About us

The Policy Profession helps to build capability and develop the right skills for policy professionals across the Civil Service.

What is the UK Government Policy Profession?

The Policy Profession is the second largest of the 28 Civil Service professions with the Office for National Statistics recording over 33,000 members on its 2023 Civil Service Statistics report.  It supports the government in its role in improving the welfare, security and prosperity of the nation. It influences all aspects of people’s lives, from designing public services to improving education and health, and assessing infrastructure needs for the country. 

 A range of professionals across areas of specialisation and expertise make government policy. Their work centres on three activities:

  • developing and improving government strategies
  • supporting democratic governance
  • overseeing delivery and supporting continuous improvement

Working as a policy professional

Good policy is developed by teams that bring diversity of thought and experience to the process. Policy professionals bring together multidisciplinary teams to solve challenging societal issues, ensuring citizen’s needs are met.

Career opportunities in policy

  1. direct recruitment: apply for policy roles on Civil Service Jobs. Filter your job search by location, organisation and job role. Make sure to select ‘policy’ to view the latest vacancies

  2. Government Policy Fast Stream Scheme: a three-year work-based programme open to degree holders in any subject. Existing civil servants can apply without a degree

  3. Policy Apprenticeship Scheme: two-year on-the-job training giving exposure to different policy areas. Vacancies are available on Civil Service Jobs. Contact our apprenticeship team for general enquiries

  4. job shadowing: get a better understanding of policy work by working alongside a professional

  5. loan or secondment: loan is when an individual moves within the Civil Service from one department to another for an agreed period. Secondment is a temporary move to and from an organisation outside the Civil Service. Opportunities are on Civil Service Jobs

Policy career model

The policy career model explains what policy professionals do and the skills they need to develop their career.  

The career model has three distinctive functions:

Policy specialisms

When working in policy, your role will typically fall within one or more of the following specialisms:

  • advising and briefing
  • policy design
  • policy delivery and implementation
  • strategy
  • legislation development

Policy subject areas

The policy subject areas, also known as policy domains, are where policy professionals work and develop knowledge and expertise.  

Examples are:

  • economic
  • tax
  • trade
  • social
  • security
  • international
  • environmental and climate
  • infrastructure

Policy standards

The Policy Profession Standards describe the skills and knowledge required by policy professionals at all stages of their career and provide the competency framework for their professional development.

Professional development

There are a range of routes into the profession and opportunities for professional development. These include formal and informal learning opportunities, knowledge sharing, accredited courses and alumni community building. Learning is based on the Policy Profession Standards which outline expectations for knowledge and skills  at three levels, including:

Developing

Practitioner

  • knowledge building workshops and webinars led by practitioners
  • flexible postgraduate learning with King’s College London, offering short modules and certificate and diploma level learning

Expert

A central Policy Profession Unit supports good policy making across government.  

Additionally, departments offer induction programmes, qualifications and approaches to help develop their policy professionals. 

Visit Civil Service Careers for more information on policy careers or contact [email protected]

The Policy System

The Policy System describes the mechanisms, principles, procedures and other interconnected factors for the way policy is made and how policy makers are supported to do their work. To support and enable good policy making the Policy System Framework outlines the following components:

  • inputs and resources  

  • processes and practices  

  • people and relationships  

  • culture and context

Policy Design Community

Policy Design Community is for people who specialise in using design to make policy. It is open to everyone who works for a public sector organisation as a way to be part of a community of policy designers. You can find more information, join the community and subscribe to the community’s blog.

Privacy notice

The Policy Profession privacy notice explains how we handle and process your personal data.

Corporate information

Jobs and contracts

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