Communications and public affairs officer jobs

About you

Are you passionate about educational opportunities for young people, especially those living in Inner London?

Do you have the communications skills and experience to manage our communications and help us grow our reach? 

Would you thrive working as part of a small, creative and dynamic team that is committed to being inclusive, innovative, optimistic and approachable? 

If so, then you might be the right person to come and join The Portal Trust as we start the implementation of a new five-year strategy which will ensure that our work meets the ever-changing needs of young people in inner London. 

About the Portal Trust

Our mission is to support educational opportunities for young people. We make grants to charities, schools and other organisations to enable them to help young people to fulfil their potential. Over the last six years we have given away around £34 million, creating a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of young people. Our new strategy will enable us to do even more. 

You can find out more by looking at our Impact Report (on the Trust's website, under About us -> Publications) which will give you an idea of the kinds of activities and work we support. 

About the role

As we embark on this exciting new phase, this role offers the opportunity to refine and implement our Communications Plan, which aims to enhance our visibility, influence and engagement with key audiences. 

The Communication Officer will create lively, meaningful content for a range of communications tools and will work on our growing reach. They will build strong relationships with a range of people and organisations, including our grantee organisations. 

They will also champion our key messaging, brand and style guidelines, ensuring we always speak consistently and purposefully. 

If this sounds like a role you’d thrive in, and work you can feel passionate about, then please find out more by looking at the Candidate Information Pack (click on Apply then download from the link).

Head of Communications & Advocacy

Location: Hybrid – 2 - 3 days to be worked from our office in Crayford, DA1 
Salary: £41,000–£46,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Contract: Permanent, full-time (35 hours per week)

At Allergy UK, the leading national charity supporting people living with allergic conditions, we are passionate about raising awareness, driving policy change, and providing trusted advice to millions. Every campaign we run and every story we share helps make allergy visible as a serious health issue and we’re looking for a new Head of Communications & Advocacy to help us take this mission even further.

What You’ll Be Doing

As our Head of Communications & Advocacy, you’ll shape and amplify the charity’s voice across the UK. Leading a dynamic team, you’ll drive strategy, lead high-impact campaigns, and ensure that Allergy UK remains a trusted, credible, and influential voice.

You will:

• Develop and deliver integrated communications and advocacy strategies

• Lead creative, impactful campaigns to raise awareness and influence policy

• Guide our media relations and secure high-profile coverage

• Provide expert advice on sensitive and strategic communications issues

• Build strong relationships with policymakers, healthcare leaders, and industry stakeholders

• Act as an ambassador for Allergy UK at the highest levels

• Inspire and lead a skilled communications and advocacy team

What We’re Looking For

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• A proven track record in strategic communications and advocacy

• Experience leading multi-channel campaigns that achieve real impact

• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills — from media to government to industry

• Strong leadership experience, with the ability to inspire and develop teams

• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal

• Confidence in providing senior-level advice on high-profile issues

It would be a bonus if you also bring experience of policy development, the UK health sector, or working with lived experience storytelling.

What We Offer

We believe in looking after our people and helping them thrive. As part of our team, you’ll enjoy:

• £41,000–£46,000 salary (dependent on experience)

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays

• Annual pay review in line with market rates

• Flexible hybrid working and free onsite parking

• Pension scheme and employee benefits hub

• Employee Assistance Programme (counselling, GP service, wellbeing support)

• Training and development opportunities

How to Apply

If you’re passionate about using communications to create real social change, we’d love to hear from you.

Please send your CV and supporting statement via Charity Job. Your supporting statement should highlight how your skills and experience meet the role requirements, and what you could bring to our team.

• Closing date: 12pm Sunday, 26th October

• Online interviews: Thursday, 30th October 2025

• In-person interviews: Wednesday, 5th November 2025

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive recruitment process. If you would like to apply in a different format or need adjustments, please get in touch.

Please note that this role will require a minimum in person presence of 2 -3 days per week in our office in Crayford.

Be part of something impactful. Join us and help shape the future of allergy care.

