Chief executive jobs in Birmingham

About the Role

As we scale, we are looking for a Head of Operations to provide operational leadership to ensure the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably in line with its mission and ethos. Working closely with the CEO, you will support the translation of the vision into reality by building strong foundations, enabling effective delivery, and supporting the scaling of the organisational from a regional base to a nationally impactful charity.

This is a pivotal role shaping how BeSpace grows. You will lead on strengthening systems, people, governance and operational delivery embedding accountability, and continuous improvement.

In this role, you will:

Strengthen governance, risk and compliance

· Develop and maintain robust governance frameworks and ensure legal and regulatory compliance

· Embed effective risk management processes

· Oversee key compliance areas including safeguarding, GDPR and reporting

Build operational systems and infrastructure

· Develop and implement scalable systems, processes and internal controls

· Improve data management (including CRM) and strengthen reporting

· Contribute to ensuring operational readiness to support national growth

· Work with external providers on IT and financial system integration

Lead people, culture and organisational development

· Oversee recruitment, onboarding and retention of a high-performing team

· Strengthen performance management and accountability frameworks

· Support and foster a values-led, healthy team culture aligned with BeSpace’s mission

Enable delivery, impact and growth

· Strengthen operational support for programme delivery and expansion

· Support the translation of strategic ambitions into practical systems and ways of working

· Improve data insight to inform decision-making

· Support development of fundraising infrastructure.

Contribute to wider organisational life

· Work collaboratively across the team to support evolving priorities

· Act as an ambassador for BeSpace’s values and Christian ethos

About You

We are looking for someone who:

· Has experience in operations, programme or an organisational role with increasing responsibility or has had operational leadership, ideally within a growing or changing organisation

· Has good experience in developing systems, processes and organisational infrastructure

· Can work closely with a CEO to translate vision into operational delivery

· Has excellent organisational and project management skills

· Is proactive, collaborative and relational leader who builds strong teams and culture

 It would be a bonus if you:

 · Are an experienced operational leader motivated by impact, flexibility, and supporting the growth of a mission-led organisation

· Have significantly enabled the scaling of a regional organisation to national growth operationally.

· Have experience in fundraising systems or donor management

Location: Remote

Salary: £29,000 - £32,000 pro rata depending on experience (£17,400 - £19,200)

Hours of work: 3 days (21 hours) per week

Contract type: Fixed, 12-month Maternity Cover

Why work for Kids Matter?

• Generous annual leave – 25 days (plus bank holidays) per year pro rata, with time off between Christmas and New Year's additional to this allowance.
• Remote working contribution – receive £26/month pro rata towards the costs of working from home and/or using a co-working space.
• Access to coaching sessions, training opportunities and our Employee Assistance Programme (a confidential support service for staff).
• Flexible working across weekdays to suit your schedule.

About us

Kids Matter is one of the UK’s fastest growing children’s charities. Our vision is to see every child in need raised in a strong family. Our mission is to reduce the impact of poverty on children through community-based parenting programmes.

Research shows that group-based early intervention parenting groups are the most effective way to support children in need. We train peer facilitators in local churches - the largest voluntary body in the country - to run our affordable, accessible and highly effective parenting programmes, written by Clinical Psychologists. They come alongside parents and carers, building long-lasting community in addition to encouraging confidence and learning positive parenting skills.

We value difference and diversity, and we want our workplace to be built on shared values of equality and mutual trust, with team members representing the wide range of backgrounds and experiences that exist within the UK. We therefore actively encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds and varied experiences, particularly those who are African, Afro-Caribbean, Asian or part of other minority ethnic communities, who have lived experience of the impact of low-income/low-support circumstances, and who are living with a disability or identify as being neurodivergent.

About the role

The Executive Assistant to the CEO role involves:

• Coordinating and maintaining the CEO's diary including organising all appointments, meetings and travel arrangements.
• Identifying, anticipating and preparing CEO information requirements for meetings, appointments and presentations, following up on internal and external requests for information.
• Managing all administration processes relating to the SLT.
• Supporting the CEO and the Fundraising Team with major donor management, including keeping contacts and actions updated, researching prospective donors, communicating with existing donors, coordinating thank you cards and gifts, and tracking secured donations.

About you

Do you have strong attention to detail and accuracy? Can you use initiative and be proactive? Are you a Christian with an active faith in Jesus? Do you have a passion for Kids Matter’s vision of seeing every child in need raised in a strong family?

Then we would love to hear from you!

