Charity registered in Scotland SC042833
We are recruiting for a Policy Advisor based in Nesta’s Scotland Office.
About Nesta
We are Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale solutions to society’s biggest problems. Our three missions are to give every child a fair start, help people live healthy lives, and create a sustainable future where the economy works for both people and the planet.
For over 20 years, we have worked to support, encourage and inspire innovation. We work in three roles: as an innovation partner working with frontline organisations to design and test new solutions, as a venture builder supporting new and early stage businesses, and as a system shaper creating the conditions for innovation.
Harnessing the rigour of science and the creativity of design, we work relentlessly to change millions of lives for the better. Find out more atnesta.org.uk.
Whatever it takes
Everyone works at Nesta because we are driven by a deep commitment to our missions. A guiding principle of our culture is that we do whatever it takes to achieve them, bringing our best to all our work.
How will a Policy Advisor contribute to Nesta’s success?
The Policy Advisor will work to drive impact across Nesta’s three missions.
We believe policy change is a major route to impact at scale and this role will bring direct policy expertise, policy and political insights to our work, and ensure innovation is a cornerstone of policy thinking and development.
Team
You will be part of Nesta’s policy team. Based in the Scotland office, you will work closely with the Head of Scotland, Scotland based Mission teams, UK policy and communications colleagues as well as wider teams across Nesta as required.
Role
You will be expected to:
The person
Essential
Desirable
What we offer
Salary:£49,200 - £65,800 (offers are expected to be made towards the bottom of the band) plus array of benefits, including private medical insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more
Location: This role is based in Edinburgh, hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of two days in the office
Term: Fixed term contract/Secondments considered / 12 months
Hours:This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.
Reports to:Head of Scotland
Flexibility:This role is available to be a job-share.
About Nesta
We are Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale solutions to society’s biggest problems. Our three missions are to give every child a fair start, help people live healthy lives, and create a sustainable future.
For over 20 years, we have worked to support, encourage and inspire innovation. We work in three roles: as an innovation partner working with frontline organisations to design and test new solutions, as a venture builder supporting new and early stage businesses, and as a system shaper creating the conditions for innovation.
Harnessing the rigour of science and the creativity of design, we work relentlessly to change millions of lives for the better. Find out more at nesta.org.uk.
Whatever it takes
Everyone works at Nesta because we are driven by a deep commitment to our missions. A guiding principle of our culture is that we do whatever it takes to achieve them, bringing our best to all our work.
The role
Analysts in Nesta’s Sustainable Future Mission team provide the research and analysis that underpin our projects, as well as getting stuck in to the practical delivery of those projects. This role will suit someone who is curious and excited to develop new skills through working on a range of activities relevant to the mission: over a given week you might be conducting qualitative user research to understand how a service works (or doesn’t), interpreting findings from quantitative survey results, and working with partners to test and implement a new way of doing things to improve outcomes.
This role will contribute to our Sustainable Future Mission work across the UK, but will be based in our Edinburgh office with a primary focus on supporting our work in Scotland.
The following list sets out the core tasks an Analyst in the team will be expected to participate in. We don’t expect you to be an expert at this stage, but we want you to come to Nesta with a growth mindset where you are ready to experiment and learn.
This is a role with the potential for a lot of variety. We set aside dedicated time every week for personal learning related to the mission or to skills development; we work in multidisciplinary teams by default; and run ad hoc projects with other teams in Nesta. Through these you will have the opportunity to grow your skills and experience and learn new ways of working.
Skills specification
Essential
Desirable
What we offer
Salary:£37,400 - £51,400 (note that we typically place new starters towards the bottom of this salary band) plus array of benefits, including health cash plans, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more.
Location: The postholder will be based at our Scotland office and would be expected to attend the workplace twice per week. The postholder must also be available for monthly travel to London.
Term: Permanent
Hours: This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.
Reports to: Mission Manager, A Sustainable Future, Nesta Scotland