We’re recruiting a Policy Manager

The Work Rights Centre is a leading advocate for the rights of migrants and vulnerable workers. Our frontline team recovers thousands in unpaid wages and helps hundreds of people to secure their immigration status every year. But we know that to create lasting change, we can't just fix individual problems—we have to change the systems that cause them. This is where you come in.

We are looking for a Policy Manager to continue leading our ambitious policy influencing work. This is a senior role, ideal for someone with substantial public affairs experience, a deep understanding of how immigration and employment laws can perpetuate exploitation, and a genuine passion for social justice.

• Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week)
• Pay: £38,000 - £41,000 (depending on experience)
• Location: London hybrid, with the option of remote-only work for an exceptional candidate. 
• Reporting to: CEO
• Probation: 6 months 

You will be joining us at a time of real growth. The charity has established its presence with policymakers, and has earned a reputation for high-quality research, nuanced recommendations, and extraordinary agility.  We don’t miss a single policy development concerning migrant workers, and pride ourselves for our ability to quickly digest the implications, support our arguments with data, and work with journalists to secure public support for our calls for change. This  is possible thanks to our passionate systems-change team, who bring together expertise in strategic communications, data analysis, and research, as well as our wider legal team. We are looking for a colleague who can match their passion and hit the ground running. 

The Role

As Policy Manager you will be the driving force of our policy influencing agenda. We count on you to develop nuanced recommendations, grounded in high-quality research, and to work with policy makers to raise awareness, secure buy-in, and achieve real-world change. Reporting directly to the CEO, your main responsibilities will include:

• Monitoring policy developments at the intersection of employment and work-migration. In the short term, in employment you will keep an eye on the Fair Work Agency and the implementation of the government’s Make Work Pay agenda. In immigration, you will monitor developments concerning high-risk employer-sponsored visas.

• Producing nuanced analyses that spell out the implications of policy developments in a clear and accessible manner, and conclude with actionable recommendations.

• Influencing decision-makers, including government, parliamentarians, parliamentary committees and APPGs. This includes evidence submissions, 1:1s, and working in multi-stakeholder environments.

• Contributing to research publications that document the systemic drivers of migrant worker exploitation, and draw on best practice to give policy makers options for change. 

• Contributing to the charity’s strategy, and taking up line management duties as required.

About you

This is a senior role for a candidate who can hit the ground running. We would love to hear from you if you have:

• Good knowledge of UK immigration and/or employment justice, evidenced by academic credentials and/or professional experience.

• At least three years of professional experience in policy influencing. We will consider less if you can demonstrate other relevant experience (i.e. in research or legal advice).

• Excellent analytical and research skills, evidenced by a track-record of publications (such as policy analyses, reports etc).

• Excellent communication skills, including an ability to work effectively in a multi-stakeholder environment.

• A real sense of purpose, commitment to our mission, and appreciation for the power of team work. 

We particularly welcome applicants who have lived experience of injustice at the intersection of employment and immigration policies. Even if you are unsure if you meet all the criteria, if you trust your voice and think you have a lot to offer, we encourage you to apply  

What happens after you apply

We will consider applications on a rolling basis, and will invite strong candidates to complete a technical task. We may start interviews before the application deadline, but will continue to interview until 31 October, to ensure that all applicants are given a fair chance.

We seek to appoint a candidate as soon as reasonably possible, and are prepared to accommodate hybrid working to ease their transition into the post. If you have any accessibility requirements, please do not hesitate to let us know.