Policy and Advocacy Manager

Title: Policy and Advocacy Manager
Salary: From £40,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 per week (Monday to Friday)
Holiday: 25 days per year plus bank holidays
Location: Home based with regular travel within / to London and across the UK
Probationary Period: 3 months
Reports to: Head of Legal and Policy
Benefits: An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year, Flexitime policy, 5% pension contribution
Start date: As soon as possible / flexible

We are River Action

We are a small and agile campaigning organisation on a mission to rescue Britain's rivers from a toxic cocktail of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution. We support community action, galvanise and mobilise public opinion, influence government policy, and call out destructive industrial practices to incentivise changes that end pollution.

We are building a talented team of positive disrupters and community mobilisers to deliver our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of community and wildlife.

Britain’s rivers are our life support system and they are dying. We need urgent action to bring them back to life.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual who shares our passion for protecting rivers to join our team to drive forward our policy and advocacy work. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong policy insights capable of blending analytical problem-solving with intelligent advocacy to drive meaningful change. This role requires someone to have excellent writing skills and the ability to draft complex policy documents as well as top line arguments for wider communication.

The ideal person will bring a combination of expertise, energy and ideas to amplify our impact, holding decision-makers and polluters accountable with a professional and diplomatic approach. They will engage with influential people across the sector, government, industry and media.

If you thrive in fast-paced environments and want to be at the forefront of environmental policy and advocacy across multiple campaigns, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

As our Policy and Advocacy Manager, you will play a leading role in shaping and advancing River Action’s political and policy influence, working closely with the Head of Legal and Policy, Chief Executive and wider team to develop and execute an impactful policy and advocacy strategy.

River Action is the Co-Secretariat for the APPG on Water Pollution, offering our Policy and Advocacy Manager a unique opportunity to shape the policy direction for River Action and also to influence policy development across Parliament.

You will also work closely with our public affairs agency who manage our daily Westminster activities.

You will:

• Lead River Action’s policy and advocacy work on agricultural, sewage and industrial water pollution, with a focus on regulation, funding and legal frameworks.
• Collaborate with River Action’s team and external partners to ensure our collective work is underpinned by robust and forward-thinking policy analysis and evidence.
• Develop policy analysis to support campaign, communications and policy strategies, based on a strong evidence base and a sound understanding of the relevant legal and policy frameworks.
• Translate complex policy and evidence into concise documents with clear messages and compelling campaigns to engage political and policy stakeholders.
• Monitor and analyse political and policy developments, interpreting their implications and opportunities for River Action and its supporters.
• Generate analysis to enable participation in public consultation processes, including drafting high-quality and persuasive consultation responses and briefings for Westminster and Whitehall audiences.
• Increase our political influence with exciting policy interventions, ensuring River Action’s voice is heard at the highest levels of decision-making.
• Build and maintain relationships with key policymakers, civil servants, industry experts and partner organisations.
• Support grassroots community groups and third-sector partners in engaging with their local representatives for effective advocacy.
• Organise and attend key political meetings and events, including the Water Pollution APPG, stakeholder roundtables and parliamentary events.
• Manage strategic policy partnerships, including our relationship with Wildlife and Countryside Link and other third-sector organisations.
• Ensure River Action’s policy and advocacy efforts align with our creative campaigns, by making sure colleagues and spokespeople are well-briefed and communications content is well-informed to maximise reach and impact.

You will also:

• Actively engage in professional development and training.
• Adhere to health and safety policies while working in different locations.
• Maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our mission while being true to our values.

UK travel will be required. Training and operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case costs will be covered and standard River Action procedures will apply.

What you’ll bring

The position will suit a self-motivated, strategic and determined person. You will be an excellent communicator, with exceptional writing skills and comfortable representing River Action and engaging with diverse stakeholders. You will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and to hold decision-makers and polluters to account.

Essential knowledge, skills and experience:

• Experience in a similar policy and advocacy role, ideally within the environmental sector.
• Policy and/or legislative experience, with a good understanding of the workings of the UK government and Parliamentary procedure.
• A good understanding of the UK water industry, the key UK water-related policies and the issues that are impacting our rivers, land and wildlife.
• Excellent communication and writing skills with close attention to detail and the ability to produce concise and persuasive briefings, reports and consultation responses.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to working creatively and at a fast pace with colleagues, stakeholders and partners.
• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to proactively plan and prioritise work and to report your progress and impact.
• Ability to work flexible hours and travel as necessary.
• A good and supportive team player with a willingness to muck in as and when required.

Why join us?

• Be part of a mission-driven organisation working to restore and protect the UK’s rivers.
• Work at the heart of political and environmental change, influencing decision-makers at the highest levels.
• Work in an agile, supportive and happy work environment where your ideas and expertise will have real impact.
• Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organisation.

Diversity and inclusion

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. So if you like the look of this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with everything in the job description, we’d still love to hear from you. You may be just the right person for this role.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 23:59 on Monday 15 September 2025.