Communication and programme funding officer jobs

Are you passionate about helping us to build an advice service ready for the future?

We’re looking for an experienced and people-focused Chief Operating Officer to help lead Citizens Advice South West Surrey through its next stage of development.

As our second-in-command, you’ll work closely with our Chief Officer, trustees and leadership team. You’ll lead our day-to-day operations, oversee service delivery, people, transformation and corporate services and help turn our strategy into practical results.

It’s an important time to join us. Demand for advice is increasing, resources are under pressure and the world around us is changing quickly. We’re looking for someone who can help us adapt while keeping people, quality and our purpose at the heart of what we do.

You’ll be an experienced senior leader who can bring people with you, lead change, make sound decisions and build strong relationships. You’ll be collaborative, approachable and committed to creating an inclusive organisation where staff and volunteers can do their best work.

You don’t need to have worked for Citizens Advice before. Experience of transformation or working in the charity, public, advice, health, housing or community sectors would be welcome, but isn’t essential.

If you care about people, enjoy making organisations work better and want your leadership to make a difference in your community, we’d like to hear from you.

Citizens Advice South West Surrey welcomes applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We’re committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in how we work and how we recruit.

Please read the Job Pack to find out more about the role and about CASWS and the benefits of working with us.

To apply, please email a completed application form with a cover letter, setting out your suitability for the role, including how you meet the first three, ‘essential criteria’ under the ‘person specification‘ (in the job pack).

Activities and Events Officer

Are you passionate about helping older people stay connected, active, and engaged in their local community? Age UK Kensington and Chelsea is looking for an enthusiastic and organised Activities and Events Officer to support the delivery of a vibrant programme of activities, clubs, courses, trips, and events designed to reduce isolation and loneliness among older people.

In this rewarding role, you will help create welcoming and inclusive opportunities that enable older people to build confidence, form meaningful friendships, learn new skills, and maintain their independence.

Working closely with colleagues, volunteers and community partners, you will play an important part in planning and delivering activities that promote wellbeing, social connection, and a sense of belonging.

If you are confident and a people-focused individual with excellent organisational skills and a commitment to improving the lives of older people, we would love to hear from you!!

We are interviewing on a rolling basis, so pleae don't delay applying! 
Unfortunately we're unable to respond to all unsuccessful applicants.

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.) 

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

Join London Legal Support Trust and use your communications skills to champion access to justice. Create engaging content, manage our website and social channels, and promote our programmes and fundraising events. We are looking for an organised, creative communicator with strong writing, digital and content management skills. This permanent, full-time hybrid role is based in Holborn and offers flexible working, generous leave and development opportunities.

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Living Wage Foundation 

The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011.

Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting over 475,000 people and winning over £3bn of better wages for people who need it most.

Citizens UK works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take the same deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty.  As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions in order to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies.

Purpose 

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training. 

Main Responsibilities 

We are looking for a highly motivated and organised individual to coordinate our accreditation scheme. The role will work with our network of employers, and support new organisations through the accreditation process. 

The Programme Officer will support our work across the South East and support our managers to grow and deepen engagement with Living Wage Employers through our associated schemes. You will help to ensure our resources and publicity materials are well written and up-to-date, and to coordinate events to grow our employer network. 

Working as the Programme Officer for Citizens UK, reporting to a Programme Manager, your main responsibilities will include: 

Contribute towards the achievement of CUK and LWF’s strategic objectives

Understand how the role contributes to LWF’s purpose and the core mission of CUK

Reliably implement CUK’s and LWF’s policies, procedures, and values in own work

Work with CUK community organisers and leaders to promote civic engagement with and ownership of the Living Wage campaign 

Feed into the LWF strategy and objectives development 

Living Wage Accreditation 

• Support key contacts at potential LW Employers through the accreditation process, from dealing with initial enquiries to guiding them through the employer journey, to checking and processing their accreditation 

