Shaping and/or influencing government policy
Occupational Profile
The primary role of a policy officer is to shape and/or influence government policy, by working with a wide range of stakeholders and experts to gather evidence, effectively synthesize information and present recommendations to senior colleagues. Not only will policy officers work within central and local government, but also within private and third sector organizations that interact with and strive to influence government policy. Policy officers will typically work as part of a wider team and report to a senior policy officer.
The responsibilities of a policy officer encompass the development, implementation and evaluation phases of policymaking, and are likely to include: researching and understanding the political environment in order to support the continuous, uninterrupted development of a policy; gathering evidence and being objective to support the influencing and negotiating of new policies; handling sensitive information and keeping accurate records of policy history; assisting the wider team by providing administrative support during the introduction of new legislation; commissioning input from and preparing and drafting submissions for senior officials; and replying to public and formal correspondence within any deadlines given.
Summary of standard
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/policy-officer/
Full standard
