Public Affairs Officer

Closing date:
16 Nov 2025

Location:
Hybrid - London office & home

Vacancy type:
Permanent

Salary:
£29,000 - £31,000 p/a + benefits

Hours per week:
35

Have you had experience of working with or in the UK Parliament?

Can you think creatively, communicate well and make strong connections with a wide range of people?

Are you passionate about driving change and committed to helping tackle one of the UK's biggest killers?

If so, you may be the Public Affairs Officer we're looking for

About the role

Our Policy and Public Affairs team exists to engage with, inform and influence key decision makers in the UK Government and health system in England to help ensure the UK remains a global leader in cardiovascular research, and improve treatment and care for the millions of people living with cardiovascular diseases across the UK.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Public Affairs Officer to join our award winning and high impact team as we seek to influence the implementation of the Government's Life Sciences Sector Plan.

You'll engage with Parliamentarians to raise awareness of British Heart Foundation (BHF) funded research in Westminster and in their individual constituencies, while proactively spotting opportunities to draw attention to the need to address the historic shortfall in cardiovascular research funding and how Government can do so.

You'll also support the delivery of a programme of activity and engagement that contributes to our wider
Hearts Need More
campaign, which aims to ensure cardiovascular disease remains a priority, from prevention through to cure.

About you

We're looking for someone with an interest in and understanding of the UK's political environment, with good insight into the workings of the UK Government and Westminster parliamentary procedure. You'll have an understanding of the role of BHF and other medical research charities in general, or a broader awareness of the UK's research environment.

You'll have some experience of working in the UK Parliament or within a public affairs in-house team or consultancy, and have excellent communication skills. Previous engagement with political stakeholders will be helpful, but we also welcome those who are keen to build these relationships.

We're looking for someone who can understand and distil sometimes complex information, simply and clearly in a range of formats – letters, briefings, social media posts – for a range of audiences. Strong organisational skills are also important, and any experience helping to organise or support events would be useful.

This is an opportunity to make a profound impact for our patients, their families, and our supporters.

Working arrangements

This is a blended role, where your work will be dual located between your home and our London office.

At BHF we believe in the power of being together, so our colleagues on blended contracts can expect to spend some time in their office, at least one day each week, on average. The use of our office spaces is driven in part by your role and the activities you need to do. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause.

About us

Every single one of us is vulnerable to the heartbreak caused by heart and circulatory diseases – they are the world's biggest killers. But the research we fund represents hope. And nothing matters more than finding cures and treatments that give us more time with the people we love.

We celebrate diversity and make inclusion part of what we do every day. Diversity and Inclusion forms a main pillar in our People Experience Strategy. Our aim is for all of our colleagues and volunteers to bring their true self to work, so we can continue to fund life saving research.

Here at the BHF we understand that you might need a little help balancing your work and home life. Many of our people work flexibly in many different ways. Please feel free to talk to us about the flexibility you may need; we're happy to explore what's possible for you and the role.

Interview process

Interviews will be held, in person, w/c 24th November 2025 at our London head office. Ahead of the interview candidates will be asked to complete a short task.

How to apply

It's quick and easy to apply for a role at BHF. Just click through to our careers site to apply. All you'll need is an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the role's criteria.

As part of our commitment to be an inclusive employer and ensure fairness and consistency in selecting the best candidate for this role, the BHF will use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey.

Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us.