Head of Policy

As Head of Policy you will develop and execute The Difference’s influencing plan, working closely with the senior leadership team of the charity and the programmes team to develop and execute a plan that makes inclusion more possible and more desirable for schools.

As Head of Policy you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan. Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall.

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services;
• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits;
• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups;
• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people;
• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level;
• Professional development standards for school inclusion.

To Apply

Please click on the Apply button for more information and to download the Job Description, and when applying clearly state that you saw the role through the PubAffairs network.

For an informal and confidential discussion about the role prior to application, please contact Rebecca Onumah (rebecca.o@the-difference.com), with a brief summary of your experience and questions that you have.

First round interviews will be held: w/c 23rd February 2026.

Closing date

The closing date for applications for this post is 9:00am on Monday 16th February 2026