Policy Advisor

Salary: £38,434 up to £51,246 dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent, full-time or part-time

Security Level: BPSS

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in our field. Our activities are diverse and include enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, ensuring markets develop and work effectively, and consumers are treated fairly. We pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

About the team

The economic regulation and competition policy team is a vital part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Consumers and Markets Group. We protect consumers by ensuring that airports and air traffic service (ATS) providers do not exploit their market position and have responsibility for the economic regulation of Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and the monopoly air traffic services provider for the UK, NATS (En Route) Plc (NERL). We are also responsible for the CAA’s concurrent competition responsibilities for airports and ATS.
 

The team’s remit is expanding to provide economic input to the CAA’s wider policies and initiatives, including in relation to shaping new technology markets, airspace modernisation and other competition and consumer issues. Understanding the impact of policy options and our actions is essential in ensuring we protect the interests of consumers while encouraging investment in services and supporting wider aviation policy.

The role and key responsibilities 

Policy Advisors play an important role supporting work to develop and implement key areas of regulatory policy. They may be responsible for supporting and working with colleagues across a variety of work areas to deliver consumer outcomes relating to airports and ATS, and wider policy projects.

The work of Policy Advisors is varied and we are looking for individuals with a range of skills. For example, Policy Advisors might expect to:

• Support regulatory policy development, implementation and oversight. In particular, supporting work that will deliver better outcomes for consumers in service quality, resilience and capital investment programmes.
• Scope and develop analysis of evidence to support policymaking.
• Work with colleagues to ensure the effective oversight of delivery and performance of regulated companies.
• Support the review and challenge of key areas of proposals for the level of charges from regulated companies and submissions from other stakeholders.
• Translate technical analysis into simple explanations and presentations that will be persuasive for non-technical audiences.
• Ensure that key deliverables are informed by compelling analysis, are robust and are produced to a high standard.
• Produce high quality drafting for public consultation and proposals documents.
• Engage with regulated entities and external advisors at a working level.
• Work in multi-disciplinary teams and handling conflicting priorities.
• Champion CAA values and D&I policy.

About You

Skills, knowledge and experience that are essential for the job:

• Experience of understanding and applying legislation, regulation and rules, or the aptitude to quickly learn
• Ability to develop, and contribute to the delivery of, complex economic or policy analysis.
• Ability to develop work plans, work with project teams and prioritise complex tasks
• Ability to solve problems, manage risks and deliver high quality outputs under time pressure
• Able to work effectively within an interdisciplinary team and with a reasonable degree of independence.
• Experience building effective relationships and successfully influencing and challenging stakeholders, including communicating complex policy issues in a clear and concise way to non-experts.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Experience working on economic regulation or on policy issues relevant to regulated companies, for example within a government department, regulator or regulated company (or other relevant experience)
• Experience of collecting, investigating, and analysing qualitative and quantitative data and evidence to arrive at conclusions and recommendations.
• A background in compliance and enforcement, including development of processes to deliver effective compliance or enforcement investigations.
• Knowledge of aviation and transport or worked in other regulated sectors.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.

To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken.

If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

For more information on BPSS clearance please visit - BPSS clearance

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Working location

This role is based in our London office in Canary Wharf. We operate hybrid working model in which colleagues are able to work from home for part of the week. We also have an overseas working policy that permits a degree of working from another country, subject to the criteria set out in the policy.

Inclusive Recruitment 

We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

Working With Us

We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.
 

This role is a permanent position and offers the opportunity for professional development, through working within a highly experienced team and directly influencing and engaging with senior leaders. We understand that work life balance is key and would be happy to consider those seeking part-time work and/or a job share as well as those seeking a full-time role. We operate (and are committed to) a hybrid working model, with the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!

Our Values
 

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – For more information please Click Here
 

Closing Date: 2nd June 2025

Interview Date: w/c 16th June 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

No recruitment agencies please.