• Develop rewarding relationships with key employers, industry, and campaign partners within our networks to build interest in the Living Wage and deliver a high-quality experience to our accredited employers 

• With support from the wider team, develop plans and strategies to grow the number of accreditations in specific regions or industries 

• Collate and disseminate Living Wage criteria and policy issues through both internal and external facing guidance, whilst reviewing and monitoring its suitability 

• Support the development and implementation of projects to promote and grow Living Wage accreditations and develop the quality of service offered 

Build and manage projects and achieve work targets effectively

Successfully progress projects and tasks incl. tracking performance and expenditure 

Deliver agreed areas of the LWF’s work plan and leading on agenda items to report into team meetings.

Support the growth and development of new and existing Living Wage schemes incl.  Recognised Service Providers, LW Funders, LW Places, Living Hours, Global Living Wage and Living Work Consultancy 

Deliver personal work targets on time and to standard: 

• Respond to telephone and web-based enquiries by providing advice and support to employers and supporters 

• Provide administrative support for all aspects of the accreditation journey, incl. processing accreditations, recognitions, and renewals 

• Maintain LWF data on systems, incl. Salesforce employer database

• Support the maintenance of our systems to ensure efficient processes and develop reporting mechanisms for effective monitoring and evaluation of our impact and progress against plans 

• Coordinate and administrate Steering, Advisory or Leadership Groups as required, incl. coordinating agendas, sending out timely papers, taking minutes and following up on actions 

Learning &expertise

Keep abreast of new developments in the accreditation space

Apply new learning to work and respond effectively to feedback 

Work collaboratively with the LWF and franchise teams to share learnings and experience and ensure that we are meeting the expectations of our network and stakeholders 

Develop and manage external relationships 

Effectively develop and support a range of external relationships 

Respond effectively to queries or requests from stakeholders 

Engage with a diverse range of external stakeholders to support and develop projects as required 

Communications 

Communicate effectively within the LWF; ensuring that messages are reliably passed to those who need to know 

Represent the LWF coherently in writing and verbally 

Events and Communications 

• Plan and organise events to celebrate and grow our network of LW Employers, incl. playing an active role in the delivery of LW Week and assisting colleagues with event logistics 

• Represent and speak on behalf of the LWF at internal and external meetings and events 

• Develop or feed into employer resources incl. marketing materials, blogs, reports, templates, and guides 

Develop and manage internal relationships 

Work effectively with colleagues across Citizens UK 

Work collaboratively within the LWF team and actively participate in the team to ensure we meet the expectations of our network and stakeholders 

Generate income and resources

Contribute to plans and proposals to grow sources of income/resource.

Take personal responsibility for the careful stewardship of LWF’s resources 

 Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

 Experience 

• Comprehensive experience in an administrative role (E) 

• Experience of building positive relationships (E) 

• Experience of learning, managing and updating Salesforce or similar databases (D) 

 Key skills and knowledge 

• Excellent time management skills with the ability to juggle a wide range of competing demands (E) 

• Understanding of database and systems management (E) 

• Ability to take in and interpret information and present in a succinct manner(E) 

• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written, combined with the ability to liaise with senior stakeholders, both online and in-person (E) 

• Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new systems as appropriate (E) 

• Strong attention to detail (E) 

• Strong IT skills to include MS Office and database software (E) 

• Understanding of the policy and campaign landscape in the UK (D) 

Personal qualities & values 

• A strong commitment to social justice and alignment with the Living Wage Foundation’s mission and Citizens UK’s values (E). 

• A proactive approach to all areas of work with a ‘can do’ attitude and a flexible approach to work demands (E) 

About the application process 

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role. 

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.

Interviews will be in person in the South of England region, week commencing 5th October – in person most likely at Head Office in Whitechapel.

We’re looking for a talented communications officer to join the Trust for London team, at a time when communications has never been more important to our work.

