Senior Policy Advisor

Job summary

Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time.

These roles are in the Communities and Inclusive Growth directorate, which is focused on giving local communities the powers, skills, tools, and funding to make their places work better for them. It is comprised of three communities-based teams and a strategy team. It consists of the Communities Policy, Communities Governance and institutions, Communities Delivery, and a Strategy team.

You will be based in in the Communities, Governance and Institutions division, which is focused on community governance, the rights of communities to shape services, and the capacity of communities.

We are a warm and welcoming group of people who are passionate about what we do and the communities we work with. We hope you are too!

We particularly welcome candidates from an ethnic minority background and other underrepresented groups to apply, as we work to continually improve our ability to represent the places and communities we support through our work.

Building social capital alongside economic capital can deliver a range of social and economic outcomes for people and places. This is why the Communities and Inclusive Growth Directorate’s work is important in helping to build community capital, supporting local people to manage their community assets and have pride in where they live.

Job description

The Urban Parks and Green Spaces Policy Team are looking for two experienced SEOs to support the team in leading work on policy, legislative reviews and stakeholder engagement.

Our key priorities for this year are:

1. To lead a review of the protections of public recreational green spaces. This is a major piece of work, which will include mapping of existing protections, collecting evidence about how they are used and by whom including wide stakeholder engagement with the parks and green spaces sector, community empowerment stakeholders, local authorities property developers. This will lead to work implementing the review’s recommendations to simplify and clarify protections, and enhance community powers to protect valued open spaces.
2. Green Flag Award contract. GFA is the national and international standard for parks and green spaces, and over the next 18 months we will be working with the licence holders, Keep Britain Tidy, on a major overhaul of the programme.

In this role, you will:

• work on the policy development for Urban Parks and Green Spaces, including Green Flag Award contract
• you will develop strategies for and co-ordinate engagement with a range of stakeholders
• you will work on reviewing green space related legislation
• you will provide policy briefing and advice to Ministers
• you will also respond to parliamentary business, correspondence and briefing requests on issues such as the condition and variety of parks and green spaces
• you will support the team and directorate in delivering other programmes driving up the standards of programme development, delivery and management

Person specification

We are looking for someone with experience in the following areas:

• Policy development, including parks and green spaces policies.
• Reviewing and developing legislation.
• Developing and maintaining effective relationships with, and networks of stakeholders.
• Contract management experience.
• Excellent drafting skills, including writing advice for senior leaders and ministers.
• Analysing complex information.
• Project and/or programme management.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,890, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £12,135 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

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

Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours , Experience

Stage 1: Sift

• Behaviour: Delivering at Pace (Lead Behaviour)

• Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture

• Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing

• Experience: Please provide an example of when you have reviewed or developed legislation.

There is a 250-word limit per question.

When writing your application, remember:

• the assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially

• do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers

• if talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace.

• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 26 January 2026.

Interviews are envisaged to take place the week commencing 9 February 2026 and are currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.

How We Recruit

Find out more about our recruitment processes here.

• Applying

• Sifting

• Interview

• Interview Results & Feedback

• Reserve List

• Near Miss

• Civil Service Grades

• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer

• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

Find out everything you need to know before applying here.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Artificial Intelligence

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database - Internal Fraud Register

• Appeals and Complaints

• Conflict of Interest

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office:

London Office: + CTC

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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

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 : Caroline MacDonald
• Email : Caroline.MacDonald@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Further information

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:

a procedural irregularity

an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy

exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.

It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at recruitment@communities.gov.uk.

If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@csc.gov.uk.