Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive

Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive

Salary: £35,000 PA Subject to Knowledge and Experience

MAIN PURPOSES OF THIS JOB

The Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive position is a key role for the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), the voice of the innovative life sciences and biotech industry, enabling and connecting the UK ecosystem so that businesses can start, grow and deliver world-changing innovation.

The primary purpose of the role is to deliver BIA’s Influence work in the policy areas of cell and gene therapies, antimicrobial resistance, clinical trials and animal research.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Policy

Working closely with the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager and the wider team as appropriate, the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive/Manager will lead on the following areas within the wider framework of the scope of the BIA’s Influence work, the details of which will be set out in workplans and appraisal objectives:

• Cell and gene therapies, including providing the secretariat to that Advisory Committee
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
• Clinical trial infrastructure
• Animal research

Public Affairs

Working closely with the wider team as appropriate, the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive/Manager will support the BIA’s influence activity by working in following areas, the details of which will be set out in workplans and appraisal objectives:

• Public affairs activity relating to the above policy areas to influence stakeholders including ministers, parliamentarians and civil servants
• Parliament Day (shared with other team members)
• Political monitoring (shared with other team members)
• Stakeholder mapping and tracking engagement with policy makers (shared with other team members)
• Attending and event organisation at the party conferences (shared with other team members)

The above policy and public affairs responsibilities will include the following types of activity:

• Keeping abreast of developments in relation to the above issues and share information with colleagues and members as appropriate.
• Consulting on, drafting and finalising policy inputs such as government consultations, input to independent reviews and submissions to parliamentary committees.
• Developing expertise in above policy areas, acting as a spokesperson where appropriate, and looking for wider opportunities to communicate policy concerns such as through blogs and events.
• Supporting relevant member committees, communities and groups as directed, driving through the work programme of those groups.
• Representing the BIA at external events, policy working groups and fora.
• Attending weekly policy and public affairs team meetings to update on your work, contribute to team goals and brief colleagues effectively.
• Contributing content to the quarterly reports and other activity reporting mechanisms.
• Contributing to and maintaining contacts, member lists and engagement records within the BIA CRM.
• Ensuring BIA website content is kept up to date for the pages you are responsible for.

As a small organisation, flexibility is a key value all members of the team need to work to. As such the above duties and responsibility are subject to change as informed by needs of the team, organisation and changes in the external environment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential:

• An interest in politics, policy, healthcare and life sciences
• Previous work experience in policy and public affairs
• Ability to understand policy development and how to showcase coherent arguments
• Excellent written skills with an ability to grasp complex issues quickly and distil these for a variety of external audiences
• Excellent organisational skills, including organising meetings and events
• Collaborative team-player who is flexible to changing business needs and supports colleagues effectively
• Excellent interpersonal skills with demonstrative ability to work with a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to represent the BIA and its members in person and through oral and written communication

Desirable:

• Academic background and/or health sectors

APPLICATION NOTES

Building a thriving, diverse workplace is a priority across all industries. The BIA is committed to providing a fair and equitable working environment, to attract and nurture people from all backgrounds. We value the individuality and diversity that employees bring to the company throughout our activities.

If you are shortlisted for interview, please let us know if you require any adjustments to make sure the interview process is accessible and inclusive.

Please note that all offers of employment require two references and proof of eligibility to work in the UK. Applications written using Chat GPT or any other AI generator will not be accepted.

We are currently working in a hybrid pattern, whereby we work 3 days in the office and 2 from home. This is under review and at the discretion of the business.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume/CV and a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and outlining their approach to the role.

Please email your application using the button below. Deadline for applications is Sunday 01 December at 11pm. Also note that interviews will take place in the weeks of 2nd or 9th December.