Chief executive jobs

This is an exciting time to join Discover 

In spring 2026 we delivered a major programme of business transformation including rebuilding site infrastructure, new visitor spaces, an improved ticketing model and revised accounting system and procedures. 

We’re now looking for a permanent, part-time Finance Director to join our Senior Management team, shape and manage the finance department and bring financial insight to all areas of decision making. 

Overview of the role 

• Overseeing and continuously improving our financial systems, controls and processes 

• Leading, mentoring and developing the finance team 

• Producing management accounts and reports to funders 

• Analysis of financial performance and drivers 

• Leading budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes. 

• Cash and treasury management 

• Prepare statutory accounts and run the external audit processes. 

• VAT checks and returns 

• Ensuring compliance with charity, company and tax regulations and funder requirements 

More information and a Job Description can be found on our website.

Job Description

Reports to: CEO and Board of Trustees

Line management:        none

Checks: Enhanced DBS and two references

Purpose

The Project Manager & Systems Implementation Lead will lead a programme of organisational and systemic change across DATUS, supporting the organisation to move from largely paper-based, informal and inconsistent working practices towards a more structured, reliable and digitally enabled system of operations.

The postholder will work with the CEO, senior managers and the Organisation and Governance Consultant to implement agreed organisational systems, processes and priorities across DATUS. This will include supporting the practical development and day-to-day use of systems such as SharePoint, client records, finance processes, reporting tools, action trackers, governance documents and operational workflows.

The role is focused on turning agreed organisational systems into everyday practice. The postholder will support managers and staff to use systems consistently, identify barriers to implementation, ensure agreed actions are followed through, and escalate risks where systems are not being used or delivery is drifting.

This is a senior implementation role. The postholder will have delegated authority to monitor implementation, challenge drift, request updates, support problem-solving and escalate risks. They will need to work with managers constructively and confidently, without relying on formal line-management authority.

The role does not set the strategic direction of services, replace the authority of service managers, or redefine DATUS’s peer-led model of delivery. Responsibility for service delivery remains with service managers and programme leads. The purpose of this role is to strengthen organisational reliability so that DATUS can grow, evidence its work, meet funder and governance requirements, and protect the integrity of its peer-led approach.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Implementation

• Coordinate the design, testing, implementation, embedding and ongoing improvement of agreed organisational systems, operational frameworks and processes across DATUS.
• Work with the CEO, Organisation and Governance Consultant, senior managers and relevant staff to ensure new systems are practical, usable and aligned with organisational priorities.
• Support the implementation of key systems, including client records, finance processes, SharePoint, reporting tools, action trackers, governance documents and other operational workflows.
• Ensure new systems and applications are properly documented, maintained and managed once implemented.
• Develop practical guidance, templates, processes and tools to support consistent use across the organisation.
• Identify practical barriers to implementation and work with teams to resolve them.

Embedding & Adoption

• Work with Heads of Service, managers and staff to embed agreed systems into everyday practice.
• Ensure staff are trained, supported and confident in using organisational systems.
• Reinforce consistent ways of working across programmes and teams, while recognising the different practical needs of each service.
• Gather feedback from staff and managers to identify what is working, what is not working, and what needs to be improved.
• Support a culture where systems are used to strengthen delivery, accountability and learning, not simply to create paperwork.

Delivery Assurance

• Maintain oversight of agreed organisational priorities, implementation plans, actions and milestones.
• Track progress against agreed deliverables and ensure actions are completed, followed up or escalated where necessary.
• Hold short, structured check-ins with managers and staff responsible for delivery to confirm priorities, review progress, identify barriers and agree next steps.
• Challenge drift constructively where agreed systems are not being used or actions are not progressing.
• Maintain clear action logs, risk logs and implementation trackers so that commitments are visible and followed through.

Organisational Coordination

• Maintain visibility of operational activity across DATUS and support clear communication between leadership and operational teams.
• Help managers and teams understand how their work connects to wider organisational priorities, funder requirements and governance expectations.
• Support coordination across programmes so that systems, reporting and operational processes are aligned rather than fragmented.

Reporting & Escalation

• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on implementation progress, risks, barriers, adoption issues and system effectiveness.
• Escalate issues where delivery is not on track, where risks are not being managed, or where agreed systems are not being used.
• Support clear evidence of progress for internal governance, funders, commissioners and organisational learning.

