Vacancy: Head of Policy
Overview
Directorate: Communications, Policy and Research
Contract: Full Time, Fixed Term – Until 31st March 2025
Salary: London Salary: £73,370
Location: London Office
About the Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity.
We are responsible for ensuring that political parties and campaigners in the UK comply with the laws in place to ensure transparency and free and fair elections.
The role
We are recruiting for the Head of Policy, a senior leadership position in our Communications, Policy and Research directorate. The Policy Team is made up of 10 policy specialists working across the Commission’s key areas of responsibility including both electoral administration and political finance regulation. The team plays a vital role in developing and communicating both the Commission’s proactive policy agenda and its response to legislation and electoral events.
The Head of Policy leads the strategic and operational delivery of the Commission’s work to:
- Scrutinise policy and legislation proposed by Governments and Parliaments
- Review and report on elections and referendums
- Identify and deliver policy reviews to make recommendations for changes to electoral administration and political finance legislation
- Ensure the Commission’s policy positions are robust and underpinned by relevant data and evidence.
The Head of Policy will also be the Commission’s primary point of contact for senior external partners in relation to electoral and political finance policy.
The postholder will lead and inspire the Policy Team to deliver this work. The postholder will also be part of a directorate and Commission-wide senior leadership team, with influence over the strategic direction of the Commission’s work.
About you
We are looking for an experienced senior leader with a background in policy analysis and development.
You will be a committed individual who appreciates political sensitivities and has substantial experience of working with and influencing senior colleagues and external stakeholders.
You will be adept at building strong relationships and navigating complex stakeholder networks, and will work to ensure a wide range of stakeholders engage with and value the work of the Electoral Commission. You will bring creativity and well-honed analysis and communication skills to our policy development and influencing work. You will have excellent knowledge of the UK’s governments and legislatures, including the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales.
You will be able to plan, organise and manage people, time and resources, and manage projects to budget and on time.
Working at the Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission offers excellent terms and conditions, including flexible working hours and the opportunity to join the Civil Service pension arrangements (dependent on scheme rules) which include a valuable range of benefits.
We want to attract the broadest range of talented people who are passionate about democracy. The more diverse our workforce, the better we can adapt to and reflect the needs of society. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and as a staff member you will become part of an inclusive culture, where you will have the opportunity to achieve your full potential and enhance your career through learning and development.
To apply
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 30 July at 23:59pm.
Interviews will be held in the week commencing the 19th August 2024.
We may use video conferencing tools for the interviews. We will inform shortlisted candidates of the relevant details.
If you are interested in this role, please download the job description and person specification, before applying online. You can apply for this role online with a supporting statement showing how you meet the criteria in the job description.
Please contact Tom Hawthorn (Interim Director of Policy and Research) on [email protected] if you have any queries.
No Agency Assistance Required: We appreciate the interest of recruitment agencies, however, we are managing this recruitment process internally. We request that agencies refrain from contacting us regarding this vacancy.
Applications should include a supporting statement. This should include examples of how you have demonstrated the role’s person specification, including:
- essential skills
- behaviours
- knowledge
To be fair to all candidates, we can’t accept job applications submitted after the closing date.
We will let you know whether or not you have been invited for an interview shortly after the closing date.
We hold some of our interviews online using video conferencing, and other interviews in person at one of our offices. We’ll let you know when and where your interview will be.
Sometimes, we’ll ask you to complete a task for your interview. For example, preparing a presentation on a specific topic. We’ll give you instructions about the task when we invite you to interview.
Our interviews are competency based. We will ask you questions to understand more about your experience, and how it relates to the essential criteria in the person specification. Questions will also cover the values, behaviours, and skills required for the role. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about the role or working with us at the end of your interview.
We will let you know the outcome of the interview as soon as possible. Usually, within two days after the final interview has been completed. We’re always happy to give feedback if requested.
We will always let you know when we’d like to contact your references.
If you have taken part in certain political activities, such as holding office in a political party or holding a relevant elected office, it may mean that you can’t work for us. To discuss this before applying, contact our HR team at [email protected]
If you’re successful, you’ll need to complete some pre-appointment checks. This includes a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In Scotland, this is a Disclosure Scotland check. In Northern Ireland, it’s an Access NI check.
Higher security clearance may be required for some roles. We will only ask you about convictions and cautions that are not protected. Having a criminal record does not necessarily prevent you from working here. It depends on the nature of the position and the circumstances of your offences. Read our employing ex-offenders policy for more information.
We welcome applications from everyone. We will ask for your personal details including your nationality, ethnicity and any disabilities. These details will not be shared with the interviewers.
If you have a disability, let us know at the application stage so we can make adjustments for you. This may include accepting your application by post.