Communication and programme funding officer jobs

The School for Social Entrepreneurs backs people with purpose — entrepreneurs building organisations that change their communities. We're looking for a National Partnerships Lead to work directly with our CEO, driving high-priority national funding partnerships, diversifying our income, and building the relationships that fund our impact. 

You'll identify major funding opportunities, negotiate with trusts, corporates and government partners, and lead complex proposals from first conversation through to a signed agreement — including the budgets, risk assessments and value propositions behind them. You'll also act as a sounding board for the CEO, pressure-testing ideas and sharpening how we tell our story to funders. 

We're looking for sustained experience supporting a CEO or senior leader, a track record of leading multi-million pound funding initiatives end-to-end, and the versatile writing skills to move between board papers and detailed funder tenders without losing accuracy under pressure. Sharp budgeting and numeracy matter for this role, alongside real comfort building trust with senior external stakeholders. 

This position is for someone who thrives on ambiguity, enjoys solving complex problems, and wants their work to directly fund entrepreneurs changing their communities. 

 Trusts & Statutory Fundraising Officer

London, United Kingdom, E1 7PF

Contract: Full Time, Permanent.

Salary: £29,849.40 - £35,493.06

Closing Date: 24th Aug 2026

Interviews will be held: Thursday 27th/Friday 28th Aug 2026

Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, is looking for a Trusts & Statutory Fundraising Officer based in London to join our Fundraising Team.

About us

Centrepoint is the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity. We help vulnerable young people by giving them the practical and emotional support they need to find a job and live independently. We provide homeless young people with accommodation, mental health support and life skills in order to get them back into education, training and employment. We want to end youth homelessness by 2037.

Together with our partners, we support over 16,000 young people each year.

About the role

The Trust & Statutory Fundraising Officer will build relationships with funders to raise income for a variety of impactful services that transform the lives of homeless young people including; homelessness prevention, independent living skills, mental health support services, jobs, education and training opportunities and capital projects.

You’ll be joining an ambitious and supportive team of 5 Trusts & Statutory fundraisers, working towards an income target of £1,650,000 for 26/27. If you want to play a role in raising vital funding for young people experiencing homelessness, apply today!

What you will be doing

• Manage a bespoke portfolio of trusts and statutory donors (worth up to £30,000) who give both unrestricted and restricted gifts to Centrepoint
• Research trust and statutory funders to identify new donors Centrepoint can work with
• Collaborate with service teams and finance colleagues to write restricted funding proposals and budgets
• Provide excellent stewardship to donors, producing high quality written communications and reports to sustain and uplift relationships
• Build strong relationships with donors through phone-calls, face to face meetings and emails
• Maintain an up-to-date donor database for your portfolio of donors (Raiser’s Edge)
• Work collaboratively with Officers across the wider Relationship Fundraising Team (which includes Philanthropy and Corporate fundraising)
• Live Centrepoint’s values, demonstrating Energy, Accountability, Focus, Integrity, Humility and Entrepreneurship
• Work alongside the other Trust & Statutory Fundraising Officer to manage our mid-value mailing programme (raising £75k in 25/26)
• Collaborate with and support the wider Trust & Statutory team, including administrative tasks such as income reconciliation, and larger funding propositions as needed.

This role is offered on a hybrid basis, combining home working with a requirement to be in our London office (Aldgate East) for 5 days per fortnight.

Why join Centrepoint?

In return for your efforts, you’ll receive a competitive salary, excellent training and development, and a host of staff benefits including:

• 25 days of annual leave per year, rising by one day per year to a maximum of 27 days
• Healthcare cash plan (Cover the costs of a wide range of medical treatment including Dental, Optical, Complementary and Alternative therapies).
• Private Medical insurance
• Income protection
• Employer pension contributions of 5%
• Access to Cycle 2 Work loan scheme
• An interest-free travel loan

At Centrepoint we challenge the discrimination within society that contributes to youth homelessness, and we are just as committed to fairness and equality within Centrepoint itself. We are passionate about ensuring all of our colleagues are made to feel included in the work we do and that we value the rich diversity within the organization.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications regardless of sex, gender, race, age, belief in any religion and none, gender identity, ethnic origin, class, sexuality, nationality, appearance, unrelated criminal activities, disability, responsibility for dependents, part time or shift workers, being HIV positive or living with AIDS, lived experience of homelessness or using young people’s services and any other matter which causes a person to be treated with injustice.