How to apply

You can apply for the Executive Assistant to the CEO (maternity cover) position by clicking ‘Apply via Website’ and completing a copy of our online application form.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 28th July. All successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.

We also ask for all applicants to submit an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, which will be sent to you to complete following the submission of your application. This form will be used for anonymous analysis to ensure our overall recruitment procedures are fair and transparent. It will never be viewed or used as part of the selection process. It is optional to submit this form.

If you would like any application/interview support or you need any reasonable adjustments throughout the application process, or if you would like an informal phone call to ask questions or discuss the role, please contact Katie Washington (HR & Systems Manager).

Please see the job pack for more details on the role and application process.

Rainforest Trust UK

Rainforest Trust UK (RTUK) (Charity No. 1169111) is a high-impact conservation charity dedicated to protecting the world’s most threatened tropical forests.

This is a pivotal moment for global conservation and for our organisation. As one of the most effective rainforest conservation charities globally, Rainforest Trust has helped protect over 60 million acres of tropical rainforest across more than 67 countries, delivering permanent protection for some of the world’s most threatened ecosystems.

Rainforest Trust UK is one of the charity’s fastest-growing affiliates, now generating £2m+ annually and supporting a global organisation with $55m+ in revenue with significant ambition for further growth and impact.

The role
We are seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the next phase of our strategic plan driving growth in income, strengthening the organisational capability, and positioning the UK as a leading philanthropic engine within the global organisation.
The CEO will provide overall leadership of Rainforest Trust UK, with a primary focus on fundraising, external engagement, and partnering.
This is a hands-on leadership role, requiring both strategic clarity and operational execution. The CEO will lead a small team, work closely with the Board of Trustees, while partnering with the global CEO and senior leadership based in the USA.

Key responsibilities

Strategy and organisational leadership

• Lead the delivery of the 2026–2030 strategy, aligning UK priorities with global objectives
• Translate strategy into clear plans, targets, and performance metrics
• Drive organisational focus on outcomes, impact, and growth

Fundraising and external leadership

• Act as a senior ambassador for the organisation in the UK and internationally
• Build Rainforest Trust UK’s visibility and influence within philanthropic networks
• Personally cultivate and manage a portfolio of high-value donor relationships

Financial Stewardship

• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and performance including annual audit
• Ensure strong financial controls and effective use of resources
• Support the growth of sustainable income to maximise conservation impact

Governance and Board engagement

• Ensure compliance with UK charity regulation and best practice
• Provide clear, rigorous reporting on performance, risk, and finances
• Work in close partnership with the Board to support effective governance and decision-making

Global partnerships and collaboration

• Build strong, effective relationships with global Rainforest Trust leadership
• Align UK fundraising with global conservation priorities
• Act as a key interface between UK donors and global programmes

Leadership and culture

• Lead and develop a small, high-performing team
• Create a culture of accountability, clarity, and delivery
• Ensure effective organisational structure and use of resources

Purpose & Alignment

• Deep commitment to environmental conservation and climate impact
• Motivated by the opportunity to deliver measurable, lasting global outcomes
• Alignment with Rainforest Trust’s values of effectiveness, integrity, and partnership

Why Join Rainforest Trust UK
This is a rare opportunity to lead an organisation where:

• Impact is clear, measurable, and permanent
• There is significant opportunity to scale income and influence
• You can play a direct role in protecting some of the world’s most critical ecosystems

At a time when the protection of tropical forests is more urgent than ever, this role offers the chance to combine purpose with performance delivering meaningful impact at global scale.

Candidate profile
We are seeking a credible, externally focused leader with:

• A strong track record in fundraising, particularly major donors and high-value relationships
• The ability to operate with credibility, influence, and judgement at senior levels
• Experience leading organisations or teams through growth and change
• Experience working with Boards and an understanding of UK charity governance

Above all, candidates will bring a clear alignment to the mission and is motivated by the opportunity to deliver measurable, lasting conservation impact at global scale.

This is an exciting opportunity for a new leader to guide the organisation through its next phase of development, building from a position of strength. The organisation is in the first year of a clear and ambitious three-year strategy, with a strong core team of staff and a healthy financial position.

The outgoing Executive Director was previously also the organisation’s Advocacy Director, and continued to deliver both functions within one role. For this reason the Board of Trustees is advertising the position in two configurations. Applicants are welcome to express an interest in either:

• Option A — Part-time Executive Director. A 0.6 FTE part-time post which is a leadership and management role only, and does not include delivering the advocacy activities of the organisation. These will be undertaken by a separate part-time Advocacy Director, who carries the advocacy responsibilities covered by the associated Advocacy Director job description.

