GRADUATE POLICY AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE

ABOUT OUR GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME 

Join our Graduate Programme at the British Retail Consortium and make an impact from day one. Be part of a dynamic 50+ person team that leads the retail industry, influencing media and policy while shaping the future of retail. This is your chance to work at the heart of the sector, contributing to the go-to trade association that punches above its weight in every way.

AT A GLANCE:

This is a full-time, 2-year fixed-term contract,  Throughout the programme, you'll be challenged and supported to grow both professionally and personally. You'll gain on-the-job training through two 12 month rotations with our Policy and Corporate Affairs teams, developing skills in policy development, stakeholder management, and media relations. You'll also gain insight into industry-critical issues like climate change and how businesses address them.

You’ll have a buddy who will guide and support you during your probation period and to check in with you on an ongoing basis, and you'll have quarterly development reviews with our HR team to track your progress and receive feedback.

YOU WILL GAIN EXPERIENCE IN:

Corporate Affairs and Communications

• Understanding the retail market and the importance of influencing political decision making for the industry.
• Raising profile, credibility and influence of industry priorities with key political audiences by developing and delivering effective integrated campaigns.
• How to collect political intelligence, develop contact programmes and work with key stakeholders (members, politicians, government officials and other stakeholders) to deliver against campaign objectives.
• External communications: Preparing briefings for political meetings, letters to politicians, responding to media calls, using digital and social media channels.
• How to communicate to a high standard, using a professional style, tone and language, with an ability to make complex subjects accessible to broad audiences. 

Government and Policy

• Policy development and Government engagement, analysing legislation and regulation to assess retail priorities.
• Developing policy documents and submissions in response to government consultations.
• Working closely with members to gather insight and evidence and how to share wider industry insight with them.
• Supporting engagement with government teams on key issues. 

ABOUT YOU

You’re a curious and driven graduate who thrives on making a meaningful impact. You bring energy, initiative, and a genuine interest in the retail sector and its role in shaping society. Whether it's diving into policy development or crafting compelling communications, you’re eager to learn, contribute, and grow.

You will also have these skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• An interest in policy research and public affairs
• Analytical thinking and able to interpret legislation, regulation and policy documents
• Strong time-management skills
• Familiarity with media relations
• Proactive in taking on responsibilities and driving tasks forward

You may be interested in the following:
Communications, Public Affairs, Press Office and Media Management, PR (Public Relations), Political Lobbying, Public Campaign, Trade Association, Marketing. 

ABOUT THE BRC

The BRC is the lead trade association for UK retail.  The industry is diverse, dynamic and includes retail brands, brand manufacturers who sell direct to customers, and covers many innovative business models, from in-store and digital to rental, repair and re-use.

Retail is the ‘everywhere economy’, a vital part of the socio-economic fabric of the UK.    

It’s 5% of GDP, our largest private sector employer, with 3 million direct jobs and 2.7 million more in the supply chain and through its scale and reach, helps support delivery of government policy.    
  
Over 200 major retailers are members of the BRC, with thousands of smaller retailers represented by our trade association members. Together, these businesses operate across all channels and categories and deliver over £450 billion of retail sales per year.    

Our mission is to make a positive difference to retail and its customers and the community, today and in the future. We do this by influencing change and delivering value to our members. We care about investment and innovation, a thriving workforce and reducing the industry’s environmental impact.

As the voice of the industry, we use our expertise to influence government policy, develop exceptional retail leaders and provide insight and market intelligence through our communities and networks. Our work helps retailers trade competitively, ethically, legally, safely and sustainably.
   
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Planned training and investment in your development – in both technical and management development skills.
• Mentoring, feedback and learning through your support network.
• Valuable experience working in one of the most important industries in the UK.
• Flexible working in a fast-paced environment, with flexible start and finish times around our core hours of 10 am to 4 pm. Our hybrid ways of working policy mean that you have the choice to split your time between working from home and in the office, depending on the job in hand.
• A competitive starting salary with annual reviews and a generous day-one access benefits package, including Private Healthcare, Dental Plan, Pension, Medicash, interest-free travel loan, and salary-sacrifice schemes.

TO APPLY 

If you’re interested in learning more about this opportunity please contact Deveena Dissanayake, HR Advisor, at HRteam@brc.org.uk.

If you wish to apply, please submit the following documents to recruitment@brc.org.uk:
•    Your CV
•    A brief cover letter detailing your suitability for the advertised role and confirming your right-to-work status

Please note that your application will only be considered if both are submitted.

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Please take note of the dates below and ensure you are available should you be shortlisted for the interview stage.Informal Chemistry Chat

• Dates: 23rd or 24th October
• Format: Informal 30-minute conversation with HR
  Location: Virtual

If you are successful and progress to the chemistry chat, you are asked to prepare a document that outlines your perspective on the key priorities for the BRC following the upcoming November Budget. In your document, please ensure you:

• Identify which aspects of the Budget are relevant to the retail industry.
• Explain why these particular elements are significant for the sector.
• Describe any risks or opportunities that each element may present for the retail industry.

This exercise is intended to help us gain insight into your understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the retail sector, as well as your ability to analyse policy impacts relevant to the BRC’s work.Formal Interview Stage

• Date: 28th October
• Format: Structured interview with competency-based questions and role-specific scenarios
• Panel Interview: 4 Member Panel
• Location: In person 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an assessment day with a panel of BRC colleagues at our beautiful offices in Covent Garden. The closing date for applications is 20 October 2025. The expected start date is November or December 2025.

For external applicants: if you have not received any feedback within 14 days of your application, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. May we thank you for your interest and wish you every success in your ongoing job search.