Senior Government Public Affairs Consultant, Jobs2030 (Freelance, Director level)

Description

• Own and deliver a national public-affairs strategy that positions Jobs2030 as the UK’s flagship banking-sector reskilling programme, mapping parliamentary cycles, the 2026 Labour Conference, and key skills-policy milestones into a rolling 18-month engagement calendar.
• Translate complex labour-market data and reskilling outcomes into crisp, politically resonant narratives that MPs, ministers, and senior civil servants can champion in Westminster, Whitehall, and devolved administrations.
• Build and nurture a cross-party coalition of supportive parliamentarians—select-committee chairs, APPG officers, and ministerial special advisers—through regular briefings, roundtables, and site visits to showcase live reskilling cohorts.
• Design and execute high-impact advocacy campaigns that secure keynote slots, op-eds, and panel invitations for Zopa leadership at tier-one policy events (e.g., CBI Skills Summit, Work and Pensions Select Committee, Labour and Conservative Party Conferences).
• Lead the end-to-end partner-acquisition funnel: identify, prioritise, and secure new member partners from tier-1 banks, challenger fintechs, universities, FE colleges, and specialist training providers, negotiating MoUs that unlock co-funding and joint marketing.
• Orchestrate quarterly “coalition summits” where member partners co-create case studies, share best-practice playbooks, and commit to joint lobbying asks—turning Jobs2030 from a Zopa programme into a sector-wide movement.
• Coach and media-train the Zopa Executive Committee and subject-matter experts so they can confidently front select-committee evidence sessions, Today Programme interviews, and LinkedIn Live panels without external-agency support.
• Establish KPIs for policy influence (e.g., mentions in green/white papers, EDM signatures), stakeholder reach (e.g., ministerial meetings secured), and partner growth (net-new members per quarter); report progress to the VP Communications & External Affairs in concise, data-rich dashboards.
• Maintain a real-time stakeholder map covering 150+ senior individuals across HM Treasury, DWP, DfE, DSIT, the Skills and Productivity Board, trade bodies (UK Finance, Innovate Finance), and think tanks (Resolution Foundation, IPPR), ensuring every contact is tagged by priority, interest, and last interaction.
• Rapidly respond to breaking policy developments—such as Budget announcements or Skills England consultations—crafting 24-hour briefing packs that arm Zopa spokespeople with lines-to-take, infographics, and case-study quotes.
• Collaborate with Zopa’s Policy, Legal, and Compliance teams to ensure all advocacy activity meets Cabinet Office lobbying rules, electoral law, and APPG disclosure requirements, while still delivering bold, creative campaigns.
• Pilot joint “policy labs” with member partners to test new modular training curricula, feeding real-world outcomes back into DWP and DfE policy consultations to shape future funding pots and accreditation standards.
• Curate an annual “Jobs2030 Impact Report” that blends hard metrics (number of learners reskilled, salary uplift, diversity ratios) with human stories, securing a foreword from a sitting minister and distribution to every MP constituency office.
• Champion social-mobility and diversity narratives, ensuring Jobs2030 is cited as a best-practice case study in government equity-of-opportunity frameworks and corporate ESG disclosures.
• Act as the external face of Jobs2030 at select industry dinners, City roundtables, and international delegations (e.g., Singapore Fintech Festival, Paris AI Summit), converting soft-power conversations into concrete partnership leads.

Requirements

• 10–15 years’ experience in UK government affairs, public policy, or advocacy, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role (Practice Director, Head of Public Affairs, or equivalent).
• Deep, trusted relationships with senior MPs, ministers, special advisers, and civil servants across HM Treasury, DWP, DfE, and DSIT.
• Demonstrated success influencing national policy outcomes—evidenced by white-paper citations, legislative amendments, or select-committee recommendations.
• Proven ability to build and mobilise cross-sector coalitions in skills, employment, education, or financial-services ecosystems.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a portfolio of persuasive briefings, op-eds, and keynote speeches delivered to C-suite and ministerial audiences.

️ Benefits

• Day-rate freelance contract at Director-level remuneration, with flexible time commitment (2–3 days per week) and the option to work fully remote or hybrid from Zopa’s London HQ.
• Direct access to Zopa’s C-suite and board, offering high-visibility exposure and the opportunity to shape a nationally significant workforce-reskilling agenda.
• Complimentary passes and VIP hospitality at premier policy conferences, including party conferences, CBI events, and international fintech summits.
• A dedicated research and analytics budget to commission polling, economic-impact modelling, and design assets that strengthen advocacy campaigns.

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