Performance & Systems Integration

• Work closely with the Performance & Finance Lead to align finance systems, client data systems, KPI reporting and organisational dashboards.
• Ensure systems support accurate, timely and useful data capture, including outcome tracking, pathway reporting and recovery intelligence.
• Support the development of dashboards, reports and practical management information that helps DATUS understand performance and improve delivery.

Policies, Procedures & Governance

• Support the development, implementation and review of organisational policies, procedures and governance frameworks.
• Translate policies into practical processes that staff can understand and use.
• Monitor compliance with agreed processes, identify gaps and support managers to address them.
• Ensure governance documents, templates and procedures are kept organised, accessible and up to date.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify where systems are not working effectively and support practical improvements.
• Work with leadership, managers and staff to refine systems and processes based on evidence and feedback.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, follow-through and shared organisational learning.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Relevant management, operations, systems implementation, project management or change management qualification, or significant equivalent experience.
• Evidence of using structured project management approaches in practice, including planning, risk management, action tracking, implementation monitoring and review.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365, including SharePoint or equivalent document management / collaboration systems.

Desirable

• Formal project management qualification or training, such as PRINCE2, APM, Agile, Lean, Scrum or equivalent.
• Training or qualification in change management, business improvement, systems implementation, governance, data management or operational management.
• Training in data protection, information governance, safeguarding systems or quality assurance.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience leading or coordinating the implementation of organisational systems, processes or operational frameworks across multiple teams.

· Experience leading or significantly supporting the move from paper-based, spreadsheet-based, informal or inconsistent working practices into structured digital systems and agreed organisational workflows.

• Experience implementing or improving systems such as SharePoint, client record systems, CRM systems, finance systems, reporting tools, action trackers or workflow processes.
• Experience tracking organisational priorities, actions, risks, issues and milestones, and ensuring agreed work is completed.
• Experience working across teams where delivery depends on influence, coordination and constructive challenge rather than direct line-management authority.

Desirable

• Experience working in the third sector, health and social care, addiction/recovery, homelessness, mental health, criminal justice, community development or other relational services.
• Experience supporting services with funder, commissioner, quality, audit or compliance reporting.
• Experience working with peer-led, lived-experience-led or community-based models of delivery.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to create order, track detail and keep multiple workstreams moving.
• Ability to translate organisational priorities into practical systems, workflows, templates and day-to-day routines.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Microsoft 365, operational tracking systems, case management systems, CRM systems and finance systems.
• Ability to identify where systems are failing, where staff are struggling, and where risks are emerging.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain systems clearly to staff with different levels of confidence and technical ability.
• Ability to produce clear written reports, action logs, process notes, implementation plans and senior leadership updates.
• Good understanding of confidentiality, data protection and the importance of accurate records in services working with vulnerable adults.

• Ability to support dashboard development, management information and real-time reporting.
• Understanding of governance, compliance, quality assurance and continuous improvement in a third-sector or public-service environment.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Organised, structured and methodical, without being rigid or bureaucratic.
• Practical, calm and solution-focused.
• Confident enough to challenge drift, but mature enough to do it constructively.
• Able to work collaboratively without needing formal authority over others.
• Able to simplify complexity rather than create unnecessary process.
• Respectful of peer-led, lived-experience-led and community-based ways of working.
• Non-judgemental, reflective and open to personal change.
• Willing to learn about addiction, recovery, social exclusion and the DATUS peer model

Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside is a long established Liverpool based charity, that is part of a UK wide network of Foundations, who each offer expertise in their region to deliver funding and support to the local community.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our established finance team, you will be helping to deliver millions of pounds of grants to charities and community groups that provide critical and specialist support to the most vulnerable people across Lanchashire and Merseyside. 

Additionally you will be responsible for all aspects of purchase ledger and will support the Finance Director on a day to day basis, maintaining finance records with a very high degree of accuracy. Whilst your role has a strong emphasis on payments, you may be required to support the team in dealing with recording income too. 

To succeed in this role you need to be thorough with a strong attention to detail. We are looking for someone with a genuine interest in community affairs and being excited by the work we do. Being familiar with Sage 50 and Salesforce is an advantage but not essential.

This is a part time role, 14 hours per week, which is office based, in the centre of Liverpool's commercial district.

