Senior Communications and Policy Manager

ODI Global; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Remote/flexible working options

Relocation assistance

Cycle to Work scheme

Pension

Job summary

ODI Global seeks a Senior Communications and Policy Manager in London to lead strategic communications for a designated research group. You will coordinate digital, events, media and publications to engage policymakers, civil society and the private sector, shaping outreach around ODI Global’s research and insights.

You will mentor a busy team, oversee budgets, and drive innovative approaches to extend ODI Global’s reach, with a focus on tangible policy impact and international engagement.

Qualifications

• Track record delivering influential public affairs and policy influencing strategies.
• Experience leading strategic communications for research groups to inform policy outcomes.
• Knowledge of development finance, taxation, and related policy areas.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver a communications strategy for the designated research group.
• Coordinate outputs across digital, events, media and newsletters.
• Build audiences and engagement with ODI Global’s research and insights.
• Manage budgets and resourcing for communications activities.
• Lead on measurement and evaluation of impact of communications work.
• Represent the research group at key public affairs events and networks.

Skills

Public affairs

Policy influencing

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Project management

Events coordination

Media relations

Strategic communication

Digital communications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe

Job description

Department: Public Affairs and Communications, and designated Research Group

Location: London, UK

Application Deadline: 12 November 2026

Compensation: £47,700 - £60,420 / year

Description

Purpose of the job

Research, convening and influencing are at the heart of what we do, and the demand has never been greater for innovative solutions to the global challenges we collectively face.

This role will work to increase the impact and reach of ODI Global's research and policy engagement through planning, coordination and delivery of first-class communications and public affairs activities.

Working with leading ODI Global researchers and policy experts and a team of communications, digital and editorial professionals, this role is responsible for leading and delivering creative communications and public affairs strategies to engage diverse audiences with ODI Global's insights and ideas derived from leading research and policy work.

You will constantly be thinking about ODI Global's audience preferences, devising strategic approaches to extend our reach and influence, and identifying ways to improve our communications approaches, tools and messages. Full of ideas to test and iterate, you will drive, motivate and support more impactful approaches to ODI Global's convening, digital engagement, media relations and publications.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Lead the development and delivery of a communications strategy for designated research group:

Working with researchers and policy experts, the Senior Communications and Policy Manager is responsible for developing and delivering a creative communication, engagement and events strategy to engage target audiences with ODI Global research and insight. While the postholder will work primarily with the designated research group, they will also engage with other groups and initiatives to bring coherence around shared thematic areas.

This position will support ODI Global’s efforts to inform and influence government, civil society and private sector approaches to global challenges as per ODI Global’s strategy – ensuring that our public affairs and communications activities are strategic, creative and coordinated.

• In collaboration with the Research Group Director, identify annual strategic communications priorities and develop high-impact communications plans, leading on the design and delivery of a portfolio of different activities across the communications functions (digital, events, media etc.), maximising impact.
• Work with project leads to ensure that new research projects are developed with policy impact at the core of their design, including developing engagement strategies and associated workplans for each project.
• Work with the research group to build a clear understanding of priority audiences, building on existing work to strengthen communications and engagement approaches that target existing and new audiences.
• Coordinate with PAC colleagues to deliver research group communications outputs including events, webpages, social media content and newsletters, and develop digital assets such as blogs, infographics and multimedia. Work closely with PAC to ensure all assets are planned and delivered in line with agreed processes, brand, style and quality.
• Engage with project management staff and Directors to ensure communications activities are effectively budgeted and resourced in all project proposals.
• Work closely with colleagues to build on and strengthen the research group’s approach to measuring and monitoring its impact. Put in place frameworks and mechanisms to do so, monitoring the effectiveness of the communications and engagement strategy, adapting approaches as necessary.
• Build and maintain strong internal and external relationships on relevant themes to drive impact, coordinate common agendas and harness opportunities for policy influence.
• Coordinate internal communications around the research group’s portfolio, promoting effective coordination and information-sharing around upcoming work and key activities.
• Provide a clear vision and strategic direction, and drive improvements in communications processes, products and tools across the research group’s portfolio.
• Engage with emerging communications concepts and best practice and ensure the research group’s activities are responsive to an evolving communications landscape.
• Work closely with PM colleagues to support the project management and oversee the delivery of communications activities to agreed deadlines and budget parameters.

Develop or strengthen communications and influencing approaches by deepening ODI Global’s knowledge of key audiences and ensuring innovative and creative ways to expand the global reach and uptake of ODI Global’s ideas and analysis:

• Work with the research group director and researchers to build a clear understanding of priority audiences, building on existing work to strengthen communications and engagement approaches that target existing and new audiences.
• Bring innovative and creative new thinking and approaches to a small and busy communications team and pilot new ways to expand the global reach of the research group’s work and achieve greater impact.
• Identify ways to maximise the reach and impact of the research group’s translated products to reach new audiences.
• Represent research group at key convenings and networking events to strengthen the research group’s global networks and audiences.

Act as a senior leader within ODI Global to enable, deliver and lead more effective approaches to public affairs and policy influencing:

• Provide advice and support to colleagues on key projects to maximise policy impact
• Work closely with Group Director on strategic decision-making across the research group.
• Model and promote the application of ODI Global values within the team and others.
• Task manage colleagues working on public affairs priority projects as required, and co-ordinate external consultants and suppliers if needed.

