Head of Policy – Data Centres Programme

Job Title: Head of Policy – Data Centres Programme

Location: London

Salary: £45,000 – £60,000 per annum

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

Role Purpose

techUK’s Head of Data Centres’ Programme leads all of our work regarding this core digital infrastructure.

techUK’s award-winning programme provides a collective voice for UK operators. We work with government to improve the business environment for our members. To date we have saved UK operators over £150M, alerted them to business risks, mitigated regulatory impacts and raised awareness, most recently negotiating key worker status for the sector.

The programme works with the full spectrum of interests and operational models across the data centre sector – from wholesale colocation to cloud infrastructure to telecoms operators and professional advisory services.

This means working to both respond to the needs of members – briefing and advising them of policy changes and market developments – and the demands of UK government and its agencies, to help them design, deliver and evaluate policies in areas such as net zero, energy efficiency and resource management.

You will be a focal point for techUK’s work in supporting and championing this critical digital asset class.

The role will require you to deliver against a range of financial and performance targets (including membership growth and retention) and to manage a complex workload with competing demands.

Key Responsibilities

• Be accountable for the development and delivery of a strategically aligned annual Identifying emerging public policy issues relevant to data infrastructure, prioritising and acting on them appropriately.
• Alerting the industry to new policy and market developments, researching implications and collating evidence of potential impacts.
• Coordinating lobbying and campaign strategies for issues of most significant concern.
• Developing strong relationships with relevant individuals and teams within government and other external stakeholders. In particular, liaising directly with the DCMS Data Infrastructure Resilience Team.
• Managing multiple dossiers relating to policy, compliance, reputation and markets, most of which remain active over the long term and may be technical in nature.
• Maintaining close working relationships and sharing information with partner bodies and other data centre focused NTAs.
• Producing externally-facing explanatory material for non-technical readers.
• Producing industry-facing explanatory materials to clarify complex policy instruments for the sector.
• Responding to media enquiries relevant to the sector.
• Maintaining a permanent skills dialogue through partnerships, outreach and publications.
• Acting as sector spokesperson at industry events, to government and media.
• Managing the UK Council of Data Centre Operators.
• Reporting back to members regularly on activity and progress.

Competencies

• A self-motivated individual who is comfortable leading several projects.
• A team player who is comfortable and able to work with relevant teams across techUK.
• Strong interpersonal skills
• A networker, with an understanding of how to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range of people and organisations.
• Has a can-do approach and comfortable working in a high pressure, fast paced environment with competing demands.
• Effective communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to get to grips with complex technical information and to communicate this effectively to a range of audiences.
• Is able to articulate, explain and sell the benefits of techUK to a range of audiences from government to potential new members.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the interaction between public policy and complex industries and the environmental challenges faced by the tech sector.
• Strong knowledge of public affairs and can demonstrate successful public policy outcomes.
• Has a proven track record and experience of managing complex relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Comfortable with and has experience of working with board level executives.

Desired:

• A working knowledge of UK data centre market characteristics and business models, both domestic and international.
• Good familiarity with data centre operational functions and processes.
• An understanding of the regulatory and policy environment with regard to data infrastructure at UK and EU level.
• General familiarity with the standards, metrics and best practice tools commonly adopted within the industry.
• The role reports into the Director of Markets. Whilst the role has no direct line management responsibility, it can draw on and partially oversees the work of two team members.

This is a full-time role based out of techUK’s London offices.

The successful candidate must have permission to work in the UK prior to the commencement of employment. Due to the volume of applications we receive, if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of applying, please deem your application as unsuccessful on this occasion.

Please click the APPLY button to send your CV for this role.

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of; Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of; Senior Policy Manager, Senior Government Affairs Manager, Policy Manager, Government Affairs Manager, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Public Affairs Manager, Head of Public Affairs, Head of Policy, Head of Government Affairs may also be considered for this role.