Download a copy of the Job Description.
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time (37.5 hours per week)
Salary: £34,872 – £38,808
Location: Whitehall, Greater London (Hybrid)
Line manager: Engagement Manager
Application deadline: Monday 11th May, 9am
Interviews: First round (online) 14th/15th May, second round (in-person) 26th May
About Demos
Founded in 1993 in response to a shortage of new ideas in British politics, Demos is the leading cross party thinktank. We’ve spent three decades cementing our place as a trusted expert, political convener and generator of ideas. Movements, ideologies and governments have come and gone. Yet in this moment of global democratic emergency, Demos’s work could not be more urgent or relevant.
The Democratic Doom Loop
Trust in institutions is falling, public debate is polarised, and too many people feel democracy no longer delivers for them. As trust declines, participation drops, discourse hardens and institutions struggle to respond. This is the democratic doom loop. At Demos, our overarching mission is to upgrade democracy in the UK and build a system powered by trusting relationships, information and technology, fit for our times. We are designing the practical foundations of a new deal between citizen, state and the institutions that shape daily lives.
Our work focuses on four pillars that span the interface between state and citizen: Everyday Democracy, Public Service Reform, the Citizen Economy, and Resilient Information Ecosystems – with technology and AI shaping each.
Our work focuses on:
- Public Service Reform, to liberate citizens and public servants and prevent problems
- A Citizen Economy, where people, businesses, charities and government work together to achieve growth that works for people as well as profits
- More Trustworthy Technology, in which technological progress aligns with the needs and values of citizens
- A more Collaborative Democracy, in which politicians, experts and citizens partner to tackle the challenges facing our country
About the role
Events and external affairs are at the heart of Demos’s mission to upgrade democracy. The Senior Events and Partnerships Officer is an opportunity to drive impact at Britain’s leading cross-party think tank on some of the most important issues of our time.
Demos hosts a busy programme of roundtables, panel events, conferences, dinners and party conference fringe events, convening senior speakers and attendees drawn from politics, government, public services, media, civil society and business. Our ability to convene and curate stimulating discussions on the biggest challenges facing the country is at the heart of our mission.
The role will suit a candidate who combines excellent event management skills with a genuine interest in UK politics and public policy. As Senior Events and Partnerships Officer, you will work as part of a collaborative team, taking end-to-end ownership of event planning and delivery while building and maintaining relationships with parliamentarians, their offices, senior stakeholders and partner organisations. Reporting to the Engagement Manager within the Impact Team, you will be involved in the full breadth of Demos’s impact in the world.
What you’ll be doing
Events
- Take end-to-end ownership of Demos’s events programme, including roundtables, panel discussions, conferences, dinners and receptions, from concept through to delivery and post-event follow-up.
- Curate and secure high-quality speakers and attendees, managing invitations, briefings, and on-the-day support.
- Manage event logistics and budgets, ensuring smooth delivery and value for money.
- Maintain invitation lists and attendance data, and introduce feedback mechanisms to drive continuous improvement across the programme.
Party Conference
- Working with the Engagement Manager, lead the planning, logistics and on-the-ground delivery of Demos’s party conference programme across the main party conferences.
- Act as the primary point of contact for conference partners and funders, managing contracting, invoicing, and all logistical arrangements.
- Coordinate the team’s conference-season needs and track the party conference budget, keeping spending on course.
Political and stakeholder engagement
- Support Demos and colleagues to build and maintain strong relationships with MPs, Peers, becoming a trusted point of contact with their offices and parliamentary staff.
- Support the Engagement Manager and wider Demos team in stakeholder outreach, attending events and meetings to represent Demos and develop networks.
- Keep abreast of the political landscape, contributing insight on parliamentary developments and policy opportunities to the wider team.
Team and organisational contribution
- Participate actively in team meetings, contribute to a positive team culture and to strategic discussions.
- Identify opportunities to improve how Demos works and share best practice from the events and engagement sector.
What you’ll need to be successful
The types of knowledge, skills and experience we are looking for are below. We welcome a range of applications which include at least some of these attributes.
Skills
- Demonstrable ability to manage a complex events programme, from planning through to delivery and evaluation
- Excellent organisational skills with high attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft professional briefings, invitations and correspondence
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
- Strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to engage with senior stakeholders, politicians and partner organisations
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues
Knowledge
- A strong interest in, and demonstrable knowledge of, the UK policy and political environment, including an understanding of how Parliament and the party conference landscape work
- A commitment to keeping abreast of the latest policy developments and issues
Experience
- A proven track record of planning and delivering high-quality events in a think tank, political, public affairs or comparable environment
- Experience of building and maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders, including politicians, civil servants or equivalent
- Experience of supporting or delivering party conference programmes (desirable)
- An existing network of contracts in Westminster, Whitehall, or the wider policy landscape (desirable)
- Experience of working with cross-party stakeholders (desirable)
Behaviours
- Highly collaborative in approach to working with colleagues and external partners.
- A proactive mindset: looking ahead to identify and address challenges and opportunities before they arise
- A commitment to centering diversity, inclusion, equity and justice in your work.
- A passion for the way of doing politics Demos wants to promote – consensus-building, participatory and committed to democracy -, coupled with an open mind and inclusive approach to working with people whose ideas and opinions differ
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice (DIEJ) at Demos
At Demos, we recognise, celebrate and promote the positive contributions that are made by diverse groups. We exist to proactively tackle social and economic exclusion and engaging with and promoting the voices of people whose voices may not otherwise be heard is core to our work. We believe that this should be reflected in our team and we strongly encourage applications from people from minority ethnic communities, people with disabilities, or others with lived experience of disadvantage.
We expect all members of our team to commit to Demos’ cross-party approach. This means we engage with all parties in the democratic system where it will further our charitable aims. Our mission to strengthen democracy and overcome division depends on building dialogue across political divides while upholding our values of diversity, inclusion, equity and justice.
We recognise and value differences and the unique contributions that people make to the way we conduct our work and develop our insights, and encourage people to bring their diverse perspectives and backgrounds into their work on a day-to-day basis. We would be happy to discuss flexible working requirements with any candidates.
What we offer
- Generous leave entitlement: 27 days + Bank holidays + 3 additional days off between Christmas and New Year
- Enhanced pension contribution: 6%
- Enhanced sick pay
- Enhanced parental leave
- A forward-thinking, supportive and collaborative team
At Demos we centre staff wellbeing as a key priority; we will make every effort to ensure staff feel happy, healthy and valued as part of our integral team.
Application and selection process
To apply, please provide the following through our application submission form.
- an anonymised CV (with any references to your name and personal details removed)
- answers to four screening questions (up to 250 words each)
- a completed copy of our diversity monitoring form (optional)
The screening questions will be evaluated and graded anonymously to minimise bias in our screening process.
We will conduct first round interviews online via Google Meet on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th May. Second round interviews will be held in-person at our office on Whitehall on Tuesday 26th May.
Questions?
If you have any further questions or aren’t sure if the role is right for you, please feel free to reach out to us by emailing [email protected] and we would be happy to answer any queries.
We look forward to hearing from you!