Head of Political Engagement

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Head of Political Engagement
 
The Role:

The Head of Political Engagement leads the British Council’s public affairs strategy, including its relationship with the UK Parliament and Parliamentarians, political stakeholders from the UK’s four nations, and across the wider political space. The postholder also plays a leading internal advice and consultancy role on the UK political landscape within the organisation.

Accountabilities:

The role is responsible for leading the British Council’s engagement with the UK Parliament and political stakeholders by developing and delivering with a small team its Parliamentary and Public Affairs Strategy, establishing and building relationships with senior Parliamentarians, supporting British Council senior leaders with their political engagements, and ensuring accurate and timely handling of all Parliamentary Questions and MP correspondence, as well as effective budget oversight. It oversees the organisation’s work with Select Committees and All‑Party Parliamentary Groups, ensuring strong cross‑party relationships, full compliance with accountability requirements, high‑quality briefings for staff appearing before Committees, effective management of the British Council APPG secretariat, and proactive sharing of insight and evidence. The role provides specialist internal advice on parliamentary and political engagement, supporting both UK and overseas teams in planning and delivering stakeholder engagement across the four UK nations and relevant soft power sectors. Additionally, it deputises for the Head of External Relations when required, line manages and supports a team of two, and contributes to the wider Policy and External Relations team priorities.

Requirements of the role:

• Excellent understanding of UK politics and knowledge or direct experience of the UK Parliament and its work.


• Experience in designing and delivering public/parliamentary affairs strategies.


• Experience of building, managing and maintaining effective working relationships with key stakeholders.


• Experience in leading a team and line management.


• Excellent written communication skills and the ability to produce high quality briefings and submissions.


• Experience of working collaboratively and successfully with multiple teams across multiple locations.

Closing Date:   Applications will close at 23:59 on 10th February 2025 UK Time.

You must have the legal right to work in the listed locations at the time of application.

Important Information:

Contract type: Indefinite
Pay band: SMP

Salary: £55,699-£68,649 plus the London weighting allowance of £3,300

Location: London, UK (only). The job requires attending occasional early morning meetings and evening engagements. As per the UK policy, PER team members are expected to work in the office (or from Westminster) for at least three days a week.

Requirements:
Please note that candidates must have the pre-existing, legal right to work in the listed locations at the time of application. 

Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided. 
 
British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service.  This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email [email protected]