Job TitleCommunications Manager

LocationHome based (Home working with regular meetings in London)

Salary£35,000 - £45,000

HoursFull Time, permanent 

Reports to                   Chief Policy Officer 

NOTE:

• Please include notice period and salary expectations in application letter.
• First round interviews will be held on Friday 7 November, final round interviews will be held on Friday 14 November

About Parentkind

As one of the largest federated charities in the UK, with arguably greater reach into the lives of families and educational settings than any other non-Government organisation, Parentkind is on a bold and urgent mission: to support, champion, and empower parents to be partners in their children’s education and wellbeing. 

Although best known for our support of almost 24,000 Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), Parent Councils, and Schools, helping them build strong school communities whilst they raise approaching £140 million each year to enhance children’s education, our work stretches far beyond the school gates. Parentkind is building a powerful movement that recognises parental engagement not as a nicety, but a necessity.

Supporting parents beyond the school gate

In recent years, families have faced a series of compounding challenges: the cost-of-living crisis, rising child poverty, and deepening educational inequality. These pressures have left many parents struggling to meet basic needs—let alone feel confident engaging in their child’s learning journey.  Parentkind has responded to this moment with compassion, agility and purpose, through a series of transformative campaigns, resources, and partnerships. 

Our No Cold Child initiative with FatFace stepped in to address a stark statistic: over 150,000 children in the UK do not own a winter coat due to poverty. Through our trusted relationships with schools we distributed 10,000 warm, high-quality coats worth £600,000 to the children who needed them most. Winning the Business Charity Awards ‘Fashion & Retail’ Award, and shortlisted for two further awards, the campaign has been praised not just for providing warmth, but for restoring dignity, inclusion, and school readiness to thousands of children.

The All Dressed Up campaign—developed with World Book Day and Rubies Masquerade—confronted the often-overlooked issue of financial exclusion on key celebration days. More than 100,000 free dressing up costumes worth £1.34 million were delivered to children from low-income families. By enabling participation in events like World Book Day, we helped spark imagination, joy, and belonging for children who might otherwise feel left out—boosting self-esteem and supporting a positive connection to learning.Furthermore, helping attract children into school on a day which often sees struggling parents keep their children at home.

Alongside these national campaigns, Parentkind supports families year-round through a growing suite of programmes designed to inform, prepare and empower parents. Our Be School Ready programme offers crucial guidance and confidence to parents preparing their children for the leap into primary education. With a mix of practical advice, developmental tips, and reassurance, through the distribution of 150,000 copies of Be School Ready and an online campaign, it supports families at one of the most formative moments in their child’s life.

We also deliver a wide-ranging series of live expert webinars and parent-friendly resources, covering topics such as managing anxiety, supporting special educational needs, navigating school transitions, and building home-school partnerships. These resources, developed in consultation with experts and rooted in lived parent experience, equip families to feel informed and empowered, no matter what challenges arise.

Our direct support of schools

Our collaboration with Asda on Cashpot for Schools is another example of unlocking support at scale. This innovative community-led funding model allowed shoppers to nominate and fund their local schools simply through everyday spending. This campaign has generated £5.78 million for schools during the past twelve months, supporting everything from basic classroom supplies to vital extracurricular programmes and pupil wellbeing initiatives. Also shortlisted for a Business Charity Award, it is already a model for community-driven philanthropy.

In April, we launched our Parent-Friendly Schools Accreditation Programme, designed to formally recognise schools that go above and beyond in fostering positive, inclusive relationships with parents. The accreditation celebrates schools that actively listen to parent voices, make engagement easy and accessible, and embed family partnership in their culture. It is a practical and inspiring tool to drive long-term change in the sector and offers a roadmap for schools wanting to strengthen their community.

Our focus on Policy & Research

Our work is grounded in evidence. Since 2023, we have conducted the UK’s largest annual parent survey: the National Parent Survey. With approaching 6,000 participants providing 130,000 bits of data to provide invaluable insights into the struggles, concerns, hopes and fears of parents. The findings are fed directly into government consultations and have already informed national debates on school funding, attendance, mental health support, SEND provision, and curriculum reform.

In each of the past two years the number of policymakers, educators, parents and researchers accessing the National Parent Survey exceeded seven thousand, and the survey featured in more than two hundred media outlets each year. In addition to the National Parent Survey, Parentkind undertakes representative polling of parents throughout the year on a variety of important topics, which increasingly find exposure in the media and policy discussion.

