Associate Director, Impact and Influence

Tile Hill Executive Recruitment; London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education charity is seeking an Associate Director of Impact and Influence to enhance its voice and visibility in the Further Education and Skills sector. The role involves leading strategic communications and public affairs efforts while overseeing a multi-disciplinary team. Ideal candidates will possess substantial experience in communications and a strong understanding of policy dynamics. The position offers a hybrid work model and a competitive salary.

Qualifications

• Experience leading strategic communications, public affairs, or research in a mission-driven environment.
• Ability to engage across government and the policy landscape.
• Strong writing, influencing, and presentation skills.
• Understanding of impact in public service delivery.
• Passion for improving education and social equity.
• Adaptability in an evolving organizational context.

Responsibilities

• Lead ETF’s public affairs, communications, and research strategy.
• Oversee impact and evaluation frameworks.
• Ensure strategic communications are aligned with ETF’s mission.
• Build relationships with policymakers and media.
• Represent ETF at national events.

Skills

Strategic communications

Public affairs

Research

Influencing skills

Presentation skills

Adaptability

Job description

Associate Director, Impact and Influence

Salary: £71,150 per annum (plus a range of competitive employee benefits)
Contract: Permanent – Full Time
Location: Hybrid – 1 day per week in the London office (Victoria)

About Us

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) is the professional body for the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector. As a leading charity, we are committed to developing a highly skilled FE and Skills workforce and improving leadership, teaching, and learning to strengthen the sector’s impact.

We are now seeking an Associate Director of Impact and Influence, a key leadership position that will enhance ETF’s voice, visibility, and impact across the FE and Skills landscape. This is a unique opportunity to join a mission-led organisation with national reach, at a pivotal time for the sector.

About the Role

This newly created role will lead ETF’s strategic communications, public affairs, policy positioning, research, and impact functions working across teams to ensure our voice is evidence-based, trusted, and aligned with our mission.

You will oversee a talented multi-disciplinary team including research and evaluation specialists, a communications function (including the InTuition member magazine), and external affairs professionals. From producing compelling consultation responses and thought leadership, to representing ETF across high-level forums and media, you will ensure we influence effectively and credibly.

You will also play a central role in championing professional standards, raising the profile of ETF’s work in teaching and learning, and supporting the visibility of ETF’s Qualified Tacher Learning and Skills Status (QTLS) and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS). This role is critical in communicating the wider value and societal contribution of the FE and Skills sector from local economic development to lifelong learning and social mobility.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead ETF’s public affairs, communications, and research strategy to strengthen our reputation and influence.
• Oversee the development of impact and evaluation frameworks to demonstrate the value of our work.
• Lead the strategic communications function, ensuring our messages are clear, compelling, and aligned with ETF’s mission, values, and target audiences.
• Ensure internal and external communications are aligned, accessible, and compelling for a wide range of audiences.
• Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, sector bodies, funders, media, and member organisations.
• Act as a strategic ambassador for ETF, representing the organisation confidently at national events and forums.

About You[DS1]
We are looking for a strategic, credible and values-led leader with a deep understanding of the Further Education and Skills sector and its policy environment. You will bring:

• Experience leading strategic communications, public affairs, or research functions in a mission-driven or policy-led environment.
• The ability to engage confidently across government and the wider policy landscape.
• Strong writing, influencing, and presentation skills.
• An understanding of what constitutes impact in public service delivery, and how to measure and communicate it.
• A passion for improving education, social equity, and lifelong learning.
• Adaptability and resilience in the face of change, with experience operating in an evolving organisational or policy context

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a growth mindset, who wants to shape public dialogue, drive improvement, and support the visibility and value of the FE and Skills sector. The job description can be found here.

Indicative timeline

Closing date: Midnight 31st August
First interview: WC 8th September
Second interview: WC 15th September

Please let us know in your application letter if you are unable to attend the interview dates above.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining how your experience aligns with this role by 23:59pm on the 31st August 2025.

Please email [e-mail] for further information.

ETF is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.