Nuclear Waste Services has a vacancy for a Head of Policy, flexible working across the NWS estate.
The purpose of the Head of Policy role is to provide expert socio-political advice and assurance in support of the organisation’s mission.
This role covers all aspects of radioactive waste management and can range from informing strategies, developing corporate reports, providing senior level briefings, and developing responses to Parliamentary Questions. The post-holder will play a lead role in NWS engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including Government officials, Ministers, and Parliamentarians.
The role includes line management responsibilities and requires a deep knowledge and understanding of radioactive waste management, including overseas progress, legacy UK programmes, and latest policy developments.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Provide authoritative advice to the NWS Executive and Board on a range of complex and inter-related socio-political issues.
- Provide assurance of socio-political aspects of NWS’s work, through a broad range of inputs including to NWS strategies, implementation of NWS programmes, corporate reports, senior level briefings, and developing responses to Parliamentary Questions
- Represent NWS as part of stakeholder engagement activity, ranging from engaging with key stakeholders, participating in relevant forums, or acting as a spokesperson for the organisation.
- Maintain a deep understanding of the social and political issues in overseas and earlier UK radioactive waste management programmes and awareness of the broader national and local political context within which the programme will be implemented.
- Line management of one Policy Advisor and Graduate role.
- In addition, the post-holder will undertake other activities commensurate with their skills and experience as and when required.
- Provide authoritative advice on socio-political issues
- For example, in relation to NWS response to opportunities and challenges arising in engagement with local communities, national and local Government, regulators, the wider nuclear industry, non-Governmental organisations and other stakeholders.
- Provide assurance of socio-political aspects of NWS’s work
- Through a broad range of inputs including to NWS strategies, implementation of NWS programmes, corporate reports, senior level briefings, and developing responses to Parliamentary Questions.
- Supporting a wide range of practical stakeholder engagement issues and understanding of socio-political processes and requirements for effective engagement with Government(s).
- Responsible for advising on actions required to facilitate success of the NWS mission, enabling political support and engaging positively with wider civic society.
- Represent NWS as part of stakeholder engagement activity, ranging from engaging with key stakeholders, participating in relevant forums, or acting as a spokesperson for the organisation.
- Representing NWS in a number of national and international policy fora, for example UK and Devolved Government policy and strategy groups. This post may also requires regular interactions with overseas radioactive waste management organisations.
- A lead role in involvement in Government policy and strategy development work, including consultations and legislative activity.
- Maintain a deep understanding of the social and political issues in overseas and earlier UK radioactive waste management programmes and awareness of the broader national and local political context within which the programme will be implemented.
- Builds and maintains positive relationships with external partners across Government, industry, sector-specific representative bodies and wider society.
- Responsible for ensuring lessons and experience are reflected in UK forward programmes and appropriate consistency between current and historical positions.
- Leadership
- Line management responsibilities for one Policy Advisor and Graduate role.
Experience Required
- A widely recognised expert on the socio-political landscape and history of UK radioactive waste management.
- An established international personal reputation in the field and will have held a relevant key role in a radioactive waste management programme in the UK or overseas.
- Proven breadth and depth of experience in Government policy and strategy development and delivery, including legislative process and cross-Government collaboration.
- Comprehensive experience of working at a senior level within Government
- Proven strategic thinking skills.
- Evidence of clear and concise written and oral presentation skills.
- Evidence of leadership and influencing skills, together with the ability to communicate complex messages to a wide range of audiences.
What is in it for you
- On appointment to NWS you will receive 25.5 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and you can accrue up to 13 extra days leave
- Rewarding performance (annual bonus scheme)
- We offer a generous pension scheme through CNNP
- Learning and development support
- Payment of relevant annual professional subscriptions
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Financial advice assistance
- Flexible working
- Extended family-friendly policies
- Cycle to work scheme
- We welcome flexible and agile working practices
- Flexible working requests can be submitted from day 1 of employment
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