Policy and Public Affairs Manager

Charity People; City Of London; On-site; GBP 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization is seeking a Policy and Public Affairs Manager in London. The role involves monitoring public policy, crafting influential reports, and managing stakeholder relationships, primarily home-based but requires some office presence. Ideal candidates will have strong writing skills and public affairs experience, as well as a passion for literacy advocacy and social equity.

Benefits

Generous leave allowance totaling 39 days

8% pension contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Employee assistance programme

Other health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Ability to understand and articulate academic research and policy papers.
• Experience of public affairs and managing policy activity.
• Experience of working in a policy-related role (e.g., charity, civil service).
• Experience of working in a policy-related role (e.g., charity, civil service).

Responsibilities

• Monitor and analyze developments in public policy.
• Write succinct and influential reports and articles.
• Organize policy-focused events.
• Build and maintain relationships with Parliamentarians.
• Coordinate the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Literacy.
• Manage policy activities supported by corporate partners.
• Advise program teams on related policy activities.

Skills

Understanding academic research

Excellent writing skills

Public affairs experience

Policy-related role experience

Job description

Policy and Public Affairs Manager
London/Hybrid with around 2-3 days per month in the office in London (Vauxhall) and willingness and flexibility to regularly attend meetings, events and briefings in London
Salary £44,000 per year
Full-time, 35 hours per week with flexible working
Permanent
Excellent benefits including generous leave allowance totalling 39 days (including bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year), pension contributions of 8% of annual salary, a cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme and other health and wellbeing benefits.

Charity People are delighted to be partnering with a national charity which empowers children, young people, and adults with the literacy skills they need to succeed, to recruit a Policy and Public Affairs Manager.

Literacy changes everything. It gives you the tools to get the most out of life, and the power to shape your future. It opens the door to the life you want. But low literacy is inextricably linked to poverty. Over the last 30 years, the charity has continued to work with people who need them the most, supporting schools, families and communities on a local and national level.

The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will work as part of a small policy team, with colleagues across the organisation, and internal and external stakeholders, to help shape Government policy on a range of issues relating to literacy and disadvantage.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor and analyse developments in public policy and manage public affairs activity in line with our organisational strategy
• Write succinct and influential reports, consultation responses, briefings, articles and web pages on policy issues for a range of audiences
• Organise policy-focused events including managing invite lists, event logistics and related communications and messaging, working with the media team where necessary
• Build and maintain relationships with Parliamentarians, policymakers, and partner organisations to influence literacy policy
• Coordinate the activity of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Literacy, including engaging politicians and policymakers, organising meetings, maintaining appropriate paperwork and drafting policy briefings
• Manage the delivery of policy activity supported by our corporate partners, including coordinating meetings, providing updates and ensuring targets are met
• Advise programme teams on related policy activities and provide briefings

What we're looking for

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following essential skills and experience:

• Ability to understand and articulate academic research and policy papers
• Excellent writing skills, including drafting policy papers and briefings
• Experience of public affairs and managing policy activity
• Experience of working in a policy-related role (e.g., charity, civil service)

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following desirable criteria:

• Understanding of literacy / early years / education sector
• Understanding of local and/or national government structures and processes
• Experience of senior stakeholder management and partnership development, including cross-sector campaigns
• Intermediate quantitative skills (e.g., analysis of DfE datasets in Excel)
• Event management

The team are passionate about their mission and have a strong and positive working culture, based on shared values and respect. This role is primarily home-based, but you will need to be able to attend the office in London (Vauxhall) at least 2-3 times a month and be willing and able to attend meetings, events and briefings in London on a regular basis. Travel to and from London is not covered by expenses, therefore you will need to be based within easy access to London.

How to apply

If you would like to apply, please upload your CV using the link below in the first instance. Jen D'Souza from Charity People will be in touch with the full details about the job and how to apply. The deadline is 9am Wednesday 5 November. The first stage (online) interviews will take place on Wednesday 12 November, with second stage (in person) interviews on Tuesday 18 November.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.