Working lives: what is a policy officer and how can you become one?
Working in housing can be a fascinating and rewarding career with a huge variety of roles beyond those on the frontline or in development. The role of policy officer is essential in ensuring housing associations are legally compliant and aware of the changes happening in the external world. It can also be a great route into more senior housing roles.
What is policy officer?
A policy is a statement of intent – setting out the principles behind why we do certain things and what people can expect, for example at East Thames we make sure that all complaints are acknowledged within three working days. It is the role of a policy officer to enable colleagues on the frontline to confidently deliver services to residents by providing policies and supporting guidance.
In order to do this policy officers will seek resident feedback, benchmark with other organisations, research good practice, consult with colleagues and carry out impact assessments. They will then develop the policy, consult, seek approval and communicate changes to residents and staff. Policy officers may also support senior managers who choose to develop their own policies. In some cases policy officers will also develop procedures, templates and supporting documents. Policy officers may also be involved in researching what is happening externally, identifying key changes, and making sure organisational policies are up to date.
Why become a policy officer?
I was looking for a role that provided variety and allowed me the chance to carry out research. One of the best things about working in policy is that no two days are the same. One day you can be researching the impact of affordable rent and developing a new allocations policy, the next you could be consulting with residents about changes to parking. It's a great way to get an understanding of how a business works and to influence an organisation at all levels. Now, as head of policy and external affairs, I lead on a number of research projects, including welfare reform.
Public policy or operational policy?
Not all policy is social or public policy. For housing associations operational policy can be equally important. Residents care about parking, pets and pests and addressing these issues through effective policy is just as important and as challenging as some of the more strategic policies.
Keeping your audience in mind will always help – resident groups, staff, board members, councils, funders and regulators. As a policy officer you might not meet these different groups yourself, but you'll still need a solid understanding of each of them to ensure your policy addresses their concerns.
Understand data
The ability to process large amounts of information, interpret it and then transform it into recommendations and policy is another key skill for anyone working in policy. When reviewing our tenure and allocations policy to introduce affordable rent and fixed term tenancies we carried out data analysis of average tenancy length and stock profile, as well as conducting an impact assessments to see if any resident groups could be adversely affected by the changes. From this, we made a decision to introduce a 10-year fixed term tenancy.
Knowledge
Keeping on track of what is happening in the external world is essential for a policy officer. Welfare reform has been the one of the biggest challenges facing social housing this year, but it is one of many.
There have also been changes in the way complaints proceed to the housing ombudsman, local authorities issuing revised allocations policies, the introduction of the Growth and Infrastructure Act, a new consultation document by the housing regulator, increased right-to-buy discounts and funding through Help to Buy.
Keeping abreast of issues facing the sector is crucial, sign up for housing newsletters, closely follow all the news coverage and read the latest thinktank publications to make sure you're always up to speed.
Get a foot in the door
It is a tough and competitive market at the moment. It may be that you can't get the job that you want straight away, but there could be another opportunity to get your foot in the door. Many senior housing staff start as housing officers or in customer call centres. Internal secondments, talent spotting and succession planning processes can help you progress from these roles to work elsewhere in the organisation.
Once you've got your foot in the door, good internal connections will put you in a great position to take advantage of any opportunities that come your way.
Mairead Carroll is head of policy and external affairs at East Thames Housing
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