Senior Policy Officer

Senior Policy Officer

Full-Time 44340 - 44340 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Academy of Medical Sciences

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead impactful policy projects to improve health outcomes and influence the UK health research landscape.
  • Company: Join a leading Academy dedicated to advancing medical sciences and health policy.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous pension, hybrid working, and 26 days annual leave.
  • Why this job: Make a real difference in health policy while collaborating with top experts and organisations.
  • Qualifications: Strong understanding of health policy and experience in managing multiple projects.
  • Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and a commitment to inclusivity.

The predicted salary is between 44340 - 44340 £ per year.

Salary and Role: Starting from £44,340 + benefits. Role duration: Permanent (37.5 hrs/week). Location: London, UK (Hybrid - 50% office attendance).

Summary Purpose - what you will be achieving

As a key member of the Academy's Policy Team, the Senior Policy Officer will play an important role at a critical moment for the organisation. This role will help the Policy team to plan and deliver a new set of priorities for 2026/27. Relevant priorities for this role include, but are not limited to:

  • Improving health outcomes in the UK and internationally
  • Mobilising the UK health research system to turn discovery into practice.
  • Making the UK the best place in the world to have a career in medical sciences.

Within these overarching priorities, there are some distinct policy programmes the incoming Senior Policy Officer is likely to work on, which could include:

  • Maximising the impact of medical sciences in prevention and early detection
  • Transforming the generation and application of clinical evidence to speed up translation from discovery to patient impact, ensuring equitable inclusion of underserved groups
  • Making the UK a global leader in responsible, effective and equitable AI and data use across the biomedical sciences.
  • Conducting a foresight exercise to identify high-impact innovations that will be critical within the near future and ensure the health system is enabled to support them.

The Senior Policy Officer will be line managed by a Policy Manager.

About the role - what you will be doing

Core policy work

  • Lead on or support a range of policy projects and activities to inform and influence the policy landscape in accordance with Academy priorities. This work may include leading on or supporting the following:
  • Major working group studies and corresponding outputs
  • Informing and responding to Government set pieces and announcements
  • Consultations and rapid responses, and shorter position papers
  • Roundtables, workshops, and other relevant policy events
  • Correspondence and briefings for senior stakeholders
  • Work closely with Fellows and other experts to identify and analyse key policy issues, gather data and expert opinion.
  • Construct impactful conclusions and recommendations to advise internal and external stakeholders
  • Deliver implementation and follow-up activities on policy recommendations across external audiences and stakeholders
  • Maintain an excellent understanding of the policy landscape by monitoring developments and key policy issues, including the use of animals in research
  • Scope potential new areas of policy work, and/or identify opportunities for the Policy Team.

External engagement

  • Collaborate with organisations from academia, Government, healthcare, industry and the charity sector.
  • Maintain and develop an effective network of contacts across the sector (including our Fellows) to inform and increase the impact of policy work.
  • Represent the Academy at external meetings, parliamentary engagements (such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Life Sciences) and political events (such as party conferences).

Supporting The Academy's Wider Functions

  • Support the Academy's briefings and parliamentary monitoring functions.
  • Coordinate across a wide range of Academy functions, including its Briefings, Impact, and Events capabilities, to maximise the effectiveness of policy work.
  • Work with the Communications and Engagement teams to co-develop relevant outputs and activities.
  • Brief senior stakeholders for high-level meetings and events where necessary.
  • Support the development of core scripts on priority policy topics across the Policy team.
  • Support the Monitoring and Evaluation team with monitoring the policy team's impact.

Budget and line management

  • Occasionally manage policy budget lines.
  • Occasionally supervise policy interns and placement students.

Application timeline

Closing date for completed applications: 9am, Wednesday 22 April. Interviews will likely be held online on Thursday 7 May.

Requirements

Essential

  • Good understanding of the UK health research and medical sciences policy landscape, and/or other related areas.
  • Experience in scoping, planning and delivering multiple policy projects in parallel, to achieve organisational objectives.
  • Ability to develop knowledge of complex policy topics at pace, and identify opportunities for impact within these topics.
  • Strong analytical skills and experience of collating evidence from multiple sources.
  • Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with key internal and external contacts, including senior, high-profile individuals.
  • Ability to harness the benefits of working in a diverse organisation that is rapidly growing and changing, including across different departments and sub-teams.
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills.
  • Able to run impactful policy events, meetings, and engagement activities.
  • Commitment to inclusive, accessible and evidence-based policy work.

Desirable

  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Good IT, literacy and numeracy skills.

Benefits

Competitive Rewards

  • Generous pension scheme with flexible contributions – we contribute between 8% – 13% of your gross salary (with employee contributions of 3% – 8%).
  • Life assurance at three times your salary.

Work-life Balance

  • Hybrid and agile working. 50% office attendance.
  • 26 days annual leave, plus Christmas closure days and bank holidays.
  • Buying and selling leave.
  • Family-friendly policies including enhanced maternity and paternity leave (subject to a qualifying period).

Wellbeing and Development

  • Complimentary subscriptions to Headspace and Classpass to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
  • Support through tailored learning and development.

Additional Benefits

A range of enhanced benefits become available once you've completed your probation period.

Senior Policy Officer employer: Academy of Medical Sciences

As a leading organisation in the health research sector, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture. Our London-based team enjoys a hybrid working model, competitive benefits including a generous pension scheme, and ample opportunities for professional growth and development, making it an ideal environment for those passionate about making a meaningful impact in medical sciences.
Academy of Medical Sciences

Contact Detail:

Academy of Medical Sciences Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Policy Officer

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Senior Policy Officer role.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its current policy priorities. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially around improving health outcomes and mobilising research.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your analytical skills! Be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully managed multiple policy projects and made impactful recommendations in the past.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Policy Officer

Understanding of UK health research and medical sciences policy landscape
Project Management
Analytical Skills
Evidence Collation
Relationship Building
Effective Communication Skills
Event Management
Attention to Detail
IT Literacy
Numeracy Skills
Ability to Work in a Diverse Organisation
Policy Development
Stakeholder Engagement
Adaptability

Some tips for your application 🫡

Know Your Stuff: Before you start writing, make sure you understand the key priorities and responsibilities of the Senior Policy Officer role. This will help you tailor your application to show how your experience aligns with what we’re looking for.

Be Clear and Concise: When you're putting together your written application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We want to see your skills and experience shine through without any fluff!

Show Your Passion: Let us know why you’re excited about this role and how you can contribute to our mission. A bit of enthusiasm goes a long way in making your application stand out from the crowd.

Apply Through Our Website: Make sure to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!

How to prepare for a job interview at Academy of Medical Sciences

✨Know Your Policy Landscape

Before the interview, dive deep into the UK health research and medical sciences policy landscape. Familiarise yourself with current issues, key players, and recent developments. This will not only help you answer questions confidently but also demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.

✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills

Be ready to discuss your experience in scoping, planning, and delivering multiple policy projects. Prepare specific examples that highlight your ability to manage competing priorities and achieve organisational objectives. This will show that you can handle the demands of the Senior Policy Officer role.

✨Build Relationships

Think about how you've built and maintained effective relationships in previous roles. Be prepared to share examples of how you've engaged with senior stakeholders or collaborated across teams. This is crucial for a role that involves external engagement and collaboration with various organisations.

✨Prepare for Impactful Communication

Since effective written and verbal communication is key, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Consider preparing a brief on a relevant policy topic to showcase your analytical skills and ability to construct impactful conclusions. This will set you apart as a strong candidate.

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