Communications jobs

Join a movement transforming how communities create lasting change. This isn't a typical charity role—it's a chance to shape the future of place-based working across the UK and help lead a growing organisation.

Place Matters is a small, entrepreneurial charity punching above its weight. We work at the intersection of communities, public services, funders, and policymakers to tackle the root causes of inequality and create changes that communities want to see. Our approach? Empower communities to lead change in their own places, learn from what works, and influence the systems that hold them back.

Why this role matters

This is a senior position on our Executive team, reporting directly to a co-CEO. You'll play a leadership role in developing our organisation—shaping strategy, building our team, and deepening partnerships. We're looking for someone colleagues and Trustees trust to make sound decisions on behalf of our mission.

Learning and practice development is at the heart of everything we do. You'll design and lead learning partnerships that build the capabilities of communities and organisations to work differently. You'll capture insights from the ground and turn them into accessible tools, frameworks, and resources that make place-based working more effective for everyone.

You need to be a team player, confident and with strong opinions, but low ego and collegiate

What you'll do

• Lead the development and delivery of Learning and Practice Development Partnerships
• Initiate, convene and participate in ‘field-building’ efforts that aim to influence the broader place-based change sector, bringing together community organisations, public sector organisations, policy makers, foundations and businesses to build broader support for community centred place-based change
• Develop Place Matters thought and practice leadership
• Draw together the themes and patterns from learning into regular blogs and publications to make the learning as widely accessible as possible and influence key policy makers and funders
• Initiate and convene field-building efforts to influence the broader place-based change sector
• Build a wide network of place-based practitioners from all sectors
• Play a key role in business development, securing new partnerships, fundraising, and improving organisational efficiency

See job description (JD) for full details

What makes this role special

• Executive leadership: Part of the leadership team shaping organisational direction
• Real autonomy: Lead your own projects, design new partnerships, represent Place Matters externally
• Learning culture: We practice what we preach—continuous learning and innovation are built in
• Flexible working: Hybrid arrangement, negotiable location, with UK travel (up to 50 days annually)
• Competitive salary: £65,000-£75,000 (negotiable based on experience)

Practical details

Ideally 37.5 hours per week (flexible) but we'll consider part-time. UK travel required, including occasional overnight stays and some evening/weekend work.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from disabled people and people from diverse backgrounds.

We'll conduct interviews on 19th and 21st January.

Amala’s mission is to use the power of education to transform the lives of young refugees, their communities, and the world. We deliver innovative learning programmes for displaced youth globally, including the world’s first internationally accredited secondary education programme for out-of-school refugee and crisis-affected young people, as well as Changemaker Courses in Peace-building, Ethical Leadership, and Social Entrepreneurship.

We’re seeking a strategic and driven Trusts & Foundations Manager to grow our global trust, foundation, and institutional fundraising portfolio. In this role, you’ll build and steward high-value donor relationships, secure six- and seven-figure grants, and work closely with our Education Programmes and MEL teams to craft compelling proposals and demonstrate impact.

Key responsibilities include:

• Cultivating and stewarding high-value partnerships with trusts, foundations, and institutional donors

• Securing six- and seven-figure grants that support Amala’s global programmes

• Developing compelling proposals, concept notes, and donor briefings aligned with funder priorities

• Managing reporting cycles and producing timely, high-quality submissions

• Collaborating with Education Programmes and MEL colleagues to align proposals with evidence and impact data

If you share our commitment to transforming education for displaced young people, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more and apply: For detailed information on this role, including the full list of responsibilities, experience, and application instructions, please refer to the job description.

Closing date: Wednesday 7 January 2026, 12:00 GMT

Could you be our new Volunteer Coordinator?

Who we’re looking for

Are you dynamic and resourceful? Are you motivated by helping people to help themselves? Can you enthuse a volunteer team to support people experiencing complex and emotionally demanding issues? We’re seeking a Senior Volunteer Coordinator to maintain and develop our remote services from our office in Nottingham. 

You will be an excellent communicator, as well as a practical, well organised and hardworking individual, preferably with experience in the voluntary sector or equivalent transferable experience.

Reporting to the Head of Service Delivery, you will be responsible for recruiting, training and supporting volunteers to deliver a service to Litigants in Person, facilitating day-to-day operations, and building and sustaining relationships with key contacts at our partner university and the national court service, as well as providing line management to our Volunteer Support Coordinator.

