Vacancy at The Social Mobility Foundation

Policy Manager

Salary £ 38,100- £46,100 (+ £2,200 London weighting if applicable)

Any SMF office (Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle). We operate a hybrid model of work, with flexible days in the office depending on business need and your preferences

Vacancy listed 16/11/2023

Application deadline 06/12/2023

Details

Title: Policy Manager
Place of work: Any SMF office (Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle). We operate a hybrid model of work, with flexible days in the office depending on business need and your preferences.
Salary: £38,100- £46,100 (+ £2,200 London weighting if applicable)
Reporting to: Head of Advocacy and Campaigns
Line reports: The team has a matrix management structure. Whilst you will not initially have any direct reports, you will have oversight of the work of three junior colleagues.
Contract and hours: We are looking for the right candidate and while we envisage this being a full time role (37.5 hours per week) we are very open to part-time, compressed hours or other flexible working arrangements. Permanent contract. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required, for which time off in lieu will be given.
Benefits: 25 days holiday per year pro rata, plus bank holidays. 5% Employer contribution to pension following successful probation period, in line with auto-enrolment pension requirements.
Deadline: 4th December 9am 2023
Start date: As soon as possible

About the Social Mobility Foundation

The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) is a national charity that aims to make a practical difference in social mobility. We want young people from all backgrounds to have fair access to high quality education, career opportunities and progression.

Our vision is a society where talent from all backgrounds is nurtured, harnessed and rewarded. Our mission is to unlock potential, broaden horizons and create opportunities with and for ambitious young people who face structural barriers in education and work because of where they grew up, went to school or the occupation of their parents or guardians. We do this by:

Directly supporting young people; we nurture the knowledge, confidence and networks of high achieving young people through our programmes.
Influencing employers; we influence employers to ensure people from working class backgrounds can get in and get on in professional life.
Advocating for social mobility; we campaign on structural social mobility issues and amplify the voices of young people from working class backgrounds.

About the role

Your role will be central to achieving our new three-year strategy. Based in the Advocacy and Campaigns team, your work will increase the SMF’s influence to drive systems change; in particular, through the development of robust policy positions, informed by internal and external sources of evidence, including the voice of our young people on the Aspiring Professionals Programme.

You will utilise your policy expertise to build and develop our internal knowledge base and share insights across the charity. You will help us design and lead our approach to working with external stakeholders to share and gather policy insights, and inform and influence the research agenda. Working closely with colleagues in the Advocacy and Campaigns team and across the organisation, you will develop the SMF point of view and shape policy recommendations, and advising on areas which could support impactful campaigns that increase equity in education and employment.

Additionally, you will own the ongoing intellectual development of the Social Mobility Employer Index, using the latest research and internal knowledge to develop well-informed policy recommendations for employers. You’ll be supported by external consultants as needed and work with the Head of Advocacy and Campaigns to develop an advisory board to ensure the Index remains up to date.

As a leader in our organisation, you’ll join our management team, supporting the charity to achieve organisational wide strategic priorities, working closely with our colleagues who run the Aspiring Professional Programme, our Employer Relations and Finance and Operations teams.

Whilst we would like you to have previous experience in a policy role, your mindset is as important as your experience. You’ll be a leader in an ambitious team, and we need someone who is enthusiastic, a self-starter and passionate about delivering impactful change.

Key responsibilities

Using the latest research and data and analysis insights to develop the SMF’s policy positions
Placing the experiences of young people at the heart of policy making, utilising insights from our Unheard Voices and from the programme team to inform our positions
Being an internal source of knowledge and facilitating information sharing, through:
- Gathering evidence, building the knowledge base for the charity and maintaining an accessible record of this for colleagues
- Running an internal knowledge and insights working group and feeding the insights from this into the SMF’s policy positions.
Working closely with the Head of Advocacy and Campaigns and Campaigns Manager to turn policy into impactful campaigns.
Developing partnerships and policy initiatives to increase the SMF’s ability to influence equity of access to, and achievement in education
Owning the ongoing intellectual development of the Social Mobility Employer Index, ensuring recommendations to employers are reflective of the latest research and best practice. This will involve:
- Monitoring the latest research in relation to employment, and updating recommendations
- Managing an internal Employer Index advisory group
- Managing the SMF’s relationship with The Bridge Group
- Developing a process for regular review and updates of the policy positions in the Index, aligned with the Index cycle and publication of critical research such as the Social Mobility Commission’s annual State of the Nation report.
Oversight of measurement and evaluation of the Index’s impact
Understanding where there are research gaps and creating cross sector partnerships with key stakeholders to influence the research agenda

Essential skills and experience

Demonstrable experience of developing public policy positions and recommendations based on research and insights
Awareness of and interest in latest developments in policy and research on education, routes into employment and social mobility
Demonstrable experience collaborating with colleagues from different teams to make evidence-based decisions
Confident in interpreting and analysis research and data
Excellent written and analytical skills
Proficiency in data analysis and interpretation
Ability to communicate complex issues clearly to all audiences and in different formats
Excellent attention to detail and a desire to always improve
Enjoy multi-tasking and working in a past pace changing environment
Excellent agile project management skills
Belief in our mission

Desirable skills and experience

Experience of using open, people-centred policy tools and techniques and placing lived experience at the heart of policy design
Experience of driving change in complex systems
Experience of collaborating to deliver digital transformation
Experience of line management and or coaching junior colleagues

Behaviours we’re looking for

Creative, curious, kind and ambitious for yourself and those around you
A problem-solving disposition: able to anticipate potential issues before they arise
A Proactive and solutions focused mind-set
A deep interest in your personal development and continuous improvement

What you can expect from us

A supportive, ambitious fun environment to develop your skills and grow your knowledge
A commitment to your professional development through coaching and training
A high performing team with a passion for increasing social mobility
A culture of pitching in and helping each other out when needed

How to apply:

There are two components to the application process. To apply, please submit both parts by 9:00AM 4th December. Following the first round there will be two interviews to understand your experience and ambitions for the role and get to know you personally.

a) A cover letter outlining your previous experience and your suitability for the role

b) In no more than 1500 words please answer the following two questions:

Q1. What do you think are the main barriers young people (16-21) from a lower socio-economic background face in accessing and progressing in higher professional careers? What is one policy intervention that would improve equity that you would recommend to government to combat these issues, and why?

Please reference any relevant research and statistics to support your policy recommendation.

Q2. What do you think is critical to fostering a culture of creativity, curiosity, kindness, and ambition within a team and how would you achieve this?

Please note that we do not accept CVs or generic applications. If you are shortlisted there will also be a task to complete as part of your interview.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Rosalind Goates, Head of Advocacy and Campaigns rosalind.goates@socialmobility.org.uk

Benefits

25 days holiday per year pro rata, plus bank holidays. 5% Employer contribution to pension following successful probation period, in line with auto-enrolment pension requirements.