Commercial and events assistant jobs in harlow, essex

War Child’s mission is to reach, protect, educate, and stand up for the rights of every child living in conflict zones. They want a world that is safer for children to live in. Very sadly, at the moment, 1 in 5 children are living in or fleeing from conflict – that number is too high, and War Child wants to change it.

War Child is looking for an experienced fundraising leader to step into a key senior leadership role during a year of real momentum.

As Interim Director of Philanthropy and Partner Engagement, you’ll lead a high-performing team of around 15, covering major donors, principal giving, trusts and foundations, institutional funding, corporate partnerships, and gaming. Together, the team brings in around £10m of War Child’s £15–16m annual income.

You’ll report to the CEO and sit on the Senior Leadership Team, with shared responsibility for income generation, strategic planning, and organisational leadership. This is an opportunity to guide a strong team through its next phase of growth, support exciting developments already underway, and help shape the future of War Child’s fundraising.

We’re looking for a confident, strategic leader with experience at director level, or someone ready to step up from a senior head role in a complex organisation. You’ll bring a strong track record in high-value fundraising, with the credibility and judgement to operate at executive level and lead a diverse team through a period of delivery and growth.

As Interim Philanthropy and Partner Engagement Director, you will:

• Oversee and support a multi-disciplinary fundraising team spanning major donors, partnerships, gaming, principal giving, institutional funding, and events
• Lead strategic planning and budgeting across the function, ensuring strong performance, income growth and long-term value
• Maximise outcomes from Winter Wassail (December 2025), War Child’s flagship gala event with a £2m target and major stewardship opportunity
• Support and strengthen the corporate partnerships function, working closely with the Head of Partnerships to refine strategy and unlock potential
• Guide the development of the principal gifts function, with a new senior hire expected before the handover
• Shape next steps for gaming and digital partnerships, following an external review
• Take a strategic view of events-based philanthropy, identifying opportunities to evolve and diversify

Ideal skills and experience: 

• Significant experience in corporate partnerships, with the ability to develop strategy, support senior fundraisers and identify long-term opportunities
• Strong knowledge of high-value fundraising, including major donors, principal giving and events-led philanthropy
• Experience leading managers and senior fundraisers across multiple income streams, ideally within a similarly sized or complex organisation
• A strategic mindset, with hands-on involvement in planning, budgeting, forecasting and performance reporting
• A collaborative, emotionally intelligent leadership style that combines high challenge with high support
• The ability to influence across teams and departments; experience in international development is helpful but not essential
• The confidence to represent War Child with major donors, partners, and senior stakeholders, both internally and externally
• Willingness to take ownership of compliance areas, including GDPR, gambling regulation and trademark risk, with support from internal specialists

Benefits include: 

• Flexible working – War Child recognise the considerable benefits that flexible working can bring and are happy to discuss any possible flexible working options with employees from hiring. For most roles, the following types of flexibility are usually possible: flexible hours, an element of working from home, compressed hours.
• Annual leave – 28 days per year (full-time), plus UK bank holidays
• Pension – all eligible employees automatically enrolled into a Group Personal Pension Plan with a 5% employer contribution, with minimum employee contribution on a salary sacrifice basis
• Health & wellbeing – employees may take advantage of a healthcare cash plan and a range of wellbeing initiatives and training. In addition, all employees have access to free, confidential one-to-one wellbeing consultations with trained counsellors.
• Learning & development – dedicated to the investment in learning and continuing professional development for all our employees
• Range of flexible benefits such a Cycle to Work scheme and season ticket loans

Carers First is a charity that works directly with, and for unpaid carers, providing personalised information, advice and tailored support making it easier for those caring for someone else to continue living their lives to the fullest.

We have a committed, dedicated staff team and you could be just the person we are looking for to join us to make that valuable difference in carer’s lives. We live and work through our values in all that we achieve by being positive, collaborative and ambitious and we have clear plans to scale our reach, support and impact for carers.