This post is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund

Homelessness isn’t just about losing a home—it’s about losing stability, security, and often, hope. We are recruiting a Complex Needs Practitioner to support individuals experiencing rough sleeping across the Wirral. You will work as part of a small and dedicated team of outreach workers seeking out and supporting those in our community experiencing homelessness. Provide outreach support, working flexibly across community locations with a central hub based at our head office in Birkenhead.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Keeping in touch with known rough sleepers in the area and acting as their key point of contact for seeking out accommodation.
• Providing emergency support and referrals for those in crisis.
• Connecting rough sleepers with essential services, professionals, and community networks.
• Supporting people through the highs and lows, offering practical help, understanding and encouragement.
• Inspiring change and making a lasting difference in people’s lives.

What We’re Looking For

Our Complex Needs Practioner will have

• A kind heart and a strong sense of empathy.
• Great communication skills to support and encourage others.
• A calm and measured approach to handling challenging situations.
• Experience working within homelessness, substance use or mental health services is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.

We are a growing and vibrant team of professionals who work hard to improve the lives of those who need it most. If you’re ready to begin work at the coalface of our life changing services, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note: We do not accept CVs for the position of Complex Needs Practioner. All applications must be made via our form and emailed in. Instructions to be found on our Career Page.

Are you passionate about neurodivergent children and young people and their families having the right support, at the earliest point?  We are proud to be developing and delivering the Tameside Neurodiversity Hub and are seeking a skilled and experienced practitioner to be the navigator. This part time opportunity will be over 3 days.

To be successful, you will need to have the following:

• Experience in supporting children with neurodiversity.
• The ability to ensure the 'voice' of the child and family is central, enabling lived experience to create change.
• Excellent team working skills. You will work as part of a service that covers the whole of Greater Manchester.
• The ability to collaborate with and confidently present information to a range of people including the delivery of workshops.
• Excellent communication skills, enabling communication with children, young people, families and professionals.
• Robust safeguarding knowledge and good recording skills.
• A car available for work with business insurance.

There are lots of opportunities to develop your skill set, knowledge and career progression going forward. 

This service is dynamic, no two days are the same, we work flexibly to meet the needs of the children and families so whilst there is a Monday to Friday working pattern you will be working some evenings and if required occasional weekends. In return you will manage your hours so may benefit from later starts or earlier finishes.

Barnardo's has a generic job description/person specification. When completing your application please provide examples in your application in the context of the advert and additional information sheet as to how you meet the requirements of the role.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Volunteer Officer to plan and deliver our new Volunteer Strategy. This role involves leading and coordinating our voluntary role holders across different roles and integrating with the wider work of the team.

We want someone who is passionate about volunteers and who will rise to the challenge set by our Chief Officer for all our work to have a clear fingerprint of volunteers demonstrated. The post holder will have latitude to develop a modern, exciting, and vibrant volunteer base and will work across the team to embed new roles which enable us to spread our reach further into the District.

We work closely with the local health and social care system to use our volunteer’s skills and lived experience to support Patient Safety Walkabouts and Patient Led Assessments of Care Environments (PLACE). We also have the power and responsibility to deliver Enter and View visits as a Local Healthwatch organisation. The Volunteer Officer will coordinate and oversee these activities to continue our successful partnership approach.

We are committed to providing social value to the local population, we do this through our opportunities which include volunteering, collaborating, work experience, and placements.

Purpose

To have responsibility for the Healthwatch Wakefield Volunteer Strategy. To lead on recruitment, co-ordination, and support of a diverse range of volunteers for Healthwatch Wakefield; including a ‘buddy’ system to help overcome barriers to involvement. To facilitate and maintain an activity and training record, and report on volunteer contributions on a regular basis. To remain up to date with relevant legislation and good practice in volunteering. To review and develop the roles available for volunteers in Healthwatch, working collaboratively with volunteers, contributors and the team.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Promote and deliver volunteering opportunities
  
• Recruit, induct, support and develop volunteers
• Lead Enter and View visit planning and coordinate patient safety activities
• Provide leadership for the volunteer programme

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of supporting and supervising volunteers, including recruitment and induction.
• Experience of producing systems and procedures for volunteers.
• Experience of delivering and co-ordinating training.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of communities.
• Experience of working in partnership and with external stakeholders.
• Experience of report writing.
• Communication, facilitating, and liaison skills.
• Ability to confidently build and maintain professional relationships.
• Ability to work as part of a team and to collaborate with others.
• Good planning and organisational skills, including ability to prioritise workload.
• Able to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines.
• Able to produce succinct, articulate and well-formatted documents and reports.
• Ability to understand, interpret and analyse basic financial information
• Competence in IT skills and internet use.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of developing a volunteer policy.
• Experience of working with volunteers within a health or social care setting.
• Experience of managing a project budget.
• Knowledge of the third sector in Wakefield District and the environment within which it works.
• Knowledge of health and social care structures.

Are you passionate about inclusive music making and supporting adults with learning disabilities to express themselves creatively? Do you enjoy bringing people together through rhythm, sound and shared experiences?

