About Demos

Demos is a highly respected cross-party think tank with a unique approach to making policy to solve our long term problems. Building on nearly 30 years of creativity, ideas and impact, Demos is working to shape a more collaborative democracy, in which power is devolved, citizens participate in policy making, and together as a nation we find answers to the challenges of our century.

About the role

Are you a natural convener of people and networks? Are you highly organised, and skilled at curating opportunities for people and organisations to connect and collaborate? Do you see external engagement, coalition-working and events as core to achieving real world impact, as we do? If so, this is an opportunity to lead the networks and events programme at one of the UK’s most dynamic and influential think tanks working with exciting partners across politics, government, industry and third sector.

Demos is looking to recruit a talented engagement professional to lead our events and networks team. Reporting to the Director of Policy and Impact, you will manage a senior events officer and be responsible for developing and delivering our externally facing events and network programmes, including an exciting and high profile programme of party conference activity.

You will bring deep expertise in convening others for impact, excellent organisational skills, alongside an enthusiasm for building positive relationships with external partners, to help us take our networks to the next level, providing platforms to amplify our evidence and build momentum around our issues for lasting policy change.

Demos’ convening power is a core offer to partner organisations, and you will bring passion for designing engaging, impactful events and bringing diverse and interesting attendees round the table. Working across a matrixed team of policy and research colleagues, you will lead the delivery of events as a core part of our funded partnerships. With a strong emphasis on inclusivity, you will ensure our programme of events and network activity is accessible and inclusive, engaging and platforming a diverse range of voices.

A particular highlight of Demos’ year is our programme of events at party conferences. You will work with the Director of Policy and Impact and support the Senior Events Officer to deliver an exciting programme of party conference activity, including ensuring systems and processes aid planning, logistical arrangements, clear and regular communication with partners and smooth on the day delivery. For example, last year we designed, sourced funding and delivered 20 events, including private roundtables and panel events, at Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat conferences.

What you’ll be doing

Networks

• Strengthen and expand Demos’ networks (see examples below), working with policy and research colleagues to ensure clear strategies and implementation plans for each network.
• Lead on the planning and execution of high-quality, inclusive and accessible events and cultivate impactful networks through effective engagement and communication with members.
• Work collaboratively with the rest of the Policy and Impact team to ensure excellent engagement with and profiling of Demos networks.
• Working with colleagues, support the identification, development and launch of new networks.

We believe that no singular part can change a system and use networks as a key lever to achieve the kind of systems change we aim for, including:

• Three new networks as part of our Trustworthy Technology pillar whose future needs your help to shape them:

• An existing AI Parliamentary Network – nurtured via our existing AI Parliamentary Scheme with 30 Parliamentarians from across the House
• A new ‘Epistemic Defence Network’ (name TBC!)- focusing on securing our information supply chains. For our recent work here, see our recent paper here.
• A new ‘Digital Rights Network’ – focusing on advancing the extension of and protection of human rights into digital spaces in the UK and aligning with global rights-based governance models. For our recent work here, see this report and open letter. By the end of this year, we plan to have designed an initial draft of a Declaration of Digital Rights & Principles in partnership with our network before engaging the public in 2026.

• Developing a caucus of MPs to champion participatory democracy with their peers, giving them shared purpose, confidence, evidence and tools to be able to advocate for doing democracy differently. See our Citizens’ White Paper for more about this work.

These networks are activated via an events and newsletter series used to facilitate the sharing of best practice and learning across our communities of politicians, policymakers, civil society, industry and practitioners and the development and strengthening of new ideas that can be quickly adopted.

Events

• Line management of the Senior Events Officer.
• Ensure strong systems and processes are in place for the smooth running of Demos events.
• Work collaboratively with the Senior Events Officer and policy and research colleagues to advise on events and networks as potential routes to impact in project development, and act as core member of the project team as appropriate to facilitate their smooth delivery.
• Ensure the smooth running of our party conference planning and activity, supporting with planning, logistics and on the day delivery.
• Bring a DIEJ informed approach to our events and network activity, platforming a diverse range of voices and ensuring events are inclusive and accessible to all.

What you’ll need to be successful  

The types of knowledge, skills and experience we are looking for are below. We welcome a range of applications which include at least some of these attributes.

Skills

• Excellent project management, including budget management skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• The ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range and high volume of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to advise on membership of networks and event invitees.

Knowledge 

• Knowledge of the UK political system, and the policy areas Demos focuses on.
• Knowledge of how different sectors (e.g. industry, civil society, statutory services and policy makers) operate and interact.
• Awareness of emerging trends and challenges in coalition building and cross-sector collaboration.

Experience

• Experience establishing or leading successful networks/coalitions of external partners.
• Experience in events management and delivery.
• Experience leading and managing people.

Behaviours

• An enthusiastic, entrepreneurial, proactive and tenacious person with good judgment
• Highly collaborative in approach to working with colleagues and external partners
• A commitment to centring diversity, inclusion, equity and justice in your work and across all external affairs activity
• A passion for the kind of politics we want to promote, coupled with an open mind and inclusive approach to working with people whose ideas and opinions differ