Government Relations Officer
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
Job purpose
The Government Relations Officer will play a key role in developing, supporting and implementing the University of Glasgow’s engagement with government and political stakeholders in alignment with the institution’s strategic objectives. Based in the Principal’s Office, this will involve direct interaction with key stakeholders including at Westminster, Holyrood and in local government. The postholder will be responsible for delivering an extensive programme of political visits and events, monitoring the external environment, producing high-quality briefing materials, and writing tailored communications to specific audiences.
Working closely with senior university staff, the postholder will coordinate effective engagement across senior policy, political, funding, community, civic, and business audiences. As a key member of a small but busy Government Relations team, line-managed by the Head of Government Relations, the postholder will also work closely with the Head of the Principal’s Office/Chief of Staff and Executive Officer, as well as the Principal’s executive support staff, supporting the Principal’s strategic objectives in government relations and contributing to a professional and well-organised public affairs function.
Main duties & responsibilities
- Deliver government relations activity on behalf of the University of Glasgow, working closely with members of the Principal’s Office and other colleagues as required.
- Identify and secure opportunities for the University to build relationships with elected members at local, Holyrood and Westminster levels, including proactively seeking and managing an extensive programme of political visits to the University.
- Support the development of effective relationships with civil servants in relevant government departments at all levels, parliaments and other relevant agencies, with a specific focus on relationship building and policy engagement at Westminster and Holyrood.
- Support the duties of the Head of Government Relations, including providing administrative support for the Government Relations Group, including scheduling, agenda preparation, contributing to papers and maintaining meeting records.
- Identify and coordinate institutional submissions and responses to relevant parliamentary committees, government inquiries and consultations, ensuring the University’s voice is effectively represented.
- Draft briefings, correspondence and other documentation to provide timely and relevant updates on University activity to political representatives.
- Monitor parliamentary activities and key policy developments, ensuring that the Principal and senior colleagues are informed of relevant issues that impact the University’s priorities as outlined in the Government Relations Plan.
- Provide support to researchers in making links with policy-makers, practitioners and other stakeholders relevant to their field, in promoting the importance of their work and in maximising impact from the research.
- Contribute to effective processes and systems that support the government relations function, including SharePoint, databases, digital assets (e.g., website), and team planning.
Knowledge and qualifications
- Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills through personal development and progression in a similar related role(s). Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 8 (Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4, Higher National Diploma) or equivalent, and experience of personal development in a similar role.
- Relevant experience, e.g. in a government relations, public affairs, public policy, communications or journalistic role.
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of the public policy and media landscapes in Scotland and beyond.
Relevant contacts book and demonstrable relationships with opinion formers in public life.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent writing skills, with the ability to write well for different audiences.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with ability to communicate complex issues succinctly and accurately.
- Ability to assimilate and retain information at speed and from both written and oral sources.
- An energetic and engaging personality with a high level of personal initiative.
- Adept at handling and working with senior figures, gaining their respect.
- Ability to demonstrate leadership and to react coolly with faced with difficult and competing priorities.
- Must be motivated and be able to lead/influence others within the team and across the university.
- Sound judgment under pressure.
- Proven analytical and problem solving ability.
- Proficiency in using online collaboration tools, including SharePoint and databases, to manage information, track engagement, and support effective decision-making.
Experience
Essential
- Experience that demonstrates ability to manage workload, ability/willingness to work across teams and capacity to co-ordinate the work of colleagues.
- Experience of digital media and content creation and content management.
- Evidence of creative ability linked to the effective presentation of information through social media, to a professional standard.
- Experience of managing confidential information.
- Worked in role where had to develop effective working relationships with colleagues and external partners.
- Experience of working flexibly and demonstrating adaptability.
- Experience of applying advanced IT capability/aptitude.
- Experience of working closely with senior leaders in an organisation
Desirable
- Experience of developing public engagement strategies.
- Experience of social media and digital media, ideally in a professional environment.
World-Changing Campus
We have delivered one of the most significant expansions of a UK university city campus for over a century.
Over the last decade, the University of Glasgow has invested in its estate to expand its world-class campus and facilities.
An area covering 14 acres of land next to our magnificent Gilmorehill campus has been redeveloped to build a mix of modern research, teaching and public spaces.
Our new buildings will mean the University remains a centre for world-changing research, as well as a vibrant community hub and centre for public engagement.
The development will transform our teaching, learning and research spaces. It will allow us to bring together the best minds of today and tomorrow within world-class interdisciplinary research spaces that offer flexibility and stimulate collaboration, and modern study spaces that will combine study and social learning space with technology enabled teaching.
