At a Glance
- Tasks: Support policy development and engage with stakeholders across Oxford's colleges.
- Company: Join the Conference of Colleges, a key player in Oxford's academic community.
- Benefits: Enjoy 38 days of annual leave, a pension scheme, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: Fast-paced role with excellent exposure to university decision-making processes.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on higher education policy while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: Strong admin skills, communication abilities, and experience in committee servicing.
The Conference of Colleges – an association for Oxford’s 39 colleges and four Permanent Private Halls – is seeking a Policy Officer to join its Secretariat. If you’re an organised, proactive professional with a passion for higher education and policy development, this is your opportunity to join the team!
Location: University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD
Salary: Grade 6: £35,681 to £41,636 per annum (pro rata if part time)
Contract: Full time/Part Time (0.8FTE or full-time - We are open to a discussion about part-time working), Permanent/Secondment opportunity
About the Conference of Colleges
Oxford’s 39 colleges and four permanent private halls (PPH) are both an integral part of the collegiate University and also independent, self-governing academic communities. Diverse in age, size and scope, all contribute significantly to the core activities of the University: learning and teaching; research; and wider engagement with society.
Conference of Colleges has two main functions. It enables the colleges, as self-governing and financially independent institutions, to act collectively on issues that matter to them. This may range from sharing information and good practice to acting together to procure expert advice or services. The Conference also acts as a voice for college interests within the University community. It enables Colleges to debate and act upon the key issues of the day and to develop shared views and policies. This enables a collective college perspective to be communicated widely and to influence University decision-making.
About the Role
We are looking for a Policy Officer to join our team to support the Conference Secretariat’s workload and nature of the tasks it undertakes, particularly in response to legal and regulatory changes. As a Policy Officer, you'll contribute across a wide range of policy areas including ICT, financial, governance, legal and compliance. Tasks include:
- Servicing committees and working groups
- Engaging with stakeholders across Oxford colleges, the University, and external partners
- Supporting project work
- Undertaking research and analysis
- General administrative duties and supporting continuous improvement
This is a fast-paced, varied and rewarding role, offering exceptional exposure to university-wide decision-making processes and the chance to develop expertise in new policy areas.
What We Offer
We offer several benefits, including:
- 38 days’ annual leave (pro rata), inclusive of public holidays
- Membership of the USS pension scheme
- The Conference Secretariat team operates a hybrid working policy (core office days are Tuesday and Thursday and the post-holder will be expected to be working from the office on these days). Team members are required to be in-person for committee meetings and some other key meetings.
About You
We’re looking for people who have:
- Excellent administrative and IT skills, highly organised
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience of committee servicing
- The ability to learn and develop new knowledge rapidly
- Collaborative, professional, and the experience in engaging and managing stakeholders
- The ability to handle complex and confidential issues confidently
- Familiarity with Oxford’s college system or specific policy areas is highly desirable.
A covering letter/supporting statement setting out how you meet the competencies in the job description, the details of two referees, and your right to work status (if relevant) whether you are interested in undertaking a secondment opportunity. Your application will be judged solely on how you demonstrate that you meet the selection criteria stated in the job description.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Wednesday 9 September 2026. We plan to hold in-person interviews on Friday 25 September. There will be a short pre-interview written exercise, to be completed during the week before the interview date. We would ideally like the successful candidates to start as soon as possible after the interview date.
For more information, please see the detailed job description attached.
Policy Officer in Oxford employer: Corehr
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