Children practitioner jobs in Bristol

Annual leave: 33 days (plus eight bank holidays)

Benefits:

• enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental pay
• family-friendly policies
• 8% employer pension contribution (Aviva) 
• three x basic salary life assurance cover
• free health cashback plan (Medicash): employee cover plus up to four dependent children
• 24/7 virtual GP access (UK registered), plus access to Best Doctors
  free, confidential employee assistance programme (Medicash)
• access to a wellbeing app
• flexible working options including hybrid working, flexible working patterns such as part-time, compressed hours, and more*
• learning and development opportunities including bespoke training and access to LinkedIn Learning)
• commitment to employee health and wellbeing.
• we have a Menopause Friendly accreditation and are a Disability Confident employer

Join Dementia UK as Policy and Public Affairs Manager (Scotland) and play a pivotal role in shaping our influence as we deliver our 2025–30 strategy. This new role reflects a significant investment in expanding our Campaigns, Policy and Public Affairs function, strengthening our ability to drive change across all nations of the UK. You will lead our work to amplify Dementia UK’s voice in Scotland, ensuring that the experiences of people living with dementia, and the Admiral Nurses who support them, drive meaningful improvements in care and support.

You will spearhead our political and policy engagement in Scotland, building trusted relationships with MSPs, civil servants, political advisers and sector partners. Through sharp political insight and rigorous policy development, you will help shape our influencing priorities, identify strategic opportunities, and position Dementia UK as a credible and authoritative voice on dementia care within the Scottish policy landscape.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across policy, public affairs, campaigns, communications, clinical services and lived experience, you will develop and deliver a Scottish policy and public affairs strategy that aligns with our UK-wide approach. You will also represent Dementia UK externally as our primary political contact in Scotland, ensuring our perspectives are heard in key debates and decision‑making forums.

To thrive in this role, you will bring strong political instincts, deep knowledge of Scottish political institutions and policy processes, and a proven ability to build influential relationships with senior stakeholders. You will be a strategic thinker with the confidence to lead evidence-based policy development, assess risks and opportunities in a fast-moving environment, and drive forward activity that supports our long-term ambition to transform dementia care across the UK.

We would love to hear from you! If you would like to find out more about the role, or have any queries, please get in touch via the email on our website.

Our culture

In addition to a competitive salary and a generous benefits package, we truly value our people. It’s important for us to create a working environment that looks after our workforce to support them in achieving their full potential. You will become part of a diverse and dedicated team who are supported to use and develop their skills. We recognise and value the key role you will play in delivering our strategic plans for the benefit of those living with dementia.

Our staff have a voice. Representatives from different roles and levels across the organisation positively contribute to and lead on our working groups around health and wellbeing, menopause, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Dementia UK is proud to welcome everyone. We aim for a truly inclusive culture with talented, diverse teams that represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We celebrate difference and individuality and encourage everyone to join us and be their whole selves always.

Dementia UK is a Disability Confident Employer.

By applying to join Dementia UK, you acknowledge that in the event you are successful for the role, any offer and your ongoing employment will be conditional on you having or obtaining the right to work in the UK.

*Please note that any decision on flexible working is based on business needs 

Purpose of the Role

The Clinical & Research Lead role provides senior clinical leadership across Together for Short Lives’ most complex and high-profile programmes. The role leads the design and delivery of national clinical initiatives, strengthens clinical governance and safeguarding oversight, and builds the organisation’s research and evidence capability.

Working closely with the Head of Services & Impact, the postholder ensures programmes are credible, evidence-informed and deliver measurable impact for children, families and the wider sector. The role will lead work that strengthens professional practice, improves outcomes for families, and supports national sector development. The role involves significant external representation, national stakeholder engagement, programme planning, research and data oversight, and leadership of internal and external events.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

· Represent Together for Short Lives in national clinical, policy and professional forums, contributing to the organisation’s credibility and influence across the children’s palliative care sector.

· Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of internally hosted stakeholder meetings, including the Leaders of Care Forum and other professional engagement events.

· Provide professional and reflective input into complex organisational decisions relating to clinical practice, programme design and ethical engagement.

