Regional Policy Manager (Midlands Region)

Job Title:Regional Policy Manager (Midlands Region)

Salary: c.£60,000 (Dependant on Skills and Experience) + company car or car allowance

Location: Home based or Stoneleigh Based with regular Midlands Regional Travel

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is the biggest farming organisation in the UK. We're proud to make a difference for all our members, by shaping attitudes towards British farming and leading the charge on a range of major issues, from climate change and food standards to rural crime and broadband rollout.

Purpose of the role & how you will contribute:

This role will provide strategic leadership and management of all regional NFU policy activity. You will also lead and develop a team including two Environment and Land use Advisers and a Member Communication and Engagement Adviser.

On behalf of the Region, you will oversee and coordinate National and regional campaigns, including drafting and lobbying proposals in line with NFU interests. This role will liaise with our experts, on farming, food, land and environment related matters, and political lobbying campaigns.

You will also deliver guidance and support to regional and national colleagues, group secretaries, officeholders, members, and key stakeholders.

What you’ll bring:

To be successful in this role you will have a broad, yet in depth understanding of related agrifood and land management policy matters affecting the farming, food and rural landscape, the regulatory agenda, rural affairs, local/national Government agency and political dynamics.

This will be combined with your ability to influence and communicate, effectively in writing and face to face. You will have proven decision-making skills, with the ability to act with diplomacy and tact. The ability to work well under pressure and prioritise a diverse workload is essential.

You will be educated to degree level (or equivalent experience) and will preferably also have a post-graduate or professional qualification in a subject such as planning, the rural economy, surveying, or similar. The role will require some working outside of standard hours, therefore flexibility is essential, as is a full driving licence.

You will have a thorough knowledge of relevant government, regulators/compliance, economic/rural development, supply chain and advice structures, combined with the ability to establish credible and professional relationships with related stakeholders at all levels.

Why choose us?

Join us and you’ll find an organisation that encourages and enables you to achieve your full potential. In return you will be rewarded with a full range of benefits including:

• Company car or car allowance
• Generous holiday allowance (30 days a year + Bank Holidays, plus 1 annual company day)
• Option to buy and sell up to 5 days annual leave.
• Company funded health Cash plan.
• Health insurance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.
• Performance-related pay
• Competitive Pension and Life assurance
• Access to interest-free loans for cars, bikes, season tickets and driving lessons.
• Employee Assistance program to help you deal with life’s challenges.
• Discounts on new vehicles, holiday rentals, wellbeing, and lifestyle and many more

Who we are

Every day, we're the voice of around 47,000 British farmers and growers who produce food, and manage our fantastic countryside, making sure their concerns are heard at the heart of government both online and locally. This means developing strong relationships with everyone from NFU colleagues to government ministers. So, as well as having a high profile in both the media and Westminster, we work with and support local farming members through a network of regional, county and branch levels across England and Wales.

This team takes an active role in developing and influencing the policies that benefit farming businesses across the UK. This means keeping up to date with and responding to national and international developments, engaging with, and advising NFU family farming and growing members, and putting their decisions into action.

It’s exciting, complex work, covering every area of farming and dealing with a range of stakeholders, from government ministers, civil servants, and the media, to local NFU branches. The sheer variety of our work means you can be involved in a wide range of projects from initial research to policy delivery. Our collaborative approach means you’ll find plenty of opportunities to build your knowledge – it’s up to you to take them.

Our regional presence is the face of the NFU to local members, our focus is to understand their day-to-day concerns and influence the local and national agendas on their behalf. It’s about developing strong working relationships with everyone from the members themselves to local councils, constituency MPs and national NFU teams.

Working in a regional team demands the flexibility to adapt to a variety of tasks, from recruiting and retaining members, to working with councils and other local agencies, or lobbying MPs. This diverse remit means we need to understand a wide range of farming, food, environmental and economic issues and be able to talk confidently about them with people at all levels.

Join us

We’re committed to recruiting a diverse and highly talented workforce. We’ll support you by providing you with extensive learning and development opportunities and build a career that balances your professional ambitions with your personal commitments including discussions around agile and flexible work options.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If we decide we've found the right person for the role, we reserve the right to withdraw this advert and close applications before the closing date.

REF-213 158