We’re seeking a Senior Government & Public Affairs Consultant (Freelance, Director level) to lead the strategic expansion of our Jobs 2030 reskilling initiative (www.jobs2030.ai) across the UK, attracting new member partners, and championing the initiative with senior government officials, industry bodies, and strategic stakeholders.

In this role, you’ll take a hands-on approach to stakeholder and government engagement, partnership building, and high-level advocacy — working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure Jobs 2030 is recognised as the UK’s leading banking workforce reskilling programme.

This is a strategic, high-profile position for someone who excels at the intersection of public affairs, government relations, coalition building, and programme advocacy.

You’ll join a collaborative, forward-thinking team with experience working at the highest levels of government, industry, and financial services innovation.

The role reports into the VP of Communications & External Affairs.

A day in the life

Strategy & planning – Create a public affairs and stakeholder engagement plan to scale Jobs 2030’s presence nationally, aligned with parliamentary cycles and the 2026 Labour Conference, industry events, and major skills and employment policy milestones.
Collaborate & align – Work closely with Zopa’s leadership, policy, communications, and partnerships teams to develop compelling narratives that resonate with government, industry bodies, and potential partners.
Lead & deliver advocacy – Develop and help execute high-impact engagement campaigns targeting MPs, civil servants, trade bodies, and policy influencers to secure buy-in for Jobs2030.
Build coalitions – Attract and onboard new member partners from the banking, fintech, education, and training sectors to join the Jobs2030 mission.
Coach & influence – Prepare the Zopa Leadership Team to present the Jobs2030 initiative at parliamentary events, select committee hearings, industry roundtables, and conferences – where applicable.
Measure & optimise – Track engagement outcomes, partner acquisition metrics, and policy influence, providing insights to refine strategy.
Partnership activation – Design and launch joint initiatives with member partners to showcase Jobs 2030’s impact and scale adoption.

About you

10-15+ years in government affairs, public policy, or advocacy in the UK, ideally across both advisory (Senior Director/Practice Director level) and in-house (Head Of/Director level) roles, with at least 5 years of senior leadership experience.
Strong, established relationships with senior government officials, parliamentary stakeholders, and relevant industry bodies.
Proven track record of influencing policy outcomes and securing high-level stakeholder support for large-scale initiatives. Experience in the consumer fintech and banking sector a plus but not a pre-requisite.
Experience building cross-sector coalitions, ideally in skills, employment, education, or financial services. Demonstrable experience in re-skilling and cross-skilling initiatives within government and Whitehall a plus.
Highly organised, able to manage multiple engagements at pace, and comfortable executing at both strategic and tactical levels.
Confident in representing initiatives to senior decision-makers, media, and the public.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a talent for persuasive messaging.
Proactive, adaptable, and thrives in fast-paced, politically sensitive environments.
Passionate about Jobs 2030’s mission and committed to driving national impact through workforce reskilling.

What success looks like

Government engagement – Strong recognition of Jobs2030 among key parliamentary, ministerial, and civil service stakeholders.
Policy influence – Evidence of Jobs2030 shaping skills and employment policy discussions at national level.
National presence – Jobs2030 is regularly referenced in government, media, and industry forums as the leading UK banking reskilling initiative.
Coalition activation – Member partners actively engaged in co-branded initiatives, case studies, and advocacy efforts.
Partnership growth – Significant increase in member partners (target agreed with leadership) across banking, fintech, education, and training sectors – with the help of the Zopa in house team.