Job Description
This role is being advertised as a Fixed Term Appointment, however, we will consider offering as a Secondment opportunity, to those applying from an Other Government Department.
Job purpose
As part of its 2025 strategy ONR is committed to being a modern and transparent regulator, delivering trusted outcomes and value. We are making substantial investments in new digital technologies and skills to enhance our regulatory processes and management of information.
As a Policy Advisor, you will play a key role within the Strategy and Corporate Affairs (S&CA) Directorate's Policy Team. The Policy team seeks to ensure (via insight, strategic advice and guidance) that we have a fit for purpose regulatory policy framework (that remains compatible with new and changing requirements) to be an effective and efficient regulator to hold the industry to account on behalf of the public. The Directorate is also responsible for management of all Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests, complaints, concerns and general enquiries.
The Policy team supports and delivers activities to:
* Manage our engagement and influence across UK and international policy.
* Ensure compliance with ONR's obligations as a statutory public body.
* Provide insight, intelligence and analysis from government, external stakeholders, academia and the public to support delivery of ONR's Corporate Plan.
* Manage and enhance ONR's reputation as a world leader in nuclear regulation.
About The Role
The successful applicant will be a strong collaborator and communicator, able to build effective working relationships inside and outside ONR, with the public, with government and international forums. They will also be suitably qualified and experienced in UK legislative and parliamentary processes, understand the policy making cycle and know how to effectively engage at what point to be effective and impactful. Ideally, the successful candidate will have a sound understanding of UK energy policy and the nuclear regulatory framework.
This role will work with a team of Senior Policy Advisors to deliver a range of policy initiatives in support of ONR's strategic objectives. The successful applicant will need to be flexible to the changing needs and circumstances that arise on a regular basis, and manage a range of projects and activities to enable the Policy team to deliver a challenging workload.
Principal responsibilities
The core responsibilities of the role will include:
* Supporting ONR's Senior Policy Advisors in providing exceptional support, briefing and advice and managing policy functions including political monitoring and legal advice.
* Providing robust policy advice and guidance across ONR's Regulatory Directorates to deliver and influence government policy, including stakeholder and parliamentary engagement where necessary.
* Regular engagement with the policy sponsor departments and other regulators including the provision of responses to collective agreements.
* Working with the Head of International Strategy and Public Correspondence and Senior Policy Advisor lead to support our Freedom of Information and General Enquiry function, ensuring that ONR meets its obligations across a range of information disclosure requirements.
* Manage voluntary and statutory reporting in line with government regulatory policy.
* Drafting briefing and papers for ONRs Board and senior team as required, including horizon scanning of our operating environment to inform planning assumptions.
* Undertake any other reasonable task to support the policy team as requested.
* Role model ONR's values of Supportive, Fair, Open Minded, and Accountable and in a manner which promotes diversity and inclusion.
Line Management Responsibilities
* None currently, however, at this level there could be an expectation to manage staff in the future.
Location / Travel
This post may be undertaken from a base at any one of ONR's office locations (Bootle, Cheltenham or London).
ONR operates hybrid working (working in the office and or at home) as part of our flexible working policy. There is an expectation that everyone will spend time in the office on a regular basis, recognising that some work is better done face to face. Managers will work with their teams on what works best to meet individual, team, business and organisational needs to enable collaboration, as well as balancing personal choice and wellbeing.
Work with Us
Our colleagues are from all walks of life with varied personal experiences and career journeys into ONR. We want the best people for our roles. As an inclusive employer we value individuals' contributions, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion, or belief. Our values 'supportive, open-minded, fair and accountable' are central to this. We invest in our people to build capability, resilience, and promote wellbeing in our great teams, underpinned by our inherent focus on inclusion and excellence.
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must hold or achieve and retain National Security Vetting clearance at Security Clearance (SC) level.
Person Specification
Inclusion
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We will consider reasonable adjustments to ensure the recruitment process is inclusive and barrier-free. Please contact ONR.Human- or to discuss further.
We will also offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for applicants who opt into the guaranteed interview scheme.
We recognise we have a role to play in helping those leaving the Armed Forces and have a Veterans guaranteed interview scheme. We offer an interview to Veterans who meet the minimum criteria for applicants who opt into the scheme. Please see eligibility criteria below.
* served for at least one year in His Majesty's Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve).
* be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, His Majesty's Armed Forces.
* not already be employed by ONR.
Qualifications – Desirable
* FOI practitioner Certificate
Essential job-related expertise
The ideal candidate will demonstrate skills and have experience in:
* Experience in policy development, implementation and delivery – identifying key issues and risks from complex and often unclear issues and working with technical and legal experts to present clear policy advice.
* Proven track record of working first hand with legislation, including reading and interpreting legislation and working with lawyers and government policy officials on the development of new/amended legislation or on the delivery of policy.
* Knowledge of parliamentary and government processes, including answering parliamentary questions, public consultation and impact assessments.
* Proven excellent team working and coordination skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with external stakeholders.
* A willingness to work within diverse and multidisciplinary teams and share your exceptional experience to support staff in their professional development.
* Excellent drafting skills, with a proven track record of briefing senior leaders and managers in written and oral communications.
* Good understanding of information disclosure policy requirements, including Freedom of Information request handling.
* Confidence in the use of modern Microsoft based IT tools and applications.
Desirable experience
* Good understanding of UK energy policy, government priorities for nuclear and the nuclear regulatory framework.
* Familiarity with or understanding of the key issues within the nuclear industry and of regulatory bodies.
For Further Information
The closing date for receipt of applications is 29th October 2025 at 23:45
For more information about this vacancy please contact Lorraine Medcalf or Joshua Allcock.
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How To apply
Please submit your application through the recruitment portal.
If you are considering the Secondment opportunity, please ensure your organisation will be willing and able to release you for a period of up to 12 Months prior to applying.
Your application should include:
* CV to include a full record of your education and professional qualifications and a full employment history.
* A suitability statement (maximum of 800 words) highlighting how you meet the 'essential skills and experience" required for the role, which will be used at shortlisting in conjunction with your CV.
* Where applicable highlight if you have any experience under 'desirable skills and experience' within the application form.
Throughout our shortlisting process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the essential criteria (and the desirable if applicable).
AI Tools & Platforms
During the application process applicants are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and tools to support them in writing their CVs, suitability statements, essential skills and experience. Please ensure that all information submitted is truthful and verifiable. This includes avoiding plagiarism and accurately attributing the work of others, including artificial intelligence generated content, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.
Important guidance when providing CV's – please upload text-based CVs with no graphics or pictures to ensure the anonymisation function works correctly.
Please note - if whilst completing your application, you use special characters such as (' ; " - _ * ) within your examples, Hireserve will convert these characters into symbols. We are currently unable to change this.
Whilst these examples will appear on your application, this will not prevent it from being reviewed at the shortlisting stage.
Job category
Policy & Communications
Contract type
Fixed Term
Security clearance
The successful candidate must hold or achieve and retain National Security Vetting clearance at Security Clearance (SC) level.
Pay band
Band 3
Specialism
Regulatory
Salary
£45,048 up to £54,405 plus an additional £4,194 London Weighting allowance per annum (if applicable)
Closing Date
29/10/2025
Ref No
100299