The Institute of Customer Service is a not-for-profit membership body run on commercial lines, with a community of over 450 organisational and individual members from across the private, public and third sectors. We have approximately 26% of the FTSE 100 as members of the Institute.
Our Vision:
A world where excellent customer service is seen to make a credible impact on the performance of organisations. Customer service professionals are recognised and respected and service excellence is sought out by wider society.
Our Mission:
The Institute of Customer Service is the first port of call on every aspect of customer service, delivering high quality tangible benefits to organisations, individuals and other stakeholders. As the professional body we are expert and independent, benchmarking and setting standards so that our customers can improve their customers’ experiences and their business performance.
The role:
We are currently recruiting for a Public Policy and Corporate Affairs Manager to join the Institute on a permanent full-time basis. The position sits within the Communications and Corporate Affairs directorate and plays a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the Institute’s public policy and influencing programme through meeting arrangement, event attendance, and by way of the All-Party Parliamentary Group. The role reports directly to the Communications and Corporate Affairs Director and sits within a team of four. To be successful in this role you will have a strong background of providing support of public policy management and customer event programmes as well as proven experience creating insights and briefings, public policy monitoring, and working on the interface between business and politics. You have a sound knowledge of UK and EU political institutions and processes which is paired with a proactive interest in business and politics and the ability to influence at senior level. You will have minimum GCSE standard English and Maths. A degree in a relevant discipline (social science, social policy, politics, PPE, public policy, economics, demographics) is highly desirable.
Overall purpose:
Develop the Institute’s public policy and influencing programme in order to demonstrate the relevance and importance of customer service to the UK economy, and establish the Institute as the authoritative voice on public policy issues related to service. Develop insight, policy positioning and briefings on key policy issues relevant to the Institute’s public policy objectives. Develop relationships with key influencers. Provide support to the CEO, including events, briefings and presentations, and help set up appropriate meetings for the CEO with key influencers. Develop a knowledge programme across all relevant areas of activity. Create a knowledge hub to enable the Institute and its partners to understand availability of knowledge and to access it.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Knowledge and skills:
- Thorough knowledge of UK and EU political institutions and processes;
- Sound knowledge of and interest in public policy issues especially those relating to business;
- High degree of intellectual curiosity and proactive interest in business and politics;
- Demonstrably engages with relevant issues and continually scans for new opportunities;
- Excellent practical applied research and investigation skills;
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English;
- Able to generate concise, accurate, engaging copy to tight deadlines;
- Able to draft high quality thought leadership briefings and written responses on behalf of the organisation;
- Able to absorb diverse sources of intelligence and summarise into relevant and engaging insight;
- Works collaboratively to build relationships with key stakeholders (internal and external);
- Can present effectively to influence senior people;
- Effective project coordination to manage parallel activities and events;
- Excellent organising skills to deliver to deadlines and prioritise own workload in a busy environment;
- Minute-taking and writing;
- Presentation skills – able to formally address small middle to senior management level groups;
- Proficient knowledge and use of Microsoft Office programmes and online search engines;
- Requirement for some UK travel.
Experience:
- Proven experience of public policy monitoring, working on the interface between business and politics and creating insights and briefings for an organisation (public, private or third sector);
- Working in an environment where own work is scrutinised at senior and organisational level, where accuracy and attention to detail are essential;
- Committee support;
- Supporting delivery of public policy engagement or customer events programmes.
Qualifications
- Minimum GCSE standard English and Maths and degree level education or equivalent;
- Degree in relevant discipline (e.g. social science, social policy, politics, PPE, public policy, economics, demographics) - desirable.