About this Role
The National Education Union is a powerful force for change in education, representing over 450,000 teachers, lecturers, support staff, and leaders. This is an exciting time to join us on our journey to becoming a more agile, strategic, and powerfully coordinated trade union—ready to meet the challenges of the future and drive lasting change in education.
We are seeking a Policy Officer to work in our policy and research Department. You will support the Union’s campaigning, advocacy and policy development and your work will contribute to our mission which is to shape the future of education. This role focuses on policy and campaigns around the privatisation and academisation of the education service and also our policy and advocacy around school inspection and Ofsted. This will include analysing privatisation in areas such as early years and SEND provision and understanding the impact of the Ofsted framework and accountability systems on leaders, teachers and students.
You will support Senior Policy Managers and prepare policy statements, briefings, analysis, and research papers. You will understand what is happening for teachers and communities and demonstrate excellent communication skills. You will participate in cross-team projects and collaborate successfully with colleagues so that the NEU can support members, understand their experiences and represent them with credibility. Our goal is to impact and shape national policy, as well as effect change through our negotiations with employers.
You will be expected to understand statistical reports from external bodies, including Ofsted, the Education Policy Institute, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and DFE national statistics.
The successful applicant will possess education research or policy experience which enable you to develop Union policy on school inspection in England and understand the detail of inspection and school accountability systems. An advantage would be understanding other systems in other countries. We develop policy to advance inclusive and equitable teaching and learning and you will need to share these values.
Prospective applicants are also advised that your normal place of work will be the NEU office specified in this advert and that the NEU operates ‘Blended Working Arrangements’ for office-based staff, which means you will need to be based in the designated NEU office for 3 to 4 days a week (based on a full-time contract), with the remaining days based at home, and subject to business needs.
In addition to salary, we offer good conditions including 33 days’ annual leave plus Christmas closure days and a defined benefit pension scheme. Salary and benefits are pro-rata for part-time applicants.
Further information
Further details can be downloaded from our website at https://neu.org.uk/working-neu where applicants will be able to complete an online application on our recruitment portal. Closing date is mid-day Wednesday 5th November 2025.
HE UNION IS FUNDAMENTALLY COMMITTED TO EQUAL OPPORTUNIES IN ITS POLICIES AND PRACTICE