Communication director jobs in waltham forest, london

Role Summary

This senior leadership role will oversee the strategic planning, management and reporting of the Natural History Museum’s major fundraising campaign NHM150, the campaign to raise £150m to revitalise our South Kensington home ahead of our 150th anniversary.  The successful candidate will combine exceptional relationship-building skills with proven campaign management expertise to support the Development team’s fundraising objectives.  Reporting to the Director of Development the post-holder will lead a team of development professionals to deliver insightful prospect research, manage systems for donor journeys and lead on excellent donor stewardship for the Development team.  They will also manage the continuous improvement of the Development CRM and ensure that excellent income processing and reporting systems are in place.  A key member of the Development Group’s Senior Leadership Team, the post-holder will work with colleague across the Museum to ensure that the NHM150 Campaign and major funding bids are aligned with the Museum’s wider strategy and operating plan.

Main tasks and responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Support the development of campaign strategies aligned with organisational priorities and timelines
• Work with the Director of Development and the heads of fundraising to establish fundraising goals, metrics, and benchmarks for campaign success
• Create detailed campaign plans including case statements, prospect identification, solicitation strategies, and timeline management
• Collaborate with executive leadership and NHM150 Fellows to continue to refine campaign objectives and messaging 

Campaign Execution & Management

• Manage campaign logistics including, communications, materials development, and donor cultivation activities
• Liaise closely with the Head of Special Events to ensure that NHM150 projects and donors are at the heart of NHM hosted events
• Coordinate cross-functional teams including development staff, communications, finance, and external consultants
• Monitor campaign progress against established metrics and adjust strategies as needed
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and organisational policies

Prospect Research and Stewardship

• Lead the prospect research function responsible for identifying major gift and partnerships prospects including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government entities
• Develop and lead prospect tracking and management systems ensuring excellent cultivation and solicitation plans are in place across the Development function
• With the support of the Director of Development’s Executive Assistant coordinate volunteer engagement and peer-to-peer fundraising activities
• Lead the stewardship function, ensuring that Development wide policies are developed and implemented and that these are coordinated with colleagues across the Museum, and that donors are recognised and stewarded to the highest standards.

Development Operations

• Ensure the accurate and timely processing off all Development income, liaising closely with colleagues in Finance to improve and maintain accurate and insightful reporting to improve planning.
• Manage the smooth and effective running of Development Group’s CRM (Raisers Edge) ensuring compliant, accurate and effective systems
• Ensure the Database and Reporting Manager oversees a pipeline of donor data screening, cleaning and segmentation in order to ensure accuracy, consistency and functionality of data, and that clear and accessible training and procedures are in place for and delivered to database users
• Ensure accurate and timely management of the Development Group’s corporate expenditure, including CRM supplier, membership bodies and regulatory costs.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and mentor a team of development professionals, providing guidance on campaign strategies and donor management
• Recruit, train, and supervise campaign staff and consultants as needed
• Foster a collaborative team environment focused on achieving campaign objectives
• Provide professional development opportunities and performance management for direct reports

What we’re looking for

Essential

• Experience of working strategically and contributing to the development and implementation of organisational strategy and business planning within a not-for-profit/fundraising environment
• Experience of analysing, interpreting and communicating complex management information to senior stakeholders, including developing and monitoring effective KPIs
• Experience of developing and managing fundraising plans and income and expenditure budgets
• Experience of financial processes relating to fundraising, such as Gift Aid, target setting and monitoring
• Experience of delivering excellent stewardship to diverse donor constituencies
• Experience of working with fundraising databases such as Raiser’s Edge and Microsoft Dynamics
• Experience of leading multi-functional and high achieving teams to deliver excellent results, including motivating and coaching staff and dealing effectively with any performance issues
• Educated to degree level or equivalent

Desirable

• Experience working with diverse donor constituencies including individual major donors, foundations, and corporate partners
• Experience of working with international fundraising communities and mechanisms
• Experience of contributing to and implementing corporate governance policies and procedures, including risk management and information and records management
• Experience of managing supplier relationships effectively
• Experience working collaboratively with board members, volunteers, and senior leadership

Skills and abilities

• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, persuasion and influencing skills and the ability to build good relations both internally and externally
• Strong project management capabilities with experience managing complex, multi-year initiatives
• Proven ability to develop compelling cases for support and fundraising materials
• Experience with fundraising database management and prospect research tools
• Strategic thinking and analytical skills with ability to interpret data and adjust strategies accordingly
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences
• High level of computer literacy, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate teams toward ambitious goals
• Strong organizational and time management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities
• Resilience and persistence in pursuit of fundraising objectives

Key information

Salary: £55,000 per annum, grade 3

Hours: Full time, 36 per week

Contract: Permanent

This role operates on a hybrid model, and it requires at least 2 days of working on-site at South Kensington.

All positions at the Natural History Museum are conditional subject to
receipt of:

• Proof that you are legally entitled to work in the UK
• A Basic Disclosure Check from the Disclosures and Barring Service (DBS) 
• Satisfactory references covering the last 3 years of your employment or education 
• Health clearance 

The Museum supports flexible working.

Our benefits

In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a wide range of benefits to help you thrive both personally and professionally.