Parentkind provides the secretariat for the Westminster APPG for Parents and the Stormont APG for Parental Participation in Education. Two very successful parliamentary groups bringing together policymakers and a variety of stakeholders to consider the challenges faced by parents and act as a voice for them through a variety of policymakers.

Our Media Engagement

Since becoming recognised as the UK’s largest parent charity, with likely more groups and frontline volunteers than the Scouts or Girlguiding, Parentkind has gained increasing prominence in the media.Beyond the reach of the National Parent Survey and our regular polling, Parentkind receives frequent requests for quotes of reflection and input by media in relation to their journalism and from Government and non-Government entities in support of policy announcements.

Beyond this, the Parentkind community of volunteers and PTAs share local or regional media announcements of their own.Whether or not it celebrating the completion of large projects they have invested countless hours and thousands of pounds into realising, or the community event they have worked into the night to deliver for their school communities.

It will be your role to take this much further, gaining increasing exposure for the work of Parentkind, its community, and parents more broadly. 

If you believe, like we do, that when parents matter, children succeed, we’d love to hear from you.

What we are looking for…

• Someone with a “nose for news” and an understanding what makes a newsworthy opinion poll that will hit the headline and go big on social media. 
• We are a small, fast paced team, there are no line management responsibilities attached to the role. We’re looking for someone with a “roll up your sleeves up and get on with it” mentality.
• Being able to demonstrate you can sell our parent voice research and amazing existing data to media across broadcast, social media and print media 
• Being able to lead and deliver a plan to raise our profile on social media, broadcast and in print media
• A good understanding of the challenges faced by children and families, education debates and education policy, we are the voice of parents.
• We are a cross party charity and we work with all parties, we want someone who understands that approach and brings it to their work.
• Someone who can to respond to social media debates at pace and make sure are part of the debate.
• Experience of writing compelling written documents when 100 words would make a stronger case than 1,000. You can bring evidence to life and make an argument to convince.
• Someone with experience of appearing on broadcast media and willing to be a ‘talking head’ for Parentkind as required. This is not essential, but it would be great to have someone willing to do this.

Your mission is to massively increase our online, in print and social media presence with a specific focus on policy, research and impact, to make us the highest profile parent charity in the UK. We have a huge amount of data on what parents think and we need you to get it seen. This is a great job for someone who wants to grab hold of a “comms” function and make it their own.

Parentkind is a UK wide charity, you will be expected to support our work in other parts of the UK where necessary.  

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 100 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible

We are looking for a Policy and Public Affairs Coordinator to develop and support strategies that support our policy and national influencing capacity. This role will strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers, and ensure that students voices are heard on the issues that effect them.

The role is full and permanent. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office). We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible, and job share basis wherever possible.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Director-level communications professional with a strong background in knowledge translation of technical information to different audiences internationally. 

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the Director of Communications & Knowledge Translation will provide strategic leadership for all Health Care Without Harm Europe’s Communications and KT activities. The Director will lead exciting new digital KT initiatives in line with our new Strategy and as a key part of a small, high-performing team working at the timely intersection of health and the environment. S/he will lead and support all of the organisation’s engagement and communication with target audiences, so that they achieve maximum impact on European healthcare policy and practice in support of the organisation’s mission. 

The post is for an initial 12-month period, at a critical time of development for the organisation’s communications and KT activities. We intend to make the post permanent thereafter, subject to receiving sufficient funding, and we have high hopes that this will be the case.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Internal Communications Officer to work as part of our Head of Internal Communications Team.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The objectives of the Campaigns and Communications team are to increase the public profile of Rethink Mental Illness, mobilise public and parliamentary support to bring about change and ensure that all colleagues are aware of, bought into and engaged in contributing to the values and direction of the charity.

How you will make a difference

No matter how bad things are, we can help people severely affected by mental illness to improve their lives. We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support tens of thousands of people through our groups, services and advice and information. And we train employees, employers and members of the public on how best to support someone affected by mental illness. All of this work guides our campaigning for the rights of people living with mental illness and their carers.

Over 850 dedicated people work for Rethink Mental Illness, across our operations directorate, external affairs and our corporate services. Working from offices, services and homes across England all colleagues are central to our mission. Our small internal communications team plays a critical role in ensuring that all colleagues are aware of, brought into and engaged in contributing to the values and direction of the charity. Influencing skills and the ability to promote great internal communications practice across the charity form an essential part of this role.