The role

You will work with the head of communications to support delivery of our communications strategy. This includes:

• telling stories that matter by turning research, data and funded project work into engaging, accessible content
• leading our day-to-day social media activity
• creating brilliant content for regular newsletters, blogs and web content
• monitoring and analysing our communications impact

and so much more. Please see the full job description in the application pack.

About you

We're looking for someone who is curious as much as creative, with an excellent eye for detail. You’ll enjoy digging beneath the headline, asking why something matters and finding the story that helps other people care.

You're just as comfortable thinking about what the data tells us as you are turning that insight into an engaging social media post or newsletter feature.

You don't need experience in every part of the role. We know great candidates don't always meet every requirement, and we'd encourage you to apply if you're excited about the opportunity and think you could thrive here.

Most importantly, you'll care about creating a fairer London and want your work to have a positive social impact.

Closing date: 7 September 2026

Interviews: Second half of September 

If you think we’re the right fit for you, we’d love to hear from you. To apply, please go to our website and download the application pack.

We look forward to receiving your application.

The Senior Funding Operations Officer is a key role in the Finance and Funding Operations team, that provides operational and financial support across the organisation. 

The role is responsible for: 

·       Grant and contract management activities, ensuring all grants and contracts are progressed appropriately and systems are kept up to date

·       Liaising with teams, both inside the organisation and externally, to ensure the smooth running of grant processes

•       Managing complex operational administrative issues

•       Assuming joint responsibility with the rest of the Finance and Operations team for: maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the grants management system; preventing fraud; providing cover for absent colleagues when required; and performing any other tasks as may reasonably be required for the team to operate effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Grants management (for Impact on Urban Health, NHS Charities and Special fund grants)
 

·        Managing the process of ensuring ongoing grant requirements (such as reports and milestones) are met, including producing monthly reports of outstanding requirements, supporting Funding Operations Officers with requesting conditions/reports and following up on these requests when not received, and liaising with internal grant managers regarding persistent issues. 
 

·        Managing the post-award workflow for grants, including production of grant documentation and working with grant managers to establish payment and reporting schedules and updating grant management systems. 

·        Carrying out due diligence checks on grant applicants. 

·        Producing and actioning reports to ensure that grant records are accurate and properly reflect the stage each grant has reached, in particular, ensuring grants are closed appropriately and any outstanding funds are written back to enable further grant funding. 

·        Provide assistance to the Funding Operations Officers with queries regarding post-award processes. 

·        Support grant managers with the monitoring of complex grants and portfolios, ensuring compliance with terms and conditions. 

·        Ensuring clear audit trail of approval of awards and conditions to ensure efficient execution of grant agreements and payment of grant instalments. 

·        Reviewing investment papers for Impact on Urban Health projects

·        Processing of all charitable spend ensuring compliance with grant agreements
 

Contract management

·        Carrying out due diligence checks on new contractors. 

·        Maintaining appropriate records in relation to service contracts, including adding and updating contract records on internal systems. 

·        Processing of all charitable spend ensuring compliance with signed contracts

Special purpose fund management

·        Supporting communications with fund holders, including writing and distributing newsletters, and drafting key messages as required. 
 

·        Providing assistance to Funding Operations Officers with complex queries and management of spending commitments and related invoices. 

·        Managing queries from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Finance staff and fundholders in relation to invoice payments. 

·        Authorisation of Special Purpose Fund expense claims and invoices in absence of Funding Operations Manager. 

 General

·        Providing cover for the Funding Operations Manager, as appropriate. 

·        Deputising for the Funding Operations Manager at Executive Investment Committee meetings to contribute to the Funding Operations perspective on discussions about grant applications, due diligences and awards. 

·        Assist with the development of Salesforce, new or improved processes, and new ways of working through user testing and development of guidance. 

·        Ensure grants and contract records are accurately maintained. 

·        Creating and maintaining reports to support effective management of grants and contracts

·        Provide absence cover for other Funding Operations team members as agreed from time-to-time. 

