Senior Manager Public Affairs (Housing) in London

This role sits within Corporate Affairs, the team responsible for building and protecting Nationwide's reputation with media, political and policy audiences. As a newly created role within the Public Affairs and Strategic Engagement team, you will lead Nationwide's position on housing policy, helping to shape debate on issues that matter to our members and supporting the Society's wider public affairs strategy.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best. At Nationwide, we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK-wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected. For this job, you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part-time, you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at our London office.

Responsibilities

• As Senior Manager, Public Affairs (Housing), you will act as Nationwide’s subject matter lead on housing policy, providing specialist policy expertise, insight and delivery capability to support the Society’s overall public affairs strategy.
• Working within the Group’s public affairs framework, you will develop detailed policy positions and thought leadership on housing, support stakeholder engagement aligned to agreed priorities, and help advance Nationwide’s influence on key housing issues relevant to its mortgage business and members.

About you

As a minimum, you’ll have:

• Significant, demonstrable experience in housing policy and public affairs, including developing policy positions and influencing policy outcomes, gained within government, a membership body, housing organisation, financial services or another regulated environment.
• Established relationships across Westminster and Whitehall, with a track record of engaging effectively with political and policy stakeholders.
• Excellent political acumen and judgement, with the ability to translate complex policy issues into clear, actionable insights and practical plans to deliver policy or regulatory change.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including experience of drafting for senior audiences.
• Demonstrable ability to influence senior stakeholders and build trusted relationships across political, policy and business environments.
• Experience of developing policy positions that reflect customer, member or consumer interests.

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind.
• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand.
• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development.
• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes.

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

The extras you’ll get

• 30 days holiday, pro rata.
• Access to private medical insurance.
• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement.
• Access to an annual performance-related bonus.
• Training and development to help you progress your career.
• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death.
• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness.
• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year.

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society. We forge our own path at Nationwide. As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us. At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society. We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us. We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.