Job Title: Stakeholder & Policy Manager

Location:  Warrington-based with significant UK travel

Job Purpose: This post will liaise with regional and devolved administration-based Cogent staff to support the work of the Director of Stakeholder & Policy, including the collation of data and production of reports to influence policy. This post will assist in the negotiation process with stakeholders, to ensure that the interests of Cogent sector industries are represented and promoted.

Accountabilities:

• Supporting the work of the Director of Stakeholder and Policy in ensuring the strategic priorities of Cogent are reflected and delivered at regional & devolved administration level.
• Ensuring the key policies, structures, and funding opportunities represented by the Devolved Administrations and English Regions are understood by Cogent staff and are reflected accurately in reports and presentations for stakeholders.
• Ensuring that all Cogent’s reports and briefings for UK stakeholders are written for and reflect the particular audience
• Ensuring key policies and funding opportunities in Europe that impact on Cogent sector industries, are communicated to Cogent staff
• Producing regional reports for Cogent’s Sector Skills Agreement and research and policy briefings to inform Cogent staff and support their attendance at meetings with stakeholders
• Assisting in the management of the ESF project and other project management as required

Overall Objectives:

• Produce 9 regional SSA reports
• Co-ordinate Cogent responses to key policy consultations
• Produce Research & Policy data and reports on Cogent’s key stakeholders for Cogent Staff
• Liaise with the Director of Communications & External Affairs over the production and utilisation of the new Cogent ‘toolbox’ for the regions

Annual Objectives 2007:

• Produce 9 regional reports that fulfil the requirements of SSDA and the ESF contract
• Co-ordinate a Cogent response to at least 6 agreed policy consultations
• Produce a regular stakeholder and policy research briefing to all Cogent staff.
• Support Cogent regional and devolved administration staff in the production of regional action plans for working with stakeholders.

Person Specification

Essential Characteristics

• Degree or equivalent in social science-related discipline
• Experience of handling data and statistics and manipulating them to produce reports
• Good understanding of UK policy context including understanding of regional and devolved administration organisation structures
• Good understanding of different education systems across the UK
• Experience of writing reports to influence stakeholders
• Experience of working in partnership with employers and education and training stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and inter-personal skills
• Able to work on own initiative and as a member of a team
• Willingness and ability to travel across the UK including overnight stays.

Desirable Characteristics

• Training in research methodology
• Experience of policy analysis and producing policy consultation responses
• Experience of working within UK education and training system and/or working with a Cogent industry
• Understanding of European policy context
• Project management experience
• Understanding of ESF and other regional/national funding streams