What we offer : 

• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time hours)
• Birthday day off 
• Enhanced pension contributions 
• Healthcare - membership paid to Medicash 
• Life assurance 
• Flexible working is a possiblity 
• Real Living Wage accredited

No agencies please 

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. 

Our client is partnering with Robertson Bell on a retained basis to appoint a Head of Finance on a permanent basis. This is a pivotal leadership opportunity within an ambitious, internationally focused charity at an exciting stage of growth.

This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing, mission-driven organisation at a transformative stage in its journey. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and working closely with Trustees, Board Members and senior stakeholders, the Head of Finance will play a central role in shaping financial strategy, strengthening operational maturity and supporting ambitious international growth plans.

The role

• Lead the development of the organisation's long-term financial strategy, supporting its next phase of growth and international expansion.
• Partner closely with the Chief Executive, Trustees, Board Members and leadership team, providing strategic financial insight to support organisational decision-making, programme investment and fundraising activity.
• Oversee all aspects of financial management across multiple international entities, ensuring robust financial controls, governance and compliance frameworks are in place.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and scenario modelling processes, supporting both operational delivery and long-term strategic planning.
• Build strong relationships across fundraising, research and programme teams, supporting complex grant funding, restricted income management and commercial partnership activity.
• Oversee the production of monthly management accounts, statutory reporting, audit processes and regulatory submissions across multiple entities.
• Drive improvements in financial systems, reporting processes and operational efficiency as the organisation continues to scale.
• Provide leadership and development support to a small finance team, helping to build capability within the function.
• Act as a trusted advisor across the organisation, balancing hands-on operational delivery with strategic leadership.
• Represent finance confidently at Board and leadership level, communicating complex financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.

The organisation

Our client exists to deliver meaningful impact through innovation, collaboration and investment in research. It brings together experts, funders and partners from across the sector to challenge conventional thinking and accelerate progress towards its ambitious mission.

With income, activity and organisational complexity expected to grow significantly over the coming years, the charity is entering an exciting new phase of development. It combines the pace and agility of a scaling organisation with the credibility and influence of an internationally recognised charity.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative leadership team committed to building an organisation capable of delivering lasting impact. Alongside the opportunity to play a pivotal role within a purpose-driven organisation, the role offers flexible hybrid working, genuine work-life balance, professional development opportunities, private medical insurance, life insurance, pension contributions and generous annual leave.

Essential criteria

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) or qualified by experience.
• Strong experience in a senior finance leadership role within the charity sector.
• Proven experience managing financial operations, reporting, budgeting and forecasting within a growing organisation.
• Experience operating across complex stakeholder environments, with the confidence to influence and challenge senior leaders and Boards.
• Strong understanding of financial governance, controls, compliance and risk management.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex financial information into meaningful insight.
• Hands-on and adaptable approach, comfortable operating strategically while remaining close to operational detail.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with high levels of emotional intelligence and credibility.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving organisation.
• Experience working across multiple entities, funding streams or international operations would be highly advantageous.

If you are a strategic and hands-on finance leader looking to play a meaningful role within a high-growth charitable organisation, we would love to hear from you.

This role is based in London with an expectation of two days per week in the office.

Part-funded by a generous donation from Backstage Trust, this is a new and pivotal role designed to transform Theatre Centre's fundraising capacity by strengthening systems, increasing income diversity, and building long-term financial resilience. The postholder will play a key role in helping the organisation capitalise on its artistic impact and case for support, while building momentum towards its 75th anniversary in 2028.

This role will keep us focused on our development strategy and will have support from across the whole company: the Board, Executive and the core TC team. We have been steadily building our foundations and have some good funding relationships in place, committed individual givers, a strong, evidenced case for support, some incredible stats and feedback and above all an inspiring and exciting programme of work to offer for young people, artists and teachers across the country.

Our Development Manager will help us to bring in resources so that we can continue share our high-quality, specialist work as far as we can. We see development as a collaborative effort and we understand the need for the whole team to support development, that effective fundraising needs to be resourced with realistic timelines and expectations.

About the Role

Contract type: Fixed term to March 2028

Hours: 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE) - we're happy to discuss flexible working patterns that work best for you.

Salary: £24,000 per year (based on £30,000 per year pro rata)

Location: This role can be hybrid or predominantly home based, with some time spent working with colleagues in the office. Theatre Centre is based near Three Bridges station at Unit 4 Crawley Business Centre, Stevenson Way, Crawley, RH10 1TN.

