Advocacy – Fatima, Policy Adviser
Learn more about working in Advocacy and why Which? is a great place to work and progress your career.
Current position
Day to day, I could be doing anything from scanning the consumer landscapes for developments to preparing policy papers and responding to consultation papers
I'm involved in engaging with all types of stakeholders. Internally, I engage with the campaigns, legal, strategic insight, campaigns, policy affairs and external affairs teams. This helps to make sure we are driving our priority areas and making as much impact as we can. By working together, we amplify our voice as a consumer champion and make sure we use the right channels/ approach for the issues at hand.
Externally, I engage with industry, politicians, regulators, consumers and other consumer groups. This breadth helps to maximise contributions from different perspectives.
Previous experience
I studied law, initially wanting to end up as a judge and influence laws that way. After I graduated, I stumbled into giving telephone legal advice and enjoyed it because it was taking complicated laws, breaking them down and making them accessible to peoples' everyday needs and queries. Next, I was promoted to Team Manager, adding a layer of skills I also thoroughly enjoy- helping colleagues reach their full potential and guiding them on their career journey. Recently, I've now moved into the Advocacy space, working as a Policy Adviser- influencing laws and policies in a way that is new to me but is just as rewarding. My team looks at financial services laws and policies, highlighting any gaps we see that could be harming consumers. We work with a range of stakeholders to champion consumers' interests.
Motivation for working at Which?
Which? has clout in the Advocacy space and we are well respected by the people we engage with. We use this platform well, carefully picking out the areas we think we could make the biggest difference and working as a big team to deliver on what we set out to do in our chosen areas. We have a strong research team that makes sure our policy positions are well founded. What I enjoy the most is putting the pieces together- building our policy based on solid evidence ensures our voice is heard by the people that can make positive change to situations we flag. From regulators to businesses themselves to politicians, it is a great feeling to see the policy work that we do is taken seriously and that our recommendations are taken forward.
Greatest achievement
Right when I first started, I was assigned a meaty area to work on. I was given the autonomy to decide what that would look like in terms of building my foundational knowledge. I was given the space to then develop policy positions and be the policy lead on the impact area. I headed up the working group we had on this and developed relationships to help us get our voice in the space heard. We delivered on all our goals and proved that we had a lot to add to the discussion. We did this by spreading our content across our magazine and online, meeting with industry, commissioning thorough research and engaging with regulators.
Our culture
I would say we are pretty inclusive, with something for everyone. (I think) we are at about 750 employees, across two offices and we have teams that do such wide ranging roles (from creating our content, to working on our telephone helplines, to working in our advocacy team). That's what leads us to have so many different kinds of people working in the same organisation, which is fab. Which? welcomes everyone being true to themselves and I instantly felt welcome when I joined- and when I changed departments recently. Colleagues are friendly and there are a few activities/ clubs. I'm part of the Mosaic group that promotes diversity & inclusion. And we recently had a great Summer party- to name a few things. Our culture also encourages feedback so if you have any suggestions for improvements be sure to raise them.
Top advice
Ask for what you want!
I am a big believer in driving your own development and progress. If ever you are struggling, my advice is to speak up and speak out. Have a think about what the issue is and take the time out to come up with the solutions you need to fix the issue. Then find the relevant person that will help you to make it happen. My experience in the Advocacy team is that is a safe space where you can be open with your needs and that this will be supported. Don’t be afraid to ask what you think may be a silly question- it probably isn’t. Reach out if you need help. Build relationships and don’t be afraid to ask for what you need to be able to do your role better.
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