Public Affairs Officer

Dogs Trust Company Limited; City Of London; On-site; GBP 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading animal welfare organization in the UK is seeking a Public Affairs Officer to help influence policy for dog welfare. The role involves engaging with key decision-makers in Westminster and Whitehall, leading political events, and managing stakeholder relationships. The ideal candidate will have experience in public affairs, excellent communication skills, and strong written English. This position is available as a fixed-term contract with a competitive salary of £33,312 per year plus benefits. Interviews will take place via Teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in parliamentary or public affairs.
• Good understanding of the political landscape in the UK.
• Strong written English.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to public affairs programme delivery.
• Support the organisation of political events and meetings.
• Maintain relationships with stakeholders.

Skills

Public affairs experience

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Political neutrality

Job description

Public Affairs Officer

Application Deadline: 1 February 2026

Department: Public Affairs

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: London

Compensation: £33,312 per year + benefits

Description

Are you an experienced Public Affairs professional with a passion for dogs? We’re looking for a Public Affairs Officer to support the important work we do to ensure policy makers consider dog welfare in their decision making.

What does this role do?

As Public Affairs Officer, you’ll:

• contribute to the delivery of our ambitious public affairs programme across Westminster and Whitehall, the devolved administrations and in the EU,
• support and occasionally lead on the organisation and coordination of political events, meetings, and project visits, as part of our programme of engagement with policy makers,
• support the management of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) and the EU Dog & Cat Alliance,
• establish and maintain positive relationships with key external stakeholders, including parliamentarians and civil servants.

Please note, this role is available as a fixed term contract until January 2027. Interviews for this role are provisionally scheduled for week commencing 9th February 2026, and will take place on Teams.

Could this be you?

To be successful in this role, you’ll need experience in parliamentary or public affairs, with a good understanding of the political landscape in the UK. You’ll also need excellent communication skills, with the ability to listen actively, negotiate and influence decision makers and strong written English, to draft clear and concise professional correspondence and communications. Above all, an interest in the aims and values of Dogs Trust is essential.

Please note, Dogs Trust is a wholly independent organisation, free of association with any political party. Our independence is critical, as it allows us to pursue our mission to campaign on dog welfare issues, on behalf of the UK’s dogs and their owners.

For our public affairs roles, the ability to display political neutrality in the public eye or when working with MPs is essential.