Head of Public Affairs

The Royal Society is the independent science academy of the UK. It is a Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all disciplines. The Society’s fundamental purpose is to recognise, promote and support excellence in science for the benefit of humanity.

The Society has played a part in some of the most fundamental, significant, and life‑changing scientific discoveries in history. We recognise scientific excellence through our Fellows in academia and industry. We support research and innovation through extensive national and international funding programmes, publish across all areas of science, and bring scientific ideas to wide public audiences.

Our policy activities address global challenges such as pandemic responses, climate change, energy, food and water security, while making the case for long‑term investment in research and innovation and developing STEM education. We also set out the potential for emerging areas of science and technology such as data science, AI and genetic technologies.

The Head of Public Affairs plays a vital role in the Society’s mission to influence policy and science decision‑making for the better. The successful candidate will work with Fellows, the senior team, and teams across the Society to develop products and influencing plans, and to build partnerships and alliances to ensure that the Society’s scientific evidence and expertise has impact and influence.

You will ensure that there is strategic coherence to our political engagement, through effectively influencing parliamentarians, and the instruments of parliament including select committees.

The Public Affairs team is agile and responsive. The successful candidate will oversee the team’s work in influencing the science, education and skills system (for example on Spending Reviews, Budgets, and other fiscal and parliamentary events), and in policy areas where science is fundamentally important (for example on climate, biodiversity and emerging technologies). You will be responsible for promoting and supporting interactions to ensure that scientific evidence and the Society’s expertise informs and influences policy actors to use science to benefit humanity.

The Head of Public Affairs works closely with the senior team and is at the heart of our dealings with politicians across the UK. You will shape and deliver public affairs strategies and programmes. You will support the Chief Science Policy Officer, President and Vice‑Presidents and the Executive Director in meetings with politicians and will also represent the Society in your own capacity.

You will also use the Society’s convening power to establish and maintain external networks to support the Society’s public affairs goals and contribute to the overall management of the Royal Society.

Chief Science Policy Officer

Public Affairs team – 1 Senior Public Affairs Adviser, 1 Public Affairs Adviser (team is currently 4 people)

6‑9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG
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35 hours per week, with some flexibility about working hours given the nature of the role. (The Royal Society also has flexible start/finish times around a core working day 10am to 4pm)

F

£61,506–£76,882 per annum

Permanent

Sunday 21 January 23:59pm.

First round interviews to take place 5 February 2024. Second round interviews to take place 12 February 2024.

All Royal Society roles are office based at our Piccadilly premises, although some hybrid working is available depending on the role. No fully remote contracts are offered. Please ensure you are able to come to our central London offices on a regular basis, whenever you are needed, and at your own expense before applying. We do not offer any relocation allowance or travel subsidy.

• Using tact and empathy, work with Fellows and the Society’s policy teams to develop influencing plans for projects, advising and supporting colleagues to maximise the impact and influence of the Society’s work.
• Develop and manage a public affairs strategy to ensure maximum influence for the Society’s evidence and expertise with a…