About this role

As a Communications Manager your responsibilities would include: -    

1. Lead, inspire and manage the Communications team to raise the profile of Carers First with multiple audiences and awareness of the issues affecting carers 
2. Develop our digital offer across England to expand our reach and engagement with carers online, helping them to access timely and relevant information.
3. Support the wider Carers First team with the promotion and delivery of projects and events to strengthen our offer and services for carers. 
4. Work with the Director of Income and Engagement, and the wider fundraising team, to support campaigns, events and marketing approaches that increase Carers First’s voluntary income and wider donor engagement
5. Effectively develop and manage a range of stakeholder relationships to deliver the Communications Plan.

About you

To be successful in this role you will need:

Leadership and management 

• At least 3 years of experience in a senior communications position, ideally within the charity or public sectors

• Proven ability to manage both strategy and delivery programmes, balancing long-term objectives with operational priorities
• Superb manager with the proven ability to inspire, motivate, support and lead staff to thrive and create a high performing team and measurable results.

Communications and stakeholder engagement 

• Proven experience of developing and delivering marketing and/or communications plans 

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Skilled copywriter able to communicate messages in a clear and engaging way

IT and digital experience  

• Experience using Canva or similar accessible content creation tools, with an eye for strong visual design and brand consistency
• Ability to simplify systems and processes, particularly spreadsheet-based workflows
• Experience using CRM systems, analytics tools, email marketing software, and social media platforms

Fundraising and project management 

• Previous experience working in support of fundraising campaigns, or relevant marketing approaches 

• Project management experience: leading others to oversee and manage projects, events or campaigns.

We are looking for passionate people who are committed to the overall aims and objectives of the Charity. Carers First is committed to providing a supportive, vibrant, diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.  

Carers First Can Offer You

In return for your contribution, we have an amazing package of staff benefits including 26 days annual leave entitlement which increases with length of service, flexible working options, paid carers leave, access to our work-place pension, staff discount scheme, employee assistance programme and a Benenden Healthcare package.  Whatever you are aiming to achieve in your career, we are here to encourage, help and support you grow, through our excellent training and development programmes.

How to apply

To apply for our exciting opportunity and make a real difference to the lives of carers, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button to begin your application. Appointments are subject to Carers First receiving an appropriate disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service that we consider acceptable.

Interview process

The closing date for applications is 5pm on 01 September 2025. There will be a two-stage process 

Candidates who have fully evidenced they meet the requirements of the Personal Specification to a satisfactory standard will be long-listed and invited to Stage 1.  

Stage 1: Informal online meeting to discuss application. Please note that applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis and therefore it would be helpful to make an early application.  

Following the informal meeting, candidates will be short-listed, and successful candidates will be invited to Stage 2:  

Stage 2: 23 September 2025 - formal face-to-face interview in London.  As part of the formal interview, candidates will be asked to give a presentation, and details will be provided in advance.  

Carers First is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Positive      Collaborative      Ambitious

JOB DESCRIPTION

Department/Service:

The finance department is responsible for the overall financial management and administration of the 4million turnover at GSU. The department plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with statutory regulations, including HMRC, Charities Commission, Companies House, and pensions. This includes supporting our annual external financial audit.

The finance team act as Business Partners to the rest of the organisation ensuring they understand financial processes to aid effective working. The team also work alongside our external payroll provider and our external digital system provider to ensure smooth and effective working.

Job Purpose:

Provide a professional, accurate, and timely accounting service in respect to all management and statutory reporting. Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external support services to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Finance department, ensuring excellence in service delivery.

Reports to:

• Currently reporting to the CEO whilst the senior management role in the Finance Department is under review. The senior management post is currently vacant.

Responsible for:

• Supporting, managing, supervising, and developing one Finance Coordinator and one Finance Assistant.
• Temporary Interns and/or student staff supporting the Finance team as required

Duties and Key Responsibilities

1. Management and Statutory Reporting:

• Prepare accurate management accounts on a timely basis each month.
• Reconcile all balance sheet accounts monthly, including accruals and prepayments.
• Prepare and submit statutory reports, including VAT Returns, Companies House, and Charities Commission Annual Returns.
• Support the preparation of the annual accounts for the external financial audit and play an instrumental role during the audit process.
• Reconcile GSU bank accounts including PayPal online accounts weekly and monthly.
• Reconcile Commercial Income to Bank Accounts producing weekly sales and analysis reports.