· Build strong relationships with practitioners across health, social care, education and voluntary-sector partners to support implementation of clinical programmes and foster collaboration.

· Engage with Integrated Care Boards, Strategic Clinical Networks, and children’s palliative care providers to ensure our work aligns with national priorities and regional needs.

Programme Leadership & Project Oversight

· Provide senior leadership for the planning, development and delivery of clinical and service-improvement projects, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy.

· Oversee the development of project briefs, initiation documents, outcome measures, risk registers, evaluation plans and implementation timelines.

· Hold responsibility for monitoring progress, quality assurance, and risk management, escalating concerns to the Head of Services & Impact as required.

· Coordinate cross-functional project teams and ensure effective collaboration with external organisations, hospices, NHS partners and charitable funders.

· Ensure projects are delivered within agreed scope, timelines and budgets.

· Support the development of robust programme models, theories of change and outcomes frameworks that strengthen the organisation’s ability to secure external funding.

· Contribute to the development of cases for support and programme proposals in collaboration with fundraising colleagues.

Research, Evidence & Insight

• Lead the organisation’s research prioritisation programme and support development of a national children’s palliative care research agenda.
• Build and maintain relationships with academic partners, research institutions and clinical leaders to strengthen the evidence base for children’s palliative care.
• Support development of evaluation frameworks that demonstrate impact, learning and outcomes across programmes.
• Contribute to the organisation’s longer-term ambition to develop a ‘Centre of Impact’, positioning Together for Short Lives as a national authority on evidence and insight in children’s palliative care.
• Ensure research and evaluation activity is ethically robust, appropriately governed and aligned with sector priorities.

Data, Impact & Reporting

· Provide oversight and leadership for data collection, monitoring and reporting processes across the Services & Impact portfolio.

· Line manage the Data & Impact Officer, ensuring robust reporting systems, high-quality data, and meaningful evaluation of programmes.

· Ensure outputs are translated into insights that demonstrate effectiveness, equity, reach and learning - supporting fundraising, influencing and strategic decision-making.

· Support development of improved feedback mechanisms from families and professionals to evidence the impact of support offers and clinical programmes.

Professional Support, Education & Sector Development

· Contribute to the development and dissemination of clinical resources, guidance, toolkits and training for professionals working with children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

· Support national programmes of work, including definitions of children’s palliative care, categories of need, standards, workforce development and professional education.

· Facilitate knowledge exchange and best-practice sharing across the sector through networks, events, workshops and targeted professional engagement.

· Deliver presentations, training sessions and clinical briefings to a wide range of audiences.

Family and Service Engagement

· Work with colleagues across the Services & Impact team and external partners to ensure projects reflect the lived experiences and priorities of children and families.

· Support co-production activities and ensure family voice is meaningfully incorporated into project design and evaluation.

· Promote and signpost to the Family Support Hub and relevant offers, ensuring clear and consistent messaging about available support.

Governance, Quality & Reporting

· Provide additional clinical oversight and challenge across the organisation’s work relating to safeguarding, ethical engagement and complex family situations.

· Contribute to strengthening organisational clinical governance processes and risk management.

· Provide expert advice to colleagues on safeguarding, ethical engagement with families, and complex clinical issues arising from programme work. Contribute to internal reporting cycles, board updates, quarterly programme reviews and funder reports.

· Maintain accurate project documentation, data dashboards and risk logs.

· Provide expert advice to colleagues and stakeholders on clinical considerations and best practice in children’s palliative care.

General Responsibilities

· Provide effective line management, supervision and support to allocated staff.

· Attend team meetings, leadership meetings and organisational events as required.

· Commit to continuous professional development and reflective practice.

· Undertake other duties relevant to the role as required by the Head of Services & Impact.

Safe to Learn is looking for a creatively driven graphic designer for a fixed-term contract of initially 12 months. We are looking for someone who has a passion for communicating everything from research reports to branding and storytelling for children and their families, in all types of media, including the website.

This role would suit a graphic designer who is confident working independently, enjoys working in an often fast-based but varied, working environment, where attention to detail, flexibility and pace are essential. All while working with and being supported by a team of specialists.