In-Person interviews will be taking place Thursday 6th and Friday 7th November.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

Key information

Location: Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, or London

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full time)

Start date: ASAP (we are happy to work with notice periods)

Duration: Permanent

Salary: £31,830 - £35,280 per annum if based in London. £29,175 - £32,625 per annum if based in Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle or Nottingham, plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: 12 noon, Monday 10th November 2025

The application for this role will consist of a written application; a telephone interview; and an Assessment Centre (via Zoom).

Assessment Centres will take place week commencing 1st December and will consist of an interview and a task relating to the role.

About upReach 

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. 

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about our work, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

ROLE SUMMARY

This role will be pivotal in devising, executing, and evaluating impactful marketing and communication strategies that resonate with key audiences and advance upReach's mission of transforming social mobility in the UK. The successful candidate will split their time between PR and external affairs (50%) and marketing campaign development and delivery (50%), with flexibility to adjust based on organisational priorities.

Reporting to the Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, and closely collaborating with the Junior Marketing and Communications Manager on specific projects, focussed on increasing press coverage, creating compelling marketing materials, and delivering impactful campaigns. You will work closely with the wider team to ensure all communications align with upReach’s brand, with the ultimate aim of championing upReach's mission to transform social mobility in the UK. You will also support upReach in fulfilling our 2024-27 strategic objectives.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

PR, External Affairs & Policy:

• PR Strategy: Contribute to the development and implementation of a PR strategy to raise awareness of upReach and the cause of social mobility, secure new partners/funders, and attract student applicants. 

• Media Content: Create press releases, opinion pieces, blogs and research that reflect the charity’s policy positions on key social mobility issues, and keep upReach website up to date with the latest coverage and articles. 

• Impact Monitoring: Track and quality score incoming press coverage to analyse performance and adjust strategies based on incoming insights, pro-actively securing additional backlinks.

• External Stakeholder Management: Help respond to incoming media inquiries, ensuring timely responses and distribution of materials. Cultivate relationships with journalists, media outlets, influencers, other social mobility organisations, and other key stakeholders to expand upReach’s visibility, updating the CRM and journalist database accordingly.

• Media, Policy and Research Monitoring: Track and respond to relevant social mobility and education-related policy changes in the UK, ensuring upReach has an active voice in these discussions where appropriate and disseminating key updates to the wider team. 

• Award Submissions: Support the identification and submission of high-quality award entries to build upReach’s profile across key target sectors.

• Crisis Communications: Support in the preparation of responses to any external inquiries or crises, ensuring upReach’s reputation is protected.

• Patron and Ambassador Research: Assist in the research of potential high-profile ambassadors for upReach, ensuring they align with our mission and values.

Marketing Campaigns:

• Student Attraction: Support the delivery of upReach’s student attraction strategy to raise awareness of upReach amongst eligible undergraduate students.

• Campaign Support: Assist in the planning and execution of multi-channel marketing campaigns that drive engagement with beneficiaries, partners, donors, and funders.

• Content Creation: Work closely with the marketing team to produce compelling digital and print content, including case studies, social media posts/templates, blogs, email campaigns, videos and more.

• Brand Consistency: Assist in reviewing external-facing materials to ensure they align with upReach’s brand guidelines, tone of voice, and key messages. Act in a consulting role to support the successful delivery of Associate-focussed communications. 

• Marketing Asset Management: Maintain a comprehensive inventory of marketing materials, ensuring resources remain up-to-date and relevant, while monitoring distribution amongst the team.

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Assist in reporting on the success of campaigns using tools like Google Analytics and social media insights.

• Collaborative Marketing: Collaborate with other charities, higher education institutions, and student societies, to develop co-marketing opportunities that expand programme reach among target student audiences.

Other responsibilities:

• Manage the External Affairs rotation to help one member of the Future Charity Leaders Programme (FCLP), upReach’s internal graduate scheme, to learn more about this area of the charity.

• Continue to develop skills, knowledge and best practice that will enable you to excel in the role, including training on pitching to the media, crafting compelling content and building press relationships.

• Undertake other marketing, communications or administrative tasks that are required within this role.

Please note that it is not possible for the job description to cover the exhaustive list of responsibilities of your role due to the varied nature of the role. The job description aims to provide an overview of your remit. 

