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As a Policy and Public Affairs Officer, you’ll support the British Heart Foundation’s policy and public affairs work across Scotland, helping to influence decision-makers and advance our priorities. Working within the Devolved Nations Policy and Public Affairs team, you’ll engage with the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, charity sector and clinical community to help deliver BHF’s objectives.
You’ll contribute to influencing plans, monitor political and policy developments, prepare high-quality briefings and consultation responses, and identify opportunities to raise awareness of issues affecting people with heart and circulatory diseases. You’ll also help organise events, build relationships with key stakeholders and represent BHF at meetings, conferences and parliamentary events.
Working collaboratively across the organisation, you’ll help ensure BHF’s policy positions are evidence-based, relevant to Scotland and effectively communicated to a range of audiences.
About you
As our ideal candidate, you’ll have:
- Knowledge of the political environment and devolved government in Scotland.
- A strong interest in policy and public affairs, with relevant experience desirable.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly.
- Experience producing high-quality written content for a variety of audiences.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
- Effective interpersonal and influencing skills, with the confidence to engage a range of stakeholders.
- The ability to work independently whilst contributing positively as part of a team.
- Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office, and a willingness to learn Microsoft 365 Copilot.
If you’re a proactive and collaborative individual with an interest in policy and public affairs, and you're looking to make a meaningful impact in the fight against heart and circulatory disease, we’d love to hear from you.
Belonging at BHF
By embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment, we strengthen our ability to achieve our mission of saving and improving lives, ensuring our work reflects and serves the needs of every community across the UK.
To hear from our people, check out Belonging at BHF.
Our people are at the heart of everything we do. By funding research across six decades, we’ve helped keep millions of hearts beating and millions of families together. We’re investing in ground-breaking research that will get us closer than ever to a world where everyone has a healthier heart for longer.
Working arrangements
This is an 18 month fixed term contract to cover an internal secondment.
This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week, on average, in our Edinburgh Office. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause.
Benefits and development
At BHF, we offer a comprehensive range of benefits designed to support our colleagues’ wellbeing and professional growth.
To find out more about our benefits you can download the Benefits document at the bottom of this page or check out our Benefits and Development pages.
Need more help balancing your work and home life? Talk to us about what flexibility is available at the application or interview stage.
Interview process
The interview process may take place in-person or virtually via MS Teams.
How to apply
It’s quick and easy to apply for a role at the BHF. Just click on the apply button below. All you’ll need is an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the role’s criteria.
Our recruitment processes are fair, accessible, and inclusive. BHF use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey.
We support responsible use of AI to help shape your application. By applying for a role at BHF, you confirm that your application is authentic and reflects your own skills and experience, to ensure everyone is assessed fairly.
Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us.
Registered Charity
More than 1000
Our vision is a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Our client, Parkinson's UK, is looking for an enthusiastic and well organised public affairs professional, with a good knowledge of how policy change works in Westminster and Whitehall. You’ll support their work to raise the profile of Parkinson’s UK, increase awareness of Parkinson’s and build strong relationships with Parliamentarians and civil servants. Supporting the policy advisers, you’ll keep a close eye on developments in Parliament and support colleagues in the devolved nations in their Parliamentary work.
Role (What you'll do)
- Monitor activity in Parliament that relates to Parkinson’s and share information with colleagues
- Draft briefings and materials to support their work to build effective relationships with key parliamentarians, influencers and civil servants
- Provide support to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Parkinson’s
- Support colleagues in devolved nations to ensure their public affairs work is aligned and supportive across the UK
- Support work to involve people with lived experience in the charity’s public affairs activities
- Produce inspiring communications about the organisation’s parliamentary activities that encourage their audiences to continue supporting their work
- Build a strong network with allies and partners in other charities and external groups.
Candidate (What you'll bring)
- Experience of working in Westminster or Whitehall or in the devolved nations’ assemblies
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to provide administrative support
- Experience in political analysis and of working in a political environment and a good understanding of policy issues in health and care, welfare, work, transport or the disability arena
- Ability to network and build supportive relationships at all levels, including with volunteers
- Experience of using creative ways of communicating messages to Parliamentarians and civil servants
- Research, analytical and information gathering skills
- Ability to maintain political impartiality
- Ability to prioritise own workload effectively and support others in meeting challenging deadlines.
