Senior Policy Officer

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 309074**Salary**:

- £42,090 - £48,996**Job grade**:

- Other- E3**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Type of role**:

- Policy**Working pattern**:

- Full-time, Homeworking**Number of jobs available**:

- 2Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- EdinburghAbout the job

**Job summary**:
Senior Policy Officer
Permanent
Edinburgh/Hybrid

£42,090 - £48,996 E3

Everything we do at the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) aims to create the right environment for colleges and universities to thrive individually and collectively.

The Scottish Funding Council is Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority. Our ambition is to make Scotland an outstanding place to learn, educate, research, and innovate - now and for the future. So, naturally, we have a clear focus on recruiting the best people and developing them throughout their career. We invest around £2 billion every year, and our funding enables colleges and universities to provide life-changing opportunities for over half a million people.

We’re not only looking for the best people to come and work for us, but also people who will connect with our guiding principles which include working in partnership, championing diversity, and supporting sustainability for future generations.

By fostering our guiding principles, we are very proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. We are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds: we want our colleague base to reflect the people and communities that we serve.

**Job Summary**
- The Policy, Insight and Analytics directorate sits at the heart of the organisation. Among its functions is a policy team which is responsible for bringing coherence to SFC’s policy work, analysing and developing policy positions for the future that contribute to wider economic and education impacts, and supporting SFC’s strategic relationships with relevant UK stakeholders. In practice this includes shaping specific areas of policy which span the breadth of SFC’s work, supporting key national consultations or policy reviews that require cross-organisation coordination, and working with key partners across the UK to act as a channel of intelligence on external developments and advising on the implications for SFC._

**Job description**:
**Key Responsibilities**
- _ Lead and/or support (variously) the development of key areas of policy which shape the breadth of SFC’s work engaging with colleagues from across the organisation. _
- _Take responsibility for engagement with key partners, ensuring SFC’s policy positions are clearly understood and that there is effective and proactive stakeholder management within a complex operating environment._
- _ Horizon-scan and provide advice, support and guidance to internal and external Scottish stakeholders, producing briefings, reports and committee papers as required for SFC senior management and key stakeholders._
- _ Provide advice and guidance to institutions and stakeholders (both internal and external) as required. _
- _Draft and present policy and strategy papers at committee and board level. _
- _Draft high-level briefings, policy and strategy papers, speeches and other materials for senior SFC staff and board members. _
- _Represent SFC at external meetings, conferences and other events, including giving presentations, chairing and facilitating discussions when required. _
- _Provide effective line management to other team members as required. _
- _Contribute flexibly to the work of the wider directorate and other groups in SFC as appropriate and when required. From time to time this may include deputising for your line manager or other colleagues._

**Person specification**:
**It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:
- _Experience of policy development, stakeholder engagement and influencing within a complex political environment._
- _A proven track record of delivering high quality and effective outputs within time and resource constraints, including effective organisation and project management skills to cope with a diverse workload._
- _Well-developed analytical skills, including the ability to use both qualitative and quantitative data to good effect. _
- _Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in order to represent, negotiate and persuade and the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse range of people, including those working at a senior level, and to enhance SFC’s reputation. _
- _Effective oral and written communication skills_
- _A proven ability to analyse, understand and respond to complex issues in an appropriate manner, demonstrating good judgement._
- _Ability to work collectively and with impact as part of a team. _
- _Degree level education (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 9) or equivalent experience_

**Be