• Option B — Full-time Executive Director. A single full-time post in which the successful candidate takes on both the part-time Executive Director role and the responsibilities of the part-time Advocacy Director role being advertised concurrently. The successful candidate must meet the person specification requirements of BOTH roles.

Fundraising Lead  
£45,000–£55,000 F/T 
Remote with regular travel 

About Metabolic Support 

Metabolic Support is the UK umbrella patient organisation for people living with Inherited Metabolic Disorders (IMDs) — rare, lifelong genetic conditions affecting around 40,000 people in the UK and 1.43 million worldwide. Since 1981 we have been at the forefront of rare disease advocacy, research and community support. 

About the Role 

This is a strategic, hands-on opportunity to lead our fundraising activity, drive sustainable income growth and position Metabolic Support as the leading international patient advocacy group for IMDs. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you'll shape and deliver an ambitious fundraising strategy, build relationships with trusts, foundations, corporates and major donors, and work across our small, agile team to embed fundraising principles into everything we do. The role has no direct reports but requires a collaborative, proactive approach and the confidence to work autonomously. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Develop and deliver an integrated fundraising strategy covering corporate partnerships, individual giving, major donors, trusts and foundations, legacies, community and events 

• Lead on high-value bids and build compelling donor propositions 

• Manage donor stewardship, CRM (Nutshell), budgets and board reporting 

• Instil fundraising principles across the team and maximise income opportunities organisation-wide 
   

About You 

• Proven fundraising or income generation experience with expertise in at least one area: trusts and foundations, corporates or major donors 

• Strong relationship-builder with excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Highly organised, self-starting and comfortable managing competing priorities 

• Committed to Metabolic Support's mission; willing to travel in the UK and internationally 

Lead the operations, governance and compliance that enable Solving Kids' Cancer UK to deliver its mission and impact for children and families affected by neuroblastoma. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will play a critical role in ensuring the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably.

This broad and varied leadership role spans governance, risk, HR, IT, data protection and organisational operations, supporting delivery of the charity's strategy through robust systems, policies and processes. Acting as Company Secretary, you will work closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, providing advice on governance, regulatory requirements and best practice. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will oversee key operational functions, lead cross-organisational projects and deputise for the CEO where required.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a strategic, highly organised and values-driven leader with strong experience in charity operations, governance and compliance. You will have a track record of ensuring organisations are well run, compliant and effectively managed, with the ability to oversee multiple operational areas and support strong governance and decision-making at Board level.

You will be comfortable working across a broad remit, including governance, risk, HR, IT and data protection, and confident providing clear, practical advice to senior leaders and trustees.

Person specification

Key requirements include:

• Significant senior-level experience in operations, governance or compliance within a charity or similar environment. 
• Strong understanding of charity governance and regulation, with experience supporting boards and senior leadership. 
• Experience overseeing organisational functions such as HR, IT, data protection or risk. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-organisational work effectively. 
• Strong judgement, integrity and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion. 

See our Recruitment Pack for the full role description and specification and for information about Solving Kids' Cancer UK. 

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution at the heart of a small, ambitious charity where strong operations are a vital enabler of impact for children and families.

Location: Home-based, within easy reach of London, with regular travel to the London office and occasional UK-wide travel.

First-stage interview: Thursday 6 August 

Second-stage interview: Thursday 13 August

The Advocacy Director holds primary responsibility for delivering ECC’s advocacy strategy internationally and within the UK. This strategy aims to ensure states’ legal obligations on casualty recording are recognised and upheld globally, and that casualty data is used effectively to shape policy responses to conflict.

ECC’s advocacy work is focused primarily within the human rights and humanitarian multilateral fora in Geneva, but also incorporates work with New York-based UN targets within the security field. In parallel, as a UK-based organisation, we seek to influence domestic decision-makers including those within the FCDO, MoD, and parliament.

The Advocacy Director will be ECC's most senior external face after the Executive Director. As a key figure within a small organisation, the Advocacy Director will lead advocacy activity directly, building and stewarding relationships with state delegations, UK parliamentarians, UN officials, and civil society partners. The role requires exceptional political judgment, fluency across both multilateral and Westminster environments, and the credibility to represent ECC at the most senior national and international levels.

Note: This role is being advertised at the same time as the Executive Director role, as both functions were previously filled by the same person. Candidates can apply for the Advocacy Director role alone, or apply for both roles to combine as a full-time position. Please see full details in the Executive Director job description and advert.

Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive
6-Month Fixed-Term Contract (with potential opportunity to apply for a permanent role)
Salary: £40,000 + excellent benefits
Location: Home-based, with regular travel to care homes across South England (full UK driving license and access to a car advantageous)

Prospectus are excited to be supporting a fantastic care home provider with their search for an Executive Assistant. This is a 6-month fixed-term contract, based remotely but requiring regular travel to their care homes, two to three times a week.

You will be a talented Executive Assistant, providing high-level support to their Chief Executive, Board and wider leadership team. This is a varied and rewarding opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building strong relationships and is passionate about delivering outstanding support.

You will bring previous experience in an Executive Assistant, senior administration or diary management role, and have exceptional organisational and time management skills. You will have excellent written and verbal communication abilities, with a warm and professional approach. You’ll also bring experience managing diaries, meetings, travel arrangements, and have excellent attention to detail, bringing a high-level of discretion when handling confidential information. Most importantly, you will bring a proactive and enthusiastic approach to the role, with a willingness to learn new skills.

As a key member of their Central Support Team, you'll play a vital role in ensuring the smooth running of executive operations while supporting internal communications, projects, events and organisational initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage complex diaries, schedules and travel arrangements for the CEO, as well as screen and prioritise communications, ensuring effective management of competing priorities.
• Facilitate communication between the CEO and internal and external stakeholders.
• Prepare reports, presentations, correspondence and other key documentation.
• Support internal communications and social media messaging on behalf of the CEO.
• Coordinate Board and executive meetings, preparing agendas, papers and documentation and take accurate meeting minutes and monitor follow-up actions.
• Provide administrative support for projects, research and organisational initiatives and take a leading role in planning and delivering staff events, including employee recognition celebrations and annual awards events.
• Help maintain an organised and efficient office environment, including supplies, equipment and technology management.

We're particularly interested in candidates who have a passion for caring for others, an understanding of inclusion and belonging, and a genuine commitment to supporting people and communities.

To apply, please submit your CV via the advert link. You may be asked to submit a cover letter at a later stage.

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process, then please contact Shannon Sanderson at Prospectus.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Governance Manager will play a key role in supporting our management team and Board of Trustees, ensuring that LionHeart meets all statutory responsibilities by fulfilling governance requirements.

This includes overseeing the maintenance of the charity’s policies and delivery of the cycle of board and sub-committee meetings.

In 2026-27 we envisage this role leading a periodic charity-wide governance review.

What we offer

This is a permanent role offered on a 20-25 hours/three days per week basis, with a full-time salary (35 hours) of circa £35,000, dependent on hours agreed and experience.

We are based in central Birmingham with a commitment to hybrid, flexible working, offering generous pension contributions and a friendly, supportive team around you.

As an employer, we pride ourselves on a real commitment to work-life balance, strong culture and a working environment that is fully inclusive and welcoming. 

We also offer training opportunities and staff development days.

I'm interested, what next?

Please visit our website to download a full job description, person specification and an application form.

Please note we do not accept CVs. On our application form there is space for you to outline your job history and confirm that you meet some of the essential criteria in terms of qualifications and experience.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and operate an anonymous shortlisting process to ensure a level playing field for all applicants. This means that the shortlisting panel will not have your name, address or any other demographic or other characteristic information at the point of shortlisting.

We strive to be as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability and you meet all minimum requirements of the job as set out in the attached job description and person specification, you will be put forward for interview.

Completed applications should be submitted by 4pm on 17 July 2026.

We expect to hold interviews in central Birmingham on 29 July 2026. 

Internal title: Executive and Governance Administrator

Location: Home (most meetings are online and we are largely a remote working organisation, however travel will be expected to central events at  least 1-2 times a year which will be paid for by the charity)

Salary: £34,453 Full Time

Hours: 35 per week (full time)

Closing Date: Sunday 19 July - 23.30

Contract: Permanent

About the role

This is a key support role at the heart of Housing Justice, providing high-quality, proactive and highly organised executive support to the CEO and senior leadership team in a fast-moving national charity environment. The postholder plays a critical role in enabling the CEO and Directors to operate effectively, requiring excellent diary management, strong judgement, discretion, and the ability to manage competing priorities and anticipate organisational needs. The role also involves coordinating meetings end-to-end, ensuring they are well-structured and outcome-focused, including preparing agendas, capturing accurate notes, maintaining action logs, and proactively following up to ensure timely completion.

About you

We are looking for someone with:

· Significant experience supporting senior leaders in a PA, Executive Assistant, or equivalent role

· Experience managing complex diaries across multiple senior stakeholders

· Experience of agenda setting and action tracking for a variety of senior management and trustee meetings

· Experience working in a fast paced, often changing environment

About us

Housing Justice brings together communities and finds solutions to homelessness by building personal connections, a sense of belonging, and creating justice in the housing system. We train and support volunteers to offer various accommodation options while building a network of local support. This includes providing personalised assistance to help individuals access relevant local services and address their other needs. Through compassionate, courageous, and collaborative action, we implement innovative solutions to tackle housing injustice, enhance the quality of housing, and elevate the voices and experiences of groups affected by housing injustice to both local and national governments.

Hope for the Future is a dynamic UK-based charity working to drive democratic climate action. We are looking for a Fundraising Manager with the confidence to step into an established, successful system and keep our momentum going.

You will be a brilliant relationship builder, an organised manager of data and pipelines, and an excellent communicator who can write compelling narratives. Above all, you will be someone who collaborates naturally across a small, passionate team to champion a healthy culture of impact storytelling and income generation.

About Hope for the Future:

We support constituents, local groups, and national campaigns to secure ambitious action from local and national government by equipping them to have highly effective, relationship-building conversations with their politicians.

Over the past decade, we have supported more than 10,000 people to engage with politics, over half of whom had never taken action beyond voting. Through training, strategic advice, and tools, we don't just change conversations; we tangibly influence policy.

You will have:

• A track record in Trust & Grant success: pulling together compelling data and case studies to write winning bids for large-scale grants.

• Exceptional written skills for drafting persuasive proposals and impact reports.

• A love of data to oversee our fundraising pipeline using our CRM (Beacon),  working with organised spreadsheets, and clear, achievable timelines.

• The ability to support others to succeed and feel confident managing a direct report or mentoring colleagues on how to spot fundraising opportunities.

• The ability to balance the day-to-day writing tasks with big-picture financial targets .

• The ability to balance competing priorities in a fast-paced, small charity environment.

• A willingness to travel nationally and work occasional evenings or weekends as required for key events and funder engagement (claimable as TOIL).

• A genuine commitment to climate action and democratic engagement with grassroots communities.

It would be great if you also have:

• Experience supporting corporate partnerships or earned/consultancy income streams.

• Familiarity with Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks.

• An understanding of UK climate policy, nature campaigning, or the UK political system.

The Role

Your core focus will balance bid writing with strategy and comms management:

• Securing Income: Crafting and submitting high-quality, persuasive trust and grant applications (targeting five- and six-figure funding) and managing timely reports back to our current partners.

• Managing the Pipeline: Working closely with the CEO to track our fundraising goals, manage cash flow awareness, and keep our CRM system (Beacon) up to date.

• Supporting Earned Income: Helping to streamline the internal processes behind our paid consultancy and campaign training services, collaborating with our Policy & Engagement team to track leads.

• Leading People: Providing supportive, empowering line management to our part-time Digital Communications and Campaigns Coordinator.

• Looking Forward: As the contract nears its end, you will collaborate with the CEO to help us lay the groundwork for our next strategic fundraising cycle.

How to Apply

Please visit our website jobs page to submit your anonymised CV and cover letter.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We warmly welcome applications from everyone and celebrate diversity across all backgrounds. If you don’t meet every single requirement listed, please don't let that deter you, we would still love to hear from you.

• Salary: £48,350 per annum (£29,010 pro-rata)

• Hours: Part-time (21 hours per week)

• Contract Type: 12-month fixed term (Maternity Cover)

• Location:  Remote anywhere in the UK (or Sheffield Head Office/Hybrid working)

• Benefits: 30 days annual leave (pro-rata) + bank holidays, pension, wellbeing support.

• Closing Date: 13 July 2026 | Interviews: w/c 20 July 2026

Important Contract Notice: Please note that this is a temporary, fixed-term contract for 12 months to provide essential maternity cover. This is a non-permanent position.

(Please note this role is primarily remote, however there is the option for hybrid working at our head office in Sheffield. Some travel may be required for this role)

Last year, 124,000 young people approached their council for help because they were homeless or at risk of homelessness. The figure has risen year-on-year for eight consecutive years, highlighting the scale of a challenge that continues to affect young people across the UK. Yet we believe the resources, expertise and influence already exist within the built environment sector to help tackle youth homelessness. That is where LandAid comes in.

