Public Affairs Lead

Background

The IAB is the not-for-profit trade body for the digital advertising industry with members from some of the biggest companies in the world including Google, Meta and Twitter. Our mission is to build a sustainable future for digital advertising. We do this through a range of activities including events, training, research, setting standards, helping the industry to remain self-regulated and more. You can find out more about us and the work we do here.

Careers at the IAB

To understand our culture, the ways we support new joiners, our wellbeing offering, our company benefits and our commitments to sustainability and inclusion, find out more here.

The role

IAB UK member companies need the right policy environment to support a healthy and sustainable UK digital advertising industry. IAB UK is uniquely placed to help them achieve this, representing the whole range of stakeholders in the digital advertising ecosystem.

As this relatively novel industry grows and matures, it faces increasing regulatory scrutiny. It’s more important now than ever for the IAB to raise the profile of the industry and build a positive reputation among policy and regulatory stakeholders. To do this, we need to engage and influence key decision-makers both in support of our specific policy objectives, and our wider strategic goals.

This new role will be critical in ensuring that our policy work has the maximum influence and shaping the future of policy and regulation for digital advertising so that outcomes are evidence-based and proportionate.

We are looking for someone with the skills, knowledge and experience to design and deliver an ambitious programme of proactive engagement, advocacy and influence that delivers results for our members and the industry as a whole. They will own key relationships for the IAB across government, Parliament and with other key external stakeholders and will work with the Policy & Regulatory Affairs team and the wider IAB to raise the IAB’s profile, status and credibility through external engagement and lobbying activity.

Responsibilities

• proactively build and maintain relationships with senior decision-makers to increase understanding of and support for industry/the IAB and our policy positions in government and Parliament
• be an authoritative representative of the IAB with external decision-makers in Whitehall and Parliament
• design and deliver a plan to deliver against the IAB’s 2025 strategy objectives, including identifying success criteria
• design and deliver an annual advocacy and engagement plan that encompasses all key policy and regulatory decision-makers
• work with the other members of the Policy and Regulatory Affairs team to design specific engagement plans/activities to advocate for particular policy/regulatory outcomes
• identify key audiences and work with the Communications team to develop proactive and reactive external communications in support of the IAB’s strategy and specific policy or regulatory workstreams (such as press releases, op-eds, Bill briefings)
• provide colleagues and members with updates and insights into the political landscape and relevant developments

Skills, knowledge and characteristics

• Knowledge of the UK government policy-making process and how to influence it effectively and appropriately
• Experience of influencing regulation and policy in a relevant role (such as public affairs, government affairs or a political role)
• Experience of designing and delivering advocacy and engagement strategies that
  deliver impact and outcomes
• Political awareness and diplomacy
• Able to learn new topics quickly and move between subjects
• Experience of building and maintaining relationships with key decision-makers in Parliament and across Whitehall
• An understanding of the challenges facing digital advertising in a policy and regulatory context (desirable)
• A persuasive, authoritative and trusted industry advocate  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and comfortable speaking to groups and in public forums
• Commercial awareness to be able to identify and communicate business needs and concerns to policy-makers
• Capable of working proactively and independently with minimal supervision
• Able to anticipate challenges and react quickly to issues that arise
• Someone who is well-organised and can manage and prioritise work, and put members first

Management structure 

This role will report to the Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs

Equal opportunities

The IAB supports equal opportunities for everyone, and we want to build a digital advertising industry that is for everybody. We value and respect all differences in people (seen and unseen). One of the ways we do this is by actively encouraging staff to work in ways that best suit their needs and our flexible working policy outlines the options available. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility and equipment or other support you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we promise not to judge you for asking.

Application process

For more information, or to apply for the Public Affairs Lead position, please visit https://www.ellwoodatfield.com/job/public-affairs-lead-az-2208-8535/. Salary is competitive.