Policy and Engagement Manager

The role-holder will work as part of the wider Secretariat to support the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council (Industrial Strategy Advisory Council - GOV.UK) in delivering robust advice to the Government. They will work with the Policy leads to support the ISAC members in delivering bespoke policy projects, giving evidence-based recommendations to Government and engaging extensively with relevant stakeholders, ensuring that the ISACs time and expertise is used to maximum effect to maximise impact and delivery of Industrial Strategy objectives.  

This role will also support the G6 in developing and maintaining the overarching stakeholder plan which ensures a core set of key stakeholders pertinent to the whole programme are met on a relevant basis, and that the individual project plans, feed seamlessly into the overarching plan. 

This will report into the G6 Head of Manchester Team and support them in maximising local partnerships and providing bespoke support to the Deputy Chair.  This role requires developing strong working relationships with the Industrial Strategy Unit and with Sponsorship and Treasury teams to ensure the ISAC gets access to top quality information and inputs across its policy projects and is in turn able to provide the Government with robust and evidence-based advice.   

Key Accountabilities

• Responsible for managing ISACs engagement with the devolved governments and mayoral authorities; developing in-house expertise on devolution policy and how it relates to the IS, and supporting briefing and communications connected to IS delivery across the UK. 

• Responsible for supporting G7 Project leads with project development and delivery across ISACs mandated and ad-hoc projects, ensuring projects and associated engagements adhere to ISACs remit and add value to ISACs work plan. 

• Supporting G6s in maintaining an overarching Stakeholder Engagement Strategy, ensuring project plans align with the overarching strategy and that it maximises the ISAC and Secretariats time and skillset, presenting an ambitious but achievable plan. 

• Supporting the G7 responsible for Portfolio board with establishing and maintaining effective and light touch programme management tools across the Secretariat. 

• Research, monitor and contribute to stakeholder mapping documents and engagement strategies to inform and iterate our engagement strategies and provide persuasive arguments in favour of approaches 

• Supporting the G6 Head of Manchester Team in delivering local partnerships to maximise the Manchester HQ location. 

• Building strong links with analytical colleagues to support development and delivery of ISAC projects, maximising the ISACs unique role in forwarding the Growth agenda. 

• Building strong networks with DBT and OGD colleagues to be able to support ISAC with project design and stakeholder engagement so that  

• Supporting the wider Secretariat with proactive Secretariat-Mailbox management helping to sign-post actions across the wider team and engaging with policy and engagement requests in a timely manner. 

• Point of Contact for IS Place team, DBTs Devolution and Constitutional Affairs teams. 

The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, comfortable to work in an agile and changing context where there is a high need to flex to new priorities. They will be a pro-active team player with a background in policy. They will enjoy working with external stakeholders and have high standards for delivering a quality service sometimes with quick turnaround.

Essential Criteria

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage;

• Experience working with and delivering for external stakeholders  

• Proven written and verbal communication skills and track record of constructive and polite handling of stakeholder enquiries, challenges and/or briefing requests 

• Experience of policy development and delivery  

• Experience of advising senior figures and delivering high-quality materials for them at pace and scale 

• Experience of working in a fast-paced team, with highly effective proactive and reactive mailbox management skills 

Desirable Criteria

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates;

An understanding of the drivers of economic policy and/or some familiarity with industrial policy would be desirable but not essential.