Centrepoint’s policy is to recruit, employ and promote people on the basis of their suitability for the work to be performed, and to this end, our aim is to ensure that all applicants, employees and volunteers receive equal treatment.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to join our team as a Trusts & Statutory Fundraising Officer. Click ‘Apply’ now!

We’re looking for an experienced fundraising leader who can combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery and take the next step into a broad senior leadership role.

As Head of Income Generation and Communications, you will lead Cosmic’s fundraising, marketing and communications function, with responsibility for sustainable income growth, team leadership and strengthening our profile. You will oversee a varied portfolio spanning community and challenge fundraising, corporate partnerships, major donors, events, volunteering and supporter stewardship, while also setting the direction for our communications, brand and digital activity.

This is a role with real scope to shape our future. You will work closely with the CEO and Trustees, lead a small team and external communications support, and develop a three-to-five-year strategy that turns ambition into clear plans, targets and results.

We are looking for someone with a strong track record in fundraising and income generation, experience of managing people and performance, and the confidence to oversee communications and volunteering strategically. You do not need to be a communications specialist, but you should understand how strong storytelling, supporter engagement and volunteer involvement can help drive income and impact.

Salary: £45,000–£50,000 | Full-time | Permanent | Hybrid, primarily based near St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington

Head of Operational Delivery | Lead National STEM Education Programmes | Maternity Cover

EDT is seeking an exceptional Head of Operational Delivery to lead national student and school engagement activities across the UK during an exciting period of transformation. This is a rare opportunity for a strategic and people-focused leader to take ownership of operational delivery, student recruitment, programme performance and team leadership within a respected education charity. As our Head of Operational Delivery, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring thousands of young people access inspiring STEM experiences that improve social mobility and create pathways into future careers.

Why Join EDT?

At EDT, our values drive everything we do:

• Passionate about creating equitable access to STEM careers.
• Dynamic in our response to a changing world.
• Collaborative with industry, educators and communities.
• Respectful of young people's potential and lived experiences.

As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll help shape the experiences of young people across the UK while leading teams that directly contribute to EDT's mission of inspiring the next generation of talent.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and develop EDT's Operational Delivery Team, ensuring exceptional programme delivery, student engagement and school recruitment nationwide.
• Oversee performance, capacity planning, budgets, KPIs, reporting and operational effectiveness across multiple programmes.
• Develop and implement student recruitment and engagement strategies that drive growth and impact.
• Work closely with senior leaders to improve efficiency, support programme growth and maximise delivery outcomes.
• Champion safeguarding, quality standards, continuous improvement and outstanding learner experiences.
• Build strong relationships with schools, colleges, universities, funders, volunteers, alumni and partners.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for the full responsibilities and person specification.

Who We're Looking For

• Experienced operational leader with a track record of managing teams, programmes and organisational performance.
• Strong background in education, youth engagement, programme delivery, student support or charity operations.
• Experience managing budgets, KPIs, reporting frameworks and operational planning.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to identify opportunities, solve challenges and drive continuous improvement.
• Passion for supporting young people and creating meaningful educational opportunities.
• Outstanding stakeholder management, leadership and communication skills.

What's In It For You?

• Full-time maternity cover contract from 28 September 2026 to 3 August 2027.
• From £36,000 to £49,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Up to 10% employer pension contribution.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• Opportunity to lead national programmes with significant social impact.

Location

• Hybrid working.
• Office base in any of our regional offices -  Manchester, Birmingham, Welwyn Garden City, Plymouth or Southampton.
• National remit with occasional travel and overnight stays.

