Policy Officer (Strategy, Policy, & Performance)

About This Role

This temporary Policy Officer role involves joining East Lothian Council's newly formed Strategy, Policy and Performance Team. The successful candidate will contribute to high-profile policy, performance, improvement, and partnership work, primarily supporting Community Planning activity and the implementation of East Lothian's Local Outcomes Improvement Plan, while also contributing to wider corporate priorities.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of East Lothian's Community Planning and Local Outcomes Improvement Plan priorities
• Coordinate and support strategic partnership groups and governance arrangements
• Assist with performance monitoring, reporting, and impact assessment
• Undertake policy research, analysis, and evidence gathering to inform decision-making
• Develop reports, briefings, and presentations for senior officers, elected members, and partnership groups
• Build effective relationships with partners across the public, third, and private sectors
• Support community engagement, participation, and partnership working activity
• Contribute to policy development, service improvement, and organisational change initiatives
• Provide high-quality policy development, performance, and improvement support across East Lothian Council, with a focus on equality, community planning, performance management, and general corporate policy
• Lead and coordinate corporate consultation responses, overseeing cross-service contributions, ensuring consistency with corporate policy positions, and delivering timely, robust submissions on behalf of the organisation
• Support the Team Manager and contribute to delivering the Council’s strategic priorities, statutory duties, and continuous improvement agenda

Requirements

• Excellent communication, analytical, and organisational skills
• Experience of policy, performance, improvement, partnership working, or a related field
• Comfortable working across organisational boundaries, managing a varied workload, and turning evidence into practical recommendations
• Degree level or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline (e.g., public policy, social sciences, public administration) and/or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge, skills, and competencies gained through relevant experience
• Level 1 Disclosure Clearance to allow access to the Public Sector Network (required prior to commencement)
• If you have spent more than 3 months working or living outside the UK in the last 5 years, you will be required to present a copy of an overseas criminal record check

Important Details

• Schedule: Monday - Friday, days of working are negotiable, starting and finishing times are flexible, and flexi time is applicable