Policy and Programme Officer

We believe violence is preventable, not inevitable. Do you have a passion for supporting communities to thrive? Are you experienced in bringing people together and building relationships to help drive change? Are you motivated to make a difference and understand that young people, families and communities must be at the heart of solutions to tackle violence? If this sounds like you, we have an exciting opportunity for a Policy and Programme Officer to join London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to support the delivery of work across the VRU’s education portfolio.

London’s VRU is focused on stopping violence before it happens through a public health approach rooted in prevention and early intervention. We are a team of specialists working in partnership with communities, councils, the NHS, public health, police, schools, colleges and the voluntary sector to coordinate efforts and create lasting change. This is a permanent role focused on programme delivery, policy development and partnership working, with responsibility for managing and monitoring a range of contracts and grants to ensure high‑quality delivery and impact for young people across London.

A key aspect of the role will be leading on the Learning Partnerships work under London’s Inclusion Charter, bringing together strategic education leaders from across London to share best practice on inclusion and prevention. You will also support the development of new commissioning activity, particularly in areas such as healthy relationships, and preventing harmful sexual behaviour & the impact of online harms in schools.

The role includes responsibility for supporting delivery of priority programmes, including the Relationally Safe Schools Partnership (in collaboration with Virtual Schools, Local Authorities, Multi‑Academy Trusts and the Attachment Research Community), ensuring effective partnership working, performance monitoring and continuous improvement. Alongside this, you will contribute to policy development and implementation, using data, research and insight to inform decision‑making and support the VRU to influence change across the education and violence reduction landscape.

This is a varied and fast‑paced role requiring strong organisational skills, excellent communication, and the ability to work across policy and programme delivery in a complex multi‑agency environment.

We Are Looking For Someone Who

• Has experience of supporting the development and implementation of policy, using evidence and data to inform decision‑making
• Has experience of managing projects, programmes or contracts, including planning delivery, monitoring performance and working with funded providers
• Has experience of working in or with the education sector, or a good understanding of education policy and practice, particularly in relation to inclusion, safety and prevention
• Is confident in building and managing relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, and can bring partners together to collaborate and share learning
• Has strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to produce clear briefings or reports for senior leaders with excellent communication and presentation skills
• Is organised, proactive and able to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment
• Has an interest in, and understanding of, violence reduction and public health approaches, and a commitment to improving outcomes for young people and communities

Application Process

Candidates must submit their CV and employment history and must answer (using around 1,500 characters per answer) the supplementary questions which are:

• Describe a specific policy you have helped develop and implement. What was the issue, what analysis did you use to inform your approach, and how did you ensure it was successfully delivered in practice? What impact did it have?
• Describe a project, programme or contract you have managed. How did you plan delivery, monitor performance (including finances or outcomes), and respond when things did not go to plan? What was the result?
• Partnership working is central to this role. Describe a time you had to influence a range of stakeholders with differing priorities to achieve an outcome. What approach did you take, how did you handle challenge or resistance, and what was the result?
• Give an example of a briefing, report or advice you produced for senior leaders or decision‑makers. How did you analyse and present the information, and how did your work influence the final decision or action taken?

If you have a question about the role or the recruitment process/system, please contact a member of the HR team via email on [email protected]. If you have a specific question about this role, please contact CJ Burge (Senior Programme Manager) emailing [email protected].