If you have the necessary skills and experience and want to affect real change then join Safe to Learn.

Job description

Safe to Learn is a newly established network of teachers, parents, researchers, policymakers, young people and child safeguarding practitioners, working together to end antisemitism in UK schools. We co-produce evidence-based child safeguarding resources, tools and standards to address antisemitism and improve the school environment for all children, educators and support staff.

Safe to Learn is seeking a graphic designer to build on the work in progress by providing engaging print and web design in line with our brand guidelines for all assets, including printed and digital resources, such as emails, leaflets, web banners, landing pages and advertising banners for the website and online marketing and dissemination campaigns. 

Responsibilities

1. Work collaboratively with the KCS Communications team to ensure all designed elements and communications have a consistent look and feel in line with existing style guides.

2. Work collaboratively with external partners and agencies.

3. Ensure all designed digital-based or printed communications are consistent with the brand guidelines.

4. Receive briefs from members of the KCS team and agree achievable deadlines.

5. Manage workload and prioritise briefs in line with agreed deadlines advising of any potential slippage.

6. Ensure designs meet the brief prior to handover for sign off.

7. Progress to final design following amends and final sign-off in agreed format (s) or implementation online where appropriate.

8. Provide support and cover for other design colleagues.

9. Keep up to date with new technology, software and systems.

10. Anything else that might be reasonably required.

Person Specification

Candidates with the following experience and commitment are encouraged to apply:

1. A demonstrable alignment with our mission and values.

2. A clear commitment to ending antisemitism and understanding of antisemitism, child rights, and child safeguarding and their underlying principles.

3. Demonstrable experience in graphic design, preferably in the charity sector.

4. Knowledge and proficient use of Adobe Creative Suite, especially Adobe Illustrator, Mailchimp.

5. Creative flair, demonstrable through extensive portfolio.

6. Enthusiastic, conscientious and motivated, with a high-level of attention to detail.

7. Experience of dealing with competing priorities and able to multi-task.

8. Use design skills in areas such as colour, composition, layout and typography to work on a variety of products and activities. These could include:

· websites, apps and social media channels

· advertisements

· reports and publications

· posters, flyers and banners

· exhibitions and displays

· corporate communications and campaigns in our brand identity.

9. The work demands creative flair, up-to-date knowledge of industry standards and a professional approach to time, workload and deadlines.

10. A commitment to inclusive design principles and designing for accessibility.

11. Experience of developing high-quality resources and educational materials for children and educators.

12. A positive, flexible, participatory and consultative approach.

13. Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to engage audiences at all levels.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send a CV, a portfolio of your recent work and a cover letter addressing each point in the person specification.

Should you need further information please contact:us.

Salary: £25,630 - £28,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Wakefield -Working flexibly across the county and home working

Job Reference Number: 1664

A unique and exciting opportunity to join Cranstoun’s team to deliver our specialist perpetrator interventions, in Wakefield.

Cranstoun provides a range of interventions to perpetrators and victim/survivors affected by domestic abuse.

We are looking for motivated and dynamic individual to be a part of the team. Experience of working within the health and social care sector, group work experience would be advantageous.

The successful applicant will be working as part of the Wakefield domestic abuse service (DASS). The service offers a range of interventions to perpetrators, victims and children and young people.

The postholder will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check against relevant barred lists.

For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button.

Closing date: Sunday 15 March 2026.

We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work. 

Registered Charity No: 1061582

Head of Mass Supporter Fundraising

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

We currently have employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new strategy, On a Mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.

Are you an experienced fundraising leader who wants to be part of creating a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer? This could be the role for you!

Bowel Cancer UK is seeking an exceptional, growth-driven Head of Mass Supporter Fundraising to join our team. We have set a bold ambition to significantly increase income over the next five years, ensuring everyone diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK receives the support they need.

This is a rare opportunity to build and scale a data-led fundraising programme, increase our visibility in a competitive landscape, and develop a high-performing talented team capable of delivering sustained, multi-million-pound income growth. You will lead the development of transformational strategies and play a critical role in the management of the charities CRM to significantly scale revenue while ensuring digital innovation is at the heart of all strategic decision-making. You will take full ownership of mass supporter fundraising budgets and provide visionary leadership by directly managing team managers to foster a culture of professional growth.