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We are looking for someone who is passionate about social mobility and believe that background should not be a barrier to graduate employment. 

To be successful, you would ideally have experience in marketing and communications, particularly in executing PR and policy strategies, facilitating media relations and/or running successful communications campaigns. While not required, experience within a charity, social impact or education-focused organisation would also be highly beneficial for this role.

Required skills:

• Written Communication: Ability to write in a clear and persuasive way that breaks down complex issues into digestible content (e.g. press releases, social media posts and newsletters). Excellent verbal communication for networking, media relations, and public speaking.

• Creativity and Storytelling: Strong creative flair to develop engaging content and narrative that resonate with different audiences across digital and traditional platforms.

• Media Knowledge: Good understanding of the media landscape, with experience in managing media contacts, securing coverage, and building relationships with the press.

• Attention-to-Detail: Strong eye for detail, including excellent proofreading and editing skills, to ensure high-quality, error-free content.

• Brand Awareness: Understanding of how to promote and protect upReach’s brand reputation and the importance of maintaining brand-compliant messaging across all platforms.

• Project Management: Strong organisational and project management skills, with experience handling multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously. Ability to quickly adapt to changing situations, including responding to media inquiries or handling unexpected challenges.

• Pro-activity: A proactive attitude and an ability to suggest, research and implement new ideas to achieve our organisational objectives. 

Desirable (Not Required) Experience:

• Hands-on experience with some or all of the following tools/software:

  • G-suite

  • Zoom

  • Canva or similar design software.

  • Mailchimp or similar email marketing software.

  • Website content management systems (CMS).

  • Bigin, Zoho or similar customer relationship management tools (CRMs).

  • Trello

• Knowledge of GDPR compliance.

• Knowledge of regulations around charity communications, including compliance with data protection laws and ethical storytelling.

COMPETENCIES

In general, Senior Officer level involves you demonstrating more leadership capabilities than in an entry-level position. This includes having ownership of a new area (press/PR), and demonstrating an ability to informally lead and have positive influence on the wider team. We will be looking for you to demonstrate that you can plan ahead, proactively anticipate upcoming projects or risks, and problem solve independently.

Please see below a summary of the key competencies required for this role:

• Motivation (2) - Shows self-motivation to increase upReach’s impact, and develops an understanding of team strengths in order to provide support to the wider team where needed.

• Leadership (2) - Takes responsibility for leading on set projects, creating a supportive environment for any others’ working on the project, and inspiring the wider team by keeping them informed on progress.

• Continuous improvement (2) - Pursues this continuously, focusing on developing specific skills needed in your own role, actively implementing any learnings from training, and measuring your own performance.

• Planning and organising (2) - Organising own work effectively, including scheduling, prioritising, setting and communicating realistic timeframes, and negotiating successfully when faced with multiple requests / working on collaborative tasks.

• Problem solving & decision making (2) - Being the key problem solver within area of responsibility, using experience to analyse problems from different angles, including getting input from others, asking questions and using data before making decisions

• Innovative (2) - Proactively suggestions to improve team’s current working methods, applying own knowledge and expertise to solutions

• Management (2) (rotations)- Able to give clear instruction and lets people know what’s expected of them in collaborative work or in area of leadership, and able to manage partnerships / external relationships effectively

• Commitment to social mobility (2) - Has developed an advanced understanding of social mobility and complex concepts within the field, and can articulate upReach’s role within this to external stakeholders

• Communication (3) - Express ideas effectively and sensitively, confidently handling challenging conversations, and leading meetings and sessions where appropriate.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

We offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working.

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days and bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

• Birthday leave and Voluntary leave

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

• 3% Pension Contribution, which increased to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

• Cycle-to-work scheme.

• Monthly socials and annual wellbeing days

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training. 

• Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Diverse Roots Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network 

Ready to apply?

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible.

Applications close on Monday 10th November at 12:00 noon.

Equal Opportunities

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Thus, we encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.

We’re looking for an excellent communicator who is also efficient, friendly and super organised, to help win public services for people not profit. This is a fast-paced role in a small team with a big mission!

You’ll be providing ongoing support to the team on campaigns as well as growing our media and social media profile with impactful communications. We’re looking for someone who has a track record of making compelling videos and graphics, or is eager to learn. You'll need to be keen to carry out a variety of tasks and be flexible about your role.

