Policy and Influencing Manager

Policy and Local Influencing Manager (Local Engagement)

Salary: £43,581 - £48,994 pa, plus excellent benefits

Working pattern: Hybrid

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Prescot Street, London

Closing date for applications: 23 November 2026

Interview date: Wednesday 9 December 2026

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) is the professional membership body for psychiatrists and promotes excellent care for people with mental illness. It has 21,000 members and engages with government and the media as the leading voice of the UK’s mental health services. The College is an award winning, values-based organisation.

THE ROLE

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is seeking to appoint a Policy and Local Influencing Manager to strengthen the College’s influence and voice at a local, regional and national level. With the merger of DHSC and NHSE, an increased focus on health devolution and proposed changes to Integrated Care Systems (ICS), local engagement is of increased importance, presenting an exciting opportunity for the postholder.

The Policy and Influencing Manager (Local Engagement) will play a vital role in operationally and strategically managing the College’s local policy engagement, ensuring all outputs feed into wider policy influencing work across the College. 

The Policy and Influencing Manager (Local Engagement) will lead on policy influencing work relating to local level NHS systems and structures, including ICS, the implementation of the neighbourhood approach to mental healthcare (built on the Community Mental Health Framework) and other relevant national strategic priorities. Part of the role also involves supporting the College’s English Divisions to strategically engage with local decisionmakers, service user groups and other relevant stakeholders, working closely with colleagues across the College.

The successful candidate will be passionate about achieving change with a strong interest in and experience of policy analysis, research and public policy development. Experience of working in a similar or relevant organisation and managing regional/local engagement and local policy making is preferable. You will also need to be experienced in identifying, building and maintaining high level working relationships with key stakeholders relevant to the College’s local policy engagement and influencing and have excellent planning and project skills.

Please note our staff are working to a hybrid model of home and office-based working. The Policy and Campaigns team office days are Tuesday and Wednesdays.

THE COLLEGE

The College values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community, reflecting the population it serves.

We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture, a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We aim to promote a more inclusive environment, which attracts all candidates and signals our commitment to celebrate and promote diversity.

We will provide appropriate reasonable adjustments for candidates who may have a disability.

We only recruit the best and in return for your commitment the College offers an attractive salary and benefits.

We operate a hybrid working model of on-site and working from home/remote, which helps to ensure a flexible work life balance.

We welcome applications from all sections of the Community.

For any queries, please e-mail: [email protected]

If you require assistance or any other reasonable adjustments to complete your application form, please contact [email protected]

STAFF BENEFITS

To help we offer a range of excellent staff benefits including: 

• up to 25 days of annual leave, depending on length of service (exclusive of public and bank holidays) 

• up to six College closures days (during May, August and December) 

• generous flexi-time and time off in lieu (TOIL) schemes 

• enhanced maternity leave (eight weeks at full pay, 18 weeks at half pay, 13 weeks lower rate SMP, 13 weeks unpaid leave) 

• enhanced paternity leave (two weeks at full pay, rather than at statutory level) 

• interest-free season ticket loan 

• subsidised café at our London Head Office 

• health and wellbeing package (including up to £160 for complementary therapies) 

• money towards annual eye tests 

• 24/7 health and stress-related helplines 

• management support helplines 

• Group Income Protection Scheme 

• generous pension and life assurance schemes 

The College is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Charity registration. no. 228636.

The College is a proud member of the Disability confident employer scheme. A Disability confident employer will offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria (essential) for the job as defined by the employer. Please see candidate information pack for more information.

NO AGENCIES OR PUBLICATIONS PLEASE