Public affairs and policy advisor jobs in newcastle upon tyne, tyne and wear

We are working with charity wo are looking for an interim Policy and Public Affairs Manager to join their team for a contract role until the end of August, 

Key Responsibilities:

Policy:

• The post holder will develop and drive proactive policy and public affairs projects and campaigns in consultation with the Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research and the wider team.
• They will manage and develop evidence-based policy briefings and reports to publication standard for internal and external audiences, including colleagues, politicians, and journalists.
• The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will manage and develop responses to consultations, calls for evidence, and inquiries within the charity's area of expertise.
• They will manage and develop the analysis of relevant debates, reports, statistical releases, select committee inquiries, and parliamentary questions, providing updates, briefings, and advice to colleagues as appropriate.
• The role involves managing and producing the analysis and distribution of key statistics and research from internal and external data sources relevant to the charity’s policy aims, working collaboratively with the wider directorate.
• The post holder will work closely with frontline staff and service users to ensure the charity’s policy positions and public affairs priorities are informed by their needs and experiences, collaborating with the wider team to support staff and service user policy engagement.

Public Affairs/Influencing:

• The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will develop and implement strategic influencing plans aligned with the charity’s policy priorities.
• They will develop and manage relationships with Ministers, Members of Parliament, Peers, officials, advisers, and other key stakeholders and strategic partners.
• The post holder will represent the charity at meetings with key stakeholders and sector partners.
• They will present the charity’s policy positions and recommendations at key speaker events, conferences, and briefings when required.
• The role may involve acting as a spokesperson for the charity in the media on relevant issues as required.

Campaigns:

• The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will work closely with the Communications & Marketing and Digital Mobilisation & Engagement Teams to identify campaign objectives, develop strategies to achieve these objectives, and support campaigns as appropriate.
• They will provide policy input into organisational campaigns and media strategy.

Person Specification:

• The ideal candidate will have experience in developing policy positions, influencing policy, and achieving change within a relevant social or criminal justice area.
• They should possess experience of working at a strategic level across a wide range of organisations, including government departments, local authorities, and relevant agencies.
• Experience in identifying issues that require policy change and developing influencing strategies and campaigns to achieve change is essential.
• The candidate should have experience in writing briefings for parliamentarians, officials, and colleagues, and drafting submissions to official consultations and inquiries.
• Experience in underpinning public campaigning with lobbying and media activity is desirable.
• The role is subject to a Basic Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.

What’s on Offer:

• A day rate of £120-£140 per day PAYE + daily holiday pay.
• Part-time, 3 days per week
• ASAP start date
• Hybrid working pattern, London or remote options.
• 3 month contract

How to Apply:
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the “apply now” button via our webiste.

Commitment to Diversity:
The Talent Set and our partner organisation are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or gender. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

The eoa exists to grow and strengthen employee ownership as a force for powering fairer livelihoods, stronger businesses, and a more resilient economy. With 800+ member businesses and a community of thousands of employee owners, we are the national voice for employee ownership in the UK.

Our refreshed strategy is focused on accelerating impact through people powered growth. We’re here to make employee ownership a mainstream business model choice—by expanding the sector, setting the standard for excellence, and building a connected, values-led ecosystem. We do this through sharp insight, high-impact advocacy, and a thriving member experience.

For founders and business owners exploring employee ownership, or for leaders and managers building Great EO businesses, the eoa offers tools, knowledge, experience and connection. We facilitate powerful peer learning, codify what works, and champion the stories that inspire others to choose EO.

Together with our members, we’re creating the conditions for employee ownership to thrive—seizing the political, cultural, and digital opportunities ahead. and this is where you come in.

As Director of Partnerships and Growth, you’ll be the driving force behind the eoa’s external influence and reach. you’ll lead our advocacy and external affairs strategy, build meaningful partnerships, and deliver powerful events programmes that accelerate adoption of Great EO. You’ll also shape the narrative—ensuring our insights, policy recommendations and thought leadership land with impact.

This is a high-profile, senior leadership role at a pivotal time for the EO community. It calls for someone with a track record in advocacy or external affairs, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to lead high-performing teams. It also needs a big-picture thinker - someone who can champion EO, influence change, and help us build a more inclusive, resilient economy.