Wellbeing and work-life balance

• Generous annual leave allowance of 27.5 days holiday plus public holidays
• Enhanced sickness pay to support you through periods of illness
• Wellbeing provision including Mental Health First Aider support and regular learning sessions on wellbeing topics
• Flexible working and hybrid working arrangements where the role allows
• A 24/7 employee assistance programme including face to face counselling sessions
• Occupational health advice and support
• Eye care vouchers for display screen users
• Supportive policies to help you manage life events, for example becoming a carer, menopause, transitioning at work

Financial

• Generous defined contribution pension scheme with employer contribution up to 10% of salary
• Life insurance that will pay 4 times your salary to a beneficiary in the event of your death in service
• Season ticket and cycle loans to help you spread the cost of cycling to work
• Rental deposit loan scheme – to help you spread the cost of a deposit on a rental property
• 20% discount in our NHM shops both online and in store
• Discounts in our on site restaurants and coffee shops, and use of our staff canteen at South Kensington
• Discounts at local shops and restaurants within the South Kensington area

Cultural and lifestyle

• Free entry with your NHM staff pass to a wide range of museums and galleries across London and around the UK
• Every staff member is entitled to 10 complimentary tickets each year to give to friends and family
• Access to the Civil Service Sports and Social Club for a small monthly fee, offering a range of benefits such as discounted tickets to visitor attractions and gym membership discounts
• Access to the NHM Sports and Social Association for a small fee which provides access to our fitness centre at South Kensington and a range of activities and clubs including football and yoga

Family friendly

• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Flexible working and hybrid working arrangements where the role allows
• Supportive policies to help you manage fertility treatment
• Paid special leave to help you manage unexpected life events or to make caring arrangements

How to apply

To apply, please complete an online application through our recruitment portal.

The closing date for applications is 29 July 2025.

First stage assessment for this role is likely to take place in week commencing 04 July 2025.

How we hire

We want everyone to be able to perform at their best throughout our hiring process. We’ve put together some information about how we hire as well as tips for completing your application and taking part in our assessment process. You can find this information on our careers site here.

Reasonable adjustments

We welcome applications from disabled candidates, and are committed to adapting our recruitment processes to make sure all candidates can perform at their best. If you require adjustments to our application process or require materials in a different format, contact us.

If you need adjustments to the assessment stage of our hiring process, indicate this on your application form and we’ll contact you before the assessment to put these in place.

We’re part of the Disability Confident Scheme and guarantee an interview to all disabled candidates who meet the minimum shortlisting criteria for the role.

Fixed Term Contract until October 2028

Hybrid role - London, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bradford, Bristol, Doncaster, or Redcar

Required from October 2025

About us

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education, and is on a mission to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system.

The NIoT aims to improve teacher professional development through rigorous, impactful, and cutting-edge school-led research. Our programme team plays a key role in this mission, as we work with our Research teams to test approaches to delivery and respond to the needs and questions of our partner organisations in the wider education sector.

As a Programme Lead at NIoT, you will have the opportunity to work with a team of dedicated professionals working in the design and delivery of teacher training and development programmes, and on cutting-edge research that has the potential to shape the future of teacher education and professional development. If you are passionate about teacher and leader education and are looking for an exciting new opportunity, we encourage you to apply.

About the role

We’re looking for a Programme Lead to drive forward a bold, nationally significant initiative designed to support educators in responding to one of the most complex and urgent challenges facing young people today.

This project will help schools engage with issues that affect how students form beliefs, navigate digital spaces, and make sense of the world. You’ll make sure the right things happen at the right time, driving both the strategy and the detail that bring this ambitious programme to life. You’ll coordinate multiple stakeholders, shape and manage delivery timelines, and maintain project fidelity.

You will work alongside the Director of Teacher Development, as well as other colleagues from our ITE, ECF and NPQ Faculties, as well as the Research and Best Practice team. You will also work closely with diverse external stakeholders including schoolteachers and leaders and young people.

Diversity and inclusion

We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. 

Key benefits:

• Flexible start and end working times.
• Flexible working opportunities, with significant scope for hybrid working.
• Highly competitive pay and pay progression opportunities.
• At least 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays) rising to 33 days after five years’ service (with an annual discretionary office shutdown between Christmas and New Year).
• Entry to the highly valued Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Excellent opportunities to develop your skills and experience and to progress your career.
• A stimulating, supportive and rewarding working environment with a dedicated team of likeminded professionals.

If you have any queries about this role, please email our recruitment team.

For more information and to apply, please visit our careers page.

Closing date: 23:59 on 3rd August 2025.

For 140 years, the Forces Employment Charity has proudly supported Service leavers, veterans, and their families in building successful civilian careers. We provide veterans with life-long, life-changing support, jobs, and training opportunities, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.​

This is an exciting but critical time to join the team as the charity looks to grow and expand its business development, fundraising and income generation efforts across the organisation. This is an excellent opportunity for a passionate individual with exceptional writing and organisational skills plus an eye for detail, to advance in their fundraising career by supporting our vital work.

Brief role description:

The Fundraising Officer plays an integral role supporting the Fundraising team at the Forces Employment Charity (FEC).

