Policy Officer in London

Contract: Fixed term 12 month contract

Working hours: Full-time (we are happy to consider requests for flexible working).

Location: Hybrid working - at least two days per week in the Impetus office (currently based in Charing Cross, Central London). We may ask you to come to the office three days per week during the first three months to help set you up well for success – ensuring you get the support you need to thrive. In addition to this, all staff are expected to attend regular Impetus in person events. These include staff away days, training events and a monthly Townhall meeting where we come together in person for lunch and intentional cross-team working.

Starting date: ASAP

Reports to: Line Manager TBC

About the team

The Policy team is a small, collaborative and collegiate team looking to expand. We have a unique set-up, sitting separately to but working closely alongside the Communications team as part of the wider Public Affairs team. We influence key decision makers through direct engagement with senior officials, commissioning and sharing research and insight and supporting coalitions which include our portfolio charities to take their voice to decision makers to secure policy and funding commitments. The team also works across the organisation, presenting insight to inform our investment decisions and making a compelling case to generate new financial commitments for our work.

About this role

The Policy Officer is a fixed-term role, created to provide extra support in a rapidly expanding organisation at the forefront of youth policy. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to support the strengthening of Impetus’ role as a thought leader across education and youth employment policy, as well as work with colleagues to strengthen and maintain relationships with parliamentarians and key decision-makers. We are looking for someone who shares our commitment to getting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the support they need in education and employment. You'll demonstrate good political awareness and interest, either through previous work experience, volunteering or otherwise. You'll have a good understanding of the UK’s policy environment, with an interest in increasing your knowledge and relationships in this area and developing and expanding links with a range of parliamentary, government and other key stakeholders.

The Policy Officer will be part of the wider Public Affairs team, and you will support our education and employment policy work and will be expected to regularly collaborate with the Communications team. You will have a track record of producing a range of high-quality written outputs, including policy briefings, blogs and consultation responses, and a willingness to seek feedback to improve clarity and impact.

The Policy Officer will monitor political and policy developments, undertake research and analysis, produce clear briefings and other written materials, support stakeholder engagement and events, and support administrative and project coordination across the Policy team. The successful candidate will be committed to improving outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, politically aware, an excellent communicator, highly organised and collaborative, and committed to Impetus’ mission and to equality, diversity and inclusion. Experience of external stakeholder engagement and using the CRM Salesforce would be advantageous. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups, particularly those who were eligible for free school meals as children.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor and analyse political, policy developments and parliamentary activity, keeping your knowledge up to date and accurate, ensuring information is recorded using agreed templates and systems, and flagging relevant updates to senior team members promptly.
• Support the identification of opportunities for influencing public policy to improve the outcomes of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Support senior team members to establish and maintain relationships across local and national government, political parties, and influential voices.
• Brief and support senior staff within the relevant policy areas, such as to prepare for a speaking event, roundtable, or high-level stakeholder meeting.
• Support Impetus' work influencing political stakeholders or other senior audiences, including supporting the team’s stakeholder management, and event organisation.
• Support Impetus' research and policy work, including:
• Undertaking background research and analysis on relevant topics ensuring data quality, completeness and accuracy and flagging issues when needed.
• Drafting a wide range of written copy for various audiences, including literature reviews, evidence submissions, policy briefings, newsletter contributions etc. following agreed guidelines, templates and approval processes.
• Providing administrative support where necessary, such as organising meetings, ensuring team calendars are up to date, keeping Salesforce up to date, and gathering evidence in support of our KPI performance monitoring.
• Attend relevant external events on behalf of the team and support colleagues by taking notes, preparing summaries and sharing relevant insights.
• Support coordination and delivery of quarterly and annual statistical releases.
• Support the Policy team with fundraising, including by drafting policy updates and case studies for the Philanthropy and Partnerships team.
• Contribute to a collaborative and inclusive team culture.

Person specification

Essential

• A strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and an understanding of the barriers they face across education and employment.
• Good political awareness and interest, including experience in a policy or a parliamentary environment, and an understanding of the political landscape across England, alongside enthusiasm for developing professional knowledge in this area.
• A track record of producing a range of high-quality written outputs, including policy briefings, blogs and consultation responses, and a willingness to seek feedback to improve clarity and impact.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write and speak persuasively to a range of audiences and support Impetus’ case for change.
• Proven organisational skills and the ability to operate effectively in a busy office environment, including the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work across different projects simultaneously.
• Able to follow agreed processes, templates and guidance, maintaining accurate records and escalating issues early.
• Demonstrable record of building and maintaining effective working relationships across an organisation, working co-operatively as part of a team, welcomes feedback, and seeks clarification when tasks or priorities are unclear.
• Strong IT Skills (Microsoft Office essential).
• A clear commitment to Impetus’ mission and values.
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable

• Experience supporting engagement with external stakeholders such as parliamentarians, civil servants, academics, researchers, and/or charity partners who influence and shape policy and its implementation (e.g. scheduling meetings, preparing briefings, drafting correspondence).
• Experience with using the CRM system Salesforce.

About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background. We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today:

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve. Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life. We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence. You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

Our Values

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• We are brave and curious
• We bring high trust, high challenge
• We are evidence led and results driven for young people
• We thrive through diversity
• We always seek collaboration

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results. We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop. We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful. We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore. Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Our employee benefits

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button at the top of the page. You will need to: Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form) Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement. The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification. You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission. As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage. The deadline for applications is Monday 17th August 2026, 11:59pm. Interviews: 1st Interviews will take place on w/c 24th August 2026. 2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 31st August 2026. You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.