Opportunities
Role: Policy and Operations Manager
Salary: £35,000 - £50,000 (FTE pro rata)
Hours: Flexible, 3-5 days a week
Contract: Consultancy, fixed term
Location: Flexible, but with regular events and meetings in London
About the organisation:
Labour for the Long Term is a new organisation which aims to help Labour develop policies that ensure a resilient and sustainable future.
We are Labour members who believe that today’s policy decisions will make a huge difference for future generations. We produce research and advocate on a range of issues, including:
- Reducing the risk of deadly pandemics
- Fighting climate change
- Preparing for challenges from emerging technologies
- Reducing the risk of great power conflict and nuclear war
We aim to expand Labour’s capacity to think about long term policy issues while complementing and bolstering the work of its frontbench team. As a government-in-waiting, Labour will need to make important policy decisions about the global challenges that lie ahead.
About the role
We are hiring someone to help establish and oversee Labour for the Long Term. This will be on a consultancy basis, fixed for one year with strong prospects for renewal subject to performance and funding.
It is an exciting time to join Labour for the Long Term. As the organisation’s first consultancy hire, you will work closely with the committee to develop our organisational strategy, identify opportunities for impact, build relationships with MPs and other institutions, and help it grow.
It is also an incredibly important time to work on long term policy. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the global and fatal impact of not preparing for catastrophic risks. Public concern about climate, and its long-term impact, has never been greater. As war has returned to Europe, many are worried about the risks of great power conflict and nuclear war.
But there are also huge opportunities: technological advances and rising global prosperity means that this could be the most important century for humanity. Good systems of governance, breakthroughs in health and science, and better policymaking could mean future generations have safer, healthier and happier lives than those who went before.
As policy adviser, you will have the opportunity to work closely with think tanks, MPs and other decision-makers to help craft Labour’s long term policy. You will develop research skills to analyse a complex range of policy areas and apply your research to policy formation.
The policy adviser will have a contact point in the Labour for the Long Term committee, who will meet regularly with you and support your work. Aside from occasional set-piece events, it will be up to you to manage your time well and book in relevant meetings.
The role will require between 3-5 days a week of work, depending on the individual and their other commitments. Payment will be apportioned on a pro rata basis.
There will be a 2 month probation period. Since this is a consultancy role, it is up to the individual to make arrangements for their pension, annual leave and sick leave.
Job description
As Labour for the Long Term is a new organisation, there is likely to be leeway in shaping the role. We expect the role to cover a range of tasks including:
- Organisation building (c.40%): setting up systems to ensure the smooth running of LLT, including a stakeholder management system, a social media strategy, briefing templates, advisory groups and any relevant internal or external policies.
- Research (c.20%): commissioning, writing and editing policy briefings for Labour audiences, including MPs, on a range of long-term policy areas. These are initially most likely to cover biosecurity, artificial intelligence and great power conflict. For a sense of how we approach these policy issues, please see our National Policy Forum submissions.
- Communications (c.10%): maintaining regular emails to stakeholders, updates on social media and the website.
- MP relationships (c.10%): working with the committee to build strong relationships with Labour MPs and their offices.
- Events (c.10%): working with the committee to help organise events, including at Labour Party Conference
- Admin (c.10%): assisting with administrative duties including financial reporting.
Person specification
Essential
- Self-starter: most importantly, the successful candidate will be flexible, willing to learn and take their own initiative. Since LLT is a new organisation and the role is part-time and varied, a willingness to be adaptable and flexible with regards to different tasks, timeframes and responsibilities will be particularly important. They may have started or led a volunteer initiative, organisation or self-driven project.
- Passionate about the policy issues: the successful candidate will be aware of long-term policy priorities (e.g. biosecurity, artificial intelligence, climate change and great power conflict) and motivated to make a difference. They may have worked or campaigned on such issues in the past.
- Political or policy experience: e.g. in an MP’s office, think tank, civil service, public affairs firm or campaigning for an NGO.
- Excellent communication skills: both written and verbal.
- A willingness to perform more typically ‘senior-level’ tasks such as representing the organisation and setting a strategy, as well as more typically ‘junior-level’ tasks such as running the website and editing briefings.
- Supportive of the Labour Party, able to work collaboratively with a range of individuals across the Labour political spectrum.
Desirable
- Relevant policy expertise: e.g. in biosecurity, emerging technology nuclear risk, foreign policy or health
- Experience of policy research
- Experience of working in Parliament or with MPs
We are especially keen to receive applications from groups which are under-represented in Westminster, including women, ethnic minorities and marginalised communities.
Application process
To apply, please fill in the form linked here.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a virtual interview and asked to prepare a presentation and complete a written task of <500 words.
Deadline: 21st October 2022, 11pm