The salary is £51,241, plus £2,000 London Weighting if applicable and a contributory pension scheme. The position is home-based UK-wide, with required travel to our London-based Hub space in Kennington. We offer 27 days of holiday, plus three discretionary days between Christmas and New Year in addition to statutory holidays, complimented by a range of brilliant staff benefits.

If you have a proven track record in digital acquisition, harnessing data to support decision-making, managing multi-million-pound budgets, and know what it takes to motivate and lead a brilliant team, we want to hear from you.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

Youth Focus West Midlands (YFWM) is looking for a Regional Development Lead to work as part of the Network of Regional Youth Work Units to build an inclusive and equitable approach to youth voice and youth engagement, ensuring the most marginalised and under-represented young people have their voices heard and acted upon across the UK.

The Development Lead will manage the Amplify funded programme of work across the region. This will include the facilitation of learning networks, peer support groups and peer research approaches, overseeing of project communications and delivering training and support programmes. Along with the collation of best practice around youth voice and contributing to evaluation and impact reporting requirements.

This is a part-time (17.5 hours per week) role on a Fixed Term Contract of 4 years, offering £29,000–£30,000 per annum pro-rata depending on experience (£14,500 – £15,000 before deductions). The role is remote (equipment provided) but with frequent travel required across the West Midlands. Occasional evening and weekend working will also be required. 

To find out more please read the role description and person specification provided. To apply, please complete our official application form (CVs and cover letters will not be considered). The deadline for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 18th March. Interviews are expected to take place on 22nd April. 

Are you passionate about making a real impact through safer, high‑quality environments? Do you want to use your estates, health & safety and compliance expertise to help drive meaningful change across a national charity? If so, Life Charity would love to hear from you.

We are looking for an experienced, proactive, and values‑driven Estates Manager to lead our Estates function and ensure our services, properties, and environments consistently meet the highest standards.

The Role:

As Estates Manager, you will be the driving force behind the quality, compliance and safety of Life’s estate. This role combines strategic oversight with hands‑on management of our property portfolio, ensuring all sites are safe, secure and operating to required standards.

You will:

• Lead Health & Safety and Premises/Facilities Management across the charity
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements and internal standards
• Oversee risk management, audits, inspections and safety monitoring
• Manage the Estates Coordinator and foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Work with external partners to ensure checks are carried out (Gas, Fire Safety, Legionella, Asbestos, etc.)
• Manage property acquisition, disposal, leases, maintenance and contracts
• Develop and maintain estates policies and reporting systems
• Drive a positive, proactive health & safety culture across Life

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone wanting to lead meaningful change within an organisation that truly makes a difference.

What You’ll Bring:

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to take initiative
• A strong communicator with excellent written and verbal skills
• Confident managing estates compliance, risk, safety and property-related functions
• Experienced in managing a portfolio of properties (minimum 3 years)
• Able to lead others and support their development
• Skilled in identifying improvements and driving change

Qualifications/Experience:
✔ NEBOSH (or equivalent) in Occupational Health & Safety
✔ Evidence of continuous professional development
✔ Experience in data analysis or financial management (desirable)
✔ HND or equivalent in business/charity administration (desirable)

Information about the role: 

For further information, please see the attached job description. 

Please note, there is a requirement to drive for this role.

Salary: £38,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Home Based with travel to Leamington Spa and sites around the UK

Benefits:  

At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:  

• Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours) 
• Birthday Leave  (applicable after 1 years service)
• Additional annual leave for long term service  
• Company Pension Scheme  
• Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge 

Safeguarding and Equality: 

Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.   

We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.  

About the role

This is a senior leadership role and a key early appointment within EQUISS.

As Head of Advocacy and Safeguarding, you will lead the development of our advocacy and safeguarding work, shaping how EQUISS supports individuals navigating abuse, misconduct and safeguarding concerns across the equestrian sector.

You will establish and oversee the organisation’s advocacy service and support line, including recruiting and managing advocacy caseworkers, and ensuring individuals receive safe, informed and survivor-centred guidance. You will also lead the development of safeguarding frameworks, case management systems and organisational safeguarding practice.