Stepping Stones Learning and Leisure is a small and welcoming Southwark charity that supports adults with learning disabilities to live connected, confident and fulfilling lives. We offer creative, social and practical sessions throughout the week. Music plays an important role in promoting positive wellbeing, and helps people build confidence, try new things, and feel part of a community.

We are looking for a friendly and engaging Music Facilitator to lead our weekly music sessions. You will encourage participants to explore a range of instruments, express themselves and enjoy the experience of making music together. Our groups include adults with a wide range of learning disabilities so sessions must be accessible, adaptable and delivered with flexibility and patience.

About the Role

As our Freelance Music Facilitator, you will plan and deliver inclusive sessions that may include:

• exploring different instruments
• rhythm and percussion activities
• creative music making
• group interaction and confidence building
• simple performance or sharing moments

You will also complete required paperwork including Individual Learning Plans, course outlines, schemes of work and track progress across each term.

What We Are Looking For

• Experience working with adults with learning disabilities
• Experience leading music sessions or creative workshops
• Confidence using a variety of instruments
• Ability to plan accessible, engaging activities for mixed ability groups
• Friendly communication skills and a patient, encouraging approach
• Reliable, organised, and able to manage the routine administrative tasks involved in lesson delivery

Ygam is seeking panel members to join our Lived Experience Advisory Panel. We are looking for individuals with either direct or indirect experiences of gambling harms to provide the organisation with an increased knowledge on the issues that children and young people face in today’s society.

We are particularly keen to hear from individuals who can bring a range of skills, knowledge and experience to the panel, including the ability to communicate clearly, reflect thoughtfully, and contribute respectfully to group discussions. Experience of engaging with education, safeguarding, treatment, peer support, research or policy is valuable, as is an understanding of the wider impacts of gambling harms on young people, families and communities. Above all, we are looking for people who are motivated to use their experience to help shape meaningful change for children and young people.

Role Requirements

Duties will include but not be limited to:

· Contributing to panel discussions and activities

· Sharing knowledge and areas of expertise

· Keeping up-to-date with current developments in the risks and emerging themes surrounding young people’s exposure and experiences with gambling.

· Submitting expenses

· Reading through minutes

· Completing any relevant actions pre and/or post meeting

· Declaring conflicts of interest whilst participating on the advisory panel

Person Specification 

Essential

· Demonstrable experience and knowledge in the fields of education, safeguarding and lived experience

· Understanding of issues related to gaming and gambling harms among children and young people

· Excellent communication skills

· Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of stakeholders

· Passionate about safeguarding children and young people from gaming and gambling harms

· Ability to commit time to attend regular meetings and contribute to the panel

· Open-minded and respectful of different perspectives and experiences

Desirable

· Previous experience serving on advisory panels or boards

· Knowledge of the charity sector

About us

The King’s community is dedicated to the service of society. King’s Strategic Vision 2029 sets out our vision for the future, shaped around five priority areas: educate to inspire and improve; research to inform and innovate; serve to shape and transform; a civic university at the heart of London; and an international community that services the world. Our ambitious Education Strategy sets out the actions that we must take to transform how we teach, how and where our students learn and how we support them during their time with us. 

Within the Social Mobility & Widening Participation Department we believe all young people should be able to have high expectations for their future. This means equal access to education and career opportunities. We run programmes that aim to empower young people from underrepresented backgrounds to access and succeed at university. 

We are part of the Students & Education Directorate, a collection of wide-ranging professional services in place to support King’s students and their education. As a directorate we manage the student lifecycle from application to graduation and beyond, to ensure a coherent and seamless student experience and effective administrative processes, working closely with King’s faculties to do so. 

About the role

The Senior Research and Evaluation Adviser will work to position King’s College London as a sector leader on conducting institutional evaluation and research to understand how we can support students from underrepresented groups to access university and succeed at university. Our team generates causal evidence either through Randomised Controlled Trials or Quasi-experimental designs, as well as correlational and qualitative evidence. 

This is an exciting opportunity for candidates looking to work in research and evaluation in an applied context, and who wish to use their skills and expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods. This is an opportunity to grow your skills in generating and applying evidence to practice.

We encourage applications from candidates who have experience from both within and outside of the Higher Education sector where they can demonstrate the skills needed to succeed in this role.