This role is a crucial part of the We Own It team and central to increasing our impact. Part of a small, high performing team working mostly remotely and sometimes in London, you’ll need to be extremely self-motivated and able to work efficiently and autonomously.

Communications, Engagement and Advocacy Manager

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Communications, Engagement and Advocacy Manager to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping the Trust’s voice, profile and influence across the road safety sector.

Position: Communications, Engagement and Advocacy Manager
Location: Home-based with regular UK travel, including to Manchester HQ
Salary: £50,000
Hours: Full Time (37.5 hours per week)
Contract: Permanent

Closing Date:Sunday 2nd November 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.

The Role

The Communications, Engagement and Advocacy Manager will lead the day-to-day delivery of the Trust’s communications, advocacy, and engagement work. You will help increase the Trust’s visibility, impact, and influence by delivering high-quality content, campaigns, events, and stakeholder engagement. This is a hands-on role requiring excellent communication, strategic awareness, and strong project management skills.

You will work closely with the Director of Communications and Engagement, colleagues across the organisation, and external partners to ensure our messaging is consistent, impactful and aligned with our 2025–2028 strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality communications across media, digital and print channels.
• Manage day-to-day media relations including reactive comment and proactive stories.
• Draft press releases, briefings, speeches and policy statements.
• Lead advocacy activity to advance the Trust’s policy and funding priorities.
• Monitor national policy developments in road safety, policing, transport and public health.
• Coordinate the Trust’s participation in events, forums and conferences.
• Produce engaging web, newsletter, social media and print content.
• Ensure brand consistency, accessibility and quality across all outputs.
• Administer supplier contracts (e.g. PR and dissemination partners).
• Collate KPIs and analytics for reporting to the Director.

About You

We are seeking a confident communicator and collaborator with a strong background in communications, advocacy, or public affairs. You’ll have excellent writing and editing skills, the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, and a proactive approach to building relationships and achieving results.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Excellent writing and editing skills across multiple formats (press, policy, digital).
• Significant experience in communications, public affairs or advocacy within charity, public, or policy settings.
• Proven media handling and stakeholder engagement experience.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
• Collaborative approach with excellent interpersonal skills.

Desirable

• Knowledge of road safety, public health, transport, or criminal justice policy.
• Experience working in a grant-giving, research-led or evidence-based organisation.
• Familiarity with media monitoring tools (e.g. Onclusive), CRM or stakeholder systems.
• Understanding of digital publishing and social media engagement.
• Membership of CIPR or similar professional body.

To Apply

Please submit your CV along with a covering letter detailing how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of the role.

About the Organisation

We are the UK’s largest independent grant funder of road safety initiatives. Through innovation, partnership, and evidence-based practice, we fund projects that save lives and reduce harm on UK roads. Our new 2025–2028 strategy positions us as a visible, vocal and connected leader in the sector working with grantees, government, police and the public to achieve our vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on UK roads.

You may have experience in roles such as: Communications Manager, Advocacy Manager, Public Affairs Manager, Media and Engagement Lead, Campaigns Manager, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Policy and Communications Officer, or PR and Media Relations Manager. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

PLEASE NOTE: We are actively interviewing. We are scheduling interviews as applications come in.  We are ready to hire as soon as we find the right person.  Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!

Key Responsibilities:
 

• Develop and implement public affairs, policy, advocacy, and campaigning strategies.
• Manage and mentor a small team. 
• Build relationships with policymakers, MPs, and key stakeholders.
• Plan and deliver events, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen evidence through research, collaborations, and partnerships.
• Support funding applications, partnership development, and income generation.
• Monitor public affairs and policy developments and advise on strategic opportunities.

Person Specification:
 

• Proven experience in Public Affairs, policy, advocacy, and campaigning.
• Experience managing staff or consultants.
• Event management and income generation experience desirable.
• Strong partnership, research, and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Commitment to equality, social justice, and Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish communities.

We encourage applicants from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Travellers with the relevant skills to apply 
 

Looking for an immediate start.

We are recruiting for a Temporary Senior Campaigns & Public Affairs Officer for a social welfare charity. You will need strong experience in public affairs, event management and briefing senior leaders .

