Policy and Research Officer

Sanctuary Group; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading social care organization is seeking a Policy and Research Officer to provide policy and research support within the Sanctuary Supported Living team. This role will involve developing, researching, and drafting policies, assisting with quality and compliance tasks, and contributing to project management. Ideal candidates should have strong analytical skills and experience in social policy, particularly in health and housing. This position includes opportunities for hybrid working and benefits such as a pension plan and ongoing training.

Benefits

At least 25 days paid holiday

Pension scheme with employer contributions

Employee rewards scheme with discounts

Health and well-being plans

Life assurance

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Strong analytical capabilities for innovative solutions.
• Proficient in engaging with diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding of adult social care and housing policies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and publish policies and procedures.
• Draft policy documentation and research findings.
• Assist in communicating research and legislation.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excellent oral and written communication

Knowledge in social policy areas

Negotiation skills

Technical skills in policy analysis

Understanding of health and social care context

Knowledge of statutory frameworks

Strong IT skills

Local authority/public sector experience

Tools

Microsoft packages

Job description

Overview

Policy and Research Officer

Base office location can vary dependent upon suitable candidate with a balance of home and office working.

Salary: £43,395 per annum (rising to £45,679 per annum after 12 months, subject to satisfactory).

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We have an exciting opportunity for a Policy and Research Officer to join our Sanctuary Supported Living team. Reporting to the Head of Quality and Compliance you will be responsible for the provision of policy and research support across the breadth of Sanctuary Supported Living. You will also contribute to the quality and compliance approach, as well as wider project planning; assisting with managing workshops and events. The role is varied and fast paced and offers the opportunity to both support and lead a variety of projects.

Closing Date: 15 October 2025

Requisition: 226292

Policy and Research Officer role, part of Sanctuary Supported Living.

Responsibilities

• Developing and publication of the Sanctuary Supported Living’s policy and procedure programme
• Researching and drafting policy and procedure documentation
• Assisting with communication of research, legislation, policy and good practice
• Assisting with the operations of the Quality and Compliance Team
• Developing briefings and reports for senior managers on issues and sector updates
• Maintaining external/internal networks
• Promoting a good undertaking of sector developments and innovative practice across Sanctuary Supported Living service types
• Planning, researching and drafting content for high quality publications, statements, events and staff communications
• Contributing to the design of research material, data gathering and analysis

Skills and experience

• Analytical skills and lateral thinking to develop creative and innovative solutions across Sanctuary Supported Living
• Excellent oral, written and visual communication skills to engage a range of stakeholders
• A good knowledge in at least one key social policy area i.e. adult social care/health and/or housing
• Ability to develop negotiation skills within a context of complexity and ambiguity to influence priority outcomes
• Ability to develop technical skills and abilities in relation to policy analysis and interpretation that leads to the development of Sanctuary Supported Living wide, strategic direction setting
• A good understanding of the national and local context and operations of the client directorate related to the role, in this case health, adult’s social care and housing
• A good understanding of statutory, policy and regulatory frameworks with regard to specialisms listed above
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft packages
• Any local authority/public sector experience

Benefits and development

We value our team and encourage learning and progression through our comprehensive induction programme, as well as on-going training to develop new and existing skills and encourage progression. Sanctuary has their own Learning and Development Academy, who provide a wide range of training courses, open to all. Sanctuary also offers a great employee rewards scheme with discounts from major retailers.

• At least 25 days paid holiday, rising to 30 days after 5 years service (plus public holidays)
• A pension scheme with employer contributions
• A variety of online discounts and rewards from major retailers
• Health and well-being plans
• Life assurance
• Family friendly arrangements, including opportunities for flexible working
• Tax efficient savings through our Cycle to Work scheme
• A wide range of learning and development opportunities

Additional information

Job Reference: 226292

Closing Date: 15 October 2025

We are only currently accepting applications from those with the right to work in the UK.

If you are applying internally, don’t forget to use your internal careers account to submit your application.

We might get a lot of applications so reserve the right to withdraw this advertisement at any time. Don’t miss out, please apply early.

Inclusion is one of our core values. Our goal is to be a diverse, inclusive organisation where our people thrive and meet our customers’ needs with fairness and empathy. We know having a range of ideas and opinions makes a difference. We encourage and welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds to support this mission. We will make adjustments throughout your application process, in line with Sanctuary’s commitment to our Disability Confident employer status.

Equality and diversity

Sanctuary Group encourages and welcomes applications from people from diverse backgrounds to support our commitment to offering an inclusive environment for our employees and customers. We work closely with the Home Office in order to prevent illegal working. A basic Disclosure and Barring Service check will be necessary in the event of a successful application which we will pay for. Sanctuary Supported Living is a trading name of Sanctuary Housing Association and Sanctuary Home Care Limited, both exempt charities.

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