If you’re excited about the opportunity to grow an economy that puts people at the heart of business, we’d love to hear from you.

Role Details

At the heart of this Director of Parnterships & Growth role is the opportunity to shape the external environment for employee ownership, champion the voice of our members, and lead high-impact strategies that grow both our reach and the sector itself.

You’ll lead on policy, advocacy, external affairs and events—crafting compelling narratives, building powerful partnerships, and delivering programmes that drive commercial sustainability and sector-wide change.

From shaping relationships with key stakeholders and securing strategic sponsorships, to overseeing the delivery of thought leadership, content, and events, you’ll ensure that the eoa is not just part of the national conversation—but leading it.

Your ability to influence, convene, and inspire will be critical to removing barriers to employee ownership and unlocking the potential of our £1.7m organisation to deliver even greater impact.

Join us on this exciting journey where your leadership will shape policy, grow influence, and contribute to our mission of unlocking the potential of people, businesses, and the economy through employee ownership.

This role is remote, however regular travel to our HQ in Brough and across the UK is expected.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead external affairs, collaborating with stakeholders to shape policy, advocacy and best practice that removes barriers and expands EO.
• Establish relationships and secure commercial partnerships and sponsorships, generating revenue to support advocacy, events, and sector growth initiatives.
• Engage key stakeholders to co-produce content that positively influence EO practice and policy and amplify the eoa’s voice in public affairs.
• Oversee delivery of an effective content strategy that delivers our commercial objectives and positions the eoa as the leading EO authority.
• Oversee events programmes, ensuring they drive knowledge-sharing, sector development, and commercial sustainability.
• Represent the eoa at industry forums, policy roundtables, and public affairs events, championing the employee ownership model.
• Collaborate with the Director of Membership & Operations to align advocacy efforts with member needs and engagement.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams, fostering innovation and delivering measurable impact across advocacy, policy, event activities.

Success in this role

Success in this role means having a positive impact on the growth rate, influence and adoption of great EO across the employee ownership sector. Strengthening and expanding stakeholder relationships, driving advocacy impact and securing commercial sustainability through a diverse mix of sponsorships, partnerships will also be indicators of success.

Key outcomes for the role

• Growth of the employee ownership sector. Measured by increased number of EO businesses, heightened sector awareness
• Strengthened corporate engagement. Measured by growth in strategic partnerships, corporate and government engagement
• Strong Commercial Sustainability. Measured by increased sponsorship revenue, secured long-term commercial partnerships
• Increased policy influence. Measured by policy recommendations adopted, increased government engagement
• Enhanced sector insight and intelligence. Measured by utilisation of high-quality data and insights for regular sector related content outputs.
• Development and adoption of best practice. Measured by creation, adoption and promotion of best practice across the EO network.
• Successful events programmes. Measured by iIncreased participation, sponsorship growth, positive feedback.

About you

• Proven expertise in advocacy, public affairs, or policy leadership, ideally within a business, trade body, or membership association.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience influencing government, media, and corporate partners.
• Demonstrated ability to drive sectoral or policy change, leading successful advocacy initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience in sponsorship acquisition, revenue generation, and developing financially sustainable initiatives.
• Exceptional strategic communication and storytelling skills, able to engage and mobilise diverse audiences.
• Experience in event programme development, ensuring high engagement and sector impact.
• Passion for employee ownership and economic models that promote shared prosperity.
• Innovative, creative, and proactive in problem-solving and strategy execution.
• A confident and transparent leader who fosters collaboration and inclusivity through teamwork.
• Self-aware with emotional intelligence, resilience, and integrity.

Role Summary

• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week
• Location: Remote, with regular travel to eoa offices and national events
• Salary & Benefits: £65,000 p/a + 7% Pensions. 30 Days leave + Bank Holidays.
• Reports to: CEO
• Management: TBC

About you

Do you want to use your skills to make it possible for people with myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, to live longer and better lives?

