Poppy Hosford
Amsterdam,Netherlands
Summary
Health policy professional and UK Fast Stream Leadership Development Scheme graduate, with experience spanning government policy development and global health NGO advocacy. Specialisms include international engagement, stakeholder management, and system reform, now seeking to pivot into programme management roles.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work history
Policy and Advocacy Consultant
Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development (FORWARD)
08.2025 - 01.2026
- Developing a ‘State of FGM in the UK’ evidence brief, including an in-depth analysis of the FGM enhanced dataset.
- Leading on the development of an organisation advocacy strategy, focusing on the FGM legal/reporting system in the UK, reconstruction surgery and faith-based responses.
- Advising on opportunities to influence parliament on VAWG issues.
- Part-time
International Health Policy and Engagement Lead
Department of Health and Social Care
06.2024 - 07.2025
- Developed international comparisons consultancy function from scratch, established ways of working, pitched ideas to seniors and sourced new areas of work. After 12 months, this function had grown to a team of four, and delivered numerous high-profile projects commissioned by the Secretary of State and Chief Medical Officer.
- Led and delivered the international consultation of the 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS, including two roundtables with international experts in Denmark and London, collaborating closely with WHO Europe and King's College London.
- Management of a team of two – development support and task-management on a series of projects related to international comparisons data and civil society engagement.
- On career break
Senior Policy Adviser, Defending Democracy Taskforce
Home Office
11.2023 - 06.2024
- Coordinated stakeholder engagement with local government, the police and parliament on an internal review (unable to disclose details).
- Led on engagement with international governments and devolved authorities on behalf of the Defending Democracy Taskforce.
- Developed recommendations for system reform in a final report.
- Coordinated a director-level group to oversee reform and monitored delivery of actions across government.
Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary
Department for Education
10.2022 - 11.2023
- Secretariat for monthly Leadership Team meetings chaired by the Permanent Secretary. Set agendas aligned with the department’s transformation process and No.10 priorities. Drove forward delivery of actions across the department.
- Supported and recruited a Shadow Leadership Board. Introduced a new recruitment process and induction programme to ensure the cohort were sufficiently upskilled.
- Oversaw the Operations and Infrastructure Group on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, anticipating issues and providing direction. Coordinated the business planning challenge process, and navigated a complex pay award and hybrid working policy across-government.
- Oversaw the Schools Capital, School Funding and School Systems policy brief on behalf of the Permanent Secretary. Supported the Permanent Secretary through the 2023 RAAC/School Building crisis to ensure effective prioritisation of departmental resources through a period of strained capacity (fast stream posting extended as a result).
- Led on preparation for two Public Accounts Committee hearings and one Education Select Committee on School Buildings, delivering through a multi-disciplinary briefing team.
- Covered in the Secretary of State’s office and a Junior Minister’s office over a month, overseeing the early years and school system portfolios.
Recruitment Lead
Department for Work and Pensions
10.2021 - 10.2022
- Conducted an end-to-end process review of the recruitment process in Policy Group.
- Led on the design and development of a Recruitment Hub platform, holding user-insight workshops and implementing a launch strategy to upskill vacancy holders.
- Led on developing a new Recruitment Strategy and secured agreement on a revised approach at DWP People Board.
- Developed a Recruitment, Capability and D&I Dashboard to display the latest people stats in Policy Group, enabling Directors to understand their workforce.
Policy Officer
UK National Committee, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM)
10.2020 - 07.2021
- Represented UAEM at forums of UK civil society coordinating engagement on COVID-19 access to medicines.
- Led and coordinated the policy focus of UAEM UK. Projects included appealing FOI requests, drafting an open letter to the ICO and coordinating a Day of Action.
Intern
FORWARD UK, Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development
06.2020 - 05.2021
- Sourced new funding opportunities and drafted grant applications. Significantly increased the organisation’s success rate in securing grant funding.
- Produced communication materials and social media content for fundraising campaigns.
- Drafted country context reports on prevalence of FGM and developed a Concept Note for a programme on female leadership and entrepreneurship.
- Fundraising and Events, Fundraising and Policy
Policy Intern
Global Access to Medicines Team at Public Citizen
01.2021 - 03.2021
- Developed analysis of Biden’s Pandemic Plan and Special 301 submissions.
- Researched and analysed public funding contribution to the development of different Covid-19 vaccines to support campaigning strategy.
- Represented Public Citizen at the international People’s Vaccine Coalition.
Project Manager
Free the Vaccine Campaign
08.2020 - 03.2021
- Led access to medicines training in weekly meetings for over 300 participants.
- Managed UAEM’s international social media accounts.
- Managed ‘advocacy innovation labs’ in Europe and Australia, leading meetings and guiding campaign strategy for volunteer teams working remotely across the world.
Education
MSc - Public Health and Health Equity
Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
Amsterdam 09.2025 -
BSc - Natural Sciences (Biological)
University of Cambridge
Skills
- Policy advocacy
- Policy analysis
- Stakeholder management
- Executive leadership support
- International Engagement
- Project management
Referees
- Chloe, Lawson-Duffy, Head of International Health Analysis, chloe.lawson-duffy@dhsc.gov.uk, Department of Health and Social Care
- Roop, Bhinder, Head of Office to the Permanent Secretary, roop.bhinder@education.gov.uk, Department for Education
Languages
Dutch
Intermediate
Timeline
MSc - Public Health and Health Equity
Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
09.2025 -
Policy and Advocacy Consultant
Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development (FORWARD)
08.2025 - 01.2026
International Health Policy and Engagement Lead
Department of Health and Social Care
06.2024 - 07.2025
Senior Policy Adviser, Defending Democracy Taskforce
Home Office
11.2023 - 06.2024
Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary
Department for Education
10.2022 - 11.2023
Recruitment Lead
Department for Work and Pensions
10.2021 - 10.2022
Policy Intern
Global Access to Medicines Team at Public Citizen
01.2021 - 03.2021
Policy Officer
UK National Committee, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM)
10.2020 - 07.2021
Project Manager
Free the Vaccine Campaign
08.2020 - 03.2021
Intern
FORWARD UK, Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development
06.2020 - 05.2021
BSc - Natural Sciences (Biological)
University of Cambridge