At the heart of B Lab UK’s strategy is the goal of ‘changing the rules’ of our economic system so that our economy works for all people and the planet. As our Head of Policy this is an opportunity to help us achieve this goal in the next 10 years.
Certified B Corps give us real-world models of ‘business for good’ and data to prove companies can be run in a better way and credibility for our advocacy. Building on these foundations – and your own, unique understanding, vision and judgement with respect to the UK’s sustainability and ‘business for good’ landscape – you’ll work to create legislative and regulatory change so that ‘business for good’ becomes the new normal.
B Lab UK is part of the global B Corp movement, with the mission to inspire and enable people to use business as a force for good. Certified B Corps seek to redefine success in business by putting social and environmental impact on a par with profit. There are now over 10,000 B Corps spanning 102 countries and 160+ sectors, with many well-known brands including Patagonia, The Guardian, Giff Gaff and Divine Chocolate. 2,700 of those businesses are in the UK.
In the crucial new role of Head of Policy, sitting within our Impact & Community directorate and working closely with our B Corp Community team, you’ll be expected to take our policy work to a new level: building our policy and advocacy capability and capacity, as well as working alongside our established media, campaigns and communications teams in order to transform our economic system.
- Contribute to B Lab UK's impact strategy and drive this into action;
- Shape B Lab UK's stance on a range of key policy issues;
- Participate in the development of new policies and align existing policies;
- Build strong relationships with influential stakeholders in public policy and regulation, including government bodies, regulators and think tanks;
- Track proposed and upcoming policy changes in areas of interest, plus broader policy trends.
The kind of things we’re looking for…
- In depth understanding of the UK’s evolving sustainability and ‘business for good’ policy and regulatory landscape, including key institutional actors, in order to be a force for good;
- The vision and judgement to identify risks and opportunities in the political, policy and regulatory space, to choose courage over comfort, and so enable strategic decision making;
- Ability to develop strategies that take into account this context – and to configure processes, relationships and resources around those strategies;
- Ability to work with UK politicians, civil servants, regulators and other key actors in order to raise the bar of what normal business behaviour is, through legislative and regulatory change;
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, including developing collaborative diverse networks and building relationships at all levels;
- Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical audiences;
- Exceptional organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively, coordinate complex projects and delegate when appropriate;
- Ability to take a research-informed and principles-led approach to supporting colleagues in realising and maximising their potential, and so bring out the best in everyone;
- Potential to thrive in a small team within a growing organisation – to go further together with colleagues and stakeholders alike, always advocating for a growth mindset and continuous improvement.
Contract: 12 month fixed term contract (maternity cover).