As part of the Marketing, Communication and Fundraising Directorate, and led by the Head of Fundraising and Development, you will research and identify new funding opportunities and support their conversion into long-term relationships. You will be supported by senior members of the fundraising team to create and write high-quality proposals to secure funding, and stewardship reports to demonstrate impact and outcomes to our funders.​

Interested? Want to know more about the Charity? Please visit the Charity website.

Eager to know more the role? Have a look at the Job Description attached.

​What’s in it for you? Check out the Benefits sheet attached.

Have we convinced you to apply? If so, submit your CV and Covering Letter by closing date Wednesday 23 July 2025​

​Please note: Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert; therefore, we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. ​If you are an internal applicant, please ensure you have made The People Team aware before applying.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff by fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where everyone, including those with disabilities, can thrive, develop, and achieve their full potential. We actively encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and ensure reasonable adjustments are made to support candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.

​We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process.

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An exciting position has arisen for a Head of Finance to join an excellent Community Foundation on a permanent basis. The postholder will be reporting directly to the CEO and will be part of the executive team, leading a team of 7.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead, manage and improve the Trust’s finance function and provide accurate, timely and relevant financial reports as required by the CEO
• Be the Executive Lead of the Finance Audit and Risk Committee, ensuring timely papers to the CEO and to the Committee and Board as required
• Ensure the provision and reporting of financial accounts, forecasting and large-scale project/programme budgets
• Oversight of the legal and financial statutory processes in line with the Charity Commission and Companies House requirements, including the annual audit
• Allocating tasks for timely responses and keeping all colleagues abreast of progress
• Monitor, cash flow, reserves, analysis of performance against the organisation’s annual business plan and dashboard as it relates to the finance function
• Contribute to the overall leadership of the Trust and to the Trust’s future strategic and operational planning
• Direct line management of 3 staff, indirectly manage 7
• Ensuring an excellent service to all budget managers, enabling them to make effective use of all systems and monitor and manage their income and expenditure
• To attend the Executive Team meetings and provide reports

Successful candidate profile:

• Qualified Accountant (ACCA/CIMA/ACA)
• Significant track record in a Head of Finance / FD role for a Charity
• Experience of implementing enhanced reporting tools
• Experience of cost-effective procurement in line with policy
• Extensive staff management experience

Salary: up to £80,000 per annum + excellent benefits

Working pattern:  on site

Hours: 35 per week

Location: West London

Duration: Permanent

Agency Reference Number: J81925

This vacancy will be actively shortlisted so early applications are encouraged to avoid missing out.

Venn Group is an equal opportunities employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates.

Who are Challenge Partners

Challenge Partners works nationally with over 500 schools and 100 trusts, delivering programmes and networks to support school and trust improvement and leadership development. Our programmes for schools include the Quality Assurance Review, Growing the Top, Extending Leading Practice, and the SEND Developmental Peer Review. Our collaborative networks for school leaders operate locally (hubs), regionally (Jubilee Networks), and nationally. You can read more here. 

We also offer Trust programmes such as the Trust Peer Review and Trust Leaders’ Network. You can read more here. 

As we expand our National Network of Excellence, this is an exciting time to join our central team and contribute to our partnership's success.

Job Purpose

The Partnership Coordinator role is varied, offering the chance to develop a wide range of skills. Responsibilities include delivering programme and network activities, managing local hubs, supporting events and meetings, and participating in recruitment and retention activities led by the Partnerships Team.

Working closely with school and trust leaders and hub managers, you will need excellent relationship management skills, attention to detail, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

This position requires individuals who are self-motivated, organised, detail-focused, and strong communicators. 

We are looking for new colleagues to focus on delivering our programmes and networks, ensuring a great experience for our partner schools (about 60-80% of your time). The remaining time will be spent on hub account management, supporting knowledge exchange and network growth, and handling general partner queries.

Key Responsibilities

Programme and Network Delivery:

- Support the planning and delivery of programmes and networks, including scheduling dates, organising training sessions, and other activities.

- Support the organisation and delivery of programme-specific and national events.

- Maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including resolving operational issues and escalating as needed.

- Provide year-round support to local Hub Managers to ensure schools receive necessary support.

- Monitor programme, network, and hub data to identify risks and/or trends, providing regular reports and updates to support the continuous improvement of our activities. 

Partner Relationship Management:

- Work with the Challenge Partners Central Team to ensure an excellent experience for partners and help schools maximise their partnership value.

- Support the induction and onboarding of new schools to their hubs and the National Network of Excellence.

- Troubleshoot and respond to school or trust queries through internal customer care systems.

- Utilise and update our CRM system (Salesforce).

Communications:

- Respond to email and phone queries about Challenge Partners, programmes, networks, and hubs professionally and promptly.

- Collaborate with programme, network, and partnership leads to provide high-quality communications to partner schools, including renewals, induction, onboarding, engagement emails, and hub updates.

Recruitment and Retention:

- Support year-round recruitment of schools to the Network of Excellence, working with hubs to deliver introductory events.

- Provide updates on schools in your hub to inform retention campaigns.

- Manage leads within your hubs, connecting schools with local hubs and Jubilee Networks.

Other Tasks:

- Perform other tasks as appropriate for the role.

Person Specification

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage your time effectively.

• Ability to balance competing priorities whilst working across multiple areas of work.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to deal with people diplomatically and appropriately, building rapport with those at varying levels of seniority.

