Senior Policy Manager
Full-time, permanent
Central London (Hybrid Working Model)

The Role
EEF is recruiting two senior policy managers to play a crucial role in driving forward the organisation’s work to promote evidence-informed policy. These are new roles within the organisation, and lead on developing EEF’s policy positions in areas related to EEF's mission, identifying strategic policy priorities for EEF’s work and leading projects to influence change in these areas.

We anticipate that one role will have a particular focus on EEF’s work in relation to professional development, ensuring that national PD reforms, including the ECF and NPQs, are grounded in the best available research evidence. The second role will focus on other strategic policy priorities relevant to EEF’s mission, including leading strategic projects on areas such as disadvantage, pupil premium and post-16 (where EEF has recently expanded its activity). The exact balance of responsibilities across the two roles will depend on the experience and skills of the successful candidates.

Your main responsibilities include:

Leading areas of EEF’s policy development
• Proactively creating opportunities to influence emerging policy and policy delivery to achieve EEF’s strategic aims, including by engaging with the Department for Education and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for policy influence
• End to end delivery of strategic projects to scope priorities aligned to EEF’s mission and develop innovative policy positions based on robust research evidence and other sources of insight
• Effectively communicating EEF’s policy positions to a range of audiences through mechanisms including policy papers, blogs and reports, and presentations
• Working with the Head of Policy and teams across the organisation, help lead and co-ordinate how EEF builds relationships with key policymakers and senior stakeholders from a variety of organisations
• Acting as an ambassador for the EEF, representing the EEF at external functions, events and with senior stakeholders

Supporting EEF’s work on national professional development reforms [a focus for one SPM]
• Leading EEF’s ongoing work on ‘golden thread’ reforms, including the quality assurance of programme frameworks and review of provider training content
• Working directly with national PD providers to provide support on the use of evidence in their programmes
• Leading strategic projects related to improving the quality of training and support for teachers and leaders, including proactively identifying opportunities and appropriate mechanisms to embed evidence within national PD
• Informing the design and delivery of national policy around training and support for teachers, leaders, TAs and those designing national PD, drawing on evidence

Ensuring that EEF’s wider activity reflects policy priorities
• Maintaining a strong understanding of current policy developments and their context and supporting others across the organisation and beyond to understand how these relate to their work
• Working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that EEF’s wider activities, including EEF’s research and impact activity, reflect policy priorities
• Supporting the executive team and CEO through briefings and policy support as required

About you

You must be able to demonstrate:
• Education to a degree level in a relevant field
• Experience working in education policy or a related field and an excellent understanding of the English education landscape
• Ability to analyse complex policy problems and identify opportunities for research to inform policy solutions
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to produce high-quality written communication to inform and influence a wide range of audiences
• A collaborative and pragmatic approach, an ability to balance a commitment to rigour with accessibility and impact, and an ability to work autonomously and proactively
• Strong attention to detail and a curiosity to engage deeply with evidence and research
• Strong project management skills and comfort working in complex and changing delivery environments
• An ability to build relationships with policymakers and other stakeholders and leverage these to achieve impact
• A genuine interest in education and commitment to the EEF’s mission
• Strong advocacy for equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring these principles are upheld in all aspects of their work

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please submit your application via our online recruitment portal.

Key Dates
Applications open: 26th April 2024
Applications close: 12th May 2024 (23:59)
First stage interviews: 20th May 2024
Second stage interviews: 29th May 2024

The EEF is committed to create a workforce that is diverse, promotes inclusion and supports everyone to progress and achieve, regardless of background characteristics.

Policy Officer - Education Policy Interest
London, SW1 (with hybrid working)

The Organisation

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement.

We do this by supporting schools, colleges and nurseries to improve teaching and learning through better use of evidence. We generate research evidence on effective practice in supporting learning outcomes and narrowing the socioeconomic attainment gap, and we work with education professionals to ensure this evidence isa applied to achieve the maximum possible benefit for children and young people.

The EEF’s reach and impact has been tremendous: the English education system is now one of the most evidence-informed in the world. Over half of state primary and secondary schools have taken part in an EEF-funded trial, and 70% of all school leaders use the Teaching and Learning Toolkit to inform their decision-making.

We are currently seeking a Policy Officer to join our small, high-performing team of research and policy experts on a permanent, full-time basis.

The Benefits

- Salary circa £33,000 per annum
- Flexible working opportunities: Flexible start and end working times (core hours between 10am and 4pm)
- 27 days’ holiday a year pro rata (plus 8 bank holidays including 3 which can be taken flexibly)
- 2 festive season closure days
- 6% employer pension contributions, minimum 3% employee contribution
- Life insurance cover
- Interest-free season ticket loan and cycle scheme
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave pay (conditions apply)
- Confidential Employee Assistance Programme to help you deal with any personal and professional problems

This is a brilliant opportunity for a highly organised individual with a strong grasp of the education sector and related policy context to make an impact with our crucial organisation.

Joining a passionate team at the forefront of education policy, you’ll have the chance to contribute to evidence-informed policy development that transforms the education landscape.

So, if you want to expand your skills and expertise in policy development whilst working on diverse projects that make a tangible difference in the lives of children and young people, read on and apply today!

The Role

As a Policy Officer, you will support the delivery of evidence-informed policy research.

Working with teams across cross-organisational priorities, you’ll undertake research and analysis, using robust evidence and other sources of insight to inform potential areas of policy interests.

Engaging with officials at the Department for Education, you'll build relationships with policymakers, researchers and stakeholders from other education organisations, acting as an ambassador for the EEF.

Additionally, you will:

- Explain and present our policy positions to a range of audiences
- Provide briefings to support the Head of Policy, executive team and CEO
- Organise and co-ordinate events
- Undertake logistical and administrative support tasks

About You

To be considered as a Policy Officer, you will need:

- An understanding of the education sector and related policy context
- The ability to think analytically and clearly structure your approach to solving problems
- The ability to monitor, analyse and evaluate education research
- Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent organisational skills
- A degree level qualification (or equivalent)

All EEF staff are subject to a Basic level check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

All applicants must already have the right to work in the UK as we regret that this role does not qualify for a Skilled Worker visa.

The closing date for this role is the 12th May 2024 (23:59)

First stage interviews: 20th May 2024
Second stage interviews: 28th May 2024

Other organisations may call this role Research Support Officer, Research Assistant, Education Policy Officer, Policy Project Officer, or Education Programme Assistant.

Webrecruit and EEF are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you’re looking for a meaningful role as a Policy Officer, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.