Policy and Public Affairs Officer

TL;DR

Policy and Public Affairs Officer: Support engagement with Welsh politicians, policymakers and regulators in higher education with an accent on monitoring policy developments and political intelligence. Focus on producing briefings, coordinating stakeholder interactions, and tracking engagement actions.

Location: Hybrid from Cardiff Office (up to 3 days work from home, 2 days in office; occasional travel around Wales)

Salary: £32,080 - £37,694

Company

UK’s largest university and world leader in flexible part-time education with research excellence.

What you will do

• Monitor and analyse Welsh policy and political developments in higher education, lifelong learning and skills, sharing intelligence internally.
• Produce briefing notes, summaries and background materials for colleagues and senior leaders.
• Coordinate and draft responses to consultations, calls for evidence and policy reviews.
• Support engagement with Senedd Members, Ministers, officials and stakeholders, maintaining contact records.
• Plan and deliver political activities like meetings, roundtables, visits and events.
• Track and progress follow-up actions from the public affairs plan and coordinate internal messaging.

Requirements

• Understanding of Welsh political and policymaking processes, including the Senedd and Welsh Government
• Experience in public affairs, policy, government, politics or stakeholder-facing environments
• Ability to monitor, analyse and interpret policy developments and explain implications
• Strong written communication for briefings and summaries for senior audiences
• Experience supporting political or stakeholder engagement (meetings, events, roundtables)
• Manage stakeholder information, contacts and activities systematically
• Confidence working with politicians, officials and sector partners
• Strong organisational skills to manage tasks, track actions and meet deadlines

Nice to have

• Experience in higher education, lifelong learning or skills policy
• Ability to work in Welsh

Culture & Benefits

• Range of benefits recognising great work and supporting work-life balance
• Open to flexible working discussions (job share, part-time, compressed hours)
• Hybrid pattern with up to 3 days work from home

Hiring process

• Submit CV and supporting statement (up to 1000 words) addressing essential criteria
• Applications reviewed ongoing; may close early after minimum one week
• Next steps week commencing 11th May 2026