Policy Manager

The Role

Policy Manager
£38,000 – £44,000

We are looking for a Policy Manager to join our highly regarded policy team to help deliver our policy and research work to influence Government policies to encourage sustainable economic prosperity.

This is a key role in our small friendly team which leads our member policy work and we are looking for a strategic thinker who can drive change and steer policy work in new directions aligned with opportunities and member/SCDI priorities. Working directly to the Head of Policy you will drive SCDI’s research and policy work, embedding our values and reinforcing our reputation for thought leadership.

You will also support the delivery of the policy and public affairs objectives of the team and contribute to the continuing success of SCDI. Our recent work has spanned areas including net zero/natural capital, data/digital, rural challenges, industrial strategy, innovation and exporting.

The list below is typical of the level of duties which the post holder is expected to perform or be responsible for.  It is not necessarily exhaustive and other duties of a similar type and level may be expected from time to time.

• Deliver SCDI’s policy and research work to influence Government policies to encourage sustainable economic prosperity.
• Research, investigate and produce policy and issue papers for Government, members and other policy makers and undertake research on a wide range of economic and business subjects in which the SCDI has an economic and civic interest.
• Support the work of SCDI’s policy and regional committees, taking on lead responsibility in the Policy Team for a share of them, including developing their work plans and agendas, preparation or papers and participation in meetings.
• Communicate effectively and strategically to members, stakeholders, politicians at regional, Scottish, UK and Global levels SCDI’s policy positions to support the SCDI strategy.
• Identify opportunities and undertake research on a wide range of economic and business subjects in which SCDI has an economic and civic interest.
• Support the creation, promotion and delivery of SCDI’s programme of policy conferences, events, workshops and membership activities to support SCDI’s policy objectives and proactively contribute to revenues.
• Research and produce economic analysis for online and print media.
• Support the work of SCDI through researching, writing, contributing to, and/or delivering speeches at SCDI events and external policy events.

Person Specification

Skills and Qualities

• A strategic thinker, who can drive change and steer policy work in new directions aligned with opportunities and member/SCDI priorities.
• Ability to work with and manage expectations across a diverse range of member views to produce agreed recommendations in an efficient timescale.
• Educated to degree level, with excellent policy, research and communication skills and a good understanding of the economic, civic and political landscape.
• Commercial outlook and willingness to engage proactively with members around policy work
• Excellent time management skills, ability to make decisions regarding priorities and work well under pressure.
• Maturity of judgement and the confidence to communicate clearly with internal and external audience.
• A self-motivated team player who understands who can take play their role in delivering SCDI’s mission and values
• Creative and able to translate ideas into action

Experience and Knowledge (essential criteria in bold)

• A sound understanding and experience of policy formulation, and the capacity to develop SCDI’s capabilities in both qualitative and quantitative research.
• Excellent stakeholder/relationship management skills
• Keen interest in contemporary Scotland including emerging themes e.g. innovation, wellbeing economy, purposeful business, climate emergency and sustainability
• A track record of producing clear, accurate and engaging written work.
• Strong presentational skills.
• Data analysis skills would be an advantage
• Digital/online communications skills desirable
• Excellent planning, organisational and management skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver quality outputs
• Ability to understand, navigate and provide sound advice on complex, and often rapidly changing, economic and political issues and situations.