Myeloma UK is looking for a motivated and pro-active Policy Officer to join our Patient Advocacy team within the wider Research and Advocacy directorate.  You will have experience of analysing, developing, and communicating policy issues, excellent communication and influencing skills and the ability to present findings and recommendations to a range of audiences.  The post holder will have excellent attention to detail and the ability to prioritise and work under pressure.

The successful candidate will be a highly regarded ambassador for Myeloma UK with a desire to continuously improve and to make a difference while working flexibility and using their own initiative.

Experience of public/patient engagement work, participating in government policy consultations and patient advocacy campaign work would be beneficial but not essential.

About the role

As the Policy Officer you will be part of the Patient Advocacy team who work to ensure that the patient voice is heard and acted upon by UK and devolved nations healthcare policy decision makers. You will support Myeloma UK’s ambition to deliver personalised medicine, such that every person living with and affected by myeloma and associated conditions has access to the best diagnostics, treatment and care services and quality of life experience.

Your role is vital to developing strategic approaches to UK health policy legislation and consultations to ensure that UK government and devolved nations healthcare policy supports the needs of people living with and affected by myeloma and associated conditions. 

You will support the Policy Manager to assess existing healthcare policies, regulations and legislation to understand their implications for myeloma-specific healthcare systems, providers and patients

About us

Myeloma UK is the only UK charity focused on myeloma and its related conditions.  We provide support and influence access to treatments, while researching a cure.  Thanks to life-extending treatments and support, today many people affected by myeloma are able to live longer and to live well.  Together, we support, so no one faces myeloma alone. 

We are committed to bringing together the best and brightest people to help us ensure that every patient has an empowered present and a hopeful future.

Our ultimate goal is to find a cure and make myeloma history. Until then, our mission is to help every patient live well with myeloma for as long as possible. We are committed to diagnosing myeloma earlier, discovering and sharing knowledge, transforming the patient experience and influencing positive change in care.

Our culture

Wellbeing and staff engagement are at the heart of our culture.  We offer our employees a range of benefits including a pension salary exchange scheme, flexitime, flexible working from home with hub-based office working, health plan, employee assistance plan and holiday purchase scheme and we are committed to providing learning and development opportunities for all our employees.

How to apply

If you think you would be a great fit for this role, get in touch and tell us more about yourself by sending the following:

1. A cover letter telling us more about you and what you think makes you a good fit for this role

2. A CV that sets out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements

Applications close on 12 May 2025 and interviews will be held w/c 19 May 2025.

Myeloma UK is an equal opportunities employer and always welcomes applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of:

· sex

· race

· disability

· age

· sexual orientation

· gender reassignment

· religion or belief

· marital status

· pregnancy and maternity

Please note, you will be asked to provide evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK prior to interview selection.

Who are we?

Founded in 1996 as the Sleep Apnoea Trust Association, a charitable incorporated trust, we're a patient support charity run mainly by volunteer patients

Be a part of our mission in working to improve the lives of sleep apnoea patients, their partners and families

Key duties and reponsibilities:

Management Role

· Based on the policies of the charity as defined by the Trustees Board (created Oct 2022 AGM), manage the affairs of the charity with due respect for its heritage, status and independence.

· Within those defined policies, take decisions that allow the development of its business activities, liaising with other Trustees as necessary, and report to the Trustees on a regular basis.

· When necessary, liaise on allocation of duties to other Trustees on a cooperative basis.

· Represent the charity at occasional public events and meetings with collaborative partners and in negotiations, e.g. NICE, ARTP, Sleep Clinics.

· Act as main point of external contact and manage that contact as appropriate.

· Take purchasing decisions within the defined responsibility of the position.

· Modernise and develop the SATA business on as cost efficient basis as possible — goal is generally self-financing.

· Explore business opportunities as appropriate. 

· Identify risk, consult with other officers and recommend action for Board decision.

· Finalise move to paperless operation.

Administrative Duties

· Arrange Trustee Board Meetings.

· Manage Membership Database.

· Administer Membership Renewals.

· Register & acknowledge new memberships.

· Handle resignations, deaths and other membership issues with appropriate respect.

· Acknowledge Donations.

· Administer Gift Aid claim with Treasurer.

For the full job description and further information, please refer to the attachement below.