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Senior Policy & Public Affairs Manager

Job Req ID:  46480
Posting Date:  6 May 2025
Function:  Corporate Functions
Unit:  Corporate Affairs
Location: 

One Braham (4140), London, United Kingdom

Salary:  Competitive

Why this job matters

 

You will manage BT Group’s policy and public affairs work with a focus on economic policy.  This will include the policy debates around pricing and affordability, and future regulation among other areas.  You’ll also be responsible for the presentation of BT’s broader economic impact case.  You will also support other policy & public affairs colleagues with macro- and micro-economic analysis and advocacy.  You’ll need to build alliances across industry, association memberships and among BT’s own experts and leaders.  Your goal will be to develop a favourable image of the company and build economic argumentation that helps BT Group achieve its goals.

 

Do this well, and you’ll enhance BT’s reputation and relevance – while advancing BT’s commercial interests and business objectives, building value in the company.

What you’ll be doing

 

  • Lead policy development, playing an important role in shaping BT’s positions and contributing to its reputation for thought-leadership, leading virtual teams across BT customer-facing units as well as technology, legal, regulatory and strategy teams
  • Act as an ambassador for BT’s interests through high quality inputs to political stakeholders (consultation responses, briefing notes, presentations etc) and compelling, well-evidenced and economically-robust narratives, managing direct engagement with stakeholders in Whitehall, Westminster and beyond
  • Manage BT Group’s engagement with UK political stakeholders on economic policy and customer priorities: planning for major announcements, events, campaigns and associated comms activity; building new campaigns and tactical alliances to advance our policy and reputational priorities, and managing the partner relations to make them succeed; engaging with trade bodies, influencers and think tanks; managing UK political strategy across the wider team and different policy areas.
  • Be responsible for policy and political horizon-scanning – ensuring we’re well-prepared to take advantage of opportunities and to deal with emerging issues relating to economic policy and customer issues like pricing and future regulation, including reflecting changing external expectations back to the business and driving change where needed.
  • Providing expert and timely support and advice to the wider business on key political developments and respond quickly to fast-changing priorities and enquiries from key political stakeholders.
  • Where required, you will support the wider work of the Markets & Customers team, including on innovation, public sector and business tech adoption, online safety and overall digital inclusion.
     

The skills you'll need

 

  • Policy analysis and policy-making – able to understand and unpick complex policy and technical issues, including in economic and commercial areas
  • Political strategy, including tactical campaign planning
  • Communication, including public advocacy – able to engage in public debate and argument as an ambassador for BT
  • Influencing and negotiating – able to build effective networks within the company and across the industry and political spectrum
  • Business development – using political networks and insight to help development of commercial strategies and opportunities.

Benefits

 

  • 15% on target bonus
  • Health Care
  • Car Allowance
  • BT Pension scheme, minimum 5% Employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
  • From January 2025, equal family leave:  receive 18 weeks at full pay, 8 weeks at half pay and 26 weeks at the statutory rate. It’s for all parents, no matter how your family is made up.
  • Enhanced women’s health support: including help with menopause symptoms, cancer screenings, period care and more.
  • 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
  • 24/7 private virtual GP appointments for UK colleagues
  • 2 weeks carer’s leave
  • World-class training and development opportunities
  • Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes.

Our leadership standards

Looking in:
Leading inclusively and Safely
I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity.
Owning outcomes
I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation.

Looking out:
Delivering for the customer
I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business.
Commercially savvy
I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making.

Looking to the future:
Growth mindset
I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.
Building for the future
I build diverse future-ready teams where all individuals can be at their best.

About us

BT Group was the world’s first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled.  As home to several of the UK’s most recognised and cherished brands – BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business. 
 
Over the next two years, we will complete the UK’s largest and most successful digital infrastructure project – connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband.  Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other. 
 
While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come.  This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK’s best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country’s biggest infrastructure companies.  
 
Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented.  BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

A FEW POINTS TO NOTE:

Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch.

We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.

DON'T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT?

Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway - you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.

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