Senior Policy Officer

Surrey County Council; Woking; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Woking seeks a professional to join their Policy, Planning and Projects Team. You will lead policy innovations and support social care reforms, requiring strong communication and problem-solving skills. Ideal candidates will have a deep understanding of legislative developments and experience working collaboratively with stakeholders. This role offers a chance to make a significant impact on local communities.

Benefits

26 days' holiday, rising to 31 days

Option to buy additional leave

Local government pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Learning and development resources

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of national policies like FFPP & SEND reforms.
• Experience in partner engagement and managing differing viewpoints.
• Ability to produce clear summaries tailored to stakeholders.
• Forward-thinking approach in aligning work with strategic goals.
• Strong digital skills supported by project delivery experience.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the work of the PPP Team within the CFLL directorate.
• Navigate complex policy developments and interpret legislative changes.
• Lead policy innovations for the Family First Partnership Programme.
• Ensure compliance and quality assurance of internal policies.
• Enhance communication strategies for policy updates.

Skills

Understanding of national policy and legislative developments

Written and verbal communication skills

Analytical skills for complex information

Organizational skills

Problem-solving abilities

Job description

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

About the Role

You will contribute to the work of the Policy, Planning and Projects Team (PPP) who sit within the Quality Practice, Relationships and Support (QPRS) division of the Children, Families and Lifelong Learning (CFLL) directorate. You will be expected to navigate complex policy developments, interpret legislative changes, and translate them into meaningful actions for teams and partners.

You will operate within a period of high organisational change, including Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), requiring adaptability, resilience, and a proactive approach to learning and collaboration. The team will have roles in supporting the implementation of national social care reforms, including the Family First Partnership Programme (FFPP), the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and SEND reforms, supporting improved outcomes for children, families, and communities.

The role involves leading policy and procedural innovations for the Family First Partnership Programme (FFPP), ensuring successful implementation of national social care reforms through strong project management and effective partnership engagement. It also includes supporting the development, review and quality assurance of internal policies, procedures and guidance across children's services to maintain high standards and compliance.

You will oversee the status of these documents, liaising with key stakeholders to keep them current and reflective of best practice. Additionally, the role focuses on enhancing communication strategies for policy updates, ensuring they remain engaging, accessible and user‑friendly to support consistent understanding and application across the organisation.

For context of the team this role sits in, the PPP Team are responsible for providing a range of services:

• National policy research and publication of a Policy Brief sharing national government policy changes, best practice and evidence-based reports, to support colleagues.
• Manage and quality assure internal policies and procedures for children's services that govern a variety of roles and responsibilities.
• Lead the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Programme to reduce marginalisation and over‑representation in social care services.
• Developing the CFLL business plan, through integrated strategic planning that sets out the directorate's ambitions and priorities, to aid local performance planning and continuous improvement.
• Lead on inspection readiness, co‑ordinating a range of services, and building information systems to enable frontline teams to evidence practice against a range of regulatory frameworks.

Shortlisting Criteria

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and that you align with our behaviours:

• Strong understanding of national policy and legislative developments (e.g. FFPP, SEND reforms, Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill), with the ability to apply insights in team and organisational contexts.
• Skilled in written and verbal communication with experience in partner engagement, coproduction, and managing and balancing differing viewpoints to achieve shared outcomes.
• Skilled in analysing complex information and producing clear, accessible summaries tailored to Children, Families and Lifelong Learning (CFLL).
• Possession of a forward‑thinking approach to conceptualising workstream direction, aligning with strategic goals, and distilling complex information into clear, actionable insights. Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to prioritise multiple work areas, adapt to changing priorities, and work flexibly across teams.
• Proven ability to solve complex problems and deliver projects within social care or local authority contexts, supported by strong digital skills.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 16/11/2025 with interviews to follow.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two‑tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.