• Solutions-focused approach to problem-solving, demonstrating the ability to identify issues and develop effective strategies to overcome them.

• High computer literacy - confidence and competence in using GSuite, Microsoft programmes and Salesforce (or similar CRM system) would be an advantage

• Positivity, optimism and flexibility - we are a small organisation and all staff are expected to contribute across the organisation (and sometimes beyond their specific job role) to ensure our success and sustainability. 

• A willingness to learn and give and receive feedback.

• A passion for education, and a desire to make a difference.

Benefits of working for Challenge Partners

• Work-life balance

• Annual leave

• Employer pension contributions

• Health and wellbeing support

• Training and development

• Family-friendly policies

• Connection and celebration

Are you passionate about the wellbeing of people and the planet?

Can you engage people through effective communications and events?

If so, we’d love to hear to hear from you.

We believe in people and the planet thriving together. We want to see a world where thriving is possible - because society is structured to support people's wellbeing rather than to undermine it. We're building a network of wellbeing changemakers who share our vision.

We're now recruiting for a Network Development Manager to oversee our relationships with our followers, including by rolling out a new Ambassador programme. Working from home, somewhere in the UK, flexibly for three days a week, the successful candidate will play a major role at the heart of a growing movement to embed wellbeing in our economy and our society.

They will be a good team player with experience of engaging networks of passionate people. They will have excellent spoken and written communications skills and a track record in organising exciting online and in-person events. Some fundraising experience would be an advantage, but above all, they will have a passion for wellbeing - of people and of the planet.  

Note

• We are looking to ensure the diversity of the staff group reflects the diversity of people in the UK and would welcome applications from people in all social groups.
• We offer 28 days paid leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays and membership of our pension scheme.
• All appointments to the Network of Wellbeing are subject to a six-month probation period.

Help communities thrive by bringing people together

Are you an experienced project manager who’s passionate about inclusion, cohesion, and community-led change? Would you like to lead a dynamic programme that builds bridges between people of different faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds in some of the most diverse parts of England?

Near Neighbours is seeking a skilled and committed Programme Manager to lead the delivery of our national programme. Working closely with a network of regional hubs and local partners, you will ensure high-quality delivery of a new programme of work that focuses on:

• Youth voice, enterprise and leadership
• Understanding and countering misinformation
• Deepening local partnerships and outreach
• Inclusive community leadership and dialogue
• Building long-term sustainability and shared learning

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a wide-ranging portfolio with national reach and local depth. You'll work closely with regional partners to support delivery, manage reporting and learning, and help shape new strands of work responding to emerging issues in social cohesion. You’ll also contribute to strategic conversations about community impact, programme development, and storytelling.

We’re looking for someone who brings a combination of practical delivery skills, insight into local community dynamics, and a deep belief in the value of inclusion and connection. You will likely have:

• Strong experience of managing community, cohesion or social impact programmes
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills
• Experience working with faith groups, grassroots organisations, or in culturally diverse settings
• Strong planning, reporting, and project management capabilities
• Confidence working independently and collaboratively across multiple workstreams

You’ll join a small, committed and friendly team with a strong sense of purpose. We offer flexible, remote working, with regular team connection days and travel to community partners around the country. You’ll have a chance to shape real impact at the intersection of faith, inclusion and community life.

HOW TO APPLY  

Potential Applicants: If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience, we’d still love to hear from you. We don’t expect everyone to meet all of the criteria listed.

To apply: email an up-to-date CV and covering letter (up to 2 sides of A4) outlining your relevant skills and experience, relating to the listed responsibilities and person specification  

Applications close: 9am Monday 28th July 2025.

Are you passionate about community, creativity, and professional development? Join the British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth) and help shape the future of dramatherapy in the UK.

We’re looking for a dynamic and driven Membership Engagement & Development Coordinator to lead on member communications, grow our professional community, and deliver impactful CPD programmes. This is a unique opportunity to make a real difference in a creative and caring sector, supporting dramatherapists across the UK and beyond.

In this pivotal role, you’ll:

• Enhance member satisfaction and engagement through strategic communication and outreach.
• Coordinate a diverse and profitable CPD programme, including our annual conference.
• Drive membership growth and diversification, with a focus on inclusion and innovation.
• Support and celebrate our vibrant volunteer network.
• Work flexibly from home, with a supportive and collaborative team.

Whether you're experienced in membership development, event coordination, or communications—and especially if you’re excited by the arts therapies—we’d love to hear from you.

�� Apply by: Sunday 20 July 2025
�� Interviews: Week commencing 4 August 2025
�� Location: Remote (UK-based)
�� Salary: £30,000 per annum (pro-rata if part-time)

Employer Policy Specialist

Working Hours: 0.6FTE (full-time equivalent 37.5 hours). There is a degree of flexibility surrounding the working hours which will be determined by the demands of the role.

Salary: 0.6FTE: £40,658 (the full-time equivalent salary is: £67,763).

Start Date: 1st September 2025.

