Policy Advisor

Job summary

You will be joining the ‘Things To Do’ sub-team of the Youth Team.

The Youth team is an innovative team, within the high profile Civil Society and Youth Directorate, that has responsibility for a range of high profile policy areas, including delivering the National Youth Strategy, supporting the youth sector, and ensuring meaningful engagement with young people across the country. The purpose of the ‘Things to Do’ sub-team is the delivery of the key ambition to halve the participation gap in enriching activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers. We are responsible for a range of youth programmes in and out-of-school as well as for the youth strand of the Erasmus+ programme and the collaborative work with a range of funders, including philanthropists.

The team is a driven, friendly unit with a vision to ensure the programmes we deliver and the engagements we lead have the greatest impact for young people and their communities.

We are firmly committed to our people, and this is reflected in our values. We work hard to build an environment that is diverse and inclusive, as well as warm, friendly and collaborative; where each member of staff can flourish, feel comfortable being themselves at work, develop their skills and move their career forward.

Job description

Youth Policy is very broad in scope and is a Prime Minister and Secretary of State priority. Specific priorities can change, and so you need to be comfortable working in this environment, with the ability to respond creatively and flexibly to enable programmes to be delivered and funding ambitions to be met, alongside wider Youth Policy initiatives.

This is a new role in the Things to Do Team, part of the Youth Services Team, so detailed activities and responsibilities may evolve whilst Ministers' priorities solidify and the role beds in.

Key responsibilities are expected to include:

• Develop and implement a plan to build partnerships and increase philanthropic support for the National Youth Strategy
• Work closely with the Be Seen &​ Heard Team to ensure young people and youth sector voices are part of the plans
• Work closely with other teams across Youth Policy, the DCMS Philanthropy Team,, the Office for the Impact Economy in the Cabinet Office and No.10 Partnerships Unit to identify opportunities and align youth activity with wider philanthropic asks
• Lead and / or advise on the development of youth policy proposals with a “think philanthropy” approach, in line with the Place-Based Philanthropy Strategy
• Develop strong working relationships with external partners and funders, including philanthropists, trusts and foundations and corporate funders
• Leading briefings and advice to senior leaders, Special Advisors and Ministers on when and how to engage with potential partners and funders
• Support the wider Things to Do team with ambition to halve the participation gap in enriching activities, including the design and delivery of grant programmes