Why This Role Stands Out

• This is more than an operational leadership role.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll influence how young people engage with STEM education across the UK.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll lead national recruitment, engagement and delivery strategies that support thousands of students each year.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll work closely with senior leaders to shape the future direction of an ambitious and growing charity.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll have the opportunity to create lasting impact for young people, schools and communities nationwide.

#HeadOfOperationalDelivery #OperationsManager #HeadOfOperations #CharityLeadership #EducationLeadership #ProgrammeManagement #OperationalLeadership #YouthEngagement #StudentEngagement #EducationCharity #STEMEducation #ProgrammeDelivery #CharityJobs #EducationJobs #TeamLeadership #SchoolEngagement #VolunteerManagement #StakeholderManagement #HybridWorking #NonProfitJobs #OperationalExcellence #StrategicLeadership #PeopleLeadership #EducationSector #NationalRole #HeadOfOperationalDeliveryJobs #LearningAndDevelopment #SafeguardingLeadership #CharityCareers #STEMCareers

Job Title: Programmes & Funding Officer

Location(s): Home-based with attendance in the AUK’s London office or at meetings as required

London office: AdviceUK, 83 Victoria Street, London SW1

Status: Permanent

Reporting to: Programmes & Funding Manager

Responsible for: N/A

Pay scale: £30,000 to £32,000 dependant on experience, full time equivalent. £24,000 to £25,600 actual salary, depending on experience.

Working hours: 28 hours per week (35 hours full time equivalent) within normal operating hours. (Normal operating hours are 8.00am - 6.30pm, Monday – Friday.) Lunch & other breaks are unpaid.

Special conditions: Some evening work may be required for which time off in lieu (TOIL) will be granted. Some travel will be required.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds, particularly encouraging those from underrepresented groups. If you require any accessibility support or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

CHARITY OVERVIEW

 

Since 1979, AdviceUK has been supporting advice organisations by helping them to be efficient, competent and effective, and by campaigning for a policy environment that supports advice agencies and people needing advice.

We are both a membership body and charity. We support our 700+ members to provide advice to around 2 million people every year.

We are working towards a world in which every individual, regardless of means, is able to access the advice they need to exercise their rights and deal with any legal and social welfare challenges they may face.

JOB PURPOSE 

To assist the Programmes & Funding Manager in coordinating the day-to-day delivery of AdviceUK's funded programmes. The role will keep projects running smoothly, maintain accurate monitoring data, and be a reliable first point of contact for members and delivery partners. The Programmes & Funding Officer will also assist in maintaining stakeholder relationships and ensuring that AdviceUK members have the practical support needed to access and sustain advice services.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

1.Programme & Project Support

 

·Assist the Programmes & Funding Manager in the delivery of AdviceUK's funded programmes and contribute to their design and development where required.

·Coordinate the day-to-day delivery of funded projects, keeping track of timelines, milestones and actions in line with agreed project plans.

·Support the coordination of AdviceUK staff and external associates/trainers involved in programme delivery.

·Maintain project governance processes and practical workflows to ensure funder requirements are met.

 

2.Development & Funding Support

 

·Conduct research on potential funders and commissioners at local and national levels to identify new opportunities.

·Provide administrative support during the drafting of funding bids, tenders, and proposals.

3.Relationship Management

 

·Liaise with members, stakeholders and partners to maintain positive working relationships.

·Support the Manager in organising meetings and events with key stakeholders in the advice sector.

·Ensure AdviceUK’s vision and values are reflected in all external communications and interactions.

4.Monitoring, Data & Evidence

 

·Maintain and update CRMs and other reporting tools to ensure accurate programme progress tracking.

·Collate monitoring data and project evaluations to help demonstrate performance against KPIs.

·Assist in the preparation of financial and non-financial reports for funders and stakeholders.

·Help identify and share impact studies and good practice case studies from projects with the wider membership and sector.

 

5.General Responsibilities

 

·Ensure you effectively communicate AdviceUK’s vision, mission and objectives to staff, members and external stakeholders.

