Policy Officer

Organisation: The National Trust for Scotland

Location: 50 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9LD

KEY PURPOSES

This job exists to develop and communicate Trust policy in order to guide conservation and visitor management practice. In addition the post-holder will contribute to the Trust’s role as an advocate for the conservation of Scotland’s heritage, and for access, learning and enjoyment of that heritage.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Key Purpose of the job will be met by:
1. Initiating/facilitating the development of new Trust policies through consultation with relevant Trust staff and other experts
2. Promoting the Trust’s policy agenda and raising the Trust’s profile by building sustainable external relationships and proactively engaging with the Scottish Government, its agencies and other stakeholders and interest groups
3. Contributing to national policy debate on key heritage issues to further Trust policy objectives
4. Tracking external policy and legislative developments and drafting submissions/responses such that the Trust’s position on heritage issues is widely known and understood, and is influential in shaping government policy and legislation
5. Alerting colleagues to relevant policy and administrative developments in their areas
6. Working closely with internal colleagues to ensure that the Trust’s Principles and policies are understood by all staff and volunteers and embedded into Trust-wide decision-making and work-planning processes.
7. Undertaking general administrative tasks (such as correspondence, filing, copying, diary management, making practical arrangements for meetings/interviews, taking/distributing meeting notes or actions, collating data and updating databases, and reports to funders) appropriate to the effective delivery of the role.

The current duties of this job do not require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be carried out.

SCOPE OF THE ROLE

People Management:
No line reports;
Will have daily, frequent interaction with immediate Policy colleagues and wider Trust teams;
Will interact frequently with external stakeholders, interest groups, and legislators.

Financial Management:
Not a budget holder;
Process financial transactions (e.g. expense claims, purchase orders) on an infrequent basis using an IT-based finance package.

Personal Management:
Generally office-based/home-working but expected to travel within Edinburgh and across Scotland to attend meetings (may involve occasional overnight stays).

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE

The Key Responsibilities above outline the core skills and experience the post-holder must have in order to fulfil the role. In addition, s/he should be able to demonstrate:

Essential:
• Understanding of, and substantial experience in, the process of policy development (either in terms of public policy or organizational policy, or both), implementation, research, evaluation and advocacy;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, across a wide spectrum of internal and external stakeholders;
• Excellent research and writing skills, and ability to present information;
• Ability to quickly acquire, assimilate and synthesise knowledge on unfamiliar subjects;
• Familiarity with a range of research approaches, potentially including qualitative research, statistical analysis, Geographical Information Systems, mass survey and depth interviewing;
• Competent IT skills (Microsoft Word and Excel).

Desirable:
• Knowledge and understanding of natural and/or cultural heritage issues in general (knowledge of marine conservation, or of town and country planning would be particularly useful at this time);
• Understanding of Scotland’s legislative process;
• Experience of consulting, influencing, negotiating and facilitating;
• Experience of committee/group working.

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