Policy Manager

Potential Interview Date: (via Teams) w/c 10th March 2025.

Location: Home-Based or Office based, flexible location

For an informal discussion or further information about this role please contact the Hiring Manager – Vickie Priest, Deputy Director of Mental Health & Acute and address general enquiries to our recruitment team.

Are you committed to helping us regulate health and social care within England?

When thinking about what drives you every day in your job, what keeps you motivated and passionate about your work what comes to mind? For 3,000+ people at the CQC, we end each day knowing that we have made a difference to the lives of those most in need in our communities. We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve. We are looking for people who are caring, demonstrate integrity and work well as part of a team to join with us and share in this sense of achievement. If you would like to help us make a positive impact to health and social care within England, then read on.

Why this could be a great role for you…

Policy and strategy lead on the development of the CQC strategy and in the development of high-quality policy that enables CQC to delivery its strategic ambitions and regulate in a way that encourages improvement in the quality of care, meets our equality and human rights obligations, and shapes CQC’s future role in the health and social care system.

This role is in the Mental Health and Acute Policy team and we are looking for someone with experience and knowledge of the mental health legislative and policy agenda.

We work closely and collaboratively with all parts of CQC, incorporating practical implications for delivery in our thinking. Success for us means that CQC is better able to do its work to assess quality, respond to risk and encourage improvement.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Mental Health and Acute Policy, Policy Managers play a critical role in the leadership of Policy and Strategy, leading areas of work and specific projects as well as line and/or matrix management of others in the team. There are also opportunities to also take leadership roles across the policy and strategy unit, for example in relation to wellbeing, inclusion and learning and development.

What you will bring…

- A structured approach to solving complex problems and application of regulatory levers.
- You will be outcome-focused and evidence-based.
- Expertise in health and care policy, government priorities and relevant legislation, particularly mental health.
- Strategic stakeholder relationship management and influencing.
- Ability to work flexibly and creatively across organisational, team and unit boundaries.
- Excellent communication skills – including formal papers, written briefings, presentations.
- Ability to drive and support continuous improvement in our regulation.
- Commitment to working in a way which advances our strategic priorities including centring our regulation on the experiences of people, safety through learning, encouraging improvement, reducing inequalities and protecting human rights.
- Ability to use Horizon scanning to guide our future work.

What we can offer you...

Your health and wellbeing are important to us and are supported through our benefits scheme:

- 27 days’ annual leave, rising with service to 32.5 days, plus 8 Bank Holidays
- NHS pension scheme, with around a 14% employer contribution
- Free employee assistance service 24 hours a day
- Discounts to supermarkets, high street stores, electronics and fleet cars
- Discounted gym vouchers
- Cycle to work scheme
- Internal reward scheme where you could earn yourself a voucher or two!
- Equipment for homeworking

We want to make working for CQC a great experience for everyone, and to role model a diverse and representative culture. To support an inclusive environment where colleagues feel empowered to bring their whole self to work, we support a variety of staff networks, including the Race Equality Network, LGBT+ Equality Network, Carers Equality Network, Disability Equality Network and Gender Equality network.

We want to support you to succeed and be your very best with opportunities for training and development; along with the support of experienced managers and mentors.

Please note, some roles may be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

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Do you want to use your policy expertise help shape the future of mental health care?

The Care Quality Commission is looking for a Policy Manager to lead the development of high-quality policies. 

If you have experience in mental health policy, a structured approach to problem-solving, and a passion for regulatory impact, this could be the perfect role for you.

With a salary of £52,737 (or £58,409 if you live in London), flexible working, excellent benefits, and the opportunity to make a real difference, why wait? 

Take the next step in your career - click Apply today!