·Ensure you demonstrate AdviceUK’s values and behaviours in all aspects of your work

·Build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders including staff trustees; members, partners and suppliers

·With support from your manager, deliver your agreed personal objectives and undertake any agreed development or training

·Maintain a strong understanding of our members and the advice sector more generally, by reading internal reports; accessing relevant data reports; following our social media channels and, where possible, attending member and other relevant events. With the agreement of you line manager, ensure you make time to speak to members and visit their           services.

·Adhere at all times to AdviceUK’s policies and procedures

·Carry out any reasonable duties compatible with the post assigned by your line manager

We are recruiting multiple Funding Officers to support a range of initiatives across England, including Community Wealth Fund, National Lottery Awards for All, Programme Funding and Every Child Can. A mixture of permanent roles and fixed term contracts on a full or part-time basis are available.

As outlined in our It Starts with Community strategy, we are committed to placing community agency, power, and control at the heart of our England funding portfolio. We aim to stand alongside communities, supporting them as they tackle challenges and fulfil their potential. This is a great opportunity to take a mission-driven approach to funding while working flexibly across different programmes and priorities.We are looking for people who are collaborative, adaptable and passionate about putting communities first.

You will be expected to work on different initiatives across our England portfolio. This covers a broad range of thematic areas, from small grant funding up to larger scale projects, working with a wide range of different customers.As a Funding Officer you will work alongside fellow Funding Officers, supported by a Funding Manager.

We have a hybrid approach to working. Successful candidates will be required to attend meetings and training at our Birmingham or Newcastle offices.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals with lived or working experience within under-represented communities.

Responsibilities & Expectations of the Role

• You will assess applications for funding and manage grants using best practice, thematic expertise and the experience of customers and stakeholders to improve our grant making and inform our decision making.
• You will provide clear, constructive feedback to applicants. 
• You will manage your own caseload, liaise with grant recipients, undertake project visits, identify and manage risk, support organisations to meet their grant requirements and measure their impact.
• You will ensure that grant management and assessment play an effective part in contributing to the Fund’s knowledge and learning as a grant maker.
• You will be a proactive member of the England Funding Team. You will contribute your skills, knowledge and expertise to a range of work and programmes as need arises. Within an organisation and sector experiencing on-going change, an agile & flexible approach to the role will be essential for success.
• You will need to work within the Fund’s policies and procedures, and relevant legislation in a way that is in line with our vision and values.

 

Interview Details:

• Dates: w/c 14 September 2026, w/c 21 September 2026 & w/c 28 September 2026
• Format: Microsoft Teams
• Location:England with regular travel to Newcastle and Birmingham 

 

How to Apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (max 1,000 words) to align with the criteria below. We will use this to score your application. 

If you have any questions on the process, please email us

 

Essential Criteria 

• Communication skills: Strong listening, written and verbal communication with an emphasis on written communication for assessment purposes.
• Analytical skills: Ability to assess a high volume of applications, make good judgements, challenge when appropriate and manage risk.
• Relational skills: Ability to build, develop, and promote effective relationships with colleagues and community organisations, with a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Organisational skills: Ability to use your initiative and manage your workload and time, juggle competing priorities and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Adaptability: Ability to adapt and respond to changing organisational priorities, working flexibly across a number of workstreams adapting quickly to new processes and ways of working.
• Demonstrable sound IT skills, in particular Microsoft Office products and the ability to learn detailed processes quickly and accurate.
• Values driven and passionate about the Fund’s purpose.

Desirable Criteria  

• Understanding of financial planning and business plans, ability to analyse accounts and numerical data.

 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

CENTRE FOR AGEING BETTER

Learning Officer – Homes & Communities

· Permanent

· Salary £38,393 per annum

· Full time

· Flexible working options will be supported.

· Central London Office and Hybrid working (6 days a month office attendance)

We offer a pension scheme with employer contribution up to 10%, in addition you’ll receive 28 days holiday plus bank holidays, 24-hour access to a comprehensive employee assistance programme, cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan scheme and other benefits.

About the role

The Learning Officer plays a key role in making sure evidence on how our homes and communities can become better places to age in is spread across the UK.

This role primarily works with the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities, a network of over 110 communities, led mostly by local authorities, VCSE organisations. This network is part of a global movement and is affiliated to the World Health Organisation.

You will be working with the Network and Learning Manager to inspire, connect and support network members, using a range of engaging methods including: 

• Creating resources such as blogs, case studies, toolkits, etc 

• The design and delivery of training, events, and workshops 

• Facilitating connection and exchange between members

This is hand-on role will involve delivering key learning activities and managing your own workload, whilst also being responsive to support network members. The role ensures our support for the Network is high-quality and inclusive of a diverse range of experience and expertise, from within the Network and beyond. 

About you

The successful candidate will be experienced in and passionate about having an impact through helping people learn and feel connected to others working towards the same goals. An excellent facilitator and written communicator, you will have an eye for detail and be able to easily summarise and share information so that others can learn from it. 

You will be flexible and organised, joining a small and committed team, which is supporting a growing, and highly regarded network on an issue of national and global importance. 

You will also be passionate about equity and tackling the inequalities that prevent people from having a great later life. 

About us

The Centre for Ageing Better is a charitable foundation funded by The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) and part of the government’s What Works Network. We are fortunate to have monies remaining from our endowment from the NLCF to fully fund us until 2029, and we will be looking for new funding opportunities to sustain activity beyond 2029.

Everyone has the right to a good life as they get older, and our whole society benefits when people are able to age well. But far too many people face huge barriers, and as a result are living in bad housing, dealing with poverty and poor health and made to feel invisible in their communities and society.

The Centre for Ageing Better is an independent centre of excellence on ageing and demographic change. We work with national and local government, industries, businesses and community organisations to improve how people experience ageing. Our work focuses on creating better workplaces, homes and communities, while tackling ageism and addressing inequality in later life.

 We are striving to create an organisation that reflects our society and the communities we serve with a workplace where everyone feels empowered and where diversity of background and thought is celebrated. We know there is more work to be done and are committed to continuing to improve our practice around Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.

We very much welcome applications from minority groups and those underrepresented in our workforce. This especially includes people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBT+ people, and Disabled people. 

We are a Positive Action employer, therefore in recruitment where two candidates are ‘as qualified as’ each other, we will favour a candidate from any group identified as currently underrepresented in our team based on protected characteristics as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.

To Apply

To apply, please follow the link to complete an application form and Equality and Diversity form.

Please address in your supporting statement how you meet the person specification for the role as fully as possible to demonstrate why you should be shortlisted for an interview for this post.

Failure to do so will result in your application being automatically rejected.

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace and the support that generative AI can offer. However, we would encourage you to write your supporting statement and complete your application without the use of AI and if you do use AI, to avoid copy and pasting and to consider the value it will add. We encourage you to showcase your experience and knowledge using your own unique voice.

The closing date for this role is 11:59 pm on Monday 24th August, with in- person interviews to take place Tuesday 8th September.

Shape the future of heart and lung care by helping the team to manage funding that transforms patient lives through world-class research and treatment.

About Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospital Charity

Here at the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospital Charity we fund, facilitate and champion world-class specialists to transform the lives of heart and lung patients. We provide clinicians, academics and researchers across London and beyond with the funding and resources they need to understand more, prevent more and treat more.

Our funding comes from the fundraising efforts of thousands of supporters as well as income generated by our investments in property and equity markets. We currently grant around £6 million each year – but we want to do more.

What you'll be doing

We are seeking a highly organised and proactive Programmes & Funding Officer to play a central role in providing administrative and operational support for the Charity's Special Purpose Funds (SPFs). This position is vital to ensure that all activity is recorded accurately, that systems run smoothly and stakeholders receive an exceptional level of support.

You will contribute to the development and delivery of a bespoke fundholder service, enabling fundholders to maximise the impact of their SPFs in advancing care for heart and lung patients.

What we're looking for

• Experienced administrator with a strong understanding of office systems and processes
• Excellent coordination and organisational skills
• Clear and confident communicator
• Experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders
• Comfortable juggling competing priorities with a practical, solutions-focused approach
• Proactive, hands-on approach and willingness to step in wherever needed

What we offer

Hours: 35 per week (full time)
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Contract type: Fixed-Term for 12 months (with the potential to transition to permanent)
Hybrid working (minimum 2 days per week in the office – 1 The Courtyard, 151 Sydney Street, London SW2 6NT, with occasional working at our hubs in the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals)

Our benefits package includes: 27 days annual leave + public holidays (pro rata); 6% contribution into pension scheme; life assurance cover; cash health pots; family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay; investment in your development; support for your physical and mental wellbeing including an employee assistance provider and access to GP, counselling and more.

How to apply

Please send a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) that details how you meet the requirements of the job description by 5pm on Monday 17th August 2026.

In-person interviews will take place on Monday 7th September.

Please note that as a charity dedicated to improving the lives of heart and lung patients, we require our staff to make a declaration about any relevant convictions and undergo a Disclosure and Barring service check, including an ID check.

If a sufficient number of high quality applications are received, we may close the opportunity earlier than the 15th June. To ensure your application is considered, we strongly recommend submitting it as soon as possible. Candidates will be notified of the next stage in the recruitment process if they are shortlisted.

Ready to make every pound count in the fight against heart and lung disease? Apply now and help us transform patient care through exceptional funding management.

REF-230 014

Help tell the stories that bring joy to seriously ill children.

Rays of Sunshine is looking for a creative, sensitive and confident Senior Communications Officer to help bring our work to life through powerful storytelling, media engagement and compelling content.

This is an exciting opportunity to join us as we launch our new five-year strategy, refreshed brand and new website. You’ll play a key role in helping us share the stories of seriously ill children, young people and their families, raising awareness of our work and inspiring more people to support Rays of Sunshine.

As our Senior Communications Officer, you’ll act as our story development lead, working directly with children, young people and families to sensitively capture the moments that demonstrate the impact of our work. You’ll develop case studies, coordinate photography and filming, create content for social media, website, press and email marketing, and help ensure our storytelling is handled with care, consent and integrity.

You’ll also support PR and media activity, build relationships with journalists, identify media opportunities, draft press releases and case studies, and help coordinate activity involving families, colleagues, ambassadors, celebrities and high-profile supporters.

Alongside this, you’ll support our Wish Ambassador programme, celebrity and influencer engagement, digital communications, social media, website content and wider communications campaigns. This is a varied, hands-on role in a small and ambitious team, with the opportunity to make a real and lasting impact.

We’re looking for someone with excellent writing and storytelling skills, strong editorial judgement and the ability to build trusted relationships with families, journalists, ambassadors, celebrities and colleagues. You’ll be warm, organised, proactive and passionate about putting children’s voices at the heart of communications.

Rays of Sunshine has recently been recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026, reflecting our positive, values-led culture and commitment to supporting our people.

About Us

For over 21 years, The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre has offered free, holistic support to anyone in our community affected by cancer through complementary therapies, talking therapies, art, and our supportive community.

In 2025 alone, we had 1,911 individual visits and 1,021 therapy sessions - entirely through the dedication of our volunteer team. We are currently renovating our new centre, and we want to use it to reach further into our community than ever before. This is the first paid role in our history.

About the Role

As our first Executive Director, you will be the single point of accountability between our Board of Trustees and the day-to-day operation of the Centre - working alongside our (voluntary) Centre Manager and (voluntary) Volunteer Manager to support their roles, not duplicate them. You'll lead our strategy delivery, guide the charity's move into its new home, and oversee a service redesign informed by a fresh programme of visitor, volunteer and community research.

About You

You already know how to do this job - you've held a senior, accountable position in a charity or comparable organisation and can bring that experience from day one. You're confident reporting to a board of trustees, comfortable getting things done, and able to win the trust of a highly experienced, long-standing volunteer team through competence and credibility, not authority alone.

Key Activity Areas

• Financial management – budgeting, financial controls, and reporting to the Board and Treasurer

• Governance & best practice – supporting trustees to discharge their statutory duties; maintaining the policy suite and risk register

• HR & people leadership – supporting our entire volunteer and therapist team; communication is key to our volunteers

• Fundraising – write and lead on a fundraising strategy, implement new funding streams and be the ‘face of Pickering’ – local networking will be essential

• Change management – leading the transition to our new centre and evolving service model with care and consultation

• Compliance – safeguarding, health and safety, GDPR, and other regulatory requirements

Qualifications - Desirable

All the below are not necessary qualifications but would assist with this role:

• CIPD qualification, or equivalent hands-on HR experience

• A recognised governance qualification (e.g. Chartered Governance Institute) or completion of a charity leadership programme or similar

• Financial management experience – a qualification would be useful but not essential

• Safeguarding lead training

Experience and Competencies — Essential

• Senior leadership experience with genuine authority and accountability in a charity or comparable mission-led organisation

• A track record of reporting to and working with a board of trustees or non-executive directors

• A track record of leading organisational change, with evidence it was genuinely adopted

• Sound financial literacy - budgets, management accounts, financial controls, dealing with auditors

• Working knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including board-level reporting as well as the ability to speak in public

• Experience making a leadership role pay for itself, through income generation, cost savings, or both

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to Pickering's mission

Experience and Competencies — Desirable

• Fundraising experience across grants, trusts, community fundraising and corporate partnerships

• Experience within the cancer support, wider healthcare, or hospice sector

• Lived experience of cancer, personally or through supporting someone close to you

• Experience leading a refresh of a brand or a rebrand, service redesign, or physical relocation of services

• Familiarity with Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding local community

Safeguarding

This role involves working with adults who may be vulnerable by virtue of serious illness. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory reference checks before appointment, and will act as, or oversee, the charity's designated safeguarding lead.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Pickering is committed to equal opportunity for all and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. A copy of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy is available on request.

How to Apply

Please apply by Sunday 6 September 2026. Interviews are expected to take place w/c 14 September 2026.

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

 

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.

Asylum Link Merseyside is looking for an experienced fundraiser to lead our fundraising activity and coordinate our external communications at an important stage in the charity’s development.

Based at St Anne’s Centre in Liverpool, we provide practical support, specialist advice and opportunities for connection and participation to people seeking asylum in Liverpool and others who access our services from across Merseyside.

The role will focus on developing high-quality funding applications and maintaining relationships with funders. It will also involve developing selected income streams and coordinating communications across our website, social media and supporter channels.

We are looking for someone with a successful track record in fundraising, excellent writing and relationship-building skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities. Communications experience is desirable.

Job Title: Programme Officer 
Location: Gilwell Park or Home-based
Contract: Fixed until 31st March 2027
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: Gilwell Park (with Hybrid Working): £34,428.00 (Band E Level 3, incl. OLW) , Home-based: £32,668.00 (Band E Level 3) - In-person Programme team meetings every two month.

About the Role

Join Scouts at an exciting time as we shape the future of our programme for over half a million young people aged 4–24. As part of a creative and collaborative team, you'll work alongside volunteers and young people to design inclusive, engaging and practical programme experiences that help develop skills for life.

Drawing on your expertise in youth work and programme design, you'll help create activities, badges and resources that are relevant, accessible and fun, while ensuring volunteers feel confident delivering them. You'll collaborate across teams, using insight, learning and over 100 years of Scouting experience to continuously improve what we offer.

Beyond programme development, you'll play a key role in piloting new ideas, supporting national tools and processes, securing external funding, and embedding high-quality learning and evaluation. If you're passionate about creating meaningful experiences for young people and thrive in an innovative, supportive environment, we'd love to hear from you.

In this role, you'll:

• Co-design and deliver engaging programme content and resources
• Design and deliver content, workshops, and events to build volunteer knowledge and confidence in programme delivery

What We’re Looking For

You're someone who can:

• Ability to co-create and write non-formal learning activities tailored to diverse young people.
• Strong communication and influencing skills
• Ability to provide solutions to complex delivery challenges with empathy and clarity

Why Join Scouts?

• Play a pivotal role in shaping the future of youth development.
• Be part of a supportive, values-driven team.
• Help young people across the UK grow, lead, and thrive.

Benefits include:

• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 days after 2 years), plus extra days at Christmas

• Flexible working hours

• Double-matched pension up to 10% of gross salary

• Generous family leave and support as a family-friendly employer

• Access to our Learning & Development hub for ongoing training

• Recognition as Charity of the Year (Charity Times Awards 2022)

For a full list of our benefits, click .

Closing date for applications: 11:59 pm on Wednesday 19th August 2026.

Interviews will be held via Teams W/C 31st August 2026

Strictly no agencies. 

The Scouts is an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. We offer flexible working arrangements to support diverse needs and lifestyles, ensuring that our teams can thrive both professionally and personally. We welcome and encourage applicants from all walks of life, believing that varied perspectives strengthen our innovation and community. Your unique experiences and ideas are essential to our success, and we look forward to hearing from all voices.

Thames Rivers Trust (TRT) is part of The Rivers Trust movement. We focus on the promotion and delivery of an ecosystem-based approach to improving the River Thames, working with partners including Thames Water, The Rivers Trust, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and a network of Catchment Partnerships across the Thames Basin, to deliver an integrated approach to managing the river basin for people, biodiversity and the environment.

We are recruiting a Programme Manager to lead day-to-day delivery of the Water Company Partnership: a developing arrangement between TRT, The Rivers Trust, Thames Water and ZSL that works alongside and helps coordinate support for the 27 Catchment Partnerships of the Thames Basin. You will oversee delivery across all five of the Partnership's workstreams and be accountable to the Partnership Board for progress, combining day-to-day programme management with support to the Board's strategic oversight.

In practical terms, this role exists to help integrate Catchment Partnership hosts and partnership members with Thames Water's delivery programme, and to upskill those partnerships so they are equipped to plan, fund and deliver more on the ground themselves, building the same kind of productive relationships with other funders and partners too, not just Thames Water. It is a genuine opportunity to shape how a major water company and its environmental partners work together, and to help turn that partnership into real, measurable improvements for rivers and the wider environment across the Thames Basin.

Your responsibilities will span five workstreams:

● Governance: catchment partnership maturity and tiering, network structure and governance models

● Monitoring and Evaluation: river health scorecards, monitoring standards and evidence for investment decisions and Thames Water's PR29 submission

● Capability and Capacity, including CaPS: TRT's own Catchment Partnerships Support Programme, learning and development, and running the Thames Catchment Forum

● Catchment and Nature-based Solutions: supporting delivery of wetland, river restoration and storm overflow projects

● Blended Finance: developing environmental market mechanisms and diversified funding for Catchment Partnerships

You will also service the Partnership Board, coordinate quarterly reviews with individual catchment hosts, and act as TRT's key liaison with Thames Water, The Rivers Trust, ZSL and Catchment Partnerships across the region.

We're looking for someone with experience delivering environmental, catchment or nature-recovery programmes, strong partnership working and facilitation skills, and the ability to coordinate complex, multi-organisation programmes through influence rather than line management. Knowledge of the water sector, WINEP or AMP planning, nature-based solutions or blended finance would be an advantage, as would a project or programme management qualification.

Please note that we are interested in receiving and considering applications from candidates who may not tick every box. You may be just who we are looking for.

The details

Salary: £40,000–£42,000 per annum, dependent on experience

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Initially funded for one year, with planned funding for a further two years

Location: Thames Basin, home-based, with regular travel across catchments and to partner offices in London

Reports to: Chief Executive, Thames Rivers Trust

How to apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter, explaining why you're interested in the role and how you meet the person specification. More details in the full job description is available.

Closing date: 10pm, Sunday 30th August 2026

Interviews: Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th September 2026