We bring together the UK property industry, harnessing its capital, assets, skills and networks to help end youth homelessness. We do this by awarding grants to frontline charities, providing financial support, brokering free professional advice and expertise, and creating opportunities for our partners to make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people.

The Chief Financial and Operating Officer plays a critical role in helping us achieve our ambitions. A key member of the Leadership Team, you will ensure we have the financial insight, operational effectiveness and governance frameworks needed to deliver our strategy successfully. A key priority will be to provide high-quality management information, analysis and forecasting that supports confident decision-making across the organisation.

You will also help us continue to strengthen our internal operations, driving continuous improvement and ensuring our systems, processes and technology support a more efficient, evidence-led organisation. Working closely with our Board committees, you will oversee financial stewardship, risk management and governance, helping to ensure LandAid remains resilient and well positioned for future growth and impact. Beyond finance, you will oversee our outsourced HR and IT functions, ensuring we receive high-quality and cost-effective support and have robust systems and policies in place, while also helping us continue our commitment to being an excellent place to work.

We are looking for a qualified accountant who brings senior finance leadership experience, either at executive director level within an organisation of similar scale or at deputy director level within a larger organisation. Experience within the charity sector would be valuable, as would knowledge of the built environment, capital investment or social investment. Most importantly, we are looking for someone who combines technical expertise with a collaborative leadership style; someone colleagues trust, learn from and enjoy working with.

Diversity in all its forms matters to us, and we especially welcome applications from qualified women, people who are from black and minority communities, who are LGBTQ+, who live with a disability, and/or haven’t been privately educated.

Our people are our greatest asset and you would be joining an exceptional team united by a shared commitment to ending youth homelessness. If that mission resonates with you, we would love to hear from you.

To download a full copy of the candidate brief and learn more about the role, please click the ‘Apply’ button, where you will be redirected to the website of our recruitment partner, Tall Roots. 

Applications should include a CV and cover letter (no more than two pages), explaining your motivation for applying for the role, along with how you meet the Knowledge & Experience section of the Person Specification.

Title:  Head of Campaigns

Salary:        £60,000

Contract:      Temporary

Hours:  37.5 per week (Monday to Friday) 

Holiday:  25 days per year plus bank holidays 

Location:  Home based with regular across the UK

Probationary Period:  3 months

Reports to:  Chief Executive

Benefits:  An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year

Flexitime policy

5% pension contribution

Anticipated contract duration:  9th November 2026 - February 2028 

We are River Action

We are a small and agile campaigning organisation on a mission to rescue the UK’s rivers from a toxic cocktail of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution and water shortages. We support community action, galvanise and mobilise public opinion, influence government policy, take legal actions and call out destructive industrial practices to incentivise changes that end river pollution and secure freshwater. 

We are a talented team of positive disrupters and stakeholder mobilisers delivering our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of communities, rivers and wildlife.

Our rivers are our life support system and they are dying. We need urgent action to bring them back to life.

Who we are looking for

We're looking for an exceptional campaigner to lead an ambitious environmental campaigning  programme for just over a year to cover maternity leave. This is an exciting opportunity for an inspiring leader who can develop bold, strategic campaigns that shift public debate, influence decision-makers and deliver tangible environmental outcomes.

You'll be an experienced campaign strategist who understands that lasting change rarely comes from a single tactic. You'll know how to bring together compelling communications, evidence and investigations, grassroots mobilisation, political engagement, legal interventions and partnerships into integrated campaigns capable of changing policy, behaviour and corporate practice.

We're looking for someone who combines strategic vision with practical delivery. Someone who is comfortable making decisions in a fast-moving environment, spotting opportunities as they emerge and adapting campaigns to maximise impact.

Experience in environmental campaigning would be highly valuable, but above all we're looking for someone with an outstanding track record of leading successful campaigns that have shifted opinion, influenced policy or held powerful institutions to account.

We’re looking for someone who brings energy, creativity and courageous leadership. Someone who is excited by building campaigns that challenge the status quo, comfortable navigating complexity and able to combine bold thinking with sound judgement. You'll know when to disrupt, when to collaborate and how to inspire others to believe that together we can restore the UK’s rivers. 

If you're motivated by creating change, thrive in a dynamic environment and want to lead campaigns that make a genuine difference to one of the UK's greatest environmental challenges, we'd love to hear from you. 

