Public Affairs Manager

Hello potential future Oatly employee. It’s us, the original oat drink company that started in Sweden back 30 or so years ago.

Our mission? To make it easier for people to eat better and live healthier lives without throwing the planet under the bus in the process. If that makes you want to stand up, fist-pump, and shout, “Yes!”or even just a mild “Cool, I’m into that” , then maybe you’d like to join us. (Fun fact: we were recently voted one of 2024's best places to work for a small organisation.)

The Role

We're looking for a proactive and strategic Public Affairs Manager to join our Communications and Public Affairs team, covering the UK and Ireland. In this role you'll help deliver the Public Affairs strategy for the UK and Ireland, supporting public affairs work around sustainability, nutrition and crisis management, to help mobilise the post-milk generation.

You'll report into the Head of Communications, UK & Ireland and be a part of the global Public Affairs team working across markets – helping communicate the organisation’s mission to help people live healthier lives without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources. You’ll work alongside the PR, brand, sales, sustainability, nutrition and community management teams to help drive the business forward. Here are the main elements of the role...

• Support the success of Oatly’s mission and business by driving Oatly UK and Ireland’s Public Affairs strategy forward
• Represent Oatly, building relationships with key external stakeholders including politicians, political advisors, civil servants, public bodies, associations and regulators
• Monitor and analyse key relevant political, legislative and regulatory developments in the UK and Ireland, proactively shaping responses, working with Oatly UK’s Public Affairs agency as needed
• Provide insights and recommendations that protect and further Oatly’s ability to advance its sustainability and nutrition missions
• Collaborate with key internal sustainability and nutrition colleagues, providing internal updates and briefings and identifying risks and opportunities
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with potential advocacy partners including like-minded business, campaign groups and alliances
• Collaborate and coordinate with public affairs colleagues globally

Who You Are

If the below sounds like you, we'd love to see an application:

• Plenty of proven, demonstrable in-house or agency experience either in public affairs, policy, government relations or a related communications role – we think around 4 years or more is the right amount for this
• Proven track record of influencing policy and building strong stakeholder relationships including with government officials, key political and policy stakeholders and industry bodies
• Excellent understanding of the UK political landscape, with your finger firmly on the political pulse
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to gather and distil complex information
• Experience managing public affairs campaigns
• Excited by Oatly’s mission to make it easier for people to eat better and live healthier lives without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources in the process
• Bonus points if you've got experience in any of the following areas: sustainable eating and nutrition, food policy and regulation, agriculture policy, climate policy

Another bulleted list felt redundant, so we made this page talking about all the benefits we offer to sweeten the deal working with us before you apply – if you're curious, check out this fancy page right here .

A Note On AI
We don't mind if you use AI to help you prepare to interview with us. You could use it to spell check, do some research, or even practice for an interview – it's up to you. But please don't copy and paste answers from AI, or give examples that don't reflect your experience. Read more here .

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