Policy Manager

Location: Oxford-based, with UK-wide travel (especially to London), but with flexibility on day-to-day working arrangements

Hours: Full-time, with some evening and breakfast events required

Deadline: Tuesday, 15 July 2025, with interviews in Oxford by Tuesday 22^nd July 2025.

HEPI is an Oxford-based think tank and charity. We are looking to appoint a new Policy Manager to help lead the debate on higher education policy. The successful candidate will work with people from across UK higher education on projects aimed at improving policy. They will need to be able to work on their own and in a team, to have excellent writing / editing skills and to enjoy working on different projects simultaneously.

The successful candidate will contribute to HEPI’s policy-focused and evidence-based research, including writing publications, supporting events and managing HEPI’s daily blog. The role also includes working with the media. Reporting to HEPI’s Director, the Policy Manager will work closely with every member of the small HEPI staff team.

HEPI is funded by most universities and around 20 companies that work with UK universities. The role has a focus on partnership working, including developing publications collaboratively with other organisations.

This is a fast-paced and rewarding role as you will be joining a team of dynamic, dedicated and experienced colleagues, who constantly strive to have impact and influence in the higher education sector and among policymakers.

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead research projects on higher education, including with other organisations – such as the HEPI / Advance HE Student Academic Experience Survey and the HEPI / Kortext Student Generative AI Survey
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Partnerships on stakeholder coordination
• Maintain and edit HEPI’s high-profile daily blog
• Give speeches / presentations and chair online and in-person events
• Write press releases and speak to the media

Essential Skills

• Clear communicator in writing and speaking
• Experience of analysis / research
• An ability to manage different projects simultaneously
• A team player who is also happy to work independently much of the time
• A strong desire to enhance UK higher education policy debates 

Desirable existing experience

• Knowledge of higher education and research policy
• Working with the media 
• Managing a website / social media 
• Public speaking
• Overseeing projects where more than one organisation is involved

Benefits of working at HEPI

• 8 per cent pension contributions into the NEST pension scheme (after 3 months)
• We allow staff to work from home on a regular basis
• We have a modest training budget and encourage staff to make use of it
• We are currently developing a new Staff Handbook, which outlines all our staff policies and this will be available to the successful candidate before they start

Application process

Please submit a CV, a covering letter (setting out how you meet the person specification and why you want to work for HEPI) and a short piece of writing on a relevant topic (such a draft blog on a current higher education policy issue) to admin@hepi.ac.uk via the 'Apply' button by 5.00pm GMT on Tuesday, 15th July 2025. Each of these three items should be no more than two pages long.

If you would like an informal discussion about this role, please contact Nick Hillman n.hillman@hepi.ac.uk