Adviser, Government Relations

About Us

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation that improves health for everyone by funding science, leading policy and advocacy campaigns, and building partnerships.

We plan to spend £16bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.

These challenges need the bold science we support, but they won't be solved by science alone.

Job Role

We are looking for an Advisor to join our Global Government Relations team to help advocate for our mission to improve health and save lives.

This is a really exciting year to be joining our team as we look to build our footprint in Westminster and Whitehall, working with politicians and policymakers in the UK. You will get the opportunity to test out your political analysis and thinking, bringing insights from the external environment and policy developments to shape our thinking internally.

You will work closely with the Policy and Corporate Affairs teams to deliver coordinated political engagement and outreach. Our key stakeholders include governments and public bodies, multilateral organisations, civil society, academia and research institutions.

Key Responsibilities

Lead significant government relations projects from inception to delivery, identifying and building trust of key stakeholders to maximise support for our work.

Identify new political developments that align with our policy goals, and build plans with objectives, timetables, milestones, resources required and risks for government engagement projects.

Work with the Policy team to support communications of evidence-based policy recommendations to key political decision-makers, and work closely with Corporate Affairs to deliver advocacy strategies that influence key political stakeholders.

Maintain relationships with a network of senior external stakeholders and policymakers, enabling delivery of priority projects and representing Wellcome in internal and external fora.

Deliver projects, manage complex internal and external relations, and manage delegated budget for these purposes, reviewing project progress and forward plans to ensure that risks are being managed and mitigated where possible.

About the Role

This is a really exciting opportunity to work on exciting projects that require building lasting partnerships with governments to deliver impact on Wellcome's priorities, navigating complex policy environments and geographies, and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders in global health.

You will have the chance to be involved in policy-making processes at both the multilateral and national levels and attend international meetings/events where relevant to Wellcome's interests.

Requirements

Experience of government relations work internationally or in advocacy programmes relating to fields such as global health, mental health, infectious disease, climate and/or development.

Experience of preparing political advice for team leaders and senior officials in complex environments, reconciling conflicting priorities to deliver a project ideally under time pressure.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience of delivering written products and talking points for senior leaders, and the ability to synthesise, analyse and communicate policy information to internal/external stakeholders.

Ability to successfully influence or has contributed to influencing political outcomes through raising awareness of an issue or securing commitments from a key stakeholder.

Project Management experience and able to structure and deliver projects or programmes for specific objectives.

Diversity and Inclusion

We understand that our colleagues have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to build a flexible working environment, in which people can perform at their best.

At Wellcome, we have a hybrid way of working which is 3 days in our Euston Road offices (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) with the remaining 2 days working either remotely or in the office.

Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do.