Senior Policy Officer

NHS; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 56,000; Part time

Job summary

A national public health agency in Wales seeks a public health policy advocate to lead policy analysis, develop resources, and support stakeholder engagement. This role, covering maternity leave, offers a salary range of £48,527 to £55,532 annually and allows mainly home working alongside some travel in Wales. Ideal candidates will possess a higher degree with a policy focus and significant experience in public health advocacy. Applications from those who can communicate in Welsh are encouraged.

Qualifications

• Significant demonstrable experience leading in research policy advocacy applied to public health.
• Experience in a leading role on a major health or policy project.
• Experience developing and managing stakeholder relationships to inform policy change.

Responsibilities

• Lead programmes and projects including stakeholder communications plans.
• Conduct policy analysis to develop advocacy resources.
• Support stakeholder engagement with policymakers.

Skills

Policy advocacy and influencing skills

Ability to communicate complex information

Education

Higher Degree with a strong research or policy component

Job description

This is a secondment or fixed term post covering maternity leave for 9 months until 31 October 2026.

This is an exciting role leading public health policy advocacy, analysis, research and resource development; providing specialist public health policy support based on evidence and expertise; and supporting stakeholder engagement and external and internal communications, with the aim of supporting the delivery of Public Health Wales' Public Health Advocacy Programme (PHAP). The aim of this work is to enable Public Health Wales to effectively inform policy thinking and decision-making at a national level in the short and longer-term.

This role is a fixed term / secondment maternity cover at 0.6FTE. The role will mainly entail home working but some in-person meetings and travel into Cardiff or other destinations across Wales will be required.

Although this post has been advertised as a fixed term appointment, NHS staff will be offered the appointment as a secondment. If you wish to apply for a secondment, you must have the approval of your line manager. We also offer secondments to external candidates subject to approval from your current employer.

Main duties of the job

• Leading programmes and projects, including the development of strategic stakeholder engagement and communications plans.
• Conducting policy analysis and research to develop policy advocacy resources e.g. evidence-based briefings, reports, and articles/blogs.
• Supporting stakeholder engagement with policy makers.
• Engaging with key external stakeholders to shape policy debate and enable policy change.
• Representing Public Health Wales at meetings and seminars/conferences as required.
• Gathering, analysing and disseminating information about external policy developments and their implications.
• Ensuring policy advice and work are supported by a robust evidence base.

About us

We are Public Health Wales – the national public health agency in Wales. Our purpose is 'Working together for a healthier Wales'. We exist to help everyone in Wales live longer, healthier, happier lives. Together with our partners, we work to increase healthy life expectancy, improve health and well-being, and reduce inequalities for everyone in Wales, now and for future generations.

Our teams work to prevent disease, protect health, and provide leadership, specialist services and public health expertise. We are the leading source of public health information, research and innovation in Wales. In a world facing complex health challenges, our work has never been so important.

We are guided by our Values, 'Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference'. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace that values equality and diversity. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of the communities we serve and are supportive of flexible working arrangements, including part time roles and job sharing.

To find out more about working for us and the benefits we offer please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/careers/

For guidance on the application process, please visithttps://phw.nhs.wales/working-for-us/applicant-information-and-guidance/

Job responsibilities

For further information about the vacancy please see the job description and personal specification attached.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Higher Degree with a strong research or policy component.

Experience

• Significant demonstrable experience leading to highly developed specialist knowledge in research policy advocacy applied to public health.
• Experience of playing a leading role in a major health or policy project.
• Experience of developing and managing stakeholder relationships to inform policy change.

Skills

• Policy advocacy and influencing skills through building influential relationships.
• Ability to communicate complex information in writing and orally, in formal and informal settings and to different audiences.

Personal Attributes

• Demonstrated ability to self-motivate and motivate others.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£48,527 to £55,532 a year per annum pro rata