Policy Adviser

Salary: £ 53,527

Closing date: Sunday, 28 January 2024

Contract type: Permanent

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation. We improve health for everyone by funding science, leading policy and advocacy campaigns, and building partnerships.

We plan to spend £16bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.

These challenges need the bold science we support, but they won't be solved by science alone.

Because of this, our Policy Team works to shape the global context for achieving Wellcome's mission. We do this by influencing the external policies, processes and other factors that affect how research is done, how evidence translates into action, and how new health interventions reach those who need them.

To influence these factors, we analyse what needs to change in the world to support Wellcome's mission and how to make that happen. This involves anticipating challenges and opportunities and working with partners and decision makers. We build the case for evidence-based solutions and advocate passionately for them.

In turn, we ensure that the people with power to implement solutions make decisions that lead to better and more equitable health outcomes.

We are looking for twoPolicy Advisers to join our team.

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

You will be working the Policy team within the wider Strategy team.

The Policy team operates a flexible deployment model, with generalist policy Leads, Advisers and Officers deployed according to need to one of the four strategic areas of Discovery Research, Infectious Disease, Climate and Health, and Mental Health.

Deployment is subject to periodic change, but in the first instance we expect that one of the Policy Advisers will be deployed to work on policy relating to Climate and Health, and the other to policy relating to Discovery Research. The latter will also involve working on 'Policy Lab' projects - a new approach at Wellcome to try and bring more creativity and experimentation to the way that we do policy work.

Policy Advisers will be redeployed to other areas during their employment and may also find themselves working at the intersection of our four strategic areas. We are therefore looking for people who can work flexibly and bring their policy skills to a variety of challenges, even if the subject matter is initially unfamiliar.

The Policy team takes a matrix approach to management, meaning that your day-to-day work will be managed by one of the Policy Leads within the team to match your area of deployment, but you will be line managed by one of the four Heads of Policy in another area.

What will I be doing?

The Policy Adviser deployed initially to work on Discovery Research and Policy Lab will work on a wide range of topics under the banner of securing a strong enabling environment for Discovery, helping to identify influencing priorities and developing and leading projects to pursue them. Through our work on Policy Lab you will continue our efforts to bring more creativity and experimentation to the way that Wellcome does its policy work, inspiring and embedding this way of thinking across the wider team.

The Policy Adviser deployed initially to work on Climate and Health will work on the policy solutions that help unlock our mission to put health research at the heart of climate action. Building on our successful work in 2023 supporting the first health day at COP28, this will involve considering how health feeds into a range of areas of climate policy, working across mitigation and adaptation policy at a global, regional and national levels, as well as core science policy questions of scientific advice, science funding and public participation.

In either case, you will lead substantial elements of policy projects to meet Wellcome's influence goals, including leading on delivering analysis and developing arguments, recommendations and products.

In general as a Policy Adviser, you will:

• Develop project ideas and creating plans and resource needs for significant elements of the project and manage substantial elements of policy projects independently, or larger elements with advice and support. Manage risks in order to deliver projects to deadline and on budget.

• Deliver critical components of policy projects to a high standard, including analysis and developing arguments, recommendations, briefings and products.

• Work with colleagues in Government Relations and Corporate Affairs to devise and deliver communications and advocacy strategies for these projects as well as build and maintain trusted relationships with key stakeholders to build support and maximise support for the work.

• Represent Wellcome in senior internal and external fora covering these policy projects, including deputising for more senior team members as required.

• Lead specific ad hoc corporate and team-wide activities to support delivery of cross-team priorities. And manage, develop and motivate Policy Officers or individuals on Graduate or Internship Programmes from time-to-time.

• Contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture across the organisation, collaborating across departments.

Is this job for me?

We are looking for people with experience of the end-to-end process of policy work, from policy research, analysis, drafting briefing papers, and contributing to reports and other influencing products.

Direct experience of working to create an enabling UK policy environment for Discovery Research would be a particular advantage to support deployment to this area. However, detailed knowledge of the other specific strategic areas that Wellcome works on is not essential if you are able to work flexibly and apply your skills to new areas. Given our interest in bringing more creativity to our products and processes an enthusiasm for or experience of this is welcome.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience of working on policy issues, particularly seeking to influence national government or multilateral organisations.

• Has experience of building trusted relationships with policy stakeholders including influencing stakeholders and preparing policy advice for senior leaders to contribute to policy change.

• Has experience delivering high quality policy recommendations, arguments and written outputs.

• Is comfortable working with scientific and technical colleagues and translating complex information into clear policy messages and solutions.

• Has well-developed communication skills, in person, presentations and in writing as well as being able to work independently with minimal supervision.

• Has experience of issues in global health, public health, science or research policy

To apply please upload your current CV and complete our short application.

Interview dates: Wednesday 14 February, Thursday 15 February, and Monday 19 February (MS Teams online)

You can view the full job description on our website

You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website

Our Hybrid Way of Working

We understand that our colleagues have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to build a flexible working environment, in which people can perform at their best. We are currently working 2 days per week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) from our Euston Road offices (as part of our hybrid Ways of Working) with the remaining 3 days from home.

Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do

Diversity and Inclusion is a priority at Wellcome. We are committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. Please visit our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at .

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