Specialist Policy Officer - Sustainability and Resilience

University of South Hampton; Southampton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research university in England seeks a professional to deliver specialized policy engagement support within the Sustainability and Resilience Institute. This role involves engaging with policymakers to enhance the impact of strategic research themes including climate change and health. The position offers full-time hours on a fixed-term basis with generous holiday and pension benefits.

Benefits

Generous holiday allocation

Pension auto-enrolment

Supportive work environment for diverse applicants

Qualifications

• Ability to provide specialized policy engagement support.
• Experience in engaging with a diverse range of policy actors.

Responsibilities

• Deliver policy engagement support to researchers.
• Identify and engage with relevant policymakers.

Job description

Overview

This role is an opportunity to join a diverse, creative and agile team at the heart of a research intensive, Russell Group university. Our mission is to enhance the local, sub-national, national and international public policy impact of research conducted at the University of Southampton. In practice this means building connections and capacity for academics and policymakers to engage in mutually beneficial dialogue to address the challenges our communities face. Our work spans across all faculties and disciplines at the University of Southampton and includes engaging with policy actors ranging from local councillors through to the United Nations.

This role has been designed to meet increased demand for policy engagement support from our globally renowned researchers in the interdisciplinary Sustainability and Resilience Institute (SRI). The successful candidate will be capable of moving between a broad range of subject areas to support colleagues a diverse range of disciplines.

SRI’s vision is a sustainable and resilient world where synergies and trade-offs are well-managed between social, economic, environmental, and cultural needs across society. We are a focal point for collaboration through mobilising University of Southampton (UoS) expertise and partners to provide impactful answers to society’s sustainability and resilience challenges.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialised policy engagement support to researchers within the interdisciplinary Sustainability and Resilience Institute (SRI).
• Enable the Institute to identify and engage with relevant policy makers in the UK and overseas to enhance the impact of its strategic research themes, which cover decarbonisation, climate change, health and wellbeing, and nature based solutions, across regional, national and international scales.
• Support colleagues across a broad range of disciplines by moving between subject areas as required.
• Engage with policy actors ranging from local councillors to international bodies as part of building connections and capacity for dialogue between researchers and policymakers.

Working at the University of Southampton

We strongly encourage applicants from groups traditionally under-represented in the UK higher education sector (you can find out more about our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan here). We actively encourage applicants seeking flexible working/job share employment to accommodate caring/volunteering/educational commitments. The role is offered as full time (35 hours a week) on a fixed term basis with pension auto-enrolment to the Universities Superannuation Scheme and generous holiday allocation of 30 days (pro rata) plus 14 University closure/public holidays. This role is initially offered as a 2 year fixed term basis with an ambition that, should funding be agreed, the position would be extended.

If you would like to know more about the role please contact the Sustainability & Resilience Institute Collaboration Manager, Jon Lawn via [e-mail]

If you have questions about the public policy impact agenda, the PPS team or the role - please contact Gareth Giles, Head of PPS via [e-mail] to arrange a time to speak.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and encourage applications from individuals who can contribute to our objectives.

Apply by 11.59 pm GMT on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on [phone] or [e-mail] quoting the job number.