Assistant to the deputy chief executive jobs
As the UK’s leading dementia research charity, we’re determined to stop this from becoming a reality. We’re working to revolutionise the way we treat, diagnose and prevent dementia. But we will not stop there. With your support, we will keep going until every person is free from the heartbreak of dementia. We exist for a cure.
The Senior Executive Assistant will play a pivotal role in the Chief Executive’s Office, working closely with the Deputy Chief Executive and members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to ensure the smooth and effective execution of strategic, operational, and governance priorities. Acting as a trusted partner and first point of contact, the Senior Executive Assistant will proactively manage high-level administrative functions, facilitate internal and external stakeholder engagement, and contribute to organisation-wide planning and coordination. The role requires a high level of discretion, organisational acumen, and an ability to anticipate the needs of senior leaders in a dynamic and mission-driven environment.
In addition to supporting the Deputy Chief Executive, this role also provides specific project support to the Directors within the Fundraising and Marketing Directorate and contributes to the governance, internal communications, and strategic coordination across Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK).
Main duties and responsibilities of the role:
Executive Support
· Serve as the primary point of contact and trusted liaison for the Deputy Chief Executive, managing their calendar, commitments, and priorities with discretion and strategic foresight.
· Proactively coordinate complex diaries, internal and external meetings, and briefings, ensuring effective time management and optimal scheduling across teams and stakeholders.
· Prepare agendas, compile and distribute papers, attend meetings as needed, and record minutes and action points with professionalism and accuracy.
· Manage comprehensive travel arrangements (domestic and international), including bookings, itineraries, visa requirements, and expenses in line with organisational policy.
· Screen incoming correspondence (emails, calls, invitations), handle or redirect enquiries, and ensure timely and appropriate follow-up.
· Provide responsive and high-quality administrative support across the Senior Leadership Team as needed, in coordination with the Executive Support Manager.
Governance, Project and Strategic Support
· Coordinate and manage key organisational meetings including: Monthly Heads meetings across ARUK and Fundraising and Marketing Leadership Team (FMLT) meetings
· Ensure the smooth delivery of these meetings by preparing documentation, recording actions, and driving follow-through with relevant stakeholders.
· Support cross-organisational strategic initiatives, such as ARUK’s Stakeholder Engagement programme and other priority activities led by the Deputy Chief Executive.
· Proactively use ARUK’s CRM system (Salesforce) to support relationship management and strategic engagement by Executive Directors.
· Assist in the planning and delivery of internal communications activities and events that build alignment and engagement across the organisation to include the annual Fundraising and Marketing away day and monthly Fundraising and Marketing meeting.
· Take on discrete projects on behalf of the Deputy Chief Executive
· Work closely with the Executive Support Manager and Head of Governance to support Board and trustee-related activities, including the preparation of papers, coordination of logistics, and accurate record-keeping.
· Help ensure the delivery of effective governance arrangements and contribute to continuous improvement in the support of ARUK’s leadership and oversight functions.
Team and Leadership Contribution
· Act as a senior member of the Executive Support team, sharing best practices and supporting colleagues with guidance, training, and mentoring where appropriate and deputising for the Executive Support Manager where appropriate
· Contribute to process improvement initiatives that increase the efficiency and impact of the Chief Executive’s Office.
· Stay informed of sector developments, best practices in executive support, and opportunities for innovation within the charity’s operations.
What we are looking for:
· Extensive experience providing high-level executive support to senior leaders
· Discretion, integrity, and sound judgement in handling confidential and sensitive information.
· Experience coordinating meetings, travel, and logistics for senior leaders.
· Exceptional organisational and time-management skills, with proven ability to manage complex and competing priorities.
· Strong written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail and professional presentation.
· Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience with CRM systems such as Salesforce.
· Proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively across teams and with external stakeholders.
Additional Information:
Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.
Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals. This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.
Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD.
Salary: Circa £35,000 per annum, plus benefits
Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.
The closing date for applications is the 21st September 2025, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.
We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.
As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website.
How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.
About Alzheimer’s Research UK: Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure. Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope.
There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure.
In 2024, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement. This is the second consecutive time; we have been awarded a Best Companies 3-star accreditation.
We were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:
· 18th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.
· 10th in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.
· 2nd in the 30 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.
ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference.
