About EngineeringUK

We want to drive change so more young people choose engineering and technology careers. 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 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 as well as our partners, you will be instrumental to the delivery of our policy and public affairs programme.

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).  You will be working with the Public Affairs Advisor and other colleagues to communicate these messages to government. You will also be responsible for engaging with stakeholders, internally and externally, requiring you to be an excellent team player and collaborator. You will have a good understanding of how to use research and data to identify trends and support policy development and be a confident and persuasive communicator. You need to be able to work independently and be adept at managing multiple tasks in a deadline driven environment.

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 (pro-rated for part timers) and core hours of 10am to 4pm. We are happy to discuss your preferred working pattern for this role, which is advertised ona 3-day a week basis, equivalent of 21 hours per week (excl. lunch breaks).

The Head of Policy and Public Affairs is currently supported by a Public Affairs Advisor and by another Education and Skills Policy Manager.

Role responsibilities

·     Together with the other Education and Skills Policy Manager, lead on the development of policy positions on education and skills to ensure that government policy addresses EngineeringUK’s concerns. Possible areas of focus: apprenticeships and the ‘growth and skills levy’, Skills England, STEM teacher shortages, careers provision, girls into engineering and technology, AI and entry routes into engineering and technology roles – all TBC.

·     Working closely with EngineeringUK’s research team identify evidence/trends in the education and skills landscape in England and across the nations to support policy development.

·     Draft policy reports and papers as well as government consultation responses.

·     Lead on engagement with key stakeholders across the engineering/ technology and education sectors to identify and drive forward collaborative projects. Lead on engagement with government officials in relevant government departments. 

·     Represent EngineeringUK in meetings, working groups (for example the National Engineering Policy Centre, Gender Pathways Collective etc) and on collaborative projects as appropriate.

·       Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation, particularly the research, business & industry and comms teams. 

·       Support the internal communication of policy insights to the wider organisation and our partners

·       Work in line with EngineeringUK values and support achievement of our organisational objectives.

·       Undertake any training and development as required for the role.

·       Any other duties and tasks as directed and required by your line manager.

This is a general guide to the key responsibilities of this role, it is not exhaustive. Similarly, the amount of time that you spend on various aspects of the role may vary. 

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.

·       Demonstrable experience of using government and other datasets to support policy development.

·       Demonstrable experience managing policy projects including relevant stakeholder management that leads to lasting partnerships. Proven ability to lead a project and take people – internal and external to the organisation - with you.

·       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.

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

·       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. Pro-active approach to 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.

Desirable experience/ skills

·       An existing network of contacts across the education, skills and/ or the engineering sector in and outside of government.

Education/level of experience

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

• Expected level of work experience – minimum 3 to 5 years in a similar 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.