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 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.

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:

• Develop targeted engagement plans to build awareness, influence and credibility with key government, political and wider sector stakeholders
• Support influencing on set-piece opportunities e.g Holyrood election, Bill processes and party conferences
• Identify opportunities, scope, deliver and iterate specific policy projects
• Provide political/governmental/sector intelligence and insights to inform the evolution of policy work and maximise policy impact of wider Nesta projects
• Develop policy change proposals, policy notes, briefings and support development and delivery of a policy communications plan
• Support development of policy maker thinking to improve the design and delivery of policy via events, products and direct engagement.
• Support work to collaborate and convene across a wide range of stakeholders as required
• Understand and learn from what works, building and honing Nesta’s policy shaping capabilities
• Provide rapid responsive support on priority requests as required.

The person

Essential

• Demonstrable understanding of how the Scottish government and parliament develops and implements policy and the role of evidence in this process
• Proven experience in influencing Scottish Government policy, expertise and a strong professional network preferrably in one of our three mission areas
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. You can explain complex topics in simple terms and write clearly and concisely, adapting your communication to suit different audiences
• Strong ability and experience in building relationships with senior level policy stakeholders and decision makers
• Strong ability to manage and develop yourself at work. You demonstrate high levels of initiative, ability to meet deadlines while juggling multiple priorities and willingness to take responsibility for your own workload and professional development
• Excellent teamwork and collaboration with a collaborative and solution-focused approach to problem-solving.
• Willingness to work flexibly on policy topics outside of immediate expertise or preferred areas of interest
• Ability to interpret and summarise qualitative and quantitative data, academic evidence and government policy papers and to quality check and synthesise findings with ease.

Desirable

• Experience influencing the legislative process
• Experience in working with media and policy team colleagues to shape political discourse and respond to relevant policy debates.

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

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.

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your application before 8am on 16th June 2025.

First round interviews will be held virtually week beginning 30 June. We expect second round interviews to take place face to face in Edinburgh week beginning 7 July.

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 to 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, job shares and other arrangements.

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