The role
The Senior Policy Officer role will afford you the opportunity to engage in every aspect of the design, planning and delivery of Wilton Park’s portfolio of events, with first-hand experience across all the themes that we cover. This will involve a broad range of engagement across Wilton Park teams, FCDO Directorates and posts, with different funding partners, and with event participants, all of whose contributions are vital to our role at the centre of the UK’s public diplomacy work. You will meet and interact with individuals from many countries and walks of life, helping to establish important dialogue and mutually supportive networks to tackle some of the most pressing issues of the day. The role will also involve line management responsibilities of a number of Policy Officers/Interns, ensuring their development and supporting their career progression.
This is a great opportunity for individuals with a strong interest in international and domestic affairs, keen to support the UK’s foreign policy objectives and make a difference. In return for your enthusiasm and commitment, we will provide a stimulating and rewarding position, with excellent development options, clear progression opportunities, a highly supportive work environment and a platform to explore a broad range of fascinating subject areas.
Key responsibilities
Programme of events
- Identify, develop and deliver a programme of innovative and impactful policy-relevant events in the UK and overseas
- Identify policy priorities suitable for Wilton Park events and explore partnership and sponsor opportunities in consultation with the Lead Policy Officer and Wilton Park Programme Directors
- Develop areas of policy specialisation and subject matter expertise for business development, building and maintaining personal networks and relationships in support of wider institutional policy work and relationship-building
- Provide intellectual and policy input for programme development and delivery, research potential topics, partners, sponsors and participants
- Draft concept notes and outline event programmes for agreement with partners and sponsors
- Prepare, proofread and submit funding and grant applications
- Work with Programme Directors and partners to develop the event programme, updating partners and sponsors on progress and next steps
- Support event monitoring, evaluation and reporting of event outputs, outcomes and impacts
- Provide timely and high-quality policy support, drafting meeting briefs, speaking notes, event-related briefs, literature reviews and graphics as required for senior colleagues
- Support the delivery of policy objectives for Wilton Park, FCDO and partners across government by developing, delivering, facilitating and chairing events and breakout groups when required
- Line manage a number of Policy Officers and/or Interns, supporting their development and ensuring that opportunities for L&D are shared equitably
Organisational support
- Undertake representational work for Wilton Park; build and maintain personal networks and relationships, including participating in networking opportunities at Wilton Park events, externally and overseas
- Work with the Communications Team to support strategic policy communications and campaigns, including developing and delivering event specific comms, and boosting Wilton Park’s digital output
- Work with Programme Directors to deliver a portfolio of high-quality events meeting both volume and financial targets
- Carry out other duties as may reasonably be required from time to time
For full details of this role, please click the button at the bottom of the page.
Person specification
Essential skills
- Graduate with 2:1 degree or higher in a policy relevant field
- Relevant work experience, with a demonstrable interest in global affairs, and a strong understanding of one or more Wilton Park policy areas
- Be a strong team player, working well with and supporting others while capable of working independently
- Ability to solve problems, research topics and gather information to inform own work
- Ability to work efficiently and effectively time-manage, prioritise, and maintain accuracy and attention to detail
- Demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication skills
Desirable skills
- Experience of designing and running events
- Master’s degree in policy-relevant field
- Be positive, creative, flexible and driven, with a passion for learning – showing commitment to, and interest in self-development
- Demonstrate good cultural awareness and the ability to navigate diverse and complex relationships
- Demonstrate an ability to show sensitivity and to see issues from other people’s perspectives
Behaviours
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours. We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Working pattern and hours
Full time working for 37 hours (net) per week Monday-Friday including an unpaid lunch break of one hour.
Contract type
Permanent
Expected start date
September 2025 subject to security clearance.