·        Support induction of new colleagues across the Foundation, and development and dissemination of guidance. 

·        Liaising with Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust finance staff to ensure all charitable payments for the Trust are made in an accurate and timely way and provide regular updates and reports regarding payments due and invoices received. 

·        The post holder will be working in a developing environment and will therefore be expected to undertake other appropriate duties as required for the effective operation of the Foundation. 

Role responsibilities are not exhaustive, and you would be reasonably expected to take on wider tasks that are commensurate with the level of your role.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

·        Self-starter who is adaptable, works with integrity, and exhibits the Foundation’s enterprising, collaborative, inclusive and delivery-minded cultural and behavioural values. 

·        Willing to learn and develop new skills, and help to develop the knowledge and skills of peers. 

·        Committed to the principle of continuous improvement, with careful attention to detail and due process. 

·        Committed to delivering consistent and high-quality customer service to both internal and external stakeholders. 

·        Good interpersonal skills and able to effectively liaise with both internal and external communities. 

·        Confident in communicating well, both in writing and verbally, and exhibits listening and influencing skills. 

·        Problem solving skills, able to use initiative and actively seeks pragmatic solutions. 

·        Good planning and organisational skills, able to work to multiple prioritised tasks, targets and deadlines, with careful attention to detail. 

·        Team player, with an ability to support effective working relationships. 

·        A self-sufficient individual, who enjoys the challenge of working with multiple stakeholders and complex systems. 

Knowledge, experience, and qualifications:

Essential 

·       Familiarity with grant making and grant management processes. 

·       Familiarity with financial concepts around invoicing and grant payments. 

·       Able to communicate effectively with others, both verbally and in writing, especially when explaining process. 

·       Computer literacy. 

·       Experience of grants administration. 

·       Experience in financial reconciliations

·       Regular use of database/CRM systems, finance systems and grants management systems. 

·       Experience using the Microsoft Office suite.
 

Desirable 

·       Familiarity with Salesforce or other grant management systems. 

·       Some familiarity with health/social care/voluntary sector technical language and organisations. 

·       Understanding of contract and supplier management. 

·       Experience working within the charity sector. 

·       Report development and data analysis skills

Benefits

• Contributory Pension
• Annual personal development budget
• Annual health and wellbeing personal allowance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and parental leave pay accessible without length of service requirements.
• Health and wellbeing programme that offers optional free yearly health check-ups.
• Support for healthy eating via fruit bowls and onsite lunch facilities. 
• Agile working, flexible hours, and supportive IT kit. 
• Shower facilities and bike lock area. 
• Generous annual leave (27 days + bank holidays)
• Subsidies for glasses
• Employee Assistance Programme

Help us shape the future of community funding across the West of England

Quartet Community Foundation is looking for an experienced, collaborative and forward-thinking Head of Programmes to lead our grant-making and programmes work across Bristol, Bath & North-East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

This is an exciting time to join Quartet. We recently launched our new three-year strategy 2026-9, containing ambitious plans to increase our impact through grant giving, strengthen our understanding of local communities and raise the profile of place-based giving. The strategy outlines how we aim to diversify and strengthen our donor base, driving increasing philanthropic giving, so that we can distribute £6.5 million in grants annually by 2029. As Head of Programmes, you will play a key role in turning that ambition into action.

You will lead and develop our grant-making programmes, ensuring they are informed by community need, insight and evidence and reflect best practice in equitable and accessible funding. You will work closely with local communities, voluntary and community organisations, funders and partners to understand emerging needs and identify opportunities for collaboration and innovation.  You will be able to administer funds directed by local authorities and other partners to their specification, bringing a high quality service and repeat “business” to our revenue funding through high quality grant assessment and distribution.

You will also manage and support our experienced Programmes Team, three direct reports, ensuring an environment where they can develop, perform at their best and embody a culture of continual improvement (please see attached staff plan).

