Senior Policy Adviser - Business, Trade & Innovation

Ellwood Atfield; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Ellwood Atfield is seeking a strategic policy lead to own four policy portfolios for London's business community. You will run four member-led Policy Committees, turning member experiences into concrete policy recommendations, and oversee policy outputs and events with senior stakeholders.

You will build relationships with officials, think tanks and media, while advising senior leaders on policy direction and ensuring delivery across Westminster, City Hall and London boroughs.

Qualifications

• Specialist knowledge in at least one policy area (trade, tax/finance, tech or business crime).
• Ability to turn stakeholder input into credible policy positions with clear recommendations.
• Experience running committees or member forums and policy events with senior speakers.
• Confidence to advise chairs and business leaders and lead discussions with senior figures.
• Experience in a membership organisation or government, Westminster/City Hall knowledge is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead four policy portfolios and four Policy Committees, with agenda setting.
• Advise senior leaders and produce four short policy outputs per year.
• Support eight policy-led roundtables and collaborate with researchers for evidence.
• Monitor developments and brief CEO and members on priorities.
• Represent the organisation at external events and support media work.

Skills

Policy expertise

Trade policy

Tax & finance policy

Technology policy

Public affairs

Stakeholder engagement

Committee management

Event delivery

Job description

Our client is a business membership organisation and network serving London's commercial community. It helps businesses grow through advocacy, networking, expert services and international outreach, and makes the case for policies that support London's economy, locally and globally.

The opportunity:

This is a chance to take ownership of four policy portfolios on behalf of London's business community: International Trade; Business Crime, Cyber & Security; Tax & Finance; and AI, Technology & Innovation. Reporting to the Head of Policy and Public Affairs, you'll run four member-led Policy Committees and turn the experience of London's businesses into policy with tangible impact. The role includes occasional evening and weekend events.

Main responsibilities:

• Lead on four of the organisation's eight policy areas (International Trade; Business Crime, Cyber & Security; Tax & Finance; and AI, Technology & Innovation), building expert knowledge in each.
• Act as the main point of contact for four Policy Committees and their Chairs, setting agendas and owning the actions from each meeting, with secretariat support from the Policy Coordinator.
• Develop the organisation's policy positions as its subject specialist on business, trade and innovation, advising the Head of Policy and Public Affairs, CEO and senior leaders.
• Produce four short policy outputs a year through the committees, turning member insight into clear, compelling recommendations.
• Help deliver eight policy-led roundtables a year, and work with research colleagues to build the evidence base for committee output, consultation responses, Budget submissions and reports.
• Monitor policy developments across the portfolio, keeping the CEO, senior leaders and members briefed on what matters and why.
• Build relationships with officials, think tanks and other stakeholders, represent the organisation at external events, and support media work, including drafting comment and briefing spokespeople.

Key skills and experience required:

• A strong policy background, with demonstrable specialist knowledge of at least one of trade, tax and finance, technology or business crime policy.
• A track record of turning business or stakeholder input into credible policy positions, and of producing high-quality outputs with clear recommendations that have influenced policymakers.
• Experience running committees, working groups or member forums, and delivering roundtables or policy events with senior speakers.
• The confidence and credibility to advise committee Chairs and business leaders, and to lead discussion in a room of senior business figures.
• The ability to work independently, managing a demanding portfolio and competing deadlines.
• Experience in a membership organisation, trade body, think tank or government, and an understanding of how policy is made across Westminster, City Hall and London's boroughs, would be an advantage.