Policy, Public Affairs and Research Manager

Policy, Public Affairs and Research Manager
AdviceUK
Home-based with regular travel and meetings in London
Permanent
Full time (35 hours per week), with part time options considered (28 hours minimum over 3 or 4 days) and flexible working hours
£40,000 - £45,000 per annum depending on experience (pro rata for part time)
Benefits including 23 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year (to a maximum of 5 additional days), home working allowance, 6% pension contribution plan, two days volunteering days per year, season ticket and bicycle loan scheme

Charity People are delighted to be supporting AdviceUK, a small charity which improves the lives of people in need of advice through support to its members, to recruit a Policy, Public Affairs and Research Manager.

AdviceUK makes a big impact. Its stakeholder, policy and advocacy work is across devolved nations as well as the UK. They support members, so it is easier for them to help their clients, and by directly influencing policy-makers, decision-makers and funders. There are currently 700 AdviceUK members and 2.8m people were offered free advice by members on a diverse range of issues including debt, housing, benefits and immigration problems in 2024.

This is an exciting time to join AdviceUK's growing team as they deliver a new strategy. The organisation has recently made a significant investment in capacity, new support services and innovation to deliver the support and advice that members, the wider advice sector and their communities need.

The Policy, Public Affairs and Research Manager will manage our policy, public affairs and research activities; ensuring AdviceUK has a strong voice and our messages are heard at a national and regional level across England, Scotland and Wales to secure policy change to benefit organisations delivering advice and the communities they serve. This role will do this by developing policy solutions informed by a strong evidence base and rooted in member experience, leading effective political and stakeholder engagement which will influence change, and working collaboratively with AdviceUK colleagues to grow our understanding of what members want, what is important to them and how AdviceUK responds.

Key responsibilities

Policy Development: Collaborate with stakeholders to create authoritative policy positions, produce evidence-based policy materials, provide policy input for communications, and represent at policy meetings.
Public Affairs: Implement a proactive public affairs strategy, build relationships with government and other stakeholders, champion evidence-based advocacy, communicate public affairs work, and maintain an overview of political trends.
Research and Insight: Develop the evidence base for policy and campaigns, carry out research to identify trends and opportunities, collaborate with sector organisations, and work with colleagues to deliver effective communication plans.
Data and Evidence: Oversee data analysis and reporting to support decision-making, ensure accurate data entry/reporting, and support the achievement of KPIs.
Management: Effectively manage and support team members, ensuring strong performance and professional development, while promoting values and behaviours.

The Policy, Public Affairs and Research Manager will have at least 2 years' experience of delivering impactful policy and public affairs activities in a similar role, and experience and/or an understanding of the social welfare advice sector, the issues faced by advice providers and the communities they serve. You will have excellent knowledge of local and national government structures. The successful candidate will have experience of delivering proactive stakeholder management in a complex and diverse sector, and experience of designing and delivering creative, impactful public affairs strategies. You will have experience of commissioning or delivering research and insight products, including research reports and commissioned surveys to support objectives. You will have experience of working in partnership and/or coalition to achieve shared policy objectives, and experience of managing and motivating staff.

You will have the ability to apply knowledge to new challenges/situations and devise solutions. You will have the ability to build strong working relationships with peers, managers, members, partners and suppliers, with strong analytical, decision-making and organisational skills. You will have strong communication skills including using online forums, communities and events as an engagement tool. You will be able to use online reporting tools and CRMs and embrace new technologies and ways of working. You will feel comfortable and confident working in a growing and evolving organisation.

You will have experience working across Policy, Public Affairs and Research.

This role is home-based with optional London office attendance. You will need to attend meetings/events/receptions in Westminster regularly and there will be some travel across the UK. There may be out of hours work for which TOIL is granted.

How to apply

The application process is CV and Supporting Statement. For more information and for the full Job Pack, please apply via the link below. The closing date is 9am on Tuesday 2 December. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 9th December in person in London. Travel expenses for interviews will be reimbursed.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.