Asylum Link Merseyside is looking for an experienced fundraiser with a proven track record of developing successful funding proposals to lead our fundraising activity and coordinate our external communications.

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 identifying suitable opportunities, 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 strong grant fundraising experience, excellent writing and relationship-building skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities. Communications experience is desirable but is not essential.

We need a Programme Director to lead a tri-borough initiative tackling serious youth violence across Kilburn, Queen's Park and surrounding communities.

This is a challenging and a rewarding role where you will be exercising your considerable judgement, diplomacy and practical project management skills.

Shared Ground is an innovative, co-funded project, seeking to work for the benefit of young people at risk of serious youth violence, with buy-in from stakeholders including Local Authority senior leads and Central government.

If you have a passion for the value and importance of community-based work in supporting positive futures for young people, why not help ensure that this ambitious programme thrives?

See the job description for more details.

The Worker Support Centre (WSC) is a Scottish charity working in partnership with migrant workers at risk of exploitation across Scotland to secure their rights, challenge labour exploitation, build collective power, and drive lasting law and policy change. We are an evidence-led, worker-driven organisation with strong governance and a growing track record of policy impact. We're building a movement of people who welcome all workers, working towards a world where we are all safe, valued and respected at work — no matter our job or nationality.

WSC operates a worker-driven structure that places migrant workers at the centre of our governance and decision-making. We deliver casework alongside worker-led organising and policy advocacy, supporting migrant workers in seasonal agriculture and social care to meet basic needs and to understand and exercise their rights, including through our Worker Power programme, which builds solidarity between workers and within communities.

This is a new, senior role bringing together fundraising and communications leadership at WSC. The Fundraising and Communications Manager will lead the strategic direction for both functions, with a particular emphasis on hands-on delivery of fundraising activity — building relationships with trusts, corporate partners and individual donors, and securing the income that underpins WSC's growth.

On the communications side, the postholder will set strategy, editorial direction and quality standards, working closely with and line managing the Senior Communications and Movement Building Officer, who leads day-to-day content and campaign delivery. This is a role for someone who can operate strategically with the Executive Director and Board while remaining close to the detail of funding applications, donor relationships and income targets.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

● Lead the development and delivery of an integrated Fundraising and Communications strategy that grows WSC's income and public profile in support of organisational goals.

● Advise the Executive Director and Board of Trustees on income generation, funding risk, and public positioning.

● Own annual fundraising and communications targets, budgets and KPIs, reporting regularly on progress.

● Work collaboratively with the team on both fundraising and communications work.

Fundraising (primary delivery focus)

● Lead on identifying, cultivating and securing funding from trusts, foundations, statutory sources, corporate partners and major donors, with hands-on responsibility for research, applications and relationship management.

● Develop diversified income streams, including individual giving, community fundraising and philanthropic support.

● Write and submit compelling funding proposals and grant applications, working closely with the Executive Director and programme colleagues to develop a strong case for support and evidence impact.

● Build and maintain funder relationships, including stewardship, reporting deadlines and site visits.

● Maintain the funder pipeline, income tracking and forecasting, and provide regular financial reporting to the Executive Director.

● Ensure fundraising activity complies with charity governance, fundraising regulation and data protection requirements.

Communications (strategic oversight and delegated delivery)

● Set the strategic direction for WSC's communications, ensuring it amplifies the voices of migrant workers and supports movement-building, policy influence and fundraising goals.

● Develop streams of work specifically targeting Scottish Government pledges on areas including fair work, human trafficking, migrant integration, housing and poverty, working with policy colleagues to shape public messaging.

● Provide direction, editorial oversight and quality assurance for content produced by the Senior Communications and Movement Building Officer, including the website, social media, press, newsletters and campaign materials.

● Act as WSC's senior media contact, and through the Senior Communications and Movement Building Officer ensure appropriate relationships are built with journalists to secure profile-raising opportunities on migrant worker rights, fair work and labour exploitation.

