Policy Lead

Reports to: Policy Director (Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland)

Based: Homebased - with a requirement to travel to Northern Ireland

Hours: Monday to Friday inclusive, from 9.00am till 5.00pm (totalling 35 hours per week). A flexible approach to working hours is required due to the geographical nature of the area when occasional evenings and weekend work may be necessary. There will be a requirement for periodic travel to other UK offices.

Who we are.

The RHA is a member-led trade association supporting people and businesses in the road transport industry. At the RHA we believe that through collaboration and being a supportive, trusted partner, we can achieve great things. Our hybrid working approach allows our people to work both in our office locations and at home, providing flexibility and resources to succeed in your role. At the RHA, our Equity at work strategy is aligned to our company values and who we are. We are committed to driving inclusion for all; aspiring to create a workplace that is fully representative of the communities and members we serve.

What you’ll do.

• Lead political, stakeholder engagement and policy development on trade, borders and Northern Ireland specific issues.
• Develop RHA profile and influence on UK trade issues.
• Build the profile of the RHA in Northern Ireland across key stakeholder groups.
• Develop credible positions and associated messaging on issues that advance the interests of the RHA membership and industry.
• Develop policy outputs (e.g. briefs, position papers, reports, consultation responses) that are evidence-based and insights-led, informed by expert input from relevant RHA teams (e.g. Technical, Membership, Training), Regional Councils and the RHA membership.
• Act as a single point of contact for all stakeholders having an interest in road transport policy, campaigns and lobbying within Northern Ireland.

Key skills and experience

• You will need an understanding of Government, Parliament and regulatory decision-making and processes, and the capacity to quickly spot and address political and regulatory risks.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, able to engage confidently in public debate and argument.
• Political strategy knowledge, including tactical campaign planning.
• Experience with building effective networks internally, across industry and the political spectrum.
• An ability to understand, unpick and communicate complex policy and technical issues with impact.
• Skills using political networks and insight to help development of commercial strategies and opportunities.
• Experience of formulating credible policy positions, policy rebuttals and policy advice as well as building effective relationships either within or with Government and regulators.
• Experience and understanding of UK political structures and demonstrable experience of navigating the UK political landscape.

What we offer.

We believe that taking care of our employees is the key to their success. That is why we offer an excellent remuneration and benefits package, 25 days holiday entitlement plus bank holidays for full-time employees and paid leave for charity projects. You can also purchase additional holiday. We offer an extensive benefits package including private medical and dental insurance following completion of probation, Cycle scheme, monthly prize draw, Medicash and pension schemes. We take pride in our commitment to supporting you at every stage of your career by providing top notch learning and development pathways.

If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks during interviews or assessments, a sign language interpreter, or assistive technology, please contact our HR team for further support. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.