What you’ll be doing:

As Head of Campaigns, you will be developing and delivering bold, integrated campaigns that drive lasting change for the UK's rivers. You'll lead and inspire a talented team of campaigners, helping them to develop innovative, impactful campaigns while fostering a collaborative, ambitious and supportive culture. You'll work closely with colleagues across communications, policy, legal, fundraising and research, ensuring our work is strategically aligned and greater than the sum of its parts.

Leading River Action's Campaigns Team, you will shape the organisation's campaigning strategy, ensuring our work is innovative, evidence-led and designed to influence public opinion, hold polluters to account and secure meaningful political and systemic change. You'll create campaigns that connect compelling storytelling with community mobilisation, strategic communications, political advocacy, legal action and partnerships, ensuring every part of our work contributes towards our mission to rescue the UK’s rivers.

You'll provide strategic leadership across the full campaign lifecycle, overseeing campaign planning, delivery, budgeting, resourcing and evaluation. You'll ensure our campaigns are informed by robust evidence, guided by clear objectives and measured against meaningful outcomes, using insight and learning to continually strengthen our impact.

You will lead River Action's communications and public profile, ensuring our campaigns cut through the national conversation, inspire public action and strengthen our reputation as one of the UK's leading environmental campaigning organisations. You’ll oversee media, messaging and campaign communications that amplify our voice and build public support for change.

Internally, you'll work in close partnership with the Head of Public Affairs to ensure our public campaigns reinforce and accelerate our political influencing work, while ensuring community campaigns and grassroots action inform our national priorities. You'll also work alongside the Head of Legal to develop campaigns involving strategic litigation to achieve change within and outside of court and legal processes, using legal action as a catalyst for wider public awareness, policy change and industry accountability.

As a member of River Action's Senior Management Team, you'll help shape the strategic direction of the organisation and contribute to organisational leadership beyond your own department. You'll work alongside the CEO and fellow Heads of Department to deliver our organisational strategy, embedding collaboration, innovation and impact across all areas of our work.

You'll also play a key role in securing the resources needed to deliver our ambitions. Working with the Head of Development, you'll help develop compelling funding proposals, inspire funders with our vision and demonstrate the impact of our work through robust monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Working with the Finance and Operations Manager, you'll oversee campaign budgets, ensuring resources are managed effectively and strategically.

Main Duties 

• Provide strategic leadership as a member of the Senior Management Team, supporting the CEO to deliver River Action's organisational strategy, theory of change and long-term vision.

• Lead the development and delivery of River Action's integrated campaigning strategy, ensuring our public campaigns drive measurable environmental, political and societal change.

• Develop and oversee a portfolio of ambitious national campaigns, identifying opportunities to influence public opinion, policy, regulation and industry practice through innovative and impactful campaigning.

• Lead River Action's communications, media and public engagement strategy, ensuring compelling storytelling, strong brand visibility and effective use of traditional, digital and social media to grow our influence and supporter base.

• Lead the planning and delivery of River Action’s creative interventions and actions, from polling, petitions and shareholder actions to public protests and high-profile actions.

• Serve as a senior public representative and spokesperson for River Action, building the organisation's profile and influence through media engagement, public speaking, stakeholder engagement and high-profile external events.

• Oversee River Action's digital campaigning platforms, including the strategic development of our website and digital engagement tools.

• Work closely with the Head of Public Affairs  to ensure campaigns and political advocacy are fully integrated, maximising opportunities to influence government, regulators and decision-makers.

• Work closely with the Head of Public Affairs to ensure grassroots action informs national campaigns, and national campaigns empower and amplify community action.

• Work with the Head of Legal to identify, develop and deliver strategic legal interventions that strengthen campaigns, increase accountability and drive systemic change beyond the courtroom.

• Build and maintain influential relationships with campaign partners, coalitions, NGOs, academics, community organisations, funders and other key stakeholders to maximise collective impact.

• Lead campaign planning, governance and delivery, ensuring campaigns are effectively resourced, managed and evaluated against agreed objectives, budgets and monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) frameworks.

• Lead, inspire and develop the Campaigns Team, fostering a collaborative, creative and high-performing culture that enables colleagues to thrive and deliver exceptional work.

• Work with the CEO, Head of Development and senior colleagues to secure funding for campaign activities, contributing to funding proposals, donor engagement and impact reporting.

• Work with the Finance and Operations Manager to develop, monitor and manage campaign budgets, ensuring resources are used effectively and strategically.

• Support organisational reporting by contributing to Board papers, quarterly and annual reports, organisational planning and performance monitoring.