How to apply
To be considered, please send a copy of your CV, together with a supporting statement (max 2 sides of A4) fully demonstrating how you meet all the criteria of the role, as stated in the "What you'll bring" section of the job description, via the Redirect button.
Please note that this is not an entry-level role. We can only consider candidates who clearly demonstrate experience working within a public affairs/political environment. For example, you might be working for an MP, or within a charity/NGO policy/influencing team or within a public affairs agency.
Due to timing, we are ideally looking for candidates with no longer than one month's notice.
Please note that you must already have the right to work in UK to apply for this role.
Closing: 12pm, Tuesday 28 July
Interviews: Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 August (online)
Start date: As soon as possible
Registered Charity
101 - 500
We exist to make every day better, for everybody living with Parkinson’s. Right now.
Thank you!
The British Academy – the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences - is seeking 2 x Public Affairs Officers to join our Media and Public Affairs team in the Communications and Engagement Directorate, providing key support in the delivery of our public affairs function.
The role
The post-holder(s) will play a central role in the work of the Public Affairs team, at an exciting time for the British Academy as we seek to extend and deepen our reach and influence with parliamentarians, Government, policymakers and other key stakeholders.
You will own and deliver influencing activities - independently and in collaboration with colleagues - that will build the Academy’s profile and increase awareness of the value and importance of the Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts (SHAPE) amongst our audience. You will work with Public Affairs colleagues to monitor external developments, horizon-scanning and pursuing opportunities for the Academy to be bold and proactive in engaging stakeholders.
An experienced public affairs professional, you will have a good level of UK political knowledge, including of the Devolved Nations and local and regional structures. You understand the range of tactics that can be used to influence Parliament and Government and will apply this knowledge to develop and deliver public affairs strategies that engage parliamentarians and key stakeholders with the Academy’s work.
You will be able to communicate and work effectively with colleagues across the Academy and a range of external stakeholders, including parliamentarians and their staff. You will help to build and strengthen stakeholder relationships and deliver an effective public affairs function for the Academy.
You will be highly organised and able to plan and manage a varied workload. You will use your editorial and political judgement to produce high-quality outputs - from communications materials to events - that will showcase the Academy’s evidence base and policy insights to stakeholders, helping to turn engagement into influence.
About the Academy
The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences, established by Royal Charter in 1902. We mobilise these disciplines to understand the world and shape a brighter future. Today’s complex challenges can only be resolved by deepening our insight into people, culture, and societies. With a Fellowship of around 1,700 leading national and international academics, the Academy invests in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas; engages the public with fresh thinking and debates; and brings together scholars, government, business, and civil society to influence policy.
The Academy currently has five directorates: Communications & Marketing; Development; Policy; Research; and Resources, plus a small Governance & Fellowship Team.
Working at the Academy
Our senior management team have worked with staff to foster a culture of collaboration, respect, and empathy, in which all contributions are recognised as we work towards our common goals. Our people strategy and working practices focus on building strengths and sharing insights, with learning & development, wellbeing, and equality, diversity & inclusion at the centre of how we operate as an organisation. Investing in our staff and encouraging a healthy work/life balance is central to our success, as we move forward and continue to grow.
Terms and conditions
The British Academy is based at 10-11, Carlton House Terrace, London SW1, a Grade 1 listed building. We offer a competitive benefits package including a 35-hour working week, with hours and location worked flexibly under our hybrid-working policy; 34 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays; a subsidised canteen and an excellent occupational pension.
How to apply
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, in line with our commitment to create a diverse and inclusive working environment, promote equal opportunity, and address under-representation. We will make reasonable adjustments to support disabled job applicants and offer an interview to those meeting the minimum selection criteria.
To apply, and to see the full job description and our workplace values, please follow the apply link to visit our recruitment platform.
Closing date: Midday on 24 July 2026.
Interviews for this role are currently scheduled for 17/18 August 2026, but this may be subject to change.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of applications. In such circumstances, we will provide 24 hours' notice of the revised closing date to those who have registered their interest.
