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.