When meeting us, you’ll quickly discover that the best thing about the Association of British Insurers is the people.  We’re hugely proud that 98% of our people think individual differences are respected and we are empowered to bring our whole self to work without fear of judgment. If that sounds like your sort of culture, read on to find out how you can join us.

We are open to flexible, part time and/or job share working – please let us know if this would be your preference. We work in a hybrid way with at least 40% of time in the office.

We're looking for a Public Affairs Manager to work collaboratively with the Assistant Director, Head of Public Affairs and internal colleagues in managing a high profile and influential public affairs team at the ABI. The role involves line-managing the Public Affairs Advisers to maintain an effective and impactful profile with a wide range of stakeholders, including members of both Houses of Parliament in the UK and their staff, Government officials, think tanks and ABI member companies.

As part of the ABI’s management team, the Public Affairs Manager will work closely with colleagues across the Corporate Affairs Team and wider organisation to deliver against the ABI’s Business Plan and 3 Year Strategy.

We welcome people who are new to insurance (most of us were when we joined) - as well as those with experience.

What's the job?

·         To work with the Head of UK Public Affairs, Head of Public Policy (Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland), Head of Communications and the Director of Corporate Affairs to develop and deliver public affairs and influencing strategies, using a range of tools and approaches in support of ABI policy and campaigns.

·         In collaboration with Corporate Affairs colleagues, policy teams and the Director General's office, develop the organisation’s approach to and delivery of stakeholder management.

·         Identify and co-ordinate external speaking opportunities by ABI staff, ensuring such opportunities match the ABI’s strategic objectives and contain the required co-ordinated messaging. Provide support to the Director General and other Executive Team members in the preparation of speeches and briefings, ensuring consistent high quality at all times.

·         Drive the development of stakeholder briefings, working with other members of the Public Affairs team to ensure that ABI stakeholder engagement is correctly recorded and forms a valuable asset for future outreach.

·         Line management of two Public Affairs Advisers and the External Affairs Assistant, setting clear objectives and having oversight of the quality of the outputs they deliver.

·         To transform technical and complex policy issues affecting the industry into clear messages which get traction with a political stakeholder audience.

·         To develop trusted internal relationships with colleagues, including senior ABI executives, and provide credible, considered and strategic advice.

·         Manage an efficient public affairs function which supports the progression of ABI goals and can be relied on by parliamentary contacts and stakeholders.   

·         Act as a representative at external meetings, conferences and events, providing advice and support for the Senior Management team. Actively participate in member networking opportunities (e.g. at ABI events), proactively highlighting ABI value during these interactions and expressing confidence in our ability to deliver on behalf of the industry. 

·         Promote the aims and objectives of the ABI and help secure the outcomes and deliverables set out in the ABI Business Plan and Public Affairs Strategy.

What skills do you need?

Minimum Requirements 

·         Political knowledge - you're a UK public affairs expert, with strong knowledge of the political environment and parliamentary processes, and the ability to exercise sound political judgement.

·         Lobbying and influencing - you can build productive professional relationships internally and externally, influencing policy and engagement with political stakeholders. You can clearly articulate arguments and present effectively at senior level meetings, conferences and with stakeholders.

·         Stakeholder management / engagement - you have the ability to identify key relationships, build influential relationships with members and stakeholders, and plan and execute campaign–based engagement with politicians.

·         Leadership - you can manage, develop and empower a team, delegating and setting objectives whilst personally taking ownership of a broad and varied remit.

·         Organisation / planning - you oversee and manage a number of complex work areas simultaneously and independently, with the ability to adapt to changing work demands and react quickly to urgent issues and incidents.

·         Collaborative working -you can contribute to the wider work of the ABI in an open, friendly and highly professional manner.

 Desirable 

·         An understanding of the UK’s insurance and long-term savings industry and the consumer, political and regulatory environment in which it operates.

 Throughout the interview and assessment process, we will be looking for you to demonstrate our values; We are Brave; We take Ownership; We are Appreciative; We are Human and We are Curious.

Inclusion matters to us

We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and we run our application process a bit differently – we don’t assess based on CV or past experience. We’ll ask application questions which are relevant to the role and the skills we need to ensure our process is fair, inclusive and everyone has equal opportunity to demonstrate their suitability.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to making adjustments to help you perform at your best in our recruitment process. Additionally, where practicable, we offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirements for a role. To discuss, please contact careers@abi.org.uk 

To find out more

You can find lots more information on our careers page, including details of our generous benefits package and who we are as an organisation.

You can find out how we use your personal information by reading our candidate Privacy Notice: https://www.abi.org.uk/about-the-abi/careers/abi-candidate-privacy-notice/.