● Ensure consistent brand, tone of voice and values-led, worker-centred storytelling across all communications channels.

● Oversee communications that support fundraising campaigns, donor communications and public engagement.

Line Management

● Line manage the Senior Communications and Movement Building Officer, including regular supervision, goal-setting and professional development.

● Support the Senior Communications and Movement Building Officer to deliver day-to-day content, campaigns and movement-building communications activity in line with agreed strategy.

● Manage freelancers, agencies or consultants (for example design, digital or PR support) as required.

Governance & Reporting

● Ensure compliance with fundraising, charity, data protection (GDPR) and safeguarding legislation across fundraising and communications activity.

● Maintain accurate fundraising and communications databases (CRM, Mailchimp and similar), and provide regular reporting and analysis to the Executive Director and Board.

● Support the Executive Director and Board in reporting income and impact to funders, trustees and other stakeholders.

● Participate in the WSC Senior Management Team, helping review alignment of WSC’s work with strategic vision. 

Participation & Values

● Champion WSC's worker-driven governance model, ensuring workers' voices lead our fundraising and communications narratives.

● Collaborate with policy, casework and operations colleagues to align fundraising, communications and organisational priorities.

● Co-produce fundraising and communications outputs with workers, prioritising their voices, interests and concerns.

● Actively contribute to a values-led, inclusive and collaborative working culture.

Person Specification

Knowledge, skills and experience

Significant experience in fundraising, with a demonstrable track record of securing income from trusts, corporate partners and/or individual donors (Essential)

Experience developing and delivering fundraising and communications strategies (Essential)

Experience writing successful funding proposals, grant applications and funder reports (Essential)

Strong track record in communications, with experience overseeing brand, messaging and multi-channel content (Essential)

Experience managing staff (Essential)

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences (Essential)

Experience of budget setting, monitoring and income forecasting (Essential)

Understanding of charity governance, fundraising regulation and data protection (GDPR) (Essential)

Experience using a CRM or donor database and digital communications tools (e.g. Mailchimp) (Essential)

Knowledge of, or strong interest in, labour rights, migrant rights and/or human rights issues (Essential)

Knowledge of accessible and inclusive communications, and values-led, ethical storytelling (Essential)

Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities (Essential)

Experience of media relations and press office activity (Essential)

Desirable experience:

Direct experience of migrant worker rights, labour exploitation or related sectors 

Experience managing external agencies, freelancers or consultants 

Media trained

Membership of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising

Lived experience of precarious work and/or the immigration system

Intermediate level or above of languages spoken by workers WSC partners with, e.g. Russian, Filipino.

Qualifications

● Advanced level degree or equivalent professional experience in Fundraising, Communications, Marketing, or a related field (Essential).

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.

Summary 

Please note: For full details and how to apply please view the Recruitment with the link provided.

Individual giving

• Achieve a personal income target from small to mid-level donors including through our supporter scheme, campaigns and POS donations
• Take responsibility for HOME’s low to mid-level supporter programme, ensuring strong stewardship and donor retention, and consistent delivery of supporter scheme benefits, including a year-round programme of events – supported administratively by the Development Assistant
• Deliver consistent recruitment and upgrade activity for the programme, supported administratively by the Development Assistant and making use of automation
• Be responsible for delivering donation campaigns, including planning, writing copy and training the Customer Service Team (CST) in making the ask. Collaborate with the Marketing Team to promote campaigns on social media and by email
• Take ownership of HOME’s legacy scheme, including promotion and stewardship
•  Research potential donors and work with the wider team in delivering the strategy for recruiting them
• Work closely with the Development Assistant and the Marketing Team to oversee all supporter communications, including scheduling and writing content

Benefits: 25 days plus bank holidays, option to purchase additional leave, birthday day off, employee assistnance scheme, discounted theatre tickets when available, limted home working, flexible working requests, and more.