Policy Manager (Higher Education)
Application Deadline: 30 September 2026
Department: Policy
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: London
Reporting To: Associate Director for Higher Education
Compensation: £52,000 - £57,000 / year
Description
About the Role
This is a varied and high-profile policy role with two areas of equal focus:
- Leading the Russell Group’s work on admissions and widening participation policy, taking ownership of an established brief and developing evidence-based positions and influencing strategies.
- Leading substantive, time-limited projects on priority issues across the policy team. These projects will respond to emerging policy developments and organisational priorities and will cover areas beyond the postholder’s core admissions and widening participation brief.
The balance between these two elements will be approximately equal. The second part of the role is deliberately flexible, allowing the postholder to apply their policy, analytical and project management skills to emerging and cross-cutting issues across the Russell Group's wider policy agenda, covering higher education, research, innovation and international issues. This role would suit someone who combines subject expertise with the ability to get to grips with new and complex issues quickly.
Working to the Associate Director for Higher Education, you will undertake analysis, develop evidence-based policy positions, and design and deliver influencing strategies to support policy change.
Key Responsibilities
The role will involve (but not be limited to):
- Leading the development of Russell Group policy positions on admissions and widening participation, including identifying emerging issues, initiating new strands of work through horizon-scanning and intelligence gathering, and recommending advocacy strategies to influence policy and perception changes.
- Leading priority projects on emerging and cross-cutting issues across the policy team, including developing project plans, coordinating delivery, undertaking analysis and producing policy recommendations.
- Producing high-quality analysis and briefing materials drawing on evidence, data and intelligence from Russell Group universities and external sources to inform policy development and advocacy.
- Providing advice and briefings to senior colleagues, including Associate Directors, the Director of Strategic Policy, and, where appropriate, the Chief Executive.
- Developing and communicating clear, persuasive policy arguments through meetings and stakeholder engagement, publications, press releases and website content, working closely with the External Relations team.
- Building and maintaining relationships with key external stakeholders, using these relationships to influence policy change.
- Representing the Russell Group at meetings, events and conferences, acting as an ambassador for the organisation.
- Acting as the principal liaison with relevant Russell Group networks including the Admissions Directors and Widening Participation Directors, building productive relationships across member universities.
- Line managing interns where appropriate, ensuring they are motivated to work to the highest standard, monitoring performance and supporting them to succeed in their roles.
- Contributing to the development of the Strategic Policy team’s priorities and the Russell Group’s wider organisational strategy.
- Managing data in accordance with the Russell Group's data protection policies.
- You will also be responsible for delivering any additional responsibilities, at the request of the Associate Director for Higher Education or the Director of Strategic Policy, in accordance with your experience and the broad purpose of this role.
Person Specification
We are looking for an outstanding policy professional, who is experienced, highly motivated and flexible in their approach to undertaking analysis, policy development and advocacy.
The successful candidate will combine strong subject expertise with the ability to lead significant projects on new and emerging issues. They will be comfortable working across a defined policy brief while also responding to changing priorities and opportunities across the wider higher education and research landscape.
Substantial experience in policy development, analysis and influencing is essential. Ideally, candidates will have gained such experience through a relevant role in a higher education policy brief in the civil service, public sector, higher education, or third sector. However, we welcome applications from candidates whose policy knowledge and skills have been gained in other sectors.
Candidates should have:
- Substantial experience of policy analysis, development and influencing.
- Experience in leading projects and taking ownership of significant areas of work, from inception through to delivery.
- Experience of building relationships with, and influencing, diverse and senior stakeholders, preferably including government, business, regulators or other sector organisations.
- The ability to develop expertise quickly in new and complex policy areas, apply sound judgement, and identify the implications of emerging policy developments.
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to assess evidence, interpret data and develop persuasive, evidence-based policy recommendations, while demonstrating political awareness and sensitivity to different viewpoints.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively to different audiences and to represent the organisation externally.
- A high degree of attention to detail in producing persuasive, evidence-based conclusions across complex policy issues and addressed to a range of audiences.
- The ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, managing competing priorities and adapting to changing organisational and policy priorities.
- Experience of working in higher education policy is desirable but not essential.
Employment Package
This appointment is for a permanent, full-time, London-based position with a starting salary of between £52,000-£57,000 dependent on skills and experience. A higher salary may be available for exceptional and highly experienced candidates.
Our offices are based in the heart of Westminster, with proximity to key stakeholders and easy access to public transport links. To maximise effective team-based working, we offer flexibility for staff to work from home up to two days a week, subject to work priorities.
As well as a competitive salary, our employment package includes generous additional benefits, including:
- Membership of the USS pension scheme – a defined benefit scheme with an employer contribution of 14.5% (https://www.uss.co.uk/)
- 25 days of Annual Leave at start, increasing by 1 day annually to a maximum of 30 days
- Discretionary closure days at Easter and Christmas holidays (in addition to Public Holidays)
- Private healthcare insurance
- Generous approach to learning, training and development, including monthly ‘lunch and learn’ sessions with external speakers
- Access to Employee Assistance Programme
- Interest‑free travelcard loans
- Cycle scheme
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