Job details
The Head of Policy and Research is a core leadership role at The Future Governance Forum (FGF). They lead the delivery of strategic research projects across the pillars and workstreams set out in FGF’s three year strategy, ensuring that FGF’s work is underpinned by high quality research and policy development, building and communicating recommendations that are adopted by politicians, policymakers and practitioners across all levels of UK government.
Main responsibilities
- Lead the Policy and Research team strategy and delivery, including the line management, objective setting, performance management and ongoing professional development of a team of two Researchers and one Research Assistant, as well as the management of externally contracted policy and research associates where applicable.
- Lead the design and delivery of high-quality research and policy projects, including commissioning and coordinating research, managing partnerships with funders, managing budgets, facilitating workshops, writing briefing papers and published reports.
- Contribute to the strategic direction and business development of the organisation, including ensuring a good communication and fit between projects, horizon scanning, scoping new projects, seeking opportunities for partnerships and funding, developing and pitching proposals, preparing funding reports, and presenting to the FGF Board and Advisory Group on the breadth of the organisations policy and research work, and its impact.
- Work closely with the Head of Learning and Partnerships to test ideas and develop strategies for practical implementation of research-driven proposals, and to develop policy and research projects off the back of lessons learned from our networks.
- Design policy recommendations and influencing strategies with a deep understanding of political and government circles, advocating publicly and privately with senior political and official stakeholders, to establish credibility and maximise impact.
- Keep abreast of the wider political context surrounding FGF’s priorities via wide reading, attending events, building broad coalitions and partnerships.
- Contribute to the delivery of the communications strategy, including attending and presenting at events and conferences, writing and commissioning blogs and website content and responding to media and other enquiries.
- Attend Senior Management Team meetings, contributing to the overall leadership of the organisation, and undertake other duties commensurate with the role to support the effective operation of FGF.
Personal specification
Essential
- Significant experience working in a senior policy-related role in central or local government, political party, think tank or not-for-profit organisation
- In depth knowledge of contemporary public policy trends and debates
- An understanding of how to navigate the UK policy and political environment and successfully land recommendations
- Experience of policy design, and/or delivery
- Experience in research, analysis and problem solving
- Excellent communications and advocacy skills, including compelling report writing and verbal presentation skills
- Experience managing high-quality projects to time and within budget
- Experience in business and partnership development, including growing stakeholder relations to deliver impactful work
- The ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with senior public service, policymaking and party political stakeholders
- Experience of leading and managing a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience of working in the civil service
Salary and benefits
Salary: £62,5000, plus 8% contribution to pension
Contract: Permanent
Location: London
Further details
- Applicants must be UK residents or have proof of their right to work in the UK.
- We would welcome candidates with recent Whitehall, civil service experience.
About the organisation
FGF is more than a traditional, policy-focused think tank: we concentrate on the how as much as the what of policy design and implementation. We look to advance new approaches to progressive policymaking and delivery, with a focus spanning national, devolved, regional, and local government.
