Senior Policy Manager (16-19) in England

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement. We do this by supporting schools, colleges, and nurseries to improve teaching and learning through better use of evidence. We generate research evidence on effective practice in supporting learning outcomes and narrowing the socioeconomic attainment gap, and we work with education professionals to ensure this evidence is applied to achieve the maximum possible benefit for children and young people.

The EEF’s reach and impact has been tremendous: the English education system is now one of the most evidence-informed in the world. Over half of state primary and secondary schools have taken part in an EEF-funded trial, and 70% of all school leaders use the Teaching and Learning Toolkit to inform their decision-making.

Following an extension of our 2023 remit to include the FE sector, we are now looking for a Senior Policy Manager to join us on a full-time, permanent basis.

The Benefits

• Salary of £51,750 per annum
• Flexible working opportunities
• 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays including 3 which can be taken flexibly)
• 6% employer pension contributions, minimum 3% employee contribution
• Life insurance cover
• Interest‑free season‑ticket loan and cycle scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave pay (conditions apply)
• Confidential Employee Assistance Programme to help you deal with any personal and professional problems

This is a rare and meaningful opportunity for an educational policy professional with expertise in the 16-19 education landscape to join our mission‑led organisation. You will have the chance to lead on unique, transformative initiatives that make a tangible difference, helping improve the further education sector for both students and teaching practitioners. What’s more, you will grow your expertise within our highly skilled, first‑class policy team, gaining exposure, support, and insight that will strengthen your development and broaden your impact across the sector. So, if you want to play a leading role in shaping evidence‑informed policy across the 16–19 sector, apply now and help us drive meaningful change.

The Role

As a Senior Policy Manager, you will support the development of policies to support our work in the 16‑19 age education sector. Seeking to influence national education policy, you will work as part of a team to support policymakers and other parties operating at a national level to use evidence to support their work. You will produce research and advice on the 16‑19 sector policy area as it relates to our mission, forge high‑quality evidence infrastructure within our organisation and collaborate with policymakers to ensure their work is informed by evidence.

Additionally, you will:

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders and identify priority issues
• Communicate our policy positions through briefings, reports, blogs, and papers
• Manage strategic projects that enhance the sector’s data infrastructure
• Maintain your understanding of 16‑19 sector policies
• Ensure our activities reflect our policy priorities

About You

To be considered as our Senior Policy Manager, you will need:

• Experience working in education policy or a related field
• An excellent understanding of the 16‑19 English education landscape and relevant government policies
• The ability to analyse complex policy problems and identify opportunities for research to inform policy solutions
• The ability to build relationships with policymakers and other stakeholders
• Strong project management skills and comfort working in complex and changing delivery environments
• Strong attention to detail and a curiosity to engage deeply with evidence and research
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong advocacy for equity, diversity and inclusion
• To be educated to degree level in a relevant field

The closing date for this role is 11th January 2026.

Webrecruit and The Education Endowment Foundation are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.