As a founding leadership role, you will help shape the safeguarding framework of a new independent organisation, providing strategic oversight of the EQUISS safeguarding training programme and contributing safeguarding expertise to the development of our standards and accreditation frameworks, ensuring learning from advocacy informs sector practice.

Working closely with the leadership team, you will help establish EQUISS as a trusted organisation driving stronger safeguarding, clearer reporting pathways and greater accountability across the equestrian sector.

As a developing organisation operating with a small and collaborative team, this role requires someone who is comfortable balancing strategic leadership with practical delivery. We are looking for a compassionate and inclusive leader who can support and develop others, foster a culture of trust and reflective practice, and contribute positively to building the organisation as it grows.

Key responsibilities

Strategic leadership and safeguarding oversight

• Provide strategic leadership for EQUISS’ advocacy and safeguarding work
• Establish safeguarding frameworks, case management processes and risk management structures across the organisation
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, providing oversight of complex safeguarding cases and ensuring appropriate referrals and partnership working
• Ensure EQUISS maintains robust safeguarding governance, confidentiality and data protection standards

Advocacy and support services

• Lead the development and delivery of EQUISS’s advocacy service and support line.
• Recruit, manage and support advocacy caseworkers, ensuring high-quality, survivor-centred support and safe case management practice
• Shape how EQUISS supports individuals navigating reporting processes, organisational complaints and statutory systems
• Oversee case management systems and triage processes to ensure safe, consistent and effective responses to safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding training and sector learning

• Provide strategic oversight of the EQUISS safeguarding training programme, ensuring training reflects the realities of safeguarding within equestrian environments and aligns with best practice across sport and safeguarding sectors
• Lead the recruitment, management and quality assurance of safeguarding trainers, including freelance trainers, consultants and subject-matter experts delivering EQUISS training programmes
• Work with trainers and external partners to develop and refine training content, ensuring consistency, accuracy and high standards of delivery
• Establish processes for trainer induction, guidance and quality assurance to ensure training is delivered in line with EQUISS safeguarding principles and standards
• Ensure learning from advocacy work informs training content, sector guidance and safeguarding practice

Contribution to standards and sector improvement

• Contribute safeguarding expertise to the development of EQUISS standards and accreditation frameworks, ensuring safeguarding expectations reflect best practice
• Use insight from advocacy and safeguarding work to inform sector learning, standards development and organisational guidance
• Support the development of sector resources that help organisations strengthen safeguarding practice

Sector engagement and partnerships

• Build relationships with safeguarding professionals, statutory agencies and specialist support organisations
• Represent EQUISS in sector conversations relating to safeguarding, welfare and organisational accountability
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing, policy discussions and initiatives aimed at improving safeguarding standards across the equestrian sector

Culture, learning and survivor-centred practice

• Ensure EQUISS’s work remains grounded in survivor-centred principles, independence and transparency
• Embed learning from lived experience into service design, safeguarding practice and training development
• Foster a culture of reflective practice, safeguarding vigilance and professional integrity within the organisation

Person specification

Qualifications

• A relevant professional qualification or degree in safeguarding, social work, psychology, law, education, criminology or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• ISVA, IDVA or CHISVA qualification, or willingness to work towards one
• Advanced safeguarding training, including Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training and Safeguarding Level 4 or Level 5 training, or equivalent senior safeguarding training
• Evidence of continued professional development in safeguarding practice

Essential experience and knowledge

• Significant professional experience in safeguarding, advocacy or victim-survivor support, ideally within violence against women and girls (VAWG), sport, welfare or related sectors
• Strong understanding of independent advocacy models, including ISVA and CHISVA frameworks, and how these operate alongside statutory services
• Experience overseeing complex safeguarding cases, including risk assessment, referrals and partnership working within multi-agency safeguarding environments such as police, social care and safeguarding hubs
• Experience leading and managing teams, including providing supervision or reflective practice support to staff working with complex safeguarding or advocacy cases
• Experience recruiting, supporting or overseeing trainers, facilitators or external practitioners, ensuring quality and consistency of delivery
• Experience supporting or working with individuals affected by sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, modern slavery or related forms of abuse
• Demonstrable understanding of trauma-informed and survivor-centred practice
• Strong knowledge of UK safeguarding legislation and guidance, including responsibilities relating to children and adults at risk, and experience contributing to organisational safeguarding policies, procedures or governance frameworks
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgement in complex safeguarding situations, maintaining confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries

Leadership and personal qualities

• A compassionate and inclusive leadership style, with the ability to support staff working with complex and sensitive safeguarding issues.
• Ability to work effectively in a small and collaborative team, contributing to the development of systems, processes and culture as the organisation grows.
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, with the ability to build trust with colleagues, partners and those seeking support.
• A collaborative mindset and willingness to work flexibly in a developing organisation, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on delivery where required.

Desirable

• Experience working within sport, equestrian environments or athlete welfare contexts.
• Experience contributing to sector standards, accreditation frameworks or safeguarding policy development.
• Membership of, or engagement with, a relevant professional safeguarding body or network.

About EQUISS

EQUISS is an independent organisation working across the equestrian sector to improve safeguarding, welfare and accountability. We support individuals affected by abuse and misconduct, work with organisations to strengthen safeguarding practice, and drive systemic change through training, standards and advocacy.

Our work brings together three key areas: supporting individuals navigating concerns, strengthening safeguarding practice across the sector, and campaigning for meaningful reform where systems are failing.

As a developing organisation, EQUISS is building the structures, services and standards needed to ensure safeguarding and welfare are prioritised across the equestrian world.

Please note: There will be a requirement to travel for this role.

Employment package:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• A personal pension plan provided through NEST after 3 months
• Private Healthcare insurance after successful completion of probationary period
• Reporting to CEO

We’re recruiting an experienced, creative and hands-on communications specialist to work with Platform Places and Footwork over the next 10 months – to develop our bold narratives and inspiring content that help drive locally-led neighbourhood transformation.

• Target start date: 11th May 2026 
• Time input: 3 days per week (0.6 full-time equivalent), with flexibility for up to 4 days per week in certain busy periods, by mutual agreement
• Remuneration: £55,000-£61,500 per year (pro rata) depending on experience
• Flexible working: Work hours can be flexible as long as role objectives are met
• Location: Hybrid, remote or in-person (option to work from our London office). Monthly in-person team days in London, plus occasional trips to partners in Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool, Bristol and London and learning gatherings (expenses covered). 
• Contract type: PAYE employment contract. 10 months fixed term.
• Eligibility: Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

About us

In 2025, Platform Places integrated with Footwork Trust, becoming what we call ‘civic partners’. Together we facilitate locally-led neighbourhood transformation – so people have the power to live affordably, sustainably and together. 

About Platform Places

Platform Places is a national cross-sector collaboration and not-for-profit social enterprise with a mission to unlock town centre buildings for amazing ideas that help us live affordably, sustainably and together. We convene councils, community leaders and asset owners around the country to build powerful partnerships, to unlock buildings for local benefit. We support these Partnerships with access to funding, technical expertise and networks.

Our deeper intention is to localise and democratise who owns, controls and transforms town centre and neighbourhood buildings, so that communities can:

• design spaces to meet local needs – whether affordable space for arts, music, healthcare, local food, housing, nature connection, reuse & repair, childcare etc
• retain and reinvest the wealth generated by these buildings.

We’re inspired by pioneers like Hastings Commons, Stour Trust, SAFE Regen, Civic Square, Nudge Community Builders, Makespace Oxford and other members of the Mycelial Network.

About Footwork Trust 

Footwork (UK charity Footwork Trust) supports local people to transform their neighbourhoods for the better and builds alliances to make this possible.

Since 2022, Footwork’s ‘People and Place’ programme has supported over 50 community innovators to turn their bold ideas into lasting positive change, in response to a local social or environmental challenge. Often reviving land and buildings for community use, they are part of a growing force for fairer, locally-led regeneration, making the places they call home more resilient and equitable. 

