Location

The post will be based in London (Finlaison House, 15-17 Furnival Street) or in Leeds (location to be confirmed). We will operate a dual site from 2023, with one site in London and a second site based in Leeds. We are therefore starting to accept applications for Leeds based roles. Please note that if the successful candidate is based in Leeds they will temporarily be on a home worker contract until office accommodation in Leeds is secured. During this time there may be a requirement to occasionally come to the London office, based on business need. All staff follow government guidance about working from home during the pandemic. Once Covid-19 restrictions ease, most NIC employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average.

About the job

Summary

Do you want to be part of ensuring that the UK is equipped to meet its long-term infrastructure needs? Do you enjoy solving complex problems? Do you have experience working in the digital infrastructure sector?

The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is looking for a Senior Policy Adviser specialising in digital and telecoms infrastructure, to provide expert advice on policy development in a challenging and innovative environment. This is an opportunity to work creatively and rigorously on some of the most pressing issues for UK infrastructure over the long-term, shaping how digital infrastructure and utilisation of data will support our society and economy into the future.

To date, the Commission’s main focus in the digital infrastructure sector has been on the mobile and broadband access networks. The Commissions primary recommendations have focused on deploying full fibre broadband, extending 4G mobile coverage, and deploying 5G mobile infrastructure. Going forward, the Commission will consider the potential benefits of applying digital infrastructure to cut costs and improve quality in the other infrastructure sectors within its remit, such as transport, energy or water.

About NIC

By joining us, you’ll play a key role in delivering independent advice to government on the UK’s long-term infrastructure needs. We do this to help support sustainable economic growth across the whole of the UK, improve competitiveness and ultimately improve the quality of life of UK citizens.

In fulfilling our purpose and objectives, we:

- Set a long term agenda – identifying the UK’s major economic infrastructure needs, and the pathways to address them,

- Develop fresh approaches and ideas – basing our independent policy recommendations on rigorous analysis, and

- Focus on driving change – building consensus on our policy recommendations, and monitoring government progress on their delivery.

Our core responsibilities include:

• producing a National Infrastructure Assessment once every five years, setting out the Commission’s assessment of long-term infrastructure needs with recommendations to government on how to meet them.

• carrying out in-depth studies into the UK’s most pressing infrastructure challenges and making recommendations to government, and monitoring the Government’s progress in delivering infrastructure policy recommended by the NIC and influencing the policy debate.

We are a small, friendly organisation where policy experts, economists and analysts work together intensively in project teams, rather than silos. We work to support the Commissioners to push for action on and endorse our recommendations and to monitor government’s progress in implementing them.

Job description

This role sits within the Commission’s policy team which compromises of around 20 staff. The Secretariat is led by our Chief Executive, supported by a Senior Management Team, comprising the Chief Economist, Directors of Policy and Chief Operating Officer. The Commission is chaired by Sir John Armitt, with seven other Commissioners at present.

The role requires existing knowledge of the digital infrastructure system and desire to broaden your knowledge.

The role will entail a blend of policy development work, project management, strategic thinking, and detailed drafting, and require direct experience of scoping, developing and delivering high-profile digital policy projects. The work will be wide-ranging and evidence-based, requiring the ability to think strategically and to identify and implement creative approaches to policy-making. To perform the role successfully it will be essential that you effectively relationships with key Whitehall departments and external stakeholders from industry, academia and wider, whilst protecting the Commission’s independence.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the development of the digital recommendations for second National Infrastructure Assessment, by leading projects considering how the digital transformation of infrastructure could impact on future trends and opportunities across the economic infrastructure sectors within the Commission’s remit.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

1. Conduct research that identifies, scopes and supports delivery of policy projects that are aligned to the Commission’s objectives and builds the Commission’s reputation

2. Analyse and summarise numerical and potentially complex data that will support the Commission’s understanding of the digital sector

3. Providing rigorous assessment of the large volumes of information on digital policy topics and having an eye for what is important to the Commission and what is not.

4. Project manage the delivery of your own work and the work of others on the team and/or external consultants. This will include making use of project management tools such as milestone plans, risk registers, engagement plans.

5. Build and manage relationships with stakeholders so that the Commission keeps on top of the digital policy landscape, and use these relationships to shape and drive forward the Commission’s priorities.

6. Communicating clearly to a range of audiences including presenting your work to Commissioners and seeking opportunities to share the Commission’s work with external audiences at industry meetings and conferences.

7. Produce high-quality written material that succinctly summarises the detailed research conducted. Audiences for such material will include the senior management team, Commissioners and our external stakeholders.

Full details of the role are available in the download document of the Role Profile when candidates apply.

If you would like further information, please get in touch with Nathan Wyatt (Nathan.wyatt@nic.gov.uk).