2. Budgeting, Forecasting, and Cashflow Statements:

• Support in the preparation of the annual budget and reforecasts.
• Create forecast reports and statements as and when required.
• Produce monthly and annual cashflow and liquidity statements.

3. Business Partnering and Collaboration:

• Act as a business partner to all GSU staff members, providing financial insights and support to meet organisational goals.
• Work alongside external support services (e.g., payroll providers and digital finance systems) to ensure smooth operations and excellence in the Finance department.
• Collaborate with external auditors and other stakeholders to ensure compliance and effective financial management.

4. Managing and Supervisory Duties:

• Supervise and support the professional development of two GSU finance staff members.
• Foster a team culture that promotes accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration.
• Oversee the responsibilities of Finance Coordinator and Finance Administrator and ensure their tasks align with departmental goals.
• Supervise and support interns and student staff as appropriate.

5. Digital Systems and Processes:

• Maintain efficient digital finance systems and processes to streamline financial operations (Twinfield, Ezora & Basecone for example).
• Ensure the accuracy and timeliness of digital records and reporting systems.
• Evaluate and improve digital tools and workflows to enhance departmental efficiency.

6. General Finance Department Duties:

• Oversee and assist with sales ledger, purchase ledger, and payroll functions as needed.
• Support the Finance Coordinator and Finance Assistant to issue and maintain records of purchase orders and associated invoices.
• Support the Finance Coordinator and Finance Assistant to maintain and post all petty cash transactions.
• Prepare ad hoc financial reports and information for the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Trustee Board, and other stakeholders as required.
• Respond proactively to financial queries from GSU staff.
• Support the ongoing review and development of Finance department systems and procedures.
• Maintain customer-facing systems and ensure smooth operations for Finance department stakeholders.

7. External Audit and Compliance:

• Prepare schedules and reconciliations for the annual audit.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including HMRC and Charities Commission guidelines.

General Responsibilities:

• Represent and be an ambassador for GSU.
• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop, or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position.
• Maintain and improve competencies through continuous professional development.
• Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct, and practices.
• Support and promote liberation, diversity, and equality of opportunity in the workplace.
• Treat with confidentiality any personal, private, or sensitive information about individuals, organisations, clients, or staff and project data.
• Adhere to the Sustainability Policy and strive to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint.
• Actively seek better ways to assist GSU in becoming a more sustainable workplace.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Experience:

• Experience in preparing management accounts budgets, forecasts, and cashflows.
• Experience in preparing and reconciling VAT returns.
• Experience in reconciling balance sheet control accounts including salaries
• Proficiency in using accounting software and digital finance systems.
• Previous experience working in a Finance department.
• Experience in customer service and promoting financial literacy.
• Experience in payroll processes.
• Familiarity with supporting and developing team members.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong customer service focus and ability to build effective working relationships.
• Ability to engage, motivate, and support team members.
• Excellent communication skills (face-to-face, MS Teams, phone, and email).
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting abilities.
• Proficiency in IT tools for report writing, email, and database management.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail, and methodical working.

Knowledge:

• Regulatory requirements and best practices in accounting and finance.
• Knowledge of HMRC, Charities Act, SORP, VAT, PAYE, and pension compliance.

Education/Training:

• Part-qualified ACCA or a training towards a relevant professional accounting qualification.
• Relevant practical experience in accounting and finance.

Personal Attributes and Other Requirements:

• Hybrid or office-based work with the ability to travel to other campuses when needed.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, or stay overnight as necessary.
• Strong team player with a flexible approach to work.
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.
• Awareness and application of diversity issues in all areas of work.
• Commitment to the values and ethos of the organisation