Hybrid working 2 days in their London office

The Role
Support with project management and maintaining clear communication between teams across the organisation during a fast-paced period.
Provide monitoring of relevant external policy and political developments.
Support with the planning, coordination and delivery of our parliamentary
Provide briefings and key data for internal and external stakeholder
Draft press releases, policy blogs, and external communications related to policy and public affairs.
Support digital campaigning efforts through Engaging Networks, including drafting clear communications to supporters and politicians.
Ensure consistent branding, messaging, framing and tone of voice is used in all materials.
Ensure the voices of people with lived experience are centred in our campaign communications
Identify opportunities to influence external moments.
Support with campaign launch strategy, planning, monitoring and evaluation
Identify strategic MPs or influential contacts to support our strategy and support with engagement.
Represent the organisation at relevant meetings, conferences, and forums.

The Candidate
Strong communication skills including writing and editing with the ability to communicate in person and via telephone,video call or email with colleagues, campaigners and members of the public
Experience of communicating with politicians and government officials.
Experience of supporting fast-paced public affairs or campaign strategies.
Experience of involving people who are affected by an issue in campaign activity.
Experience of using digital tools to campaign ideally Engaging Networks
Strong knowledge of the current UK political environment, including parliamentary procedure.
Some knowledge of social security, poverty and financial insecurity in the UK.
Good knowledge of different campaigning tools and tactics

IMPORTANT NOTE

Our aim is to respond to all successful applications within 5 days. If you havent been contacted within 5 days your application has been unsuccessful and your details will not be held further but we positively encourage you to apply for any other positions that you may see in the future.

We apologise that we cannot contact everybody in person but thank you in advance for your interest.

Third Solutions encourages applications from individuals of all ages & backgrounds. Appointment will be made on merit alone but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK. Third Solutions acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment & an employment business for temporary recruitment as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies & Employment Business Regulations 2003.

The Policy and Campaigns Officer will develop policy positions and campaigns that will help ensure that the needs, rights and priorities of those living with DMD are understood and acted on by decision makers, policy makers, parliament and government. The Officer will work closely with colleagues in the Policy and Communications team to support a cohesive and impactful approach to policy, engagement and communications.

Job Description

• To ensure that the charity’s policy and campaigning work is firmly grounded in the views and experiences of the DMD community and to ensure that they are consulted and involved in the development (and delivery where appropriate) of Duchenne UK’s policy positions and campaigns.
• To maximise the benefits of our existing relationships with civil servants, parliamentarians, policy makers, relevant organisations (such as NICE) and charity sector professionals and to create new relationships which help us to achieve our aims.
• To organise events and parliamentary activity working with parliamentary supporters and the DMD community.
• To devise low-budget campaigns aimed at creating positive change in policy, practice or attitudes that will improve the lives and outcomes of those living with DMD. 
• To create campaign assets such as digital and social media content in collaboration with the communications team.
• To draft consultation responses, policy positions and occasional short reports summarising the findings of research we have conducted or commissioned.
• To monitor relevant government proposals and initiatives, identifying those likely to have a major impact on the lives of those living with DMD, and to seek to influence their development.
• To stay abreast of relevant academic research, build relationships with key academics and identify opportunities for collaboration.

Person Specification

Essential experience:

• Experience of working in a policy and/or campaigning role.
• Experience of writing for a range of audiences and using different channels to produce convincing, clear and succinct content across a range of platforms such as blogs, web and print.
• Experience of working with civil servants and parliamentarians.
• Experience of using digital and social media for influencing and campaigning purposes.

Desirable experience:

• Project management experience including initiating, planning, implementing and evaluating campaigns and organising events.
• Experience working in health and social care space, with pharmaceutical industry and/or a highly regulated industry and engaging with regulators.

Essential knowledge:

• Working knowledge of the healthcare system, regulatory framework and the social model of disability. 
• Knowledge of how policy and legislation are developed in Westminster and Whitehall.
• Knowledge of campaigning techniques.

Essential skills and attributes:

• Highly motivated with a passion for improving the life outcomes of people living with DMD.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with people of all ages and backgrounds. 
• Ability to draw out the most salient features of complex issues and debates.
• Ability to analyse large amounts of information and produce easy to digest summaries and position statements.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Ability to build excellent working relationships both internally and externally.
• Good organisational and workload management skills.
• Proficient with all main Microsoft Office packages.