Job Requirements

• A strong affinity with Theatre Centre's mission and a passion for creating opportunities for young people through the arts.
• A values-driven approach, with commitment to equity, inclusion, social justice and environmental responsibility.
• Collaborative, open and transparent working style.
• Comfortable working in a changing environment.
• Proven experience of fundraising within an arts organisation.
• Strong strategic thinking skills.
• Good written communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling cases for support and reports.
• Good understanding of the financial context of this work.
• Experience of building and managing relationships with funders, donors and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including data management.
• Experience of monitoring and reporting to demonstrate impact.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work flexibly under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Job Responsibilities

The Development Manager will lead delivery of a phased fundraising strategy:

Phase 1 - Foundation: Build on our strong systems and processes and give us consistency in fundraising delivery, including building a robust pipeline of Trusts & Foundations and developing place-based income in Crawley and the Gatwick area.

Phase 2 - Private Phase: Expand individual giving by deepening relationships, developing major donors, and securing multi-year funding partnerships.

Phase 3 - Public Bring together all strategic and fundraising priorities in our 75th year, amplifying them into a public campaign that advocates for our change-making work.

If you'd like more information you're welcome to visit our website and download the job pack.

THINK is expanding our Data function and looking for find a Data Consultant who can help achieve that growth.

THINK Data is the specialist data function of THINK, working exclusively in the charity and not-for-profit sector. We combine deep sector knowledge with hands-on technical expertise across three core areas: data health, analytics and insight, and CRM system challenges. 

Led by the Director of THINK Data, the team covers key elements of data strategy with charity clients to help them get more from their data and make better decisions. Discovering the challenges around the infrastructure of systems, processes and insight capability charities need to make data work harder for their mission. The Director leads on new business generation, team development, innovation in data products and thought leadership across the sector. Part of that innovation is exploring the best ways to use AI in how we work and how we advise clients, taking a considered and human approach. 

The Data Consultant role centres on data discovery and consultancy - working with charity clients to understand their data challenges and shape practical roadmaps for change. Alongside this you will contribute to client delivery, own key internal systems, and help develop new products and services. 

This is an opportunity to grow. We are looking for a driven, ambitious individual with a background in charity fundraising and experience in data analysis and management, who is ready to take a step up into consultancy. The role offers a clear path to develop from Data Consultant to Senior Data Consultant, with the potential over time to progress towards Data Director. The right person will help shape the future of THINK Data and grow as the function grows. 

To apply please follow the guidance in the Candidate Pack. Informal calls with Steve White, Director of THINK Data or Matt Smith, Managing Director of THINK are available upon request. 

Administrative Assistant (6-Month Maternity Cover)

Salary: £32,000 per annum
Location: Hackney, East London (Hybrid)
Hours: Full-time
Contract: Fixed-term, 6 months

We're recruiting on behalf of an innovative charity working to tackle financial inequality and provide vital debt advice, financial education and support services across London.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, collaborative team and play a key role in keeping the organisation running smoothly during a period of growth. You'll work closely with senior leaders, providing high-quality administrative and operational support across the organisation.

No two days will be the same. From coordinating meetings and supporting recruitment processes to managing office operations and assisting with events, you'll be at the heart of the charity's day-to-day activities.

Key responsibilities

• Providing comprehensive administrative support to the senior management team, CEO and Board.
• Managing diaries, coordinating meetings and arranging travel where required.
• Preparing agendas, taking accurate minutes and following up on actions.
• Supporting recruitment administration, including onboarding and offboarding.
• Maintaining office supplies, records and filing systems.
• Assisting with invoices, expenses and financial administration.
• Supporting internal and external meetings, events and audits.
• Maintaining organisational policies, procedures and operational documents.
• Supporting technology and systems administration, including maintaining asset registers.
• Troubleshooting operational issues and helping to improve processes across the organisation.

About you

We're looking for an organised, proactive and detail-oriented administrator who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and takes pride in delivering high-quality support.

You will have:

• Previous experience in an administrative or operational support role.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong minute-taking and proofreading skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management abilities.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively within a small team.
• A proactive approach to problem solving and continuous improvement.
• The ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Experience of using CRM systems and supporting operational processes would be advantageous.

If you're a self-sta

Help people build confidence, gain skills and move into employment.

