ShareAction

We are at a pivotal moment: the climate and biodiversity crises are deepening, and inequalities are even more marked in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global investment system has an oversized impact on many of these global challenges. We want to make sure that impact is positive. At ShareAction we work with investors, policymakers and individuals to unleash the positive potential of the investment system. We aim to build a world where our financial system serves our planet and its people.

Team

ShareAction’s policy team, based in London and Brussels, has played an influential role in shaping UK and European sustainable finance policy development over the last decade. This is an exciting time for the team, which is currently growing from six members to ten. The team is responsible for driving forward ShareAction’s distinctive public interest agenda through successfully managing relationships in the UK and the EU with senior financial policy makers and their officials, politicians of all parties, financial supervisors and regulators, and other significant players in the policy-making eco-system.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in ShareAction’s UK policy team on a new campaign to change the rules of the financial system. We are planning a campaign to properly embed sustainability into investors’ legal (“fiduciary”) duties. We are looking to appoint a Senior Policy Officer to make this happen. Pension schemes play a huge role in shaping the world around us through where, and how, they invest, but the rules of the system still require them to put profits over people and planet.

Working with different teams across ShareAction, you will help to build a campaign which galvanises investors, legal advisers, other industry practitioners, and the public to support bold reform of the law. You will then lead on taking this campaign to policy makers to advocate for legal and regulatory change that promotes genuinely sustainable and long-term investment.

If you are looking for a career in public policy or campaigning then this role is a fantastic opportunity to hone your advocacy, relationship building and communication skills. You will develop your understanding of, and engagement with, UK policy making processes and the financial system as well as social and environmental issues.

More information about our policy activities is available on our webpage at https://shareaction.org/policy-and-regulation/

What you’ll do

You’ll help to build the case for public policy reform, particularly around the legal duties of pension schemes, to ensure the financial system properly takes account of the needs of our planet and its people.

You’ll be building relations with industry practitioners and policymakers to build interest in our campaign.

• You’ll identify and respond to key opportunities for influencing policymakers including through consultations, Parliamentary activity (e.g. Parliamentary questions and motions), meetings etc
• You’ll be supporting us to build a strategy to influence key policymakers on legal reform, under guidance from your line manager and others in the team.
• You’ll be our key contact in communicating progress of our work to the broader team, media and funders.
• You’ll be helping to organise events as well as speaking at events aimed at influencing practitioners and policymakers.
• You’ll be keeping up to date on any new legislation and relevant developments and feeding this back to the team where relevant.
• You’ll be attending external events on behalf of ShareAction and sharing any learnings with the ShareAction team.

What you’ll bring to the team

• A passion for campaigning and making a difference in the policy space.
• An ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide variety of industry and policy maker stakeholders.
• Understanding of the UK Parliamentary and/or policymaking process;
• Excellent communication skills, in both written and spoken English, including an ability to communicate complex issues in a clear and accessible way;
• Organised and self-directed on work initiatives with a strong attention to detail;
• Proven capacity to undertake varied tasks simultaneously and to tight deadlines;
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to work as part of a team.
• Willingness to work with politicians from a range of political parties.

What we will do for you

• You’ll have plenty of opportunities to attend events, including in Parliament and the City.
• We will provide ongoing training opportunities throughout the year to support in professional development.
• We will support you with any learning and development you might need with our systems.
• An integrated UK and EU policy team means you will be able to learn about and contribute to policy developments in the EU.
• Information on our flexible working policy is outlined in the “Other information” section below

Hours: Full time (35 hours a week)

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £27,500 - £32,000 per annum (dependent on experience) plus 8 per cent pension (non-contributory) and benefits including a healthcare scheme

Closing date: We are considering applications on a rolling basis. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application within two weeks of submission

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcome applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and so if you are not 100 per cent sure that you meet all the requirements but believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and use the application questions to tell us about your experience and what you hope to bring to this role.

We also actively encourage staff to work in ways that best suit their needs and our flexible working policy outlines many of the options available- such as part-time and term-time working, job sharing, home working and working compressed hours. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

ShareAction’s London office is based in vibrant Bermondsey and a short walk from London Bridge underground and national rail. Remote working will remain the norm for many ShareAction staff as we continue to face the Covid-19 pandemic, with office space available in London for those who wish to use it.

Please note that to be considered for this post you must be legally eligible to work and live in the UK. Due to employment law and tax reasons you must reside in the UK to be employed by ShareAction. We are unable to sponsor visas for this role.