Education and Skills Policy Manager

We are a not-for-profit organisation committed to increasing the diversity and numbers of young people entering engineering and technology to meet the future workforce needs, as well as promoting roles that help us work towards net zero and drive environmental sustainability.

Joining the team at an exciting time for education and skills policy, you will report to the Head of Policy and Public Affairs and work closely with colleagues across EngineeringUK and with our partners. You will be instrumental in the delivery of our policy and public affairs programme and lead on key elements and policy projects.

Likely to have 3-5 years’ experience, you’ll be able to work independently and prioritise in response to competing demand, as well as working collaboratively with others. You’ll take the lead on developing organisational policy positions, producing reports and responses to government consultations as well as engagement with stakeholders, internally and externally. You will also work closely with the Public Affairs Advisor and other colleagues to communicate these messages to government and government departments. 

 

About EngineeringUK

Our purpose is to drive change so more young people choose engineering and technology careers.

Our vision is that the UK has the workforce needed for engineering and technology to thrive, to improve sustainability and to achieve net zero.

Our mission is to enable more young people from all backgrounds to be informed, inspired and progress into engineering and technology.

 

In the UK, we don’t have enough engineers and demand is going up. So, we need more young people to realise there could be a future for them in engineering and technology. To really thrive, we need a stronger, more diverse and representative workforce and for that we have to do things differently to make engineering more appealing.

 

We are a not-for-profit working with hundreds of organisations across business, education, professional institutions and the third sector so we can all grow the future talent pool together. We drive that collective effort through research and evidence, leadership, activities for schools and advocacy, with a focus on long-term sustainability.

 

We guided by a series of values that we apply to all our activity:

 

·       We are inclusive and care about diversity. We understand that we have different needs and create opportunities for everyone's voice to be heard

·       We are collaborative. We listen, share and work in partnership to achieve our vision

·       We are curious and keen to learn. We challenge ourselves and others to innovate and experiment

·       We are insightful. We evaluate what we do and draw on research to make decisions and to improve our collective understanding

·       We are driven by a strong sense of purpose. We are determined to make an impact and achieve our goals

 

 

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Policy and Public Affairs and working closely with colleagues across EngineeringUK and with our partners, you will be instrumental the delivery of our policy and public affairs programme and lead on key elements.

 

You will lead on policy projects and on developing organisational policy positions, producing reports and responses to government consultations (with a focus on education and skills) as well as our engagement with stakeholders, internally and externally, to achieve this. You will also work closely with the Public Affairs Advisor and other colleagues to communicate these messages to government and government departments. You will therefore need to be an excellent team player and collaborator and a confident and persuasive communicator, able to work independently and adept at managing multiple tasks in a deadline driven environment.

The role is London based at our office at 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6EN and may involve some travel in the UK.  We believe that hybrid working has many benefits and are pleased to offer flexible working with a minimum of 2 days (or 40%) a week in the office and the option for a flexible start and end to the working day in our vibrant central London office overlooking the Thames. Further details on our flexible working practices can be discussed at interview or you can reach out to a member of our HR team.

Further details of the role can be found in the job description and person specification.

 

 

Person specification

Essential Skills / Competencies

•           Demonstrable experience of developing organisational policy positions, policy responses and report writing as well as leading on impactful policy engagement with government stakeholders - typically this would be developed through 3-5 years of experience in a similar role.

•           Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including a proven ability to simplify complex research and policy message, and to write confidently and concisely for a variety of audiences.

•           Pro-active approach

•           Proven experience in building lasting partnerships.

•           Proven experience in stakeholder management and engaging a range of different sectors and organisations in public policy development.

•           Good understanding of the education and skills landscape in England, as well as the political environment surrounding it.

•           Proven ability to lead a project and take people with you.

•           Proven ability to work independently and prioritise in response to many competing demands and time, but also take direction, be flexible and work collaboratively with others, contributing to team decisions and facilitating cross-organisational working.

•           Commitment to our mission and values, in particular, you will be able work in a way that supports our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

•           Commitment to our mission and values, you will be able to engage with our values and work in a way that supports our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

 

Education / level of experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, or similar ability gained through work experience relevant to the role.

 

EngineeringUK is committed to being an inclusive workplace, where everyone feels they belong.  This is supported by the dedicated work we are doing to ensure our policies and practices are inclusive and that our staff are trained to be able to fulfil this commitment.

We value the benefits of a diverse workforce and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.  Our recruitment process is designed to be as accessible and inclusive as possible and to ensure people are individually assessed regardless of their backgrounds or characteristics. We are an equal opportunities employer and are open to flexible working, including job share.

 

Applying for this role

Applications

If you would like to request to submit your application in an alternative format to support accessibility, please let us know.  

The deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on Friday 18th October 2024.

 

Interviews

Applications will be assessed against the requirements for the post as set out in the Role Profile and Person Specification.

We are a Disability Confident committed employer. We guarantee an interview to any disabled people who meet the minimum requirements of the role. Additionally, if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to make this process easier for you then we are happy to do so. Just complete the relevant sections of the online application form. 

We aim to notify candidates who have been shortlisted on Monday 21st October 2024. If you have not heard from us after this date, please assume that you have not been successful.

First interviews will be held week commencing Thursday 24th October 2024

 

What can we offer you?

•           Competitive salary

•           28 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), in addition we normally close for the Christmas week

•           Competitive pension (10% employer contribution)

•           Annual bonus opportunity

•           Flexible working

•           A vibrant office with terrace overlooking the Thames embankment and Tower Bridge

•           Employee Assistance Programme

•           Life Insurance (4 x salary)

•           Long term illness/incapacity insurance cover (permanent health insurance or PHI)

•           Annual private health check for all employees over 40 once they have completed their probationary period and to employees over 35 after 3 years’ service

•           Discounted gym membership

•           Yearly flu vaccination