First Step Trust is a charity supporting adults with mental health challenges and other barriers to employment by providing real work experience, training and pathways into paid work.

We are looking for an Employment Development Worker (EDW) to join our team in Woolwich, SE18 and play a key role in helping people take the next step towards employment, training and independence.

This is a rewarding opportunity for someone passionate about employability, training and supporting individuals to overcome barriers and achieve their goals.

About the role

As an Employment Development Worker, you will:

• Build relationships with local organisations, employers and referral partners to promote our services and opportunities
• Recruit and support workforce members into work placements and training programmes
• Provide practical employment support, including CV writing, job searching and interview preparation
• Develop employer partnerships to create work placements and employment opportunities
• Support the delivery of training programmes and recognised qualifications
• Monitor progress, maintain accurate records and provide reports
• Support the day-to-day running of the project alongside colleagues and workforce members

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Experience in employment support, careers advice, training or a customer-facing support role
• Experience supporting adults facing barriers to employment
• Strong organisational and administrative skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• The ability to motivate, support and encourage people to develop
• The ability to work independently and manage your own workload
• A team-focused approach with a commitment to achieving positive outcomes

Desirable

• Experience delivering workplace-based training
• Knowledge of the benefits system
• Full UK driving licence

Why join First Step Trust?

This is an opportunity to join an organisation that makes a real difference to people’s lives. You will play a direct role in helping individuals build confidence, gain skills and move into meaningful employment or further training.

The closing date will be 24th July, interviews to be held week commencing 27th July.

If you are passionate about supporting people and creating opportunities, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now to be part of a team that changes lives through work, training and opportunity.

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping over 60,000 young people each year at its 46 learning centres across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision over the coming years.

We are looking for a high-calibre candidate to join as Office Manager and Executive Assistant. You will be the main point of contact for our Senior Management Team, Trustee Board and Advisory Panel members and have the inside track on how the charity plans and implements both its strategic growth and its day-to-day operations. You will also act as Office Manager in our Head Office, and be part of our Facilities Team supporting our sites across the network.

The role is challenging and varied. You will work with a wide range of our stakeholders, both internally and externally, taking a professional yet friendly approach – you will have strong interpersonal and communication skills. You will have excellent organisational and analytical skills and be able to demonstrate meticulous attention to detail, excellent written skills and will be highly efficient. You will need to be able to gain the respect required to act as the voice of the CEO.

The role at a glance

Contract: Part-time (30 hours per week), permanent

Start date: September 2026 (or as otherwise agreed with candidate)

Working hours:

30 hours per week (typically 4 days per week, 09:00 to 17:30, but alternate patterns can be discussed with candidates)

We are a delivery organisation providing frontline educational services for young people. Our Head Office team is based on the site of our North Kensington centre in West London. We are an organisation with team members at different stages of their career, including many in their first roles: we are committed to nurturing talent and providing a developmental culture for all. 

Role is mainly office-based, with the opportunity to work from home one day per week.

Salary: £40,000 per annum pro rata (including £2,800 London contribution)
Pro-rated salary for 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE) is £32,000 per annum

Location: IntoUniversity Head Office, 95 Sirdar Road, London W11 4EQ

Annual leave: 

Full-time staff entitlement, pro-rated for part-time staff:
33 days (inc bank & public holidays) 
+ 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) 
+ additional length of service entitlement
(one day per year of service, up to 5 days)

Application deadline: 9am Monday 27th July 2026

This role is now at interview stage. While we will review all applications, the process is progressing quickly and it may be too late to be considered for this particular position. That said, we would still encourage you to apply as the role is still vacant and we may have other suitable positions available. 

Role Overview
The Talent Set are delighted to partner with a well-known health charity on a fantastic Interim Director of Marketing, Communications and Digital role. This 9 month Executive leadership position will shape how the organisation tells its story, protects its reputation, and builds momentum around social change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead strategic marketing, communications, and digital direction, translating it into clear priorities and practical plans.
• Create a more compelling, audience-focused narrative that balances empathy with the challenging conversations needed for real change.
• Modernise communications and marketing ways of working to be more agile, prioritised, and responsive to issues and opportunities.
• Strengthen external presence to support funding, sustainability, and broader engagement beyond “inside the cause” audiences.
• Support effective crisis and reputational communications readiness and ensure timely, consistent messaging.
• Work collaboratively with senior stakeholders and trustees, providing clear guidance and decision-ready recommendations.
• Oversee storytelling and campaign effectiveness (including ROI where relevant), ensuring impact is measurable and credible.
• Help shape the approach to future structure by advising options for the permanent leadership/operating model.