Key responsibilities:

• ​​Lead on a range of research & evaluation activities, including synthesis of secondary research; conducting qualitative, quantitative and/or survey designs; developing and delivering randomised controlled trials (and other experimental trials as appropriate)
• ​Convey research findings, including complex quantitative information, in a clear and actionable way 
• Develop and maintain expertise in research and evaluation methodologies
• Work with academics and practitioners to test and trial new approaches to widening participation and student success 

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

Qualifications & Training

• Relevant work experience and/or education: We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. Relevant work experience might include work in any research or evaluation job. Relevant educational experiences might include higher education in a related discipline, professional qualifications or other training

Skills & Experience

• Ability to select appropriate research designs and use qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveying, interviewing and running focus groups
• Ability to establish causal inference using experimental methods (e.g quasi-experimental methods, randomised controlled trials)
• Confident in conducting data analysis and statistical testing using relevant software (such as Power BI, R, Stata or SPSS) and presenting findings in various formats
• Ability to manage multiple research projects and deliver work to deadline
• Confident and clear written and verbal communication, including report-writing and presentation skills
• Ability to work with others to deliver project aims and overcome challenges
• Ability to coach or train others on how to undertake specific tasks and give clear direction on desired outcomes
• Ability to decide own pattern of work and manage workload and resources over a long period 

Desirable criteria

Qualifications & Training

• Postgraduate degree or qualification in research methods, statistics, analytics or a related field and/or relevant experience.

Skills & Experience

• ​Interest in using behavioural insights in a research or policy context to positively influence behaviour

Knowledge

• Interest in the widening participation agenda and the role of higher education in social mobility

Further information

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

Closing date: 30 January 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on 19th and 20th February 2026.

Post: Support and Integration Officer

Department: Support and Integration Team

Reports to: Support and Integration Team Leader

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £26 521 per annum

Hours: 37.5 hours a week

Working days: Monday to Friday 9:00 – 5:00

Location: Third Floor, Derwent House,42-46 Waterloo Rd, Wolverhampton, WV1 4XB

About ACH

Our vision is to empower refugees and migrants who reside in the UK to lead self-sufficient and ambitious lives. ACH is a social enterprise comprised of a diverse group of strategists and researchers led by lived experience. We provide tailored integration services that not only help individuals but also disrupt the systems that have entrenched inequalities in our society. We have a track record of delivering effective support services that give refugees and migrants the tools they need to succeed. In 2021 alone, we have helped 1000+ people to achieve their personal goals and lead fulfilling lives in their new country. By working with us at ACH, you will be supporting refugees and migrants to build a better, brighter future.

Purpose of job

The Support and Integration Officer are responsible for providing excellent standards of support, as well as quality information advice and guidance, to enable the resettlement and successful integration of refugees. This role is one of the main pillars of the service that ACH provides.

Key Responsibilities

 Completing an initial Pre-Tenancy Assessment for each person referred to the service as well as developing a personalised plan of support for them ensuring that it is reviewed regularly

 Giving advice and support on a range of issues including housing, finance, education, employment, health and immigration, as required.

 Supporting people with budgeting / registering with care providers / creating social networks / advocacy/ volunteering / training / employment opportunities etc.

 Making internal and external referrals to other services e.g. ACH / Careers and Enterprise or other relevant external agencies and referral partners as appropriate

  Organising and attending group trips to local places of interest for our tenants

 Developing links with external organisations or agencies to promote the needs of refugees and create opportunities for partnership working.

 Effectively managing a designated caseload of tenants, as well as keeping accurate records and maintaining case files to a high standard.

 Fully participating in team meeting, staff meetings, training sessions, supervision and any other relevant forum or communication processes.

 Organising house meetings and visiting our tenants both at their properties and in the community

 Making use of CRM Salesforce reports to improve case management

Salary: £46,800-£49,800 per year
Contract type: Maternity cover - up to 12 months
Hours: 35 per week
Location: Remote with travel London

Do you have a proven track record of successfully collaborating and influencing across an organisation to develop compelling approaches? Can you translate big opportunities into actionable next steps? If so, this role could be for you.

We are looking for a creative and motivated individual with a background in fundraising and experience of writing for a variety of audiences. You'll be a strong leader, good communicator and a team player, able to build effective relationships with those around you. As a strategic thinker you'll be able to seek and identify opportunities to drive innovation and income growth.   

You'll be part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing critical support to our Philanthropy, Statutory and Lottery and Corporate Partnerships teams, using data and insight to drive relationship development forward.
What you'll be doing:

In this role, you'll work closely with the Senior Manager Prospect Research and Head of Relationship Development. You'll use your experience in proposition development to shape strategic direction and shape and plan core activities for delivery.

Being an effective communicator, you'll build strong relationships across RNIB, translating our strategic plans into compelling propositions about core work and exciting new opportunities for income generation.

You'll work closely with fundraising colleagues across the Strategic Relationships & Philanthropy directorate (including Major Donors, Trusts, Statutory and Lottery, and Corporate Partnerships) to develop an understanding of funder/donor needs and motivations and advise on how to best connect them with the exciting and innovative work of RNIB.  

We're a busy team, