Policy Advisor - £37,456 - £42,084 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Policy Advisor to join our Legislative Delivery Team within the Strategy group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly. Remote working is potentially available for some specific roles. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Strategy Group is a new group within the Agency that brings together policy, regulatory reform, legislative delivery, strategic coordination and stakeholder-engagement functions, helping to develop and coordinate cross-cutting work that supports MHRA corporate priorities. The broader group focuses on issues that are at the heart of public health – fast, safe access to medicines and medical devices, working with industry and NHS and other health Arms-length bodies (ALBs); and supporting the future of the life sciences industry in the UK. We do all this while ensuring patients are at the heart of our work.

Policy and Regulatory Reform is a division of the Strategy Group. We are made up of three small, closely connected teams, Regulatory Strategy, Policy, and Legislation Delivery. Together we have central oversight of the Agency’s regulatory reform agenda, and we seek to strengthen the regulatory environment in a way that safeguards public health and supports access to safe, innovative and effective healthcare. The work of the Legislation Delivery team supports the MHRA to navigate policy and legislative processes with confidence and clarity and enables consistent, high-quality decision-making and delivery.

Job description

The Legislative Delivery team are the Agency’s experts in delivering primary legislation and specific statutory instruments across medicines, medical devices and fees. You will play a vital role in progressing the Agency’s priorities, working with experts across the agency to develop and implement legislation on high profile issues which have a tangible impact on public health, patients, and the life sciences industry. Working closely with subject matter experts and technical teams, the team anticipate requirements and guide projects efficiently through each stage of the legislative process. They also work closely with colleagues across government to anticipate and respond to wider changes which will impact the Agency’s regulatory framework, and to identify opportunities to take forward legislative changes as part of a prioritisation process.

We are currently working on a range of primary and secondary legislative reforms, as well as contributing to designing the future legislative pipeline for the Agency.

The role will present great opportunities to collaborate with experts across the MHRA, DHSC, other Government departments, and external health organisations. You will work collaboratively with different functional teams to bring in different perspectives and develop a strong understanding of the regulatory landscape and healthcare environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support legislative initiatives: Manage elements of the MHRA’s legislation work for medicines and medical devices. Work closely with technical colleagues across the Agency, DHSC and lawyers to develop and refine new legislative proposals and to triage and prioritise legislation requests.
• Enabling Regulatory Development: Convene groups of technical experts, providing secretariat support, bringing colleagues from across the agency together to solve arising issues or develop new regulatory approaches.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Prepare consultations and understand stakeholder views to inform proposals for regulatory reform to ensure they will deliver for stakeholders including patients, life sciences industry and research community.
• Policy Development: Communicate complex regulatory policy and draft concise recommendations, advice and briefings on regulatory reform proposals, to support senior leaders and Ministers in key decision making.
• Coordination of Regulatory Reform Responses: Support the Agency’s responses to requests on regulatory reform from other government departments or external stakeholders, coordinating across the Agency and keeping track to ensure responses are delivered in a timely manner.
• Legislation Management: Support new legislation through cross-government clearances and parliamentary process, setting out project plans and ensuring the process progresses to agreed timelines.
• Project Management: Coordinate the delivery of legislative projects across multidisciplinary teams, establishing clear plans and responsibilities, monitoring progress and risks, and keeping stakeholders informed throughout the project lifecycle.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience in a relevant area in the civil service or other organisations, which give understanding of working in or with the public sector.
• Previous experience working in health, life sciences or regulation environment. (Desirable)
• Previous experience working on legislation. (Desirable)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,456, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £10,851 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of six months full pay and six months half pay after five years’ service.
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join Motoring , Boundless by CSMA
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

The selection process:

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.
• An anonymised CV outlining your job history and previous skills/experience that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of: Working Together

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Closing date: 5th October 2026

Shortlisting date: from 12th October 2026

Interview date: from 26th October 2026

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary and are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the financial implications of any potential move and the impact (if any) on their terms. If an individual is in any doubt, they should seek clarification before accepting a job offer.

Staff joining on promotion will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary, or the pay band minimum, whichever is the greater.

The individual will not retain any allowances paid by the former department/Agency, unless there are special circumstances, such as a reserved right to those allowances on transfer.

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Resourcing Team
• Email : Jamie.White@mhra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Further information

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Resourcing team at Careers@mhra.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk - info@csc.gov.uk - Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ

Attachments

Job Description NS Opens in new window (pdf, 220kB)