Reporting to: Director of Public Affairs & Policy

Deadline for applications: Friday 18th July 2025, 5pm

Interviews: Interviews will be conducted online on Thursday 24th July

Overview

The DfE has nominated CST as the employer representative for academy trusts for specific purposes (for example, the school support staff negotiating body).  The postholder will be required to work directly with the Department for Education at a senior level to undertake the duties associated with this employer representative role.  CST also wishes to strengthen its support to members on wider matters of employer policy. There is significant scope to shape and develop this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Have a detailed understanding of the terms and conditions of employment of teaching and support staff and the workforce issues affecting the education sector, particularly those influencing recruitment and retention of staff.

• The ability to build relationships with key stakeholders (members, senior DfE officials and ministers) and work closely with other employer representative organisations.

• Working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO, build relationships at senior level with trade unions (leadership, teacher and support staff unions).

• Lead on developing CST’s employer policy and guidance, working with our members and commanding their support and respect, and working closely with the policy team.

• Support the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Public Affairs and Policy to influence and respond to government policy in respect of employer policy, including drafting responses to government consultations and being our representative on the DfE’s formally constituted groups.

• Provide professional support and guidance to members on matters relating to employer policy, within the restrictions of what we are insured to do as a professional body.

• Support our HR professional community.

• Speak with authority at events and conferences as CST’s nominated representative on employer policy.

• Offer support to the wider CST policy team in other areas that fall within the postholder’s experience or expertise. This may include occasionally deputising for other team members for example covering for annual leave or sickness absence.

• Any other duties and responsibilities that may be delegated by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive or Director of Public Affairs and Policy from time to time.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Likely educated to degree level (or holding a similar professional qualification or experience) with significant knowledge and experience of employment matters within the education sector and employer policy.

• The ideal candidate will have experience working at senior level likely within an educational, policy or consultancy setting. Knowledge of schools and the trust sector is essential as is the ability to respond to issues in a way which conveys the practical realities of working in schools.

• A sound understanding of the differences between academy trusts and the maintained sector.

• Secure knowledge of legislation, regulations and policy that affect school trusts.

• Authority and gravitas with the ability to speak up at meetings with senior officials with the required diplomacy and at all times with the members’ interests in mind.

• People-centred, with excellent relational skills, adept at forming and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues, members and senior external stakeholders (including policy makers, employer representative organisations and trade unions).

• Output focused, able to execute a range of communications across channels efficiently.

• Fluent and precise, an excellent communicator who writes well.

• The ability to analyse detail and distil key points, identifying matters of concern or interest to school trusts.

• Highly organised, with the ability to prioritise and work to tight deadlines, including turning around high-quality responses to members and DfE in short timescales.

• Someone who embodies the Nolan Principles and acts with integrity and discretion.

• Aligned with CST’s aims to promote education for public benefit.

• Skilled at working remotely as part of a close-knit team. Whilst this position is remote (home-based) there will be the requirement to attend in person meetings from time to time.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead our Alumni Engagement team who provide support to an alumni base of almost 40,000 contactable alumni of the Sutton Trust programmes. These are generally young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds who move into highly competitive universities, courses and careers. The alumni community has grown rapidly over the past 3 years and now expects around 6-7000 new alumni to join each September. Engagement covers supporting their transition to university and into the workplace through communications, events and programmes. It also spans alumni volunteering, our Alumni Leadership Board, and working with our Development team towards alumni giving.

The role is dynamic and diverse, requiring you to be able to think strategically whilst devising and delivering on operational delivery plans, and we are looking for a confident and experienced team leader during a period of maternity leave.

This role is part of the Programmes Leadership Team and will work closely with the Director of Programmes, Head of Employability Programmes and Head of University Access & Digital on shaping the strategic direction of the team and its programmatic work. The role will also connect closely to the work of the Development Team as we look to devise and implement a segmented alumni giving scheme, as well as the Communications and Policy team, and may evolve to take on new projects over time.

Main duties

• Strategic leadership to alumni engagement, including:
  • Embedding alumni relations and programming across the organisation, ensuring alumni are considered or involved in all areas of the Trust’s work
  • Managing budget and project timelines to ensure projects are delivered effectively
  • Working with the wider programmes team to ensure a smooth transition for Sutton Trust beneficiaries between programmes and the alumni community

• Alumni Engagement and Volunteering:
  • Refining and communicating the alumni strategy across the Trust and to donors and external stakeholders
  • Growing the Sutton Trust alumni network and developing a long-term strategy for alumni engagement, including communications and events, identifying key areas of focus and setting out benchmarks and KPIs
  • Overseeing a suite of volunteering opportunities for alumni to give back to, and represent the Trust in (for example on programmes, with our funder base, in our research and policy work, or to benefit the alumni community)
  • Managing the online alumni platform (STA) and its integration with other platforms .
  • Overseeing the recruitment to and engagement of the Alumni Leadership Board and new Changemaker/Ambassador programme to build on our advocacy work, and ensuring effective engagement with the work of the Trust and the wider alumni community
  • Ensuring that the above complements a long-term plan which would enable alumni to fundraise for the Trust or make donations in support of the Trust

