Policy Advisor - 37,456 - 42,084 p.a. + benefits

We are currently looking for a Policy Advisor to join our Legislative Delivery Team within the Strategy group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly. Remote working is potentially available for some specific roles. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Strategy Group is a new group within the Agency that brings together policy, regulatory reform, legislative delivery, strategic coordination and stakeholder-engagement functions, helping to develop and coordinate cross-cutting work that supports MHRA corporate priorities. The broader group focuses on issues that are at the heart of public health fast, safe access to medicines and medical devices, working with industry and NHS and other health Arms-length bodies (ALBs); and supporting the future of the life sciences industry in the UK. We do all this while ensuring patients are at the heart of our work.

Policy and Regulatory Reform is a division of the Strategy Group. We are made up of three small, closely connected teams, Regulatory Strategy, Policy, and Legislation Delivery. Together we have central oversight of the Agencys regulatory reform agenda, and we seek to strengthen the regulatory environment in a way that safeguards public health and supports access to safe, innovative and effective healthcare. The work of the Legislation Delivery team supports the MHRA to navigate policy and legislative processes with confidence and clarity and enables consistent, high-quality decision-making and delivery.

The Legislative Delivery team are the Agencys experts in delivering primary legislation and specific statutory instruments across medicines, medical devices and fees. You will play a vital role in progressing the Agencys priorities, working with experts across the agency to develop and implement legislation on high profile issues which have a tangible impact on public health, patients, and the life sciences industry. Working closely with subject matter experts and technical teams, the team anticipate requirements and guide projects efficiently through each stage of the legislative process. They also work closely with colleagues across government to anticipate and respond to wider changes which will impact the Agencys regulatory framework, and to identify opportunities to take forward legislative changes as part of a prioritisation process.

We are currently working on a range of primary and secondary legislative reforms, as well as contributing to designing the future legislative pipeline for the Agency.

The role will present great opportunities to collaborate with experts across the MHRA, DHSC, other Government departments, and external health organisations. You will work collaboratively with different functional teams to bring in different perspectives and develop a strong understanding of the regulatory landscape and healthcare environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support legislative initiatives: Manage elements of the MHRAs legislation work for medicines and medical devices. Work closely with technical colleagues across the Agency, DHSC and lawyers to develop and refine new legislative proposals and to triage and prioritise legislation requests.
• Enabling Regulatory Development: Convene groups of technical experts, providing secretariat support, bringing colleagues from across the agency together to solve arising issues or develop new regulatory approaches.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Prepare consultations and understand stakeholder views to inform proposals for regulatory reform to ensure they will deliver for stakeholders including patients, life sciences industry and research community.
• Policy Development: Communicate complex regulatory policy and draft concise recommendations, advice and briefings on regulatory reform proposals, to support senior leaders and Ministers in key decision making.
• Coordination of Regulatory Reform Responses: Support the Agencys responses to requests on regulatory reform from other government departments or external stakeholders, coordinating across the Agency and keeping track to ensure responses are delivered in a timely manner.
• Legislation Management: Support new legislation through cross-government clearances and parliamentary process, setting out project plans and ensuring the process progresses to agreed timelines.
• Project Management: Coordinate the delivery of legislative projects across multidisciplinary teams, establishing clear plans and responsibilities, monitoring progress and risks, and keeping stakeholders informed throughout the project lifecycle.

Essential Criteria:

• Experience in a relevant area in the civil service or other organisations, which give understanding of working in or with the public sector.
• Previous experience working in health, life sciences or regulation environment. (Desirable)
• Previous experience working on legislation. (Desirable)