence and supports preparation of clear internal briefings, policy statements and consultation responses.

Reporting to the Research Policy and Partnerships Manager, the role helps ensure the Association’s research portfolio and the Research Academy remain well aligned to national frameworks and governance standards, and that lived experience is appropriately reflected in system facing outputs.

The role also supports the Research Policy and Partnerships Manager in building and maintain partnerships with research funders, medical research charities, academic institutions and health system leaders.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Conduct structured horizon scanning across NIHR, UKRI, REF, AMRC guidance and other charity funders to identify opportunities.
• Maintain a stakeholder and policy activity map; coordinate inputs for meetings with key partners, funders/sector bodies.
• Collate and integrate lived experience evidence in policy work (with Involvement colleagues).
• Support partnerships with research funders, medical research charities, academic institutions and health system leaders, coordinating meetings, shared resources and monitoring commitments and agreements

About You

You will:

• Be educated to degree level in a science, health, social science or related discipline
• Have experience of collaborative working with senior internal and external stakeholders, supporting partnership building in research, clinical and/or voluntary sectors

To fulfil the role, you must be a resident of the UK and have the right to work in the UK

Please state any preferences for flexible options in your covering letter.

Finding strength through support

The organisation is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. Providing tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year. This support includes one-to-one and group support, funding vital scientific research into stroke prevention, acute treatment, recovery and long-term care, and campaigning to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke. 

They are here for stroke survivors and their loved ones, from the moment they enter the new and frightening post-stroke world, supporting them every step of the way as they find their strength and their way back to life.

It’s only thanks to the generosity of supporters and donors that they can provide vital support. 

The Association is driven by an ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by stroke. This means they’re determined to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that benefits from the difference, and thrives on the diversity, of our people. Guided by an approach to solving inequity in stroke, the team are prioritising listening to, and learning from, lived experience across the charity.

The charity are working to improve the representation of this lived experience at all levels within the Association and are eager to recruit applicants from a variety of communities and backgrounds. We are keen to receive applications from people affected by stroke, people of colour, members of LGBT+ communities, and disabled people because these identities and experiences are underrepresented and would add enormous value to how the organisation work.

A Disability Confident employer, the organisation is making great progress focusing on flexible working, reasonable adjustments and access to work.

You may also have experience in areas such as Research Officer, Research and Policy Officer, Partnerships Officer, Research Policy and Partnerships Officer, Research and Policy, Policy and Partnerships.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP