Change how the UK understands and supports bereaved children and families.
This is an exciting time to join Child Bereavement UK.
We are establishing a brand-new Research & Policy function and are looking for an ambitious Public Affairs Lead to help ensure the voices of bereaved children, young people and parents shape policy, practice and public understanding across the UK.
Working closely with the Head of Policy & Research, you will develop and deliver Child Bereavement UK's public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity, building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians and sector leaders to drive meaningful change.
You will act as the bridge between research, lived experience and influence, translating evidence into compelling advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement opportunities and policy recommendations that make a difference.
This is a rare opportunity to help build a new function, shape our national influence, and ensure the experiences of bereaved children, young people and families are heard where it matters most.
While based remotely, this role has a strong external focus and requires regular travel to London to represent Child Bereavement UK, build key relationships and engage with policymakers, partners and sector networks.
Role Purpose
As Public Affairs Lead you will play a central role in ensuring the voices and experiences of bereaved children, young people, parents and families influence policy, practice and public understanding across the UK.
Working closely with the Head of Policy & Research, you will develop and deliver Child Bereavement UK's public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity, building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, sector partners and influencers to drive meaningful change.
You will act as the bridge between research, policy and communications, helping to translate evidence and lived experience into compelling advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement opportunities and influencing activity.
Main Responsibilities
Public Affairs & Policy Influence
· Develop and deliver public affairs plans that support Child Bereavement UK's strategic priorities and policy objectives.
· Use research, evaluation findings and lived experience evidence to identify policy gaps, develop influencing priorities and shape recommendations for decision-makers.
· Translate organisational evidence into clear policy asks and reform proposals for government, parliamentarians, public bodies and sector leaders.
· Identify opportunities to embed evidence and learning within national, regional and local policy frameworks, guidance and professional practice.
· Support the development of long-term influencing strategies that drive systemic change for bereaved children, young people and families.
· Build and maintain relationships with MPs, Peers, government officials, policymakers and key sector stakeholders.
· Coordinate engagement with relevant All-Party Parliamentary Groups, consultations, inquiries and policy forums.
· Support the development of policy briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions.
· Organise parliamentary events, stakeholder roundtables and engagement opportunities that raise awareness of bereavement issues.
· Work with the Head of Voice & Participation to ensure the voices of bereaved children, young people and parents bereaved of a baby or child are represented at all stages of policy development.
Advocacy & Campaigns
· Lead the delivery of advocacy and influencing campaigns aligned to organisational priorities.
· Ensure advocacy campaigns are grounded in robust evidence, insight and lived experience, with clear objectives for policy and practice change.
· Work with the Head of Policy & Research to translate research findings into actionable policy recommendations.
· Develop stakeholder engagement plans that support campaign objectives.
· Build relationships with partner organisations, coalitions and networks to strengthen collective influence.
· Develop compelling narratives that connect research findings with real-world outcomes and policy solutions.
· Work with colleagues to identify tangible actions that policymakers, practitioners, employers, schools and communities can take in response to emerging evidence.
Stakeholder Engagement
· Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and engagement plans.
· Build productive relationships with sector leaders, professional bodies, charities, academics and decision-makers.
· Coordinate engagement with strategic partners and external networks.
· Support senior leaders in stakeholder engagement activity through briefings, meeting preparation and follow-up actions.
Research Translation & Communications
· Develop evidence-informed policy asks, implementation recommendations and calls to action that support measurable change.
· Identify opportunities to move research and insight beyond publication and into policy development, service improvement and public discourse.
· Translate research, evidence and lived experience into compelling stakeholder communications.
· Produce parliamentary briefings, policy summaries, position statements and advocacy materials.
· Work closely with the Marketing & Communications team to ensure policy and research activity is effectively communicated to external audiences.
· Collaborate with the PR & Press Lead to identify opportunities to amplify policy and research messages through media and public engagement activity.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Insight
· Monitor and evaluate public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity.
· Track policy developments, stakeholder engagement outcomes and influencing opportunities.
· Produce reports demonstrating impact, engagement and progress against objectives.
· Maintain stakeholder databases and records to support organisational relationship management.
Person Specification
Essential
Experience & Knowledge
· Significant experience in public affairs, policy, advocacy, campaigns or stakeholder engagement.
· Experience building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, public sector organisations or influential stakeholders.
· Understanding of UK political systems, parliamentary processes and policy development.
· Experience developing and delivering influencing or advocacy campaigns.
· Experience producing briefings, consultation responses or policy-focused communications.
· Understanding of how evidence and lived experience can be used to influence decision-making.
Skills
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
· Strong relationship-building and influencing abilities.
· Ability to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively.
· Excellent organisational and project management skills.
· Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
· Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
Personal Attributes
· Passionate about improving outcomes for bereaved children, young people and parents bereaved of a baby or child.
· Collaborative and relationship-focused.
· Compassionate and emotionally intelligent.
· Proactive, resilient and self-motivated.
· Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and trauma-informed practice.
Desirable
· Passionate about improving outcomes for bereaved children, young people and parents
· Experience within the charity, health, social care or education sectors.
· Knowledge of bereavement, grief, loss or trauma-informed services.
· Experience working with All-Party Parliamentary Groups or parliamentary engagement activity.
· Experience working with research and evidence-based policy development.
· Experience working with lived-experience contributors and ambassadors.
· Understanding of campaigning, coalition building and systems change approach
Recruitment Timetable
Application deadline: 17th September 2026 at midnight
Interview dates: 29th and 30th September on MS Teams
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications for the role before the closing date.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Event & Engagement Coordinator
Remotely based in North West England and a willingness to travel where appropriate
Job Purpose:
To plan, coordinate, and deliver a range of local events across North West England with the potential to grow into other areas in the future, ensuring each event is well-organised, inclusive, and engaging for local communities. The Local Event & Engagement Coordinator will collaborate closely with partners, local authorities, suppliers, volunteers, and members to deliver high-quality, unique and memorable experiences.
Who are we looking for?
· Energetic and positive, bringing enthusiasm to everything you do.
· Excited by change, seeing new opportunities and possibilities.
· Keen to succeed with a strong development mindset.
· Passionate about delivering great events and experiences.
· Open to feedback, always looking for ways to improve.
Key Responsibilities:
Event Coordination
· Plan and manage logistics for a variety of local member events, making sure all events are accessible and attractive to both existing and potential members.
· Liaise with relevant external and internal contacts such as venues, suppliers, CSSC’s ticketing platform, Head Office departments, and volunteers.
· Complete all relevant compliance work such as risk assessments and public liability checks.
· Support both long standing and new volunteers with all aspects of volunteer led events, including creating events on ticketing platform and promoting events through email and social platforms
· Develop and manage event budgets, ensuring value for money and accurate financial tracking.
· Oversee event setup and breakdown where applicable, managing on-site logistics and resolving any issues on the day.
· Recruit and coordinate volunteers to assist with events.
· Evaluate event success through feedback, data collection, and post-event reporting.
Digital Engagement
· Promote events via social media, email campaigns, posters, and local press in collaboration with marketing teams.
· Manage and grow the North West’s CSSC TikTok presence, including content planning, filming, editing, posting, and community engagement.
· Create engaging, on-brand short-form video content tailored to target audiences.
· Monitor performance metrics and use insights to optimise content strategy and increase reach and engagement.
· Stay up to date with emerging social media trends, tools, and platform updates.
Key Skills & Experience:
Essential:
· Proven experience in planning and delivering events.
· Strong organisational and time-management skills.
· Ability to manage budgets and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
· Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
· Flexibility to work evenings and weekends when required.
· Ability to analyse member insights to inform event planning and attract potential new members.
· Ability to work collaboratively with regional teams to support membership growth and positive member experiences.
· Ability to build rapport with volunteers and identify the support needed for successful event delivery.
· Confidence in using IT systems and ticketing platforms to promote events across appropriate channels.
Desirable:
· Experience working with community groups, charities, membership organisations or not for profits.
· Knowledge of health and safety and safeguarding procedures.
· Familiarity with marketing or PR for events.
· First Aid or event safety training.
· Previous experience with ticketing platforms or willingness to learn.
· Understanding of how comms and events align with one another.
· Data literacy or willingness to understand some basic data analytics
· Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel where appropriate
We are a not-for-profit, membership, organisation for over 124,000 colleagues from the civil service and public sector.
Hours: 30–35 hours per week
Location: Home-based*
Reporting to: CEO
*This is a home-based role. However, the successful candidate will need to be based within reasonable travelling distance of London and our programme activity, with the ability to travel to meetings and visits within a day where required. We therefore anticipate that applicants based in Scotland, Ireland, West Wales or the far South West may find the role impractical.
This position is being re-advertised; previous candidates need not apply.
Be part of a mission that's transforming children's futures through food, farming and the countryside
For more than 45 years, The Country Trust has been connecting children from the UK's most disadvantaged communities with the land that sustains us all. Through inspiring farm visits, food education and countryside experiences, we've already reached more than 600,000 children, and we're just getting started.
We're entering an exciting new chapter as we develop our next organisational strategy, and we're looking for an experienced fundraising leader to help shape our future.
This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious and strategic fundraiser to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead the next phase of our income growth, enabling even more children to benefit from our life-changing programmes.
About the role
As Head of Fundraising, you'll provide strategic leadership across all fundraising activity while remaining hands-on in securing major income and developing key relationships.
You'll lead a dedicated fundraising team, drive innovation, strengthen fundraising systems and processes, and develop a sustainable fundraising strategy that diversifies income across:
- Trusts and foundations
- Corporate partnerships
- Major donors
- Individual giving
- Legacies
- Gaming and Streaming for Good
- Emerging fundraising opportunities
Working closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, Digital and IT colleagues, you'll help embed new fundraising systems, champion data-driven decision making and ensure fundraising excellence across the organisation.
About you
We're looking for an inspiring fundraising leader who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery.
You'll bring:
- Significant senior-level fundraising leadership experience
- A proven track record of securing substantial income across multiple fundraising streams
- Experience developing and delivering fundraising strategies that drive sustainable growth
- Strong leadership skills with experience developing high-performing teams
- Excellent relationship-building, communication and influencing skills
- Financial and commercial awareness, including budgeting and forecasting
- Knowledge of fundraising regulation, GDPR and fundraising best practice
- A passion for improving opportunities for disadvantaged children
Experience developing new income streams, digital fundraising and CRM systems would be particularly valuable.
Why join us?
At The Country Trust, you'll be joining an ambitious charity where collaboration, learning and innovation are at the heart of everything we do.
We offer:
- Flexible working
- 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (FTE)
- Workplace pension
- Homeworking allowance
- Mileage and agreed travel expenses
- A supportive, values-led culture
- The opportunity to shape our future strategy and make a lasting difference to children's lives
We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Key dates
Closing date: 11:59pm, Sunday 13th September
Interviews from: Monday 21st September
The Country Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
We are a small, dynamic national education charity dedicated to bringing alive the working countryside for children least able to access it.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
