Policy Impact Lead

Location: Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG

Contract type: FTC (13 months in the first instance)

Hours: Full time (37.5/ 1 FTE)

About the role

The Policy and Evidence Centre on Modern Slavery and Human Rights (PEC) is a policy-oriented Centre which was created to produce research, evidence and expert analysis capable of transforming the effectiveness of laws and policies designed to address the great global challenge of modern slavery and human trafficking, taking a human rights-based approach. The Centre, which was originally an initiative of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (“AHRC”), was established in 2019 by the investment of public funding from UK Research and Innovation.

The PEC has built a reputation for producing high quality and impactful policy-relevant research and expert analysis. In 2024 it received continuation funding from AHRC to support its transition to long term sustainability, and it moved to the University of Oxford, where it is hosted by the Humanities Division and is part of the vision for the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. The Centre has ambitious plans to grow and develop its policy-influencing work in adjacent areas of human rights policy. The Policy Impact Lead is a crucial role in making this transition.

The Policy Impact Lead is an important leadership role in the PEC’s structure, with lead responsibility for overseeing and implementing the Centre’s programmatic activity related to policy impact.

The main duties include maintaining key relationships and engagement of key and senior policymakers and evolving the PEC’s existing policy impact work bringing together researchers and decision-makers.

About you

You will have experience of policy impact work with a good understanding of the modern slavery or other areas of human rights policy landscape and the ability to engage with policy makers including government departments, parliamentarians, and international bodies.

You will have the ability to translate complex research into accessible, actionable policy recommendations. To be successful in this role you will need to possess excellent project and programme management skills.

The duties and skills required are described in further detail in the job description.

Application process

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via the above ‘Apply’ button, where the job description and access to the online recruitment system can also be found.

For your online application, you will be required to upload your curriculum vitae and a supporting statement, setting out how you meet the selection criteria for the post, using examples of your skills and experience. As part of your application, you will be asked to provide details of two referees and indicate whether we can contact them now.

For further details, please refer to the How to apply section of the job description. Any further enquires may be directed to hr@humanities.ox.ac.uk.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Friday 19^th September 2025. Only applications received before this time can be considered.

Shortlisting will take place during the following week and interviews are expected to be held during the week beginning 6^th October 2025.

Please quote Vacancy ID 180344 on all correspondence.

Committed to equality and valuing diversity

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