- The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is changing the way research is conducted at Glasgow. The ARC is the creative and collaborative heart of research at the University of Glasgow, bridging the boundaries between research, cross-subject collaboration and true societal impact . The ARC brings more than 500 world-leading researchers from a range of disciplines together in a building specifically designed to break down organisational structure and facilitate collaboration and interdisciplinary work.
- The James McCune Smith Learning Hub is an inspirational and diverse learning space. The flagship building was the first to be completed as part of our campus development, and provides a creative environment, combining flexible study and social learning space with multi-styled and technology-enabled teaching. It can accommodate more than 2,500 students, and includes a lecture theatre with capacity for 500 students. State-of-the-art teaching facilities, with flexible study spaces and interactive teaching for students, help to create a more immersive learning experience.
Find out more
Living in Glasgow
A UNESCO City of Music, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a food-lover’s delight, and a shopper’s paradise. Just some of the highlights of the ‘friendliest city in the world’. As well as that accolade by the Rough Guides poll, Glasgow has also been named a must visit destination by publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wanderlust.
Music
The city hosts an average of 130 music events a week catering for every taste; from rock to rap, and classical to country. Glasgow also has a world class club scene playing host to some of the world’s top DJs.
Shopping
Outside of London’s West End, Glasgow is frequently voted the best place for shopping in the UK. A must-visit destination for any shop-a-holic, it houses high street chains, international designers, and independent retailers. The West End, home to the University of Glasgow, is bustling with vintage fashion, vinyl stores, and second-hand bookshops.
Arts and Culture
Glasgow’s arts scene has gone from strength to strength, and is the base for five internationally renowned performing arts companies including the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet. The city has several world-class museums, which are free to the public, and the city’s architecture is a work of art in itself.
Food and drink
You can be in Glasgow and taste the world with its many diverse restaurants, cafes, and bars. And if you’ve yet to sample the delights of haggis and whisky, Glasgow is the place to be.
The City and Beyond
Glasgow has all the opportunities and excitement of a big city but its compact size means you can quickly travel from one vibrant district to the next. You could be relaxing in one of its many parks, before shopping in the quirky West End, and then dancing until the wee small hours in the Merchant City.
And when you fancy getting out of the city you can reach the stunning Loch Lomond in just 30 minutes, climb one of our many breath-taking Munros, play golf at one of Scotland’s many world-class courses, visit one of our ancient castles, or go further North and search for Nessie! Scotland has also just been named the world’s most beautiful country by Rough Guides.
Relocating to Glasgow
Choosing to relocate to Glasgow is a big decision. There are numerous things to be considered, such as the costs of moving, the cost of living, and where exactly to relocate to. We have created a guide to aide you in the decision making process.
Find out more on relocating to Glasgow at the below link:
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
WORLD CHANGING GLASGOW 2025
Our outstanding disciplinary breadth and expertise has enabled us to make world-changing advances in fields as diverse as medicine, physics, linguistics, public policy and global development.
The key to our success is our talented staff and students pushing back at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding together.
Our World Changers Together strategy recognises the fundamental importance of a culture of open cooperation: not just as colleagues and mentors or students and teachers, but as a community of discovery that reaches beyond its walls and draws inspiration and strength from its connections and partnerships worldwide: excellence that's part of something bigger. The strategy is articulated across three themes:
COMMUNITY
- People centred, globally engaged
CONNECTIVITY
- Collaboratively minded, digitally enhanced
CHALLENGES
- Solution focused, impact oriented
Find out more
How to apply
Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by visiting our website:
The closing date for applications is 23:45 9th April 2025
Terms & Conditions
Salary will be Grade 6, £33,482 - £37,174 per annum.
This post is full time and fixed term for 6 months from start date
The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.
It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment. We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.
Our values
The future holds innumerable challenges for our sector, our society, and our world. We will have to adapt and change what we do and what we offer if we are to navigate these successfully. Our strategy and approach may evolve as the landscape changes, but our values will remain constant: a fixed point of certainty in uncertain times.
We have identified our values in consultation and partnership with our staff and student community. Living and upholding these values will ensure that we remain true to the spirit of our community and ourselves:
Ambition and Excellence
- We strive for excellence through our work
- We defend academic freedom globally
- We recognise and celebrate shared success
- We have an unrelenting focus on development
Curiosity and Discovery
- We innovate and solve problems together
- We lead by influence and example
- We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
- We learn from our mistakes