To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
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Job Title: Senior Programme Officer, Active Fellows
Line Manager: Team Leader, Active Fellows (Deputy Fellowship Programme Manager in Team Leader’s absence)
Salary: £36,062
Start date: 1 November 2025
Contract type: Permanent
Application deadline: 16 October 2025. Please note we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis
Benefits:
• Challenging and rewarding work, always life-changing, sometimes lifesaving
• Competitive salary
• Team and individual training opportunities
• Commitment to performance and personal development
• Hybrid working, home and office (minimum 2 days each week in the office)
• Eight hours each day Monday – Friday, with flexible working by arrangement around core hours of 10am – 4pm
• 25 days plus Bank Holidays annual leave entitlement
• 8% employer pension contribution
• Convenient office location at Elephant and Castle, close to Tube (Bakerloo and Northern lines) and bus routes
Role Purpose Statement
The Senior Officer, Active Fellows plays a key role in delivering high-quality support to Cara Fellows. This includes leading casework, coordinating Cara’s mentoring scheme to support Fellows’ placements, and contributing to strategic improvements across the Fellowship Programme. The role combines direct support to Fellows, operational oversight and delivery of casework, and collaborative leadership to support Cara to uphold its mission.
Organisational Background
The Council for At-Risk Academics is a UK-registered charity founded in 1933 under the leadership of William Beveridge, to rescue academics suffering persecution under the rise of Nazism and facilitate their continued work in safety. Sixteen Cara Fellows from the 1930s and 1940s became Nobel Laureates, and many more innovators in their fields, including, Nikolaus Pevsner, Lise Meitner and Karl Popper. A number of Cara’s founders and Council members also personally provided places and/or funds to help individual academics; and Cara, known in the 1930s as the AAC, later the SPSL, was closely involved in the successful effort in 1933 to bring to London the Warburg Institute art library, which had been prohibited by the Nazis, and six of its staff. The Fellowship Programme is the continuation of the rescue mission operation started in 1933.
Cara has been a lifeline to academics at risk for over 90 years, as and when world events have placed them in the line of fire: Hungarian Uprising, Cold War, Apartheid South Africa, Iran, Latin American Juntas, Vietnam, Kosovo, DRC, Rwanda, Sudan, Zimbabwe etc. and, more recently Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Cara support is typically framed as temporary sanctuary offered at times of heightened risk.
Cara Objectives ‘To assist academics who have been, or are, or are at risk of being, subject to discrimination, persecution, suffering or violence on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, to relieve needs among them and their dependants and ensure that their specialist knowledge and abilities can continue to be used for the benefit of the public.’
‘To advance education by supporting academics and their educational institutions in countries where their continuing work is at risk or compromised, to ensure that such academics and institutions can continue to fulfil their critical role as educators for the public benefit.’
This is a critical time to join our dedicated and friendly Fellowship Programme team as we expand our capacity to support at-risk academics from the Middle East, Sudan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Russia and many other countries.
Key Responsibilities
Fellowships
Casework
· Manage a caseload of up to 50 Cara Fellows, providing tailored support.
· Maintain accurate and GDPR-compliant records of casework activity.
· Liaise with Fellows to coordinate support and escalate complex cases to the Team Leader as required.
· Monitor, research and update visa guidance to reflect changes in complex immigration regulation.
· Keep up to date with relevant information regarding immigration laws, e.g. visas, legal procedures, etc.
· Liaise with independent legal advisors where necessary.
Finance
· Work with colleagues in finance to ensure accurate and timely payments to Cara Fellows and non-Fellowship related payments.
· Promptly issue relevant invoices.
· Understand financial processes – on Salesforce and Pleo – and update systems appropriately.
· Contribute to robust financial processes.
Support Mechanisms
Mentoring Scheme
· Project Lead for the Cara Mentoring Scheme.
· Coordinate rounds, delegate tasks to the team as required, and oversee delivery.
· Recruit mentors and mentees, and decide on a cap on number of participants if required.
· Lead on partnerships with organisations working in the mentoring world.
· Monitor the relevant budget and flag issues to the Team Leader.
· Lead on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for the Scheme, suggesting improvements to this, and ensuring accurate data collection and reporting.
Webinars and Workshops
· Lead on developing ideas for webinar topics relevant to the needs of Cara Fellows.
· Organise these webinars, contacting speakers and attendees, all with the close support of the Programme Assistant.
· Monitor and evaluate the success of these events, through clear feedback mechanisms.
· Aim to deliver approximately three webinars per year, subject to team capacity.
· Lead on the delivery of workshops for Cara Fellows with external partners, managing Fellow participation.
· Contribute to the development of accessible resources to share openly within the Cara network.
Strategic Development
Alumni Engagement and Impact Reporting
· Play a key supporting role to the Team Leader in improving Cara’s alumni engagement.
· Contribute to developing Cara’s alumni network, with involvement in strategic discussions on interacting with alumni.
· Keep track of Cara Fellows’ media preferences and support the Team Leader in inviting relevant Fellows to participate in public events and media engagements.
Monitoring and Evaluation
· Support M&E activities across the Fellowship Programme, suggesting improvements to data quality and reporting.
· Ensure accurate data entry on Salesforce and flag inconsistencies to relevant team members.
· Assist with compilation of required information, statistics and reporting to Cara’s Council & F&GPC meetings.
Management Responsibilities
Deputise for Team Leader
· Cover for the Team Leader when required – lead team meetings, make decisions on cases for the team, provide general guidance and leadership.
