Policy Lead - Trade

JR United Kingdom; Belfast; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An influential trade association is seeking a policy lead. This homebased role requires engagement with stakeholders and proactive policy development. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in political strategy and excellent communication skills to advocate for members' interests effectively. Competitive remuneration and benefits package offered.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Private medical and dental insurance

Cycle scheme

Pension schemes

Paid leave for charity projects

Qualifications

• Experience in transport, trade, customs, or policy-intensive environment is desirable.
• Experience building effective networks and relationships with government and regulators.
• Collaborative team player with a strategic mindset.

Responsibilities

• Shape and lead policy development for trade and borders, influencing member engagement.
• Engage and advocate for members by building relations with decision-makers.
• Deliver high-quality outputs including consultation responses and media commentary.

Skills

Knowledge of political strategy

Excellent communication skills

Ability to influence public policy

Education

Degree or equivalent professional experience

Job description

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This is a homebased full time position with a requirement to travel to Northern Ireland. A flexible approach to working hours is required due to the geographical nature of the area when occasional evenings and weekend work may be necessary. There will be a requirement for periodic travel to other UK offices.

Who we are

The RHA is a member-led trade association supporting people and businesses in the road transport industry.

Find out more about us and our values on our website https://www.rha.uk.net/.

At the RHA we believe that through collaboration and being a supportive, trusted partner, we can achieve great things. Our hybrid working approach allows our people to work both in our office locations and at home, providing flexibility and resources to succeed in your role.

At the RHA, our Equity at work strategy is aligned to our company values and who we are. We are committed to driving inclusion for all; aspiring to create a workplace that is fully representative of the communities and members we serve.

What you’ll do

• Shape policy: Lead the development of trade and borders policies that support our members and influence the national agenda.
• Lead our engagement on the Windsor Framework working closely with our member companies to shape our positions.
• Engage senior stakeholders: Build and maintain influential relationships with key decision-makers — from Whitehall officials to business leaders — to advocate for our members’ interests.
• Deliver high quality outputs including consultation responses, media commentary, and briefing materials.
• Represent the organisation as a thought leader in the media and at major trade and policy events.
• Manage and execute advocacy and stakeholder engagement strategies that advance policy issues.
• Contribute to RHA’s participation in a range of external industry and Governmental forums.
• Work collaboratively with a team of experienced policy and public affairs professionals.
• Input on key member councils and forums, supporting membership development.
• Collaboration with other trade associations.

Key skills and experience

• A degree or equivalent professional experience
• Knowledge of political strategy including tactical campaign planning
• Experience with building effective networks internally, across industry and the political spectrum
• An ability to understand, unpick and communicate complex policy and technical issues with impact
• Experience of formulating credible policy positions, policy rebuttals and policy advice as well as building effective relationships either within or with Government and regulators
• Experience and understanding of UK political structures and demonstrable experience of navigating the UK political landscape
• Excellent communication skills — persuasive, articulate, and confident when engaging any audience
• A track record of influencing public policy (ideally with experience in trade, customs, or a related field)
• A collaborative team player
• A strategic mindset and focus on delivering results
• Willingness and flexibility to travel regularly for meetings, events, and stakeholder engagement
• Experience in transport, trade, customs, or a similarly policy-intensive environment is desirable, but not essential

What we offer

We believe that taking care of our employees is the key to their success. That is why we offer an excellent remuneration and benefits package, 25 days holiday entitlement plus bank holidays for full-time employees and paid leave for charity projects. You can also purchase additional holiday.

We offer an extensive benefits package including private medical and dental insurance following completion of probation, Cycle scheme, monthly prize draw, Medicash and pension schemes. We take pride in our commitment to supporting you at every stage of your career by providing top notch learning and development pathways.

Support

If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks during interviews or assessments, a sign language interpreter, or assistive technology, please contact our HR team for further support. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.