Senior Policy Adviser to the Mayor of South Yorkshire Combined Authority

South Yorkshire’s legacy of deindustrialisation has left deep and long-lasting scars in the social fabric of our region, with many communities struggling to recover economically and socially from the collapse of traditional industries and ways of life. At the same time, the makeup of our communities is always changing, and change can bring uncertainty and anxiety as well as hope and innovation. South Yorkshire, under its Mayor, Oliver Coppard, is committed to the principle that every person in this region has the right to feel safe and secure “whoever they are, and wherever they are”. Following the events in Manvers last summer, this right was threatened for some residents and has exposed divisions in communities which must be better understood if they are to be effectively addressed in the future.

The Senior Policy Adviser will be contracted by The Refugee, Asylum and Migration Policy (RAMP) Project - a cross-party not-for-profit organisation - and seconded into the office of the South Yorkshire Mayor. They will report to the Director of Strategic Partnerships and will be responsible for working with the Mayor, the Mayor's wider team, and staff across the Combined Authority (CA) and Local Authorities (LAs) to advance key projects related to community cohesion and integration. The adviser will also be part of a wider team of RAMP advisers for other Metro Mayors, working collaboratively to share learning and identify opportunities for joint working.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Community Engagement and Convening: Adopting a community organising approach that empowers established community members to take the lead in driving local initiatives, fostering grassroots leadership, and creating sustainable connections between long-term residents and more recent arrivals. Ensuring those in power connect meaningfully with communities and under-represented groups including communities experiencing change or anxiety either directly or indirectly as a result of migration.
• Deep Learning and Analysis: Conducting in-depth learning exercises, including focus groups and community consultations, to understand the specific issues related to cohesion and integration in targeted areas. Producing detailed reports and analysis to inform the Combined Authority’s strategies and policies across health, community safety, skills, housing, and liaising with our Head of Government Affairs to shape our future devolution asks.
• Strategic Communications: Collaborating with the Combined Authority and Mayor’s communications team to develop innovative and impactful strategic communications that resonate with diverse communities. This includes exploring new media formats and platforms to ensure messages "cut through" and effectively engage target audiences.
• National Network Contribution: Sitting within RAMP’s national network of Mayoral secondee advisers, contributing to a shared learning and evaluation programme. This involves sharing insights and best practices from South Yorkshire with other Combined Authority areas and learning from their experiences.
• National Evidence Gathering: Contributing to national evidence gathering on the role, aspirations, and potential of Combined Authorities in delivering migration policy and fostering community cohesion. Feeding into internal RAMP network conversations with partners across the migration and asylum sector to influence national policy discussions.

Person Specification

We are looking for an organised, self-starter with the following experience, knowledge and skills:

• Excellent Relational and Interpersonal Skills: Ability to build and maintain a wide network of relationships based on trust and credibility. Skilled in finding win/win solutions and working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to achieve common goals.
• Political Understanding and Regional Expertise: Sound political judgement and a strong understanding of regional government structures, dynamics of devolution and financial planning, ideally with clear knowledge of the context of migration and cohesion within South Yorkshire. Experience of working with Combined or Local Authorities is desirable, though not essential.
• Alignment with Mayor’s Priorities: Sympathy with the views of the South Yorkshire Mayor and a good understanding of their priorities and goals, particularly in relation to community cohesion and integration.
• Policy Expertise: A strong understanding of community organising, community cohesion, migration, inclusion, and integration policy issues. Personal experience of and motivations for working in policy areas around inclusion and migration would be an advantage.
• Community Engagement & Research Skills: Experience in community engagement and focus grouping would be desirable. The ability to analyse and synthesise responses and feedback from these forums will be essential.
• Drive and Initiative: High levels of motivation, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt quickly to a rapidly changing context.
• Strategic Thinking: The ability to think and act strategically, presenting clear options and recommendations to busy politicians and officials.
• Proficient Writing Skills: Experience in drafting correspondence, articles, speaking points, and reports, with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively.
• Commitment to Collaboration: A strong commitment to RAMP’s vision, mission, and values, with a demonstrable ability to work collaboratively with people who may hold different views.

Conditions

The successful candidate would be contracted at a rate of up to £300 per day ideally for 4 - 5 days per week for an initial 3 month contract with a strong likelihood of extension at that point if the initial period goes well. Applications are open until 12 noon on 25th of April. Please email via the button below with your CV, and a cover letter (2 sides max) which sets out why you are interested in applying for this role and how you meet the criteria outlined above. If you have any questions please get in touch with us.