SHAPE THE FUTURE OF FOOD SAFETY AND CONSUMER TRUST.

Are you a strategic thinker who thrives on solving complex problems and influencing high-impact decisions? Do you want to work at the heart of an organisation that puts consumer safety and interests first? If so, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking for a Senior Strategy Adviser to join our dynamic Strategy Unit.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re seeking someone who combines deep, critical thinking with curiosity and a collaborative spirit. You’ll need to be comfortable navigating ambiguity, balancing competing viewpoints, and synthesising robust analysis with expert insights from across the organisation.
Our team is diverse, supportive, and still growing—so you’ll have the chance to help shape our culture and ways of working. If you enjoy working on knotty problems, influencing senior leaders, and making a real difference for consumers, this is the role for you.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.
We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

EXPERIENCE

• Lead criteria: Proven experience in navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities by interpreting complex information, applying creative and strategic problem-solving, and influencing stakeholders to drive meaningful and adaptive change.
• Proven experience of working at pace to deliver high quality solutions and outputs to complex and challenging problems.
• Proven experience of using a variety of communication methods (i.e. written and verbal briefings / slide packs / workshop facilitation etc.) to convey complex issues in a way stakeholders easily understand.
• Proven experience of building productive relationships and consensus to influence stakeholders effectively at all grades across business areas, even in situations with limited clarity or shifting priorities.
  Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.
  In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

EXPERIENCE

• Proven experience of building productive relationships and consensus to influence stakeholders effectively at all grades across business areas, even in situations with limited clarity or shifting priorities (assessed via assessment exercise).

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Senior Strategy Adviser, you’ll be central to the Strategy Unit’s mission—providing strategic oversight and driving forward agency-wide thinking. You’ll lead analytical work, develop recommendations for senior leaders, and facilitate cross-organisational collaboration to ensure food is safe and is what it says it is.
You’ll work closely with colleagues across the FSA, from frontline teams to the Executive and Board, helping to balance diverse perspectives and deliver clear, actionable insights. Whether it’s horizon scanning for future risks or supporting internal consultancy-style workshops, your work will directly influence how the FSA operates and serves the public.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

You’ll be responsible for delivering high-quality strategic analysis and written outputs that help senior leaders make informed decisions. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you’ll identify and propose solutions to complex, long-term challenges, using tools to assess emerging risks and trends in the food system. You’ll support the Strategy Unit’s role as an internal consultancy, facilitating workshops and working groups, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement. You’ll also take ownership of specific projects, build strong relationships across government and the wider food system, and help embed a delivery-focused, outcome-driven approach across the FSA.