Person Specification

• Proven Executive-level experience setting marcomms strategy across marketing, communications, and digital.
• Strong judgement in reputation management, including building plans for sensitive or high-pressure moments.
• Ability to turn complex strategy into a simple, compelling argument for multiple audiences and channels.
• Demonstrated agility: reshaping working practices, removing barriers to delivery, and improving prioritisation.
• Results-focused mindset with experience linking campaigns to outcomes such as fundraising performance and engagement.
• Confident stakeholder leadership with the ability to advise Chief Executive and influence trustees.
• Resilient, practical approach to change in a pressured environment, including handling pushback constructively.
• Digital fluency and comfort setting expectations and improving capability through training and process.

What’s on Offer
Day rate: £350-£450 per day PAYE + holiday pay, inside IR35. This role will require at least 1 day a week in their London office.

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

Next step
If this sounds like an opportunity to deliver meaningful change through smarter marketing and communications, submit a tailored CV and apply without delay.

Sightsavers is seeking a Financial Controller to provide senior leadership across our global finance function, ensuring robust financial governance, effective controls and high-quality financial management across a complex international organisation.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead the Global Finance Team and oversee key areas including business finance, subsidiaries finance, treasury, statutory accounting, audit, finance systems and continuous improvement. You will play an important role in ensuring that our finance function is well controlled, responsive, efficient and able to support colleagues across our global programmes and operations.

This is an opportunity for an experienced finance leader who can combine technical expertise with inclusive and confident people leadership. You will be able to develop high-performing teams, review and improve ways of working, support change and make balanced decisions that strengthen finance capability and service delivery.

You will bring a recognised professional accounting qualification, senior financial management experience, strong knowledge of financial controls and statutory accounting, and the ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to senior stakeholders and non-finance colleagues. Experience of working in a charity, INGO, donor-funded or complex international environment would be an advantage.

Please read the full job description for further requirements.

Candidates must already have the right to work in the UK, as Sightsavers is unable to provide employer sponsorship for this role.

Sightsavers is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone we work with. Due to the seniority and nature of this role, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake relevant background checks, which may include a DBS check, in line with organisational policy and the requirements of the role.

We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and will provide reasonable adjustments where needed.

To apply for this exciting opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal by uploading an up to date CV and answering the job-specific questions. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

We anticipate that there will be a two -stage interview process starting in early September. This will include a role-specific presentation task and the final stage interview will be held in-person at our offices in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. Ideally we would like the successful candidate to be in post by Q4 of 2026 and attendance at the annual planning meeting in mid-November would be very helpful.

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.

Martingale Foundation exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

About Purposeful Ventures

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Policy Manager will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

Our vision is of a fairer society where all young people thrive. Purposeful Ventures partners with social entrepreneurs and philanthropists to improve the education and well-being of young people from their earliest years.

We define and diagnose the issues affecting children and young people, analyse evidence and explore the most promising solutions. We then select, accelerate and, where we find a gap, incubate organisations which tackle those issues. We offer more than just funding to our charitable organisations. Our expertise, operational experience and networks enable us to deliver tailored, hands-on support with a relentless commitment to system change.

About the role

In the four years since Martingale launched, we have now supported over 200 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our thirteen partner universities.

As Martingale grows, we are building our policy and advocacy function to shape the future of postgraduate access, affordability and outcomes. We are seeking a rigorous, proactive and collaborative Policy Manager to drive the monitoring, insight and evaluation that underpin our influence, and to support the development and implementation of our policy positions and stakeholder engagement.

Reporting to the Head of Communications and External Engagement, you will lead Martingale’s policy tracking, political intelligence, evidence generation, and evaluation and learning. You will turn a fast-moving external landscape into clear, actionable insight, and produce the evidence, analysis and draft materials that enable the Head and CEO to position Martingale credibly with funders, universities, the sector and government.

This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role with significant autonomy. You will own workstreams end-to-end, build systems and processes where they do not yet exist, and influence more senior colleagues and stakeholders. You will sit at the centre of a landmark research and policy programme and help deliver a campaign to implement the recommendations from Martingale’s major HESA-based research partnership, making the case that talent, not background, should determine who progresses to and thrives in postgraduate study.

