At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic insights and policy engagement in the education sector.
- Company: Join Arbor, a mission-driven tech company transforming schools for the better.
- Benefits: Enjoy 32 days holiday, wellness support, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Dynamic, inclusive workplace with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on education while working with passionate professionals.
- Qualifications: Deep knowledge of UK education and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 100000 £ per year.
Location: London (Hybrid)
Salary: £90,000 - £100,000
About us
At Arbor, we’re on a mission to transform the way schools work for the better. We believe in a future of work in schools where being challenged doesn’t mean being burnt out and overworked. Our MIS and school management tools are already making a difference in over 12,000 schools and trusts. At the heart of our brand is a recognition that the challenges schools face today aren’t just about efficiency, outputs and productivity - but about creating happier working lives for the people who drive education every day.
About the role
We are looking for an experienced and highly knowledgeable Head of Policy & Insights to join our Strategic Marketing team and help us to drive our understanding of the education landscape, and to manage our engagement with the sector as a whole. The remit and focus of the role is to take responsibility for the full insights value chain: from analysing our unique internal dataset (now covering ~13,000 schools), to managing market, competitor and customer insight generation, and using that evidence to influence our internal planning - as well as national policy discussions with the DfE and think tanks.
Core responsibilities
- Market Strategy and Intelligence
- Strategic planning: Lead the research and analysis that will help us refine Arbor’s 5 year strategic plan.
- Competitor analysis: Maintain a live view of the competitive landscape, producing regular briefings on competitor strategy and market shifts to inform Product and Sales.
- Briefing and advice: Regularly brief the Management Team on external risks and opportunities, acting as a trusted advisor on "what’s next" for the sector.
- Data Analysis and Evidence
- Direct analysis: You will be the primary analyst for strategic insights.
- Thought leadership content: In partnership with Brand and Content, author high-quality white papers, blogs, and reports.
- Policy and external relations
- Stakeholder management: Represent Arbor in the sector.
- Horizon scanning: Monitor the DfE policy pipeline and legislative changes.
- PR and brand support: Partner with the Brand team to feed data-led stories into our PR machine.
Requirements
- About you
- Hybrid skill set: You sit at the intersection of strategy, public affairs and analytics.
- Sector authority: Deep understanding of the UK education sector, government policy, and the EdTech market.
- Analytical rigour: Proven experience in a research, strategy, or think-tank role.
- Communication: Exceptional writing and speaking skills.
- Autonomy: As a standalone lead, you are self-sufficient and proactive.
Benefits
The chance to work alongside a team of hard-working, passionate people in a role where you’ll see the impact of your work every day. We also offer:
- A dedicated wellbeing team who champion initiatives such as mindfulness, lunch n learns, manager training, mental health first aid training and much more!
- 32 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays).
- Life Assurance paid out at 3x annual salary.
- Comprehensive wellness benefit provided by AIG Smart Health.
- Private Dental Insurance with Bupa.
- Salary sacrifice Pension provided by Scottish Widows.
- Enhanced maternity and adoption leave (20 weeks full pay) and paternity (6 weeks full pay) pay.
- Access to services such as Calm and Bippit (financial wellbeing coaching).
- All of our roles champion flexible working.
- Dedicated professional development training budget.
- Volunteer with a charity of your choice for a day each year.
- Dog friendly offices!
Interview process
We are committed to a fair and comfortable recruitment process, so if you require any reasonable adjustments during your application or interview process, please reach out to a member of the team at careers@arbor-education.com.
Our commitment is also backed by our partnership with Neurodiversity Consultancy, Lexxic who provide us with training, support and advice. Arbor Education is an equal opportunities organisation.
Our goal is for Arbor to be a workplace which represents, celebrates and supports people from all backgrounds.
Head of Policy & Insights in London employer: Arbor Education
At Arbor, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions a healthy work-life balance and fosters a supportive, collaborative culture. Our remote working environment allows for flexibility while providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development, ensuring our team members are not only challenged but also fulfilled in their roles. Join us in our mission to create happier working lives for educators, where your contributions directly impact the future of education.
