Head of Public Affairs - Education Sector
MillionPlus, London, £50,000 to £57,000 Maternity cover from January 2027
Do you fancy the challenge of engaging Parliament on behalf of Britain's modern universities?
MillionPlus is the Association for Modern Universities in the UK, and it rightly calls itself the voice of 21st century higher education. Modern universities are vital to their local communities, and their graduates drive economic growth.
This public affairs role is a maternity cover, and it will give you the chance to shape and drive public affairs outcomes across 2027.
What you will do
You will report to the Chief Executive and work closely with the Heads of Policy and Research and of Communications. You will:
- Set and deliver the parliamentary strategy. Decide who MillionPlus needs to reach across Parliament, government and the civil service, then build and manage those relationships.
- Write to persuade. Produce briefings, committee evidence and consultation responses for Ministers, officials and parliamentarians. You will draft parliamentary questions and Early Day Motions, and find the bills and guidance where MillionPlus can make a difference.
- Run three networks. You will bring together a range of networks that will help turn members' insights into policy positions and communication outcomes.
- Create moments that get noticed. You will run the party conference programme and stage receptions, debates and round-tables that put modern universities in front of the right people.
- Keep members ahead of events. You will track Westminster, Whitehall and the devolved administrations, tell staff and member universities what matters to them, and measure what your work achieves.
The policy agenda is wide: higher education funding, skills, regional growth, immigration, teacher and health professional education, and the international agenda. Current campaigns include Think Modern, Modern Universities as Placemakers and Britain Runs on Modern Universities, and you will help bring them to life with decision makers.
What you will bring
- A sound grasp of how policy is made, and of the routes for influencing legislation and guidance, at Westminster and beyond.
- A record of advocacy with MPs, Peers or officials, through meetings, briefings and digital channels of communication.
- A good understanding of higher education policy, how it is funded and what is on the political agenda.
- The ability to analyse policy and turn it into practical recommendations, actionable outcomes and public affairs campaign messages.
- Proven skill at writing briefings, committee evidence and consultation responses that busy decision makers will read and take action on.
- Strategic thinking: you can plan and deliver engagement programmes across politics and stakeholder organisations.
- Experience of running prominent events, keeping to budget and managing suppliers.
- A degree, or equivalent work experience.
Experience of working in a membership-based organisation would be a real advantage.
What you will get
- A senior role with direct access to the Chief Executive and a real say in how MillionPlus is heard.
- A close-knit team in central London.
- 27 days of annual leave, plus 7 university days over Christmas.
How to apply
For the full job specification and details of the next steps, email Joseph Henry at joseph.henry@westminstersearch.com.
I am happy to talk the role through with you before you apply.
Recruited by Westminster Search, PR, Public Affairs & Policy Recruitment