• Programme management and Alumni Support:
  • Support delivery of access to the workplace and employability programming for alumni alongside the Head of Employability Programmes
  • Overseeing the delivery of bursary support programmes (including the Opportunity Bursary funded by JP Morgan) by the Alumni Programmes Manager from recruitment to evaluation and reporting
  • Overseeing the delivery of a series of employer-led events (working with employer-facing colleagues across the Trust) across a range of industry sectors that support student access to workplace opportunities, and the chance to build employability skills (such as networking / interview skills etc)
  • Overseeing the development of content and activities to support young alumni transitioning to HE
  • Overseeing the evaluation and scoping for potential growth for alumni-alumni mentoring with the Alumni Connect programme (piloted in Spring 2025)
  • Ensuring appropriate systems and processes are in place to manage programmes and events for alumni

• Alumni Giving and Relationship Management
  • Working closely with the Development team to provide support for key funding partnerships including those that directly fund/ work with the Alumni team.
  • Working with the Director of Development/ Head of Philanthropy to input into a new strategy to build funding from our alumni
  • Working with the Development team to implement an ongoing segmented fundraising communications plan to build awareness of our need for funding and directing alumni to appropriate giving schemes depending on their life/career stage
  • Identifying potential mid to high level alumni donors and working with the Development team to cultivate
  • Representing the Trust and facilitating introductions via senior alumni for new and potential employer or delivery partners

• Team Management:
  • Leading the alumni team to ensure effective engagement of our alumni community, including line management responsibility, team meetings, pastoral support and appraisals
  • Line managing, motivating and proactively supporting the Alumni Programmes Manager and Senior Alumni Officer in their professional development
  • Working with Director of Programmes and Heads of Programmes on team management, culture and long term planning
  • Working across the organisation on cross-team projects, such as with the employer working group, youth voice, Changemaker pilot, alumni giving, and STO/STA platforms strategy.
  • Member of extended-SLT

• Other duties as necessary from time to time

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have experience in:

• Professional experience of alumni relations, or managing other similar membership communities, ideally within the education or charity sector.
• Has experience working within or an understanding of the not for profit sector and/or the education sectors;
• Experience of developing strategies, frameworks and operational plans to support alumni relations, programmes and events for young people, or equivalent
• Strong understanding of databases, data processes and experience using a CRM (ideally Salesforce)
• Experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, managing budgets, financial control and administration
• Building relationships with significant, diverse stakeholder groups
• Experience of managing volunteers and volunteer stewardship
• Excellent verbal and written communication and strong analytical skills
• First-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust in a range of settings
• Working collaboratively across teams and within a small team
• Line management and leadership of a small team
• Adapting to new opportunities and trialling new initiatives
• Personable, flexible and discreet; able to fit in to a small team

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Has experience of building philanthropic support through alumni
• Is sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage;
• Has excellent attention to detail;
• Is eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• • Contract: 13-month Fixed-term Maternity cover contract starting November 2025. Our ideal dates are from 1 November 2025 – 30 November 2026, however we can be flexible if needed for the right candidate.
  • Salary: £60,000-£64,000 per annum
  • Working location: Minimum of 2 office days per week
  • Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.
  • Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and may also be required to attend events / meetings outside of their normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends
  • DBS check will be required

Interviews

Applications should reach us by midnight, Sunday 20th July, with first round interviews held over Zoom on Tuesday, 29th July, and second round interviews held at our London offices on Tuesday, 5th August.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.

Job Description for Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager

Reporting to: Director of Fundraising & Communications

Location: Variety HQ, Camden Town, London (hybrid working, 3 days in the office per week)

Hours: 9am to 5pm

ABOUT THE ROLE

Variety is looking for a Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager to join the fundraising team as we are launching an exciting new multi-year partnership later this year. This role is a new position at the charity to support our ambitious growth to deliver award winning partnerships and raise money from corporate supporters, who are key to achieving our mission to fund life-changing practical support to disabled and disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

You will be joining the charity at an exciting time as we are launching a three-year strategy to drive growth with lots of new fundraising plans in place alongside a great team and a new Director of Fundraising. You will have a portfolio of large partnerships to manage, and with your experience you will support the delivery of the corporate new business strategy, ensuring we maximise leads from all of our high-profile events. You will play a key role in our collaborative and high-performing team and grow your own team as required to deliver the partnership strategy.

ABOUT VARIETY

In the UK, there are more than 1.3 million disabled children and nearly 4 million children living in poverty. Variety exists to improve their lives. We believe every child has a right to live their best life and reach their full potential, whoever they are. We fund and deliver life-changing programmes that enhance their quality of life and give children and young people across the UK a better future.

Over the past 75 years we have supported over one million children by funding almost 6,000 Sunshine Coaches, almost the same number of wheelchairs, and giving thousands of grants to individual children, schools, youth clubs and other organisations for specialist equipment.