· Assist the Team Leader with line management within the team, mentoring junior staff and contributing to continued team development.
· Approve the Active Fellows team’s working hours.
· Provide input on policy and process improvements.
· Show adaptability and willingness to take on additional work when needed.
Training/Inductions
· Play a leading role on inducting new staff to the Active Fellows and wider Cara team.
· Train new staff on key processes and offer continued guidance on difficult/complex cases and tasks.
Partnerships
· Support key strategic partnerships in Cara’s Universities and Research Network.
· Support the Team Leader in organising webinars and events for Cara’s network representatives at host institutions across the UK.
Ad Hoc Responsibilities
· Show adaptability and willingness to take on additional work when necessary.
· Support Fellowship Programme with ad hoc responsibilities.
Responsibilities also include related activities that might arise in relation to the Fellowship Programme as required by the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive & Fellowship Programme Manager, Deputy Fellowship Programme Manager, or Team Leader, Active Fellows.
Person Specification – Senior Programme Officer, Active Fellows:
Qualifications
Essential:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- Strong analytical and numeracy skills
Desirable:
- Master’s degree or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential:
- Understanding of UK immigration options for displaced academics
- Experience managing sensitive casework and maintaining accurate records
- Experience coordinating projects, events, or support schemes
- Familiarity with basic financial processes (e.g. payments, budget tracking)
- Confident use of Microsoft Office and Salesforce or other CRM systems
Desirable:
- Awareness of global issues affecting at-risk academics
- Experience coordinating mentoring programmes or similar initiatives
Skills & Attributes
Essential:
- Cultural sensitivity and commitment to Cara’s mission
- Ability to supervise and mentor junior staff
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong attention to detail and time management
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Adaptability, integrity, and problem-solving ability
Desirable:
- Foreign language skills (e.g. Arabic, Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, Russian)
Please send a CV and cover note in response to the four screening questions. Applications that do not follow this guidance will not be considered.
Please respond to the following questions in your cover letter.
1. What draws you to Cara and the work of supporting at-risk academics, and how does your experience and skills relate to this role? (max 500 words)
2. Tell us about a time that you led or coordinated a project. (max 300 words)
3. Describe a situation where you supported or mentored a colleague. (max 300 words)
4. Give an example of a time you had to adapt quickly to solve a complex problem. (max 300 words)
Registered Charity
11 - 20
Cara provides help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile, and those who remain and work in their home countries despite the risks.
Thank you!
Job title: Deputy Director of Global Development, Asia
Salary: circa £80,000 to £90,000
Location: Hybrid/South Kensington and White City (with travel to other Imperial campuses/meetings as required).
This role is based at Imperial’s White City campus. This role is a hybrid role, and the post holder will normally be expected to work 60% of their time onsite or out on university business.
Imperial College London seeks an accomplished and strategic development professional for the position of Deputy Director of Global Development, Asia – a key position as we prepare to launch our first university-wide fundraising and alumni engagement campaign.
Imperial is one of the world’s great universities, ranked second globally and first in the UK and Europe. Our excellence in research and education is matched by our commitment to solving global challenges - from climate resilience and global health to transformative technologies and sustainable innovation.
As a member of the Principal Gifts and Global team, you will lead our development efforts across Asia and also oversee fundraising in the Middle East and Africa. Working closely with colleagues in Advancement and in partnership with senior academic and university leadership, you will shape and deliver the College’s philanthropic strategy in these regions. The role will be central to cultivating major philanthropic relationships, supporting regional engagement for Imperial’s President and senior representatives, and contributing to the wider success of our global campaign.
Reporting to the Director of Development: Principal Gifts and Global and working closely with senior leadership across the university and the Advancement Division, you will lead a high-performing team focused on principal gifts and international development. You will also serve as the strategic lead for Asia, while overseeing development efforts in the Middle East and Africa.
This is a unique opportunity to shape and lead our engagement with high-net-worth individuals and stakeholders across these regions, connecting them to Imperial’s world-leading research and innovation ecosystem.
This position is an opportunity for an experienced fundraiser with international vision, deep cultural awareness, and a strong record of securing significant gifts. The role will require diplomacy, strategic insight, and the ability to operate effectively within a complex global institution. Experience working across Asia and fluency in one or more Asian languages would be advantageous.
If you share our belief in the transformative potential of STEMB and are inspired by the chance to help deliver lasting global impact through education and research, we encourage you to consider this unique opportunity.
This is one of three exceptional opportunities to join our dynamic team. As we continue to expand our international presence, we are recruiting for the following key leadership roles:
- Director of Development: Principal Gifts & Global
- Deputy of Global Development, North America
Each of these roles offers a unique opportunity to shape our strategic direction and build impactful partnerships.
Interested?
Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.
Further Information
Imperial College is partnering with Constellate Global Talent on this search.
No agencies please.
