Principal Policy Adviser (Energy and Housing)

Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust seeks a visionary Principal Policy Adviser (Energy and Housing) to drive policy ideas and programmes addressing poverty and economic insecurity in the UK. You will lead collaboration, shape national conversations, and partner across devolved nations to maximise impact.

You will engage with diverse stakeholders, including senior decision-makers, and guide external projection and policy dissemination in pursuit of a fairer, more

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in UK housing or energy markets and understanding of poverty and economic insecurity.
• Knowledge of policy making across the UK including devolved and sub-national governments.
• Ability to apply quantitative and experiential analyses to complex policy issues.
• Track record shaping influential ideas or policies and engaging senior stakeholders.
• Commitment to inclusive and diverse culture and collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and deliver programmes that generate influential arguments, policies and ideas addressing poverty.
• Lead external projection of work, shaping national conversations and building strategic alliances.
• Collaborate across the wider organisation and devolved nations to strengthen policy work.
• Invest in partnerships and guide ideas through senior-level influence and dissemination.

Skills

Leadership

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

UK housing knowledge

Energy markets knowledge

Job description

Permanent, Full Time

About the role

We are seeking a visionary leader to join us as Principal Policy Adviser (Energy and Housing) to drive the design, development and delivery of programmes that generate influential arguments, policies and ideas addressing the social and economic challenges underpinning poverty and economic insecurity in the UK today. This role is central to charting a course toward a fairer and more prosperous future.

You will actively seek out and engage with individuals and organisations developing innovative ideas and strategies that align with our mission. You will take ownership of how our platform and resources can be best leveraged to support the development and diffusion.

In addition, you will lead the external projection of this work, shaping national conversations, influencing decision-making at the highest levels, building strategic alliances and partnerships and backing experimentation and real-world alternatives. Your leadership will help nurture longer term shifts in thinking and action, ensuring that our work resonates and drives meaningful change across society.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively across the wider organisation, drawing on different disciplines and perspectives to strengthen policy and ideas work and maximise potential for change. You will engage closely with colleagues in teams across devolved nations, considering the territorial implications of their work and exploring how to address issues where responsibilities are devolved.

About you

We are seeking a candidate with strong expertise in UK housing or energy markets and a clear understanding of how these relate to poverty and economic insecurity. You will have a sophisticated grasp of how policy making works across the UK including devolved and sub-national governments and be well engaged with current political and policy debates. You will also understand how a range of analytical approaches, both quantitative and experiential, can be applied to complex policy issues, alongside a commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture.

You will be skilled at navigating complex dilemmas, using evidence, research and lived experience to develop insightful and original ideas. You will think critically and creatively, communicate persuasively and identify and support new ideas and perspectives beyond JRF. You will also be an effective collaborator, able to build partnerships and work with a diverse range of stakeholders.

You will bring a track record of shaping influential ideas or policies and experience of engaging and influencing at senior levels. You will have led successful projects or programmes, supported others through coaching and development and contributed to building high-performing, positive teams.

The closing date for applications is 25/10/2026

Interviews will take place from week commencing 09/11/2026.

We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward should enough quality applications be received prior to the current closing date.

Additional Information

Applications are welcome from all, regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or socioeconomic background.

We positively encourage applications from people from marginalised backgrounds, including but not limited to those with experience of living in poverty.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and operate an anonymised recruitment process so that bias is eliminated from the shortlisting process.

In support of our approach to flexible working, we are happy to receive applications from those seeking full-time employment, as well as those who may want to share the role on a part-time basis. When making your application, please state whether you want to be considered for either full or part-time work and, if part-time, the number of hours per week you would be looking for.

At JRF we’re at our best when we’re continually building on trust, showing we care and making a difference – and hope others will do the same. So, for those roles which allow it, we’re developing a more blended approach to how and where you work. This means you can expect to work flexibly between the office and home (with an expectation of two days a week in your home office).

We offer a supportive and flexible workplace. For details about our benefits click here: JRF Benefits

We encourage you to read our EVP, which is located here: https://jrf-jrht-brand.frontify.com/share/7C1kD2FusMtEVnje2ijA

We are a Disability Confident Employer. This means that we are committed to the recruitment, progression and retention of disabled individuals. We shall also offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the job. If you have a disability, please tell us if you would like to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

If you have any additional needs and need reasonable adjustments to be made to the interview process, please let us know.