In addition, each year thousands of children take part in day trips, special events and educational activities as part of our Variety Great Days Out programme and every single day we are improving more young lives. We do it with practical, tangible help, that makes a real and immediate difference.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

●Lead account management of corporate partnerships, delivering first class stewardship, increasing engagement and supporting delivery for maximum potential for Variety

●Develop business leads to populate the corporate pipeline working with the new business manager, Director of Fundraising and CEO, for coordinating new business approaches

●Manage the largest national partnerships at Variety with integrated comms plans, staff and customer engagement and impact reporting

●Keep account plans and Salesforce, fundraising, communications, finance and impact reporting up to date, ensuring we meet key deadlines

●Attend Variety fundraising and awareness events, maximizing engagement opportunities for corporate partners and building relationships with supporters, while working closely with the services and communications team

●Manage budgeting of income from partners and reforecasting income

●Collaborate with the programmes team to plan our corporate partners Sunshine Coach presentations, Great Days Out, and visits to partner schools

●Coordinate staff volunteering for corporate partners when available

●Represent Variety externally at events and cheque presentations

●Participate in staff meetings, fundraising team meetings and contribute to the success of Variety’s fundraising strategy

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Essential

•Five years’ experience working on a charity corporate partnerships team

•Experience managing five or six figure partnerships at a national level

•Experience of excellent donor stewardship

•Good writing and communication skills

•Good organisational skills and multi-tasking during busy periods

•Enthusiastic, energetic, self-motivated and passionate about the Third Sector

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your CV with a cover letter explaining why you’d make a great candidate for this role.

Applications will close on Wednesday, 30 July at 5pm with interviews taking place week commencing 4 August and 11 August. 

Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements or need any adjustments for the interview.

MAIN BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 25 days holiday (we also normally give between Christmas and New Year off, but this is not contractual). In addition, after one year's continuous service, there will be an extra 2 days annual holiday for every complete year of service, up to a maximum of five days' extra holiday.

Pension 7%, Life Assurance 4 x annual salary, Company sick pay scheme, Medicash.

EQUALITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

 Inclusion is one of our key values and it is our ambition to recruit great people from diverse communities.

We welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment/identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy/maternity and or marriage/civil partnership status, race, religion or belief.

Please let us know if you have any access requirements which we might need to consider in relation to the selection process.

Are you passionate about fundraising, donor stewardship, and supporting our vibrant community through bespoke events? If you're an organised and enthusiastic individual, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join Fine Cell Work as the Fundraising & Events Officer.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a high-energy, creative person to join the team. As the Fundraising & Events Officer, you will play a crucial role in driving our fundraising efforts and supporting our community of fundraisers, donors, and partners. Your work will directly contribute to the sustainability of our mission and help us continue our mission of rehabilitation through the transformative power of needlework.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work for an innovative growing charity working in the area of criminal justice, and to be a part of a unique social enterprise. The role brings organisational skills and creativity together. 

Our Purpose: 

Fine Cell Work is a UK- based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise which makes beautiful handmade products in British prisons. For over 25 years we’ve been transforming the lives of people in prison and prison leavers, one stitch at a time. Our unique process boosts our stitcher’s self-worth, instils accountability, and fosters hope.

Collaborating with world-renowned designers to create one-of-a-kind, limited-edition products, we support people in prison and prison leavers to finish their sentences with work skills, money earned and saved, and the self-belief to rebuild meaningful, independent, crime-free lives. By providing purposeful activity to prepare prisoners to successfully reintegrate into the community, we are working to improve prisoner’s skills and well-being. This is key to reducing recidivism. 

The Role: 

The Fundraising & Events Officer will provide administrative assistance with grants and donor fundraising and the logistics for events. Working alongside the Development Manager and the Founding Director you will support identifying and managing donor opportunities, and the research and support of applications to Trusts and Foundations. It is a diverse and varied role and is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to build a solid foundation in fundraising and events. 

This is a results-driven role with the postholder driving planned income growth by establishing, enabling, and inspiring events, building relationships and maximising fundraising efforts. As this is a people facing role, you will be working with supporters over the phone, online, in writing and face to face, with the aim of helping donors receive the ultimate supporter journey. 

You will require excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to network, build relationships and influence both internally and externally, with the confidence to speak publicly about the work of the charity. To be successful in this role, you should possess exceptional organisational skills, excellent communication abilities – including good writing skills, and a passion for making a difference. In addition, experience with fundraising, donor stewardship, event planning and organisation and CRM systems will be highly valued. 

Your work will be essential in generating the income needed to support our initiatives, grow our donor base, and provide vital services to support our mission of rehabilitation. 

This is a unique opportunity to combine your passion for fundraising, donor stewardship, and supporting our community. Together, we will make a significant impact and drive positive change. Fine Cell Work’s office in Battersea is run by a team of 15 staff (FTE) supported by 191 volunteers, 116 of whom teach in prisons (volunteer figures for 2024). 

Fundraising and earned income are fundamental requirements for FCW, and all staff are involved in fundraising and earned revenue activities. 

Principal Accountabilities for the Core Job: 

1. Ensure all the necessary administration to support fundraising including recording all donations and potential contact information on Salesforce, thanking and reporting to all event attendees and donors. 
2. Assistance in the planning, setting up and logistics of all events including attending events as required (includes occasional out of office and out of hours commitments). 
3. Establish and maintain donor contacts on the database, and, with the Development Manager, coordinate donor communication and planning. 
4. Prepare donation quarterly reports and report post event on financial and potential contact outcomes and lessons learnt. 
5. Build and support our individual giving Champions programme through events and regular communications. 
6. Work with the Founding Director in research to support grant applications and assistance in making applications to small grant–making organisations. 
7. Prepare information for reports to Trusts and Foundations and major donors, creating a fundraising dashboard to include uploading and managing reporting and grant deadline dates on Salesforce including the establishment of a reporting procedure for existing grants makers. 
8. Working with the Development Manager, ensure there is sufficient and appropriate fundraising events to meet the annual donations targets through events. 
9. With the Executive Director and the Development Manager, support the logistics for event committees including assisting in identifying potential Chairs and committee members and working with the event hosts. 
10. Support the Development Manager to expand FCW’s fundraised revenue through developing event sponsorship opportunities and other forms of event revenue (ticket sales, raffles etc). 
11. Supported by the Finance Director, set up and manage the annual budget for expenditure and income from events. 
12. Any other duties as required from time to time to support the work of the charity. 

