Senior Policy Officer
Welcome to Public Health Wales, the national public health organisation for Wales
Our vision is Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales
To find out more visit Public Health Wales and watch this video about our Strategic Plan
Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference
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Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English. To support our all Wales service, we particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the living wage of £12.60 per hour - £24,638 per annum.
This temporary top up will be in place until the annual pay uplift for 2025/26 is confirmed.
Job overview
THIS POST IS FIXED TERM/SECONDMENT FOR 7 MONTHS UNTIL FEBRUARY 2026 DUE TO SECONDMENT.
You will be leading public health policy projects involving policy proposals, advocacy, analysis and research. You will support the delivery of our Long Term Strategy at Public Health Wales by influencing policy makers and key stakeholders to enable policy change that improves public health in Wales.
The role will include:
Managing policy projects and line-managing team members.
Acting as a ‘thought leader’ through analysis and policy proposal development by recognising opportunities for public health improvement.
Collaborating internally and externally to draw on expertise from across the organisation and test policy thinking, shape policy debate and enable policy change.
Communicating effectively through evidence-based policy briefings, reports, articles/blogs, consultation responses, and presentations.
Sharing insights about external policy developments and their implications for public health.
Acting as an advocate for public health.
If you are enthusiastic and motivated, then this is an exciting opportunity for you to join our highly talented, collaborative, dynamic and friendly team.
Main duties of the job
The post will be providing specialist expertise on agreed policy areas.
Policy and Research
Influence policy thinking and enable policy change by building relationships with stakeholders and decision-makers.
Ensure policy work is evidence-based using literature searches, evidence reviews, commissioned research, and engagement with colleagues and stakeholders.
Gather, analyse, and share information about external policy developments and their implications for public health.
Translate research findings and policy proposals into engaging and understandable formats for a range of audiences.
Provide specialist policy input to strategic, multi-agency groups.
Provide advice on policy research methods, use, and analysis of data (quantitative and qualitative).
Undertake data collection and analysis using a range of methods and, with others, publish findings in academic and non-academic papers.
Management- Develop and lead programmes and projects to enable policy advocacy and implementation.
- Manage the delivery of an agreed work plan within agreed timescales and budgets.
- Ensure that all projects and research comply with governance policies and procedures.
- Contribute to the work of the wider directorate/organisation.
- Line manage team members.
THIS POST IS FIXED TERM FOR 7 MONTHS.
Working for our organisation
Public Health Wales is the National Public Health Institute in Wales. Our vision is 'Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales'. We play a pivotal role in driving improvements in population health and well-being, reducing health inequalities, improving healthcare outcomes, protecting the public and supporting the development of health in all policies across Wales.
Never more has public health been so important as we come through the Coronavirus pandemic, face the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis and tackle and prevent the harmful effects of climate change. We are an organisation that places ourselves at the heart of supporting people, communities, partners, and the Welsh Government in addressing these major challenges and providing solutions for action.
Our organisation is guided by our Values, 'Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference'. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of the communities we serve and from those wishing to work part time or on a job share basis.
To find out more about working for us and the benefits we offer please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/careers/
For guidance on the application process, please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/working-for-us/applicant-information-and-guidance/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
For further information about the vacancy please see the job description and personal specification attached.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria- Significant demonstrable experience of policy analysis, understanding political and policy contexts, and finding solutions e.g. through developing robust policy proposals
- Experience of developing and managing stakeholder relationships
- Experience of engagement with government and/or stakeholder organisations to influence policy makers
- Experience leading projects or programmes
Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes
Essential criteria- Policy advocacy and influencing skills through building influential relationships, with the ability to present complex issues in a persuasive, accessible style to a range of audiences and in different settings
- Ability to assimilate new policy issues/areas quickly, make connections between different policy areas, and initiate and frame new policy agendas
- Ability to communicate complex information in writing and orally, in formal and informal settings and to different audiences
- Demonstrated ability to self-motivate and motivate others
Public Health Wales, reserves the right to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage early applications.
Priority is given to staff awaiting redeployment. We therefore reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any stage.
If you have a disability and have any particular requirements to enable you to participate in the application process, please contact [email protected]
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS: Applications for our roles are carefully reviewed and shortlisted based on specific criteria, which varies from job to job. Using a generic application to apply for multiple roles or relying on automated AI application services, such as Lazy Apply or AI Apply, may not provide the necessary information, leading to your application being overlooked.To ensure your application is given full consideration, we recommend submitting a tailored application that directly addresses the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the advert.
If you are successful and short listed for interview you will be contacted by email using the address with which you registered. Please ensure you check your email account regularly.
We are committed to fair, transparent recruitment and believe in equality of opportunity in our workplace and will not tolerate discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender identity, religion or belief, race or nationality, marriage or civil partnership status, sex, sexual orientation, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs – or on any other grounds.We welcome applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements.
To work in the UK, all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship to obtain either a Health and Care visa or Skilled Worker visa, unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply should self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship by visiting Work in the UK.If you are eligible for the Health and Care visa, application costs are lower and you do not need to pay the annual Immigration Health Surcharge.
The salary scale shown is for a full-time member of staff, with the amount being adjusted pro rata for those working less than 37.5 hours per week.
In general, anyone joining our Trust who has not previously worked in the NHS will, by default, start on the first point of the advertised pay band. Pay progression will then be determined by annual Performance and Development Reviews in accordance with the NHS Wales Pay Progression Policy.An application for Incremental Credit may be considered, but can only be awarded based on evidenced, reckonable service and/or equivalent, relevant experience.