Benefits

• 25 days of annual leave + 8 days of public holidays (both pro rata)
• 3 days of office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Summer Fridays – half days on Fridays in July and August (pro rata)
• Flexible working policy
• Hybrid working
• Standard Employer Pensions contributions after 3 months
• Team wellness day and team away day
• Training and development opportunities

Terms and conditions

The appointment is subject to satisfactory references and an initial six-month period of probation, during which performance will be regularly reviewed.

The applicant must have the right to work in the UK and provide relevant ‘right to work’ documentation.

Relevant training will be provided during induction as well as opportunities to develop your career through experience of different aspects of the charity’s work and working with colleagues on new initiatives.

The organisation’s hybrid working policy is at the discretion of the line-manager during the first three months of employment, to support the induction process.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities experience some of the starkest inequalities of any groups in the UK. In this role, you will be working as part of the Policy and Public Affairs Team, to tackle the root causes of inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

As Policy and Research Officer, you will play a key role in strengthening our policy, research and public affairs work across our priority areas: accommodation, tackling hate, financial and economic inclusion, health, and education.

The postholder will support work to influence decision-makers, amplify the voices of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and advocate for fairer laws and policies.

The role involves undertaking research, producing evidence-based briefings, supporting parliamentary engagement, and working with partners to promote equality and human rights.

Due to the nature of the role, the successful applicant will need to be based in our Brighton office, and we may be able to accommodate a degree of flexible working subject to successful completion of a three-month probation period.

Key Responsibilities

Policy and Research

• Undertake research, analyse data, and produce high-quality briefings and reports.
• Monitor and respond to government consultations and emerging policy issues.
• Contribute to reports and other external submissions, such as human rights treaty monitoring and select committees.

Parliamentary and Public Affairs

• Support the organisation’s role as Secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, including liaising with parliamentarians, drafting parliamentary questions and correspondence, and organising events.
• Work with colleagues and partners to influence decision-makers and ensure the experiences of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are heard.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders across sectors.

Other Key Responsibilities

• Deliver on designated work streams, ensuring objectives and deadlines are met.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of project plans and track progress against agreed outcomes.
• Gather and present data for monitoring and evaluation reports to funders.
• Provide the necessary administrative support for the policy and public affairs work.

• Ensure all work complies with organisational policies on confidentiality, safeguarding, and equality.
• Undertake other duties as reasonably required.

Location: Rochester Airport, Kent
Department: Communications
Salary: £45,000 - £50,000
Hours: Full Time, Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent

We are Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS), and we fight every day to save lives. We are Team KSS, a close-knit team of dedicated, skilled, sector-leading experts with an incredible level of expertise. We are passionate about what we do which drives us to always deliver our very best.

We’re driven by our purpose of saving lives and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our patients. Last year alone we responded to over 3,100 incidents. We are fearless and tireless in fighting to save every life.

Our charity headquarters and forward operating base are located at Rochester Airport, with our aircraft hangar and maintained at Redhill Aerodrome. When the call comes, we can reach any part of Kent, Surrey or Sussex in under 30 minutes.

Main Purpose of Role:

As Head of Media and PR, you will be a master of effective public engagement communications and storytelling, and a key member of our talented and ambitious Marketing and Communications Team. You will lead on the implementation of our Media and Public Relations strategy and be responsible for its effective delivery and ongoing integration into our wider MarComms strategy, Income Generation, Marketing and Communications Directorate (IGMC) and wider long term organisational strategy. Our directorate’s overall goal is to generate and inspire the support we need to continue saving lives every day across Kent, Surrey and Sussex now and into the future.

Inclusion and Diversity:

KSS is committed to creating an equal, diverse and truly inclusive culture where everyone feels welcome and able to be their authentic selves.

We believe that everyone has the right to live without fear or prejudice, and be treated fairly, and with respect and dignity regardless of race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, social class, religion and belief.

We reserve the right to close the position early if the role is filled.

Benefits package is correct at the time this advert was published.

Benefits: 25 days annual leave rising with service Occupational/Enhanced Sick Pay Enhanced Parental Leave Access to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Events Access to the Wellbeing Hub Group Personal Pension Scheme Group Life Assurance Cover Group Income Protection Cover Critical Illness Cover Employee Assistance Programmes Development opportunities

REF-224 409