Lead, deliver and enable creative, compelling and effective approaches to the research group’s communications and influencing:

• Plan and coordinate an engaging portfolio of communications activities to strengthen ODI Global’s engagement at critical policy influencing moments, including international events.
• Regularly horizon-scan to identify proactive and reactive opportunities to further the research group’s reach and influence. Proactively seek external opportunities to profile the research group and for engagement with external policy agendas and generate ideas to amplify research.
• Strengthen processes in the research group to ensure the team is more attuned to and engaged in external influencing opportunities and the most effective strategies to reach different audiences.
• Develop relationships with potential cohosts and drive collaborative approaches to identify, attract and equip key speakers and audiences.
• Develop event concepts/propositions that articulate clearly how we will convene with impact.
• Plan effective operations/logistics to ensure delivery of smooth-running events in line with ODI Global’s institutional standards.
• Prepare presentation materials, briefing notes, memos and letters and develop digital assets for senior stakeholders to support the delivery of key outputs and messages.

Contribute to effective ODI public affairs and communications more widely

• Attend and actively participate in weekly meetings of the Public Affairs and Communications (PAC) Team.
• Work with PAC Managers to ensure publications, events and digital planning schedules are kept up to date and manage workflows.
• Support and advise researchers on public affairs and communications best practice, ODI Global brand guidelines and PAC ways of working. Participate in PAC peer knowledge and skills sharing activities to promote best practice and inspire new ideas.
• Support PAC colleagues to deliver priority outputs/activities when surge capacity is required
• Coordinate internal communications – promoting effective coordination and information-sharing around upcoming work and key activities.
• Carry out other tasks as specified by Senior Managers.

Person Specification

Essential

• Track record in delivering influential public affairs and policy influencing strategies, with demonstrable success
• Experience of leading strategic communications in the field of the research group to inform/influence policy outcomes.
• Knowledge and experience working on the subject areas of the research group, including key debates, developments and policy processes and key actors.
• Experience in one or more of the following and the ability to engage across a wider portfolio: development finance and aid effectiveness; reform of multilateral development banks; blended finance and development finance institutions; taxation and domestic resource mobilisation; public financial management and spending for service delivery; sovereign debt and fiscal policy; and digital public finance.
• Understanding of the institutions, debates and policy processes shaping development finance and fiscal policy, including the roles of finance ministries, bilateral donors, the World Bank, IMF and other development banks, and influencing opportunities around the World Bank-IMF Spring and Annual Meetings.
• Experience of engagement with senior external stakeholders, both political and policy, in the UK, EU and internationally
• Outstanding communication skills, including writing for diverse audiences and making complex ideas accessible to different stakeholders
• An excellent understanding of audience and stakeholder analysis to inform approaches to communications and engagement.
• Significant experience designing and delivering communications activities that target a diverse range of audiences in order to influence policy.
• Excellent leadership skills, including the ability to motivate and support teams towards greater creative external engagement.
• Experience in developing monitoring and evaluation tools to track the impact of communications activities.
• Confident problem-solving and decision-making abilities – as well as the ability to propose new ways of working and new approaches, and to then carry them through to completion.
• Excellent relationship building and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise and communicate with colleagues at all levels of seniority and from different cultures.
• Proven experience managing events and convening audiences to disseminate research and encourage uptake of recommendations.
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation and project management skills and experience working in a busy, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to self-start; generate plans and ideas and carry them through to completion.
• Ability to take a long-term view, while meeting day-to-day operational needs
• Ability to quickly pick up new software and tools; willingness to learn new skills.
• Excellent IT and data management skills, including Microsoft Office and Adobe.

Desirable

• Experience developing digital communications strategies.
• Experience in media engagement
• Experience managing consultants and freelancers.
• Other language skills.
• Experience in managing large-scale or complex projects.

Key relationships and contact

• Director of Communications
• Director of research group and team members
• Public Affairs and Communication colleagues (particularly the Digital and Engagement Manager, Head of Media, Senior Communications and Events Officer, Digital Manager and Publications Manager, as well as other staff across PAC)
• Programme staff working on economic development across institute
• Chief Executive

All staff are expected to:

• Positively support equality of opportunity both within ODI Global and externally
• Help maintain a safe working environment and take responsibility for own and colleagues’ Health and Safety
• Undertake such other duties within the scope of their post as may be requested by their Manager

Why should you work for us?

ODI Global is committed to developing and supporting diverse and inclusive teams of people who share our passion, where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We welcome applicants from a range of diverse backgrounds including those who experience intersectional marginalisation on the basis of their class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious identity or belief, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We also welcome applications from those living with disabilities.

Benefits

We prioritise the well-being of our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your personal and professional growth. Enjoy a generous annual leave allowance, including public holidays and additional time off during Christmas and New Year. We also recognise the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements, remote work options, and study leave to support your professional development.

Our commitment to employee well-being extends beyond annual leave. We provide comprehensive benefits such as maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, competitive pension schemes and interest-free travel loans. We offer sick pay, an Employee Assistance Program, and staff events and social activities to ensure your physical and mental health.

For those relocating to the UK, we provide relocation assistance to help you settle in. We also promote sustainable commuting with our Cycle to Work scheme and offer union membership to protect your rights and advocate for your interests.

At ODI Global, we believe that a supportive and rewarding work environment is essential for success. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects our commitment to your well-being and professional growth.

For a full listing of benefits, please visit our Careers page.