The following knowledge and skills have been identified for the role of Fundraising & Events Officer: 

• Excellent spoken and written English, including good grammar 

• Proven experience with Microsoft Office, especially Excel 

• Experience maintaining a data base, preferably Salesforce 

• Excellent attention to detail and record keeping 

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team 

• Excellent interpersonal, customer service and communication skills 

• Demonstrable organisation, research and planning skills 

• Good level of fitness to assist with setting up events 

• Social media and blogging experience 

• Knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign and Photoshop 

• Experience of working with volunteers 

Personal Attributes 

• Self-starter – enjoys working in a small team and as part of a team. 

• Creative and innovative thinking. 

• Proactive, and able to take the initiative. 

• Strong analytical skills and an interest in using insights and evidence to support decision-making & create strong cases of support. 

• Excellent time and task management skills with the ability to work under pressure and prioritise in a busy environment. 

• Strong and confident communication skills, both written and verbal. 

• Flexibility in approach to working hours as may involve occasional out of hours work. 

• A commitment to own learning and development and willingness to undertake Continuing Professional Development. 

Location: Battersea, London 

This is a full-time (37.5 hours a week), permanent role, and is primarily office-based. 

Salary: up to £30,000

Fine Cell Work offer the following benefits to all our team members: 

• A supportive learning culture and opportunities to develop in your role 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata) increasing after 2 years of service 

• Employer pension contribution after 3 month probationary period 

• Season ticket loan 

• Cycle to work scheme 

Fine Cell Work is committed to the principle of equality. No job applicant, employee, volunteer or worker is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, sex, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy status, age or disability and we will maintain a neutral working environment in which no employee or worker feels under threat or intimidated. 

Trusts and Grants Fundraising - Tasks and Responsibilities 

• Research and identify new trust and foundation prospects.
• Draft and submit high-quality funding applications and reports.
• Maintain a calendar of deadlines and stewardship activities.
• Record and track pledges, donations, and grant income.
• Ensure that all reporting is completed in a timely and professional manner.
• Work closely with the Education and Operations teams to ensure they have all the information they need to deliver work related to restricted funding.

Fundraising Administration

• Maintain accurate records in Salesforce and ensure data integrity.
• Reconcile income records with the finance team.
• Process donations and Gift Aid claims.
• Support income tracking and reporting.

Supporter Care

• Ensure timely and appropriate donor thanking.
• Respond to supporter queries via email and phone when needed.
• Assist with donor communications and stewardship planning.
• Working with the Comms and Operations Teams to assist with fundraising marketing, website and social media content.
• Working to consolidate and grow our group of recurring donors.
• Support with processing payments and donations online, in-person and over the phone, depositing cheques and cash donations.
• Help manage the stewardship calendar for major donors throughout the year.

Events Support

• Help coordinate logistics and communications for fundraising events.
• Track income and pledges from events like the Annual Lunch.
• Support with ticketing, invoicing, and donor follow-up.

Collaboration and Compliance

• Work closely with colleagues across fundraising, finance, comms, and operations.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR and data protection regulations.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team culture.

All of us at The Talent Foundry believe that a young person's success should be determined by the talents and abilities they have, not where they come from.

Our vision is to spark ambition and unlock opportunity so that every young person can succeed and thrive as part of a fairer society. 

We are proud of our long-term, transformational partnerships with business. This pivotal role in our newly established engagement team has been created to support our next phase of growth and ambition.

This is a broad and dynamic position which will have responsibility for the successful development and implementation of The Talent Foundry’s engagement strategies across fundraising, marketing and communications. 

Head of Engagement (fundraising and marketing)

You will be an ambitious fundraising leader committed to supporting our new vision - to support 1 million young people in the next five years - by developing and implementing exciting ways of engaging our key stakeholders - educators, supporters, volunteers and young people.

Read more about the responsiblities of this role and how to apply in our application pack. 

This is both a strategic and hands-on role, with specific responsibility for cultivation, stewardship and increasing our fundraised income through grant and trust funders and corporate foundations and major donors. 

Your experience: 

• Track record in fundraising - either from a major gifts, philanthropy or trusts and foundations background
• Excellent communications and engagement skills 
• Ability to propose, initiate and execute ideas and quickly respond to opportunities
• Team management 

This is a hybrid role with travel expected to meet with colleagues, funders and visit our projects in schools and partner offices. You do not have to live in London to apply for this role, but before applying, please consider what you would consider a reasonable commute from where you live to our team together days with take place every month. You can read more about our approach to hybrid working in our application pack. 

Other benefits:

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays
• £500 L&D budget
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Morning/afternoon of your birthday off