Policy Advisor — (Early Year Focus) - Parental leave cover

We are recruiting for a Policy Advisor in Nesta’s Policy Team. Please note that this is a 12-month parental leave cover. This role is open to secondment arrangements.

About Nesta

We are Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale solutions to society’s biggest challenges. 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 supported, encouraged and inspired 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. You can read more about our culture on our website.

How will a Policy Advisor contribute to Nesta’s success?

A policy advisor will help us make progress on our missions by:

• Working at the intersection of our A Fairer Start mission and wider governmental policy priorities
• Working on cross-cutting issues to unblock or galvanise action on our missions

Policy change is a major route to impact at scale for Nesta. We combine our expertise in applied innovation (i.e. the practical work we do to design, test, scale) with policy expertise and political insights to develop and land policy changes in service of our missions.

The role

In this role, you will be part of the central Policy Team (approximately 14 people) at Nesta — strengthening Nesta’s relationships with policy-makers and bringing fresh, innovative and pragmatic solutions to some of the biggest challenges the country faces. Your primary focus will be on early years and related policy in relation to the UK Government; the team also has colleagues focusing specifically on the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

This is a fixed-term role covering parental leave for 12 months. We are open to secondment arrangements from public, third-sector or other organisations.

You’ll work closely with our multidisciplinary A Fairer Start mission team. You can expect to collaborate closely with colleagues who have a diverse range of expertise across research, data science, design, behavioural science and communications.

You can expect to be writing policy notes, synthesising evidence and insights from our mission work, identifying and engaging with key stakeholders, developing and helping to formulate policy recommendations and landing influencing strategies effectively. You can also expect to get involved in building products for policymakers and in convening across sectors — both publicly and privately.

You will need to be a resilient self-starter, curious about a wide range of policy domains, adaptable to change, and excited by the potential impact of mission-driven approaches in government.

You will:

• Write incisive policy notes to policymakers, synthesising insights from primary research, reviews and data analysis. You may also support other Nesta teams in developing and writing their own policy outputs.
• Conduct research and draw on expertise from across the Nesta Group and from external partners to test, improve and promote our policy proposals.
• Cultivate strong and sustained relationships with external experts, policymakers and those who influence them so we can be responsive to policy priorities and maximise the chances of landing our work.
• Promote a more experimental ‘test and learn’ approach to policy development, enabling us to draw on methods such as rapid prototyping and testing, modelling, trials and design approaches (note: you do not need to have expertise in these methods before joining).
• Support the commissioning and development of new analysis, tools or products which help policymakers engage with choices, trade-offs and ideas.
• Develop and deliver targeted convening activities, whether public events or private workshops, supporting people to engage with and use our work. This will include designing programmes/ agendas and writing, editing and/or reviewing thought leadership and policy content, working with our Communications team.
• Keep on top of policy debates and identify opportunities for Nesta to have an impact on the most important policy issues that affect our missions, with a particular focus on early years and education.
• Work proactively and collaboratively with colleagues across the team and the whole of Nesta to develop the best possible policy proposals, playing an active role in driving peer learning through the Policy community of practice.

Examples of work you may produce and contribute to:

• Evidence-based policy advice responding to and supporting the shaping of pressing priorities.
• Leading and supporting interdisciplinary projects where there are policy implications, with the A Fairer Start mission team.
• Proactive primary research and data analysis on early years and education-related topics, and development of engaging written outputs and data visualisations that help people engage with and use our insights.
• Design and delivery of workshops and presentations, at all levels of government as well as internally.

The person

We are looking for someone with policy and political savvy who can develop, iterate and land evidence-based policy ideas. You may have worked in national or local government or in other parts of the policy-making process, but your ability and enthusiasm are more important than your experience. A background in the early years and wider policy landscape is desirable but not essential.

Key skills include:

• Excellent writing and communication: You can draft policy proposals clearly and concisely, making complex or technical issues and ideas easy to understand. You adapt your communication to suit different audiences.
• Technically savvy: You can interpret and synthesise quantitative data, review academic evidence and policy papers, decipher different research methods, check quality, and draw out key findings with ease.
• Strong interpersonal skills: You have a strong appetite to engage and persuade external stakeholders. You are a team player, and can build collaborative relationships internally. You can offer challenge and build consensus.
• Independent: You have the ability to work independently, identify priorities and develop new ideas, while being part of a wider team. You take initiative, including for your own professional development.
• Outcome-focused problem-solver: You’re invested in the end goal of a piece of work and flexible about the means. You proactively give feedback and help improve ways of doing things.
• Organised project manager: You are highly organised, able to scope and manage your work to ensure objectives are met, juggling priorities and surfacing for input and steer as needed.
• Domestic policy wonk: You have an excellent understanding of and interest in domestic policy, including how the UK works at a national and/or local government level, and you enjoy politics. Ideally, you bring the perspective of working on early years policy, and you are definitely excited to work flexibly on issues outside of your immediate expertise.

What we offer

• Salary: £49,200 – £65,800 (offers are expected to be made towards the bottom of the band) plus a range 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 London, hybrid working arrangement.
• Term: 12-month parental leave cover.
• Reports to: Senior Policy Manager.

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your application before 08.00am on 11th March 2026.

Interviews will take place W/C 23rd March 2026.

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours and other arrangements.

Please let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.