The National Lottery Heritage Fund As the largest funder for the UK’s heritage, our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to past. Our mission is to use our expertise to support and champion the UK’s heritage and demonstrate the transformative potential of National Lottery funding through delivering our new strategy Heritage 2033. We ensure that money from the National Lottery makes a decisive difference for people, places and communities. We are currently recruiting for a full time Director of Policy and External Relations on a permanent contract based in any of the Heritage Fund’s offices in the UK – able to sustain regular travel to London (Hybrid Working). This is a key leadership role at the Heritage Fund. As the organisation’s senior policy and external affairs professional, the postholder will lead a team of policy and public affairs experts charged with advising on all aspects of public policy and practice where heritage can make a significant contribution. You will drive, inspire, co-ordinate and prioritise our engagement with policy work and provide expert advice, input and guidance on all areas relevant to our strategy. You will also oversee the Heritage Fund’s strategic approach to external relations, through public affairs and stakeholder engagement across the UK. This includes providing input and advice on the needs and priorities for funding; providing staff, decision takers and applicants with policy and external relations advice and guidance; and acting as a visible advocate for the transformational effect of National Lottery funding. As our senior policy and external relations lead, you will collaborate closely with colleagues within the wider team and across the organisation, including the CEO/Chair’s office. If you are excited about helping ensure that heritage is inclusive and accessible to everyone, for now and future generations, then we want to hear from you. Applications close on 9 March 2025. Interviews are expected to take place on 1 April 2025. Our Values Our Values and Behaviours sit at the heart of our work and are central to how we recruit. How you demonstrate our Values is just as important to us as your skills and experience. Inclusive of all aspects of heritage, people and communities Ambitious for our people, communities and heritage Collaborative by working and learning together Trusted for our integrity, expertise and judgement Flexible Working The National Lottery Heritage Fund has offices all over the UK and we champion a flexible approach to working where this supports our business needs. We have formally adopted a hybrid working approach. This means that most employees will work from their contracted Heritage Fund office twice a week at minimum. Time spent on site visits to projects or other meetings based at another Heritage Fund or external office are counted as part of those two days. The other days in the week employees may work from home. Disability Confident Employer We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for every vacancy. We always endeavour to make reasonable adjustments and special requirements can be discussed and arranged before an interview.