Other Duties & Responsibilities 

• Adopt a positive approach to personal and professional development; engaging in one to one meetings and relevant training.

• Be aware of, and act on, relevant health and safety responsibilities as an employee of River Action and adhere to these wherever you are working.

• To maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.

• UK travel will be required. Training & operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case standard River Action procedures apply.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to creating an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace and a positive organisational culture.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our ethos and mission.

What you’ll bring

The position will suit a strategic, well organised, energetic, passionate and dedicated person. The ideal person will be an excellent leader, a people person, and thrive within a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The person will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and hold those responsible for environmental destruction to account.

• Ability to think strategically to deliver campaigns that are positively disruptive and meet River Action values.

• Line management experience of highly experienced professionals, bringing out the best in your team.

• Creative attitude and skills for solving problems and raising awareness of problems and solutions.

• A head for organisation and excellent time management, bringing others along with you in planning and delivering interventions and projects at short notice and under pressure.

• Experience in public and/or political campaigning either within or outside the environmental sector.

• Experience and contacts in communications and PR. 

• An understanding of the issues that are impacting our rivers, and their solutions.

• The ability to establish and maintain effective contacts and relationships with senior and influential external individuals and bodies.

• The ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with a wide range of people both verbally and in writing including the media, community groups, other NGO representatives, government, industry leaders, supporters and followers on social media.

• Exceptional IT literacy and a head for figures and budgeting.

• Ability to work independently and take initiative to solve problems.

• Ability to work flexible hours as necessary.

• A good team player with a willingness to muck in as and where required.

• Ability to think clearly even when working under pressure.

• A passion for River Action’s mission and vision.

Diversity and Inclusion

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. So if you like the look of this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with everything in the job description, we would still like to hear from you. You may be just the right person for this or other roles. 

How to apply

To apply, please submit to jobs at riveractionuk dot com with the subject ‘Head of Campaigns’’:

• your CV (2 pages max), 

• a cover letter (2 pages max) explaining why you want to work for River Action and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, and 

• a written submission (2 pages) as described below. 

Only applications including all three documents will be accepted. Please provide your documents in pdf format. 

Written submission

River Action is looking to develop a campaign around water security in the UK to launch in 2027. Please put together a campaign brief setting out the challenges faced, how we would develop and deliver this campaign including campaign asks; campaign outcomes; public, political and legal tactics; routes for funding and resource requirements.

Your campaign brief should be no longer than 2 sides of A4. 

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 23:59 on 19th July.

Should your application be shortlisted, the next stage will involve an initial 30 minute interview on 28th July via video conference. You may then be invited to attend a second interview with a panel on 3rd August. 

Please indicate in your covering letter or in a covering email your availability for interviews on these dates.

If you have any questions about the role or your application, please contact us on jobs at riveractionuk dot com.

RIVET is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven fundraiser to grow, steward, and activate a community of ~100 donors, focused on high-net-worth individuals and family foundations. As we scale towards a future powered by Gen Z, RIVET’s philanthropic community plays a critical role in funding, advising, and growing this movement. 

The Director of Philanthropy leads RIVET’s fundraising and donor engagement strategy - responsible for securing significant philanthropic investment while stewarding a highly engaged network of families and individuals. Working closely with the CEO, Impact, and Marketing teams, you will lead on frontline fundraising and manage a robust donor pool to ensure members feel deeply connected to RIVET’s mission, people, and impact. This is a hands-on role for someone who is excited to shape a global philanthropic community. RIVET currently has four offerings: Leadership Council (for families), Youth Impact Council (designed for individuals), Youth Impact Fund (for family foundations), and Social Innovator Accelerator (for firms).

This new, evolved role will focus on three work streams:

1. Drive philanthropic revenue: Lead frontline fundraising across the organization by identifying and developing a donor pipeline, moving prospects through the cultivation cycle, and closing gifts.

2. Steward & strengthen RIVET’s donor community through effective communication and programming: Build, manage, and deepen relationships with RIVET donors, ensuring members, including teen & young adult family members, feel highly engaged, valued, and connected to RIVET’s mission and people.

3. Activate donors as a force for organizational growth: Design and deliver meaningful engagement experiences to leverage donors’ networks, insights, and influence to support RIVET’s broader growth, including across new foundations, firms, and brand partnerships.

You will join a dedicated, low-ego team in launching a first-of-its-kind philanthropic movement led by youth. Supported by the CEO and admin team, this role works across the organization and volunteer leadership.