Policy Manager Work and Welfare

Job description

Role purpose:

To be a Disability Gamechanger

• Lead Scope’s policy influencing on disability employment policy and disability benefits policy,
• Provide thought leadership and strategic advice on work and welfare policy that seeks to drive change for and with disabled people
• Be the external face of our influencing programme on work and welfare.

Main responsibilities

• Identify key influencing priorities to deliver social change in employment and welfare policy, embracing creative approaches to policy development and keeping abreast of sector best practice.
• Build strong, evidence-led arguments, tested with audiences particularly disabled people and their families
• Lead influencing around Scope’s key strategic goal of Financial Security. Work closely with others in the Policy and Campaigns team to persuade political and public audiences to implement transformational changes to employment and benefits policy.
• Build partnerships with other organisations and stakeholders – particularly Government officials and other disability charities – and secure consensus and support for Scope’s policy recommendations and work.
• Make sure that Scope’s influencing priorities are communicated effectively to internal audiences, supporters, opinion leaders and the general public.
• Manage and develop the two policy advisors and lead policy advisor and work with the other Policy Managers, Campaigns and Mobilisation Manager and Political Strategy Manager to drive a culture of high performance around policy development and influencing
• Make sure there is meaningful engagement and participation of disabled people in development, delivery and evaluation of all policy and influencing strategies within the team.
• Be a Scope ambassador and spokesperson with external stakeholders, representing the organisation at external events and in the media to promote our campaigns and influencing priorities.

Internal contacts

• ELT, Leadership group and trustees
• Managers and heads across Scope, and especially others in SISC
• Scope employment services and contact centre

External contacts

• Senior civil servants and politicians
• Academics, think-tanks and researchers
• Charity leaders, Business leaders
• The media
• Funders

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Experience of successfully influencing policy change and attitude change in relation to work or welfare policy
• Experience of leading and managing teams and working groups, and ensuring team members are supported to achieve their goals
• A good understanding of employment policy, welfare and benefits policy, including recent changes
• Excellent political judgement and an understanding of how Whitehall and Westminster works
• An understanding of the range of tactics and tools available to influence policy and practice effectively and creatively.
• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to be flexible, respond positively to change, and work effectively under pressure and deal with conflicting priorities

Desirable

• Demonstrable understanding of the social model of disability
• Experience of working with agile/ test and learn methodologies to help decide on policy ideas

Skills

Essential

• Experience of developing robust, evidence-based policy that leads to positive change.
• Ability to craft strong and compelling case for change
• Conveys complex ideas and data in engaging ways
• Creative in developing policy solutions and new ways to influence change
• Knowledge of working with government, businesses and individuals to deliver change and the ability to work within networks.
• Ability to plan work and meet deadlines when working under pressure on a number of projects.
• Ability to develop relationships with colleagues, at all levels and with external stakeholders.
• Proactive approach to working and ability to direct own work.
• Ability to think creatively and identify new ways of doing things.
• Line management experience and familiarity with resource management

Desirable

• Experience of involving customers, service users and/or beneficiaries in the development, delivery and evaluation of projects
• Understanding of the ability for disabled people to deliver positive change and an understanding of disability policy.
• Experience of project management, including having oversight of multiple projects.
• Experience of representing an organisation in the media