Through national and local events, Footwork creates spaces for peer support and shared learning, showcases inspiring examples, and convenes built environment practitioners to enable true collaboration with community partners. 

Together, Footwork and Platform Places co-facilitate the Mycelial Network for Community Asset Developers.

About the Local Property Partnerships pilot, 2024-2027

Thanks to National Lottery players, Platform Places and partners have received almost £2.5 million over three years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK. The funding is being used to enable communities to come together and secure long-term spaces for the activities and services that they need the most.

This fund and programme resources local leaders in neighbourhoods in Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool City Region, Bristol and London – working towards shifting multiple buildings into long-term local ownership. We’re also supported by our national partner organisations Architectural Heritage Fund, Power to Change and Social Investment Business. Our intention is that this work will lay the groundwork for a larger follow-on funding programme, which catalyses England-wide adoption of this approach.

The role

We’re looking for an experienced, creative and hands-on communications specialist to join our small team and network of local and national partners.

The Communications Lead will focus on our key programmes, with the below time distribution. The challenge and opportunity is to hit the ground running and drive communications across our key channels – to help attract allies, funding and support, and inspire replication of these approaches in neighbourhoods around England.

2 days per week, ‘Local Property Partnerships’: 

• You’ll lead on promoting, and sharing learnings from, Platform Places’ exciting pilot programme (funded by National Lottery Community Fund) – which is localising and democratising who owns, controls and transforms town centre buildings in five neighbourhoods across England. 

0.75 days per week, ‘People and Place’: 

• You’ll promote, and share learnings from, Footwork Trust’s ‘People and Place’ programme – which supports community innovators to turn their bold ideas into lasting positive change for their place. 

0.25 days per week, Wider movement building: 

• You’ll work on ad hoc broader communications opportunities that support our mission and the programmes – for example, creating a content piece with local or national partners from our wider network, or pitching a media story that cuts across all our programmes.

This involves the following areas of responsibility: 

1. Build on our working communications strategy
2. Work with co-directors to develop our bold, inspiring core messaging, and update our boilerplate narratives
3. Manage digital channels for Platform Places and Footwork: a) plan and create regular social media content; b) write newsletters (approx. quarterly); c) upload and edit website content, on Squarespace (drag-and-drop editor) and occasionally Wix (guidance available).
4. Strategic media relations: build journalist relationships and pitch stories (local or national), op-eds and comments
5. Work with local and national partners to share inspiring and compelling stories
6. Develop practical how-tos and templates, together with partners (you'll have support initiating partner relationships)
7. Provide comms guidance to local programme partners
8. Support co-directors and partners with speaking engagements and event opportunities

You’ll start from a strong foundation of communications activities, along with our established tone, visual identity and branded templates – with lots of freedom for new ideas. 

About you

• You’re as comfortable with creative storytelling as you are with practical resources
• You’re a campaigner for systems change – experienced in attracting allies and creating communications for diverse audiences
• You make it sing – you turn dense or complicated materials into clear and effective narratives to shift opinion and action
• You’re a collaborator – you can effectively hold relationships with local and national partners to plan and deliver coordinated communications 
• You can ‘wear all the hats’: you get stuck in on strategy and roll up your sleeves on delivery; you know when to pitch to media and when the tactic is digital; you can knock up great copy or quick Canva graphics without aiming for perfection
• You’re efficient and resourceful, comfortable leading on comms in a small (and collaborative) team, and know how to make things happen on a small budget (and when to seek external specialists)
• You’re passionate about community-led places and social and environmental justice – and you’re knowledgeable about at least one of: high streets, property, retrofit, community business, heritage buildings, cultural venues, town planning, neighbourhood governance

We know you likely have a particular comms specialism, with more strengths and experience in some areas than others. We’d love to hear about this, and about your approach to getting stuck into the rest. 

Our team & culture 

You’ll be joining our small, agile team of six people across Platform Places and Footwork. We meet in-person on a monthly basis to have lunch together and plan ahead, and have weekly online huddles to check-in and discuss priorities.

We work flexibly around our needs, whether a caring responsibility or otherwise.

Our culture is driven by our values: generous sharing, diverse perspectives, active listening and curiosity, staying networked and joy.