Policy Lead – Uplands Transformation

Job summary

England's uplands are some of our most important landscapes. They are home to communities, farming businesses and internationally important natural environments, yet they face complex and interconnected social, economic and environmental challenges.

The Flourishing Uplands project is one of the most ambitious place-based change programmes currently underway in government.

Working alongside communities in Dartmoor and Cumbria, we are developing a new approach to creating social, economic and ecological flourishing in England's uplands. Rather than designing policy from a distance, we are building change with people on the ground — listening deeply to communities, supporting local ideas, testing new approaches in practice, and creating the evidence needed for future policy.

Commissioned following the review led by Dr Hilary Cottam OBE for the Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs, the project is exploring new ways for government, communities and organisations to work together. By placing nature, people and place on a par, we aim to create thriving landscapes, thriving rural economies and thriving communities.

This is not traditional policy development. It is about creating lasting system change: breaking down barriers between organisations, uncovering opportunities that cut across conventional boundaries, and developing new ways of working that can transform both upland communities and the way government itself operates.

This work needs a new approach to team design, and a group of people with a different skillset to that which is traditionally recruited.

Job description

We are seeking a Grade 7 Policy Lead to help shape and deliver this work. You will lead on translating place-based, community-led prototyping into policy recommendations, delivery models and ways of working that can scale across different upland contexts. This will require you to be comfortable working on detailed policy across a broad portfolio such as agri-environment schemes, food policy, commons, and nature finance.

You will be part of a small, agile team focused on systems change. This is a non-traditional policy role and should be comfortable supporting across a range of functions including community-led, novel policy development, and evidence and analysis.

As well as helping set the overall strategy for the work, you will need to be able to help advance the case of uplands-specific approaches with communities, policy teams, senior officials and ministers. It will require close working with Defra’s community of analysts, economists and delivery leads in Arms-Length-Bodies.

Person specification

• Lead policy development for one or more strands of the uplands system change programme (e.g. commons).
• Support the project’s community-led work in Dartmoor and Cumbria to develop novel, community-led approaches.
• Work with the G6 Head of Policy to identify risks and opportunities in related policy areas, developing proposals and building consensus for change.
• Draft high-quality ministerial submissions and briefings on uplands policy, including on sensitive or contested issues (e.g. land use trade-offs between food production and environmental outcomes).
• Act as a key link between the national policy team and place-based teams in Dartmoor and Cumbria, ensuring learning flows in both directions. Build and maintain trusted relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders in these places.
• Work with scientist and analysts across Defra, and with external partners, to build the strategic evidence base on uplands-specific policy.
• Build relationships across Defra and HMG and externally to develop policy options and build coalitions for change.
• Line manage and/or mentor junior policy officials within the team (where applicable).
• Support preparation for the quarterly Executive Board chaired by Hilary and our DG and attended by the CEOs of the ALBs.

Person specification and specialist skills:

This role would suit someone looking for a highly varied, strategic role seeking an opportunity to show leadership in a complex policy environment. The post entails working at pace in a rapidly changing context where priorities constantly need to be reviewed and flexed. We’re therefore looking for a dynamic and adaptable policy lead who will be able to learn quickly and hit the ground running.

Essential criteria

• Strong track record of policy development in a complex, cross-cutting environment, ideally including land use, environment, or place-based/local growth policy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting clear, well-evidenced advice for senior officials and ministers. Proven ability to discuss complex policy clearly and sensitively with communities.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise qualitative and quantitative evidence (including community-derived evidence) into clear policy recommendations.
• Ability to quickly build strong, effective working relationships with people across the department (particularly senior leaders and Private Offices), including those with differing or competing interests.
• Comfortable with a reactive and fast-paced environment; works well under pressure and in an iterative, less linear way than traditional policy development — able to hold ambiguity and adapt as a programme evolves.
• Deploys excellent organisational and prioritisation skills to manage own workload and priorities with limited day-to-day supervision, while keeping others informed.
• Understanding of upland farming and/or land use policy.
• Experience of place-based policy making, community engagement, or co-design/participatory approaches.
• Experience developing business cases and spending review bids.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,375, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £16,331 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Alongside your salary of £56,375, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £16,331 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see