Senior Policy Manager (16-19)

Senior Policy Manager (16-19)

London (with hybrid working opportunities)

The Organisation

Our client is focused on supporting education to break down barriers between student success and finance. They support the education sector through research and working within schools to drive initiatives that directly support learners.

Benefits

• Salary of £51,750 per annum
• Flexible working opportunities
• 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays including 3 which can be taken flexibly)
• 2 festive season closure days
• 6% employer pension contributions, minimum 3% employee contribution
• Life insurance cover
• Interest‑free season ticket loan and cycle scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave pay (conditions apply)
• Confidential Employee Assistance Programme to help you deal with any personal and professional problems

This is a rare and meaningful opportunity for an educational policy professional with expertise in the 16‑19 education landscape to join our client’s mission‑led organisation.

You will have the chance to lead on unique, transformative initiatives that make a tangible difference, helping improve the further education sector for both students and teaching practitioners.

What’s more, you will grow your expertise within a highly skilled, first‑class policy team, gaining exposure, support, and insight that will strengthen your development and broaden your impact across the sector.

So, if you want to play a leading role in shaping evidence‑informed policy across the 16–19 sector, apply now and help our client drive meaningful change.

The Role

As a Senior Policy Manager, you will support the development of policies to support our client’s work in the 16-19 age academic sector. Seeking to influence national policy, you will work as part of a team to support policy makers and other parties operating at a national level to use evidence to support their work. You will produce research and advice on the 16‑19 sector policy area as it relates to our client’s mission, forge high‑quality evidence infrastructure within the organisation and collaborate with policymakers to ensure their work is informed by evidence.

Additionally, you will:

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders and identify priority issues
• Communicate our client’s policy positions through briefings, reports, blogs, and papers
• Manage strategic projects that enhance the sector’s data infrastructure
• Maintain your understanding of 16‑19 sector policies
• Ensure our client’s activities reflect their policy priorities

About You

To be considered as a Senior Policy Manager, you will need:

• Experience working in academic policy or a related field
• An excellent understanding of the 16‑19 English education landscape and relevant government policies
• The ability to analyse complex policy problems and identify opportunities for research to inform policy solutions
• The ability to build relationships with policymakers and other stakeholders
• Strong project management skills and comfort working in complex and changing delivery environments
• Strong attention to detail and a curiosity to engage deeply with evidence and research
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong advocacy for equity, diversity and inclusion
• To be educated to degree level in a relevant field

The closing date for this role is 11th January 2026.

Other organisations may call this role Policy Manager, Education Policy Lead, Senior Policy Officer, Post‑16 Policy Manager, or Policy & Research Manager.

Webrecruit and our clients are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.