Please download the full job description on the Purposeful Ventures website.

Key Responsibilities:

You will lead on monitoring and insight, and on evaluation and learning. You will support the Head of Communications and External Engagement on policy position development; consultations, briefings and submissions; and policy and stakeholder engagement and convening.

Monitoring and Insight

• Lead Martingale’s policy tracking and horizon scanning across legislative and regulatory developments, research funding policy, labour market and skills policy, and higher education sector developments relevant to postgraduate access, affordability and outcomes.
• Gather and synthesise political insights to anticipate risks and opportunities, briefing the Head and CEO on what is changing, why it matters to Martingale, and how we should respond.
• Lead the generation of evidence - coordinating, analysing and interpreting data and research (including Martingale’s HESA-based research and partner analysis) to underpin our policy positions and external narrative.
• Build and maintain trackers, briefings and knowledge systems that make insights from across government and higher education accessible, timely and actionable across the team.

Evaluation and Learning

• Lead the monitoring and evaluation of Martingale’s policy and advocacy activity, defining what success looks like and setting clear measures to track progress against our objectives.
• Establish and run learning cycles that capture what is and is not working, feeding insight back into strategy, planning and delivery.
• Own evaluation tools and reporting, ensuring activity is measured against clear objectives and that impact is demonstrable to colleagues, the Board and funders.
• Coordinate with the Programmes Team to leverage lessons and insights from our engagement with scholars to shape our policy work.

Policy Position Development

• Support the Head in developing Martingale’s policy positions for both government and higher education stakeholders, translating evidence into clear, credible and mission-aligned policy asks.
• Draft and refine policy content, ensuring positions are intellectually rigorous, well-evidenced and consistent with Martingale’s voice and values.

Consultations, Briefings and Submissions

• Draft consultation responses, briefings, submissions and other policy materials for the Head and CEO to own and represent in external forums.
• Coordinate inputs across the team and with partners to deliver high-quality, accurate and timely products to deadline.
• Help ensure Martingale’s policy activity complies with charity law and Charity Commission guidance on campaigning and political activity, escalating issues as appropriate.

Policy and Stakeholder Engagement and Convening

• Manage the planning and delivery of Martingale’s stakeholder engagement, including roundtables and convenings.
• Maintain the stakeholder engagement register, tracking relationships, mapping sector and geographic coverage, and identifying gaps and opportunities.
• Build and steward day-to-day relationships with stakeholders across government, academia, research councils, funders, learned societies and partner organisations to advocate for our mission, escalating to the Head and CEO where appropriate.

Ways of working

• Work closely with the Head of Communications and External Engagement, providing the monitoring, insight, evidence, drafting and evaluation that underpin Martingale’s external positioning and influence.
• Collaborate across the communications, partnerships and programme teams, and with delivery and research partners, creating shared understanding of priorities, timelines and dependencies.
• Manage resources and any project budgets responsibly and use evidence and learning to improve practice over time.
• Carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the role as requested by the line manager.

Key Requirements:

Experience and skills

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in policy, public affairs, research or analysis, ideally within a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong understanding of the UK education, social mobility and/or research funding landscape, including the roles of bodies and organisations such as UKRI, Universities UK, Department for Education and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
• Excellent research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise complex policy and evidence into clear, accessible insight.
• Outstanding written communication, with the ability to produce high-quality briefings, consultation responses and policy materials for senior and external audiences.
• The ability to distil complex topics into compelling arguments for a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to own and deliver multiple workstreams to deadline, creating plans, systems and processes where they do not yet exist.
• Experience monitoring and evaluating activity and using evidence and learning to improve practice.
• Ability to build and manage relationships with external stakeholders, and to brief and influence more senior colleagues.
• Advanced IT proficiency: spreadsheets, word processing, CRM or databases such as Beacon, email, web-based applications.

Desirable

• Experience of horizon scanning, political monitoring or intelligence-gathering.
• Familiarity with higher education or research organisations, and/or with postgraduate, doctoral or research-focused study.
• Understanding of industrial strategy, labour market and skills policy
• Familiarity with Charity Commission guidance on campaigning and political activity for charities.
• Experience delivering policy or research work in a startup or scale-up environment.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, and to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Curious, rigorous and detail-oriented, with sound judgement about what matters and why.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, and systematic.