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Develop Your Policy Impact Skills as a Policy Associate

Policy Associates gain hands-on experience bridging the gap between academic research and real-world policy change through UKRI-funded projects across the University.

What You'll Do:

Stakeholder Analysis - Identify and engage with decision-makers, practitioners, and end-users who can translate research into policy action. You'll use specialist Public Policy Southampton (PPS) tools and networks, with full training provided to build these essential skills.

Policy Synthesis - Map the current policy landscape by analyzing academic literature alongside government publications, Parliamentary reports, and civil society outputs. You'll produce executive reports, presentations, and briefings that directly inform research teams' engagement strategies and policy recommendations.

Broader Opportunities - Depending on your project, you may support policy event delivery, conduct stakeholder interviews, develop policy briefs, and contribute to other activities tailored to your interests and the research lead's needs.

What You'll Gain:

• Practical skills in evidence-to-policy translation that complement your doctoral research
• Professional networks connecting you with government civil servants, policymakers, and diverse Southampton researchers
• Career development experience that opens doors whether you pursue academic, policy, or research impact careers
• Direct mentorship from the experienced PPS team
• Portfolio building with tangible outputs (reports, briefings, event delivery) to showcase your policy expertise

This role offers PhD students a unique opportunity to see their research skills applied beyond academia while building a competitive advantage for future career opportunities in research impact, policy advisory, or academic-public sector partnerships.

Policy Associates support the delivery of variety of UKRI-funded projects and activities across the University through stakeholder analysis, policy synthesis and other activities.

Stakeholder analysis identifies and engages relevant decision-makers, practitioners, civil society and end point users in the development of policy implications stemming from UKRI-funded research. The analysis uses specialist Public Policy|Southampton (PPS) tools and networks. Policy Associates will be given full training.

Policy synthesis brings together relevant literature from academia and grey literature (government/ Parliamentary publications, civil society, user groups) to provide a map of the current policy landscape to the project team when planning policy engagement activities and forming policy recommendation. An executive report, verbal presentation and slide deck are presented to the research team.

For some projects, Policy Associates will Ìýsupport with policy events delivery, interviewing policy stakeholders, policy brief development and other activities as agreed with their research lead.Ìý

Policy Associates will learn new skills in the evidence to policy interface, gain experience of working with the PPS team, and work with a broad range of Southampton researchers and Government civil servants.

Payment

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The position will be paid at Administrative L4 level:

• policy synthesis, £19.80Ìýper hour, 80 hours
• stakeholder analysis, £19.80Ìýper hour, 40 hours

Policy Associates recruited in 2025/26 will work together and separately on a range of policy related research projects based on their availability and expertise. The funding for Policy Associates Scheme is £3,000 (per research project).

Training

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Policy Associates will receive training in:

• Introduction to the Impact Agenda
• Role of PPS
• Overview of stakeholder analysis
• System 1 - DeHaviland database
• System 2 – creative stakeholder identification
• Overview of policy synthesis

Eligibility Criteria

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Candidates must:

• beÌýaÌýDoctoral studentÌýor aÌýPostdoctoralÌýFellow
• haveÌýsound literature review skills
• be capable of working in an areaÌýnot exactlyÌýalignedÌýwith their research

We welcome applications from PhD students studying on aÌýTierÌý4 visaÌý(please be aware of the limitations of your visa requirements on the total number of hours that can be worked).

Deadline: Tuesday 28 October

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How to Apply

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Frequently Asked Questions

I missed thisÌýyear's opportunity, how can I get involved?

If you are a Southampton PhD Student or Postdoctoral Fellow looking to participate in this scheme but missed the opportunity to do so, please make sure that you join ourÌýFREE Membership to be notified when a position becomes available.

I am a Southampton academic, how does this scheme affect me?

If you are a Southampton academic looking to include this service in your research funding proposal please join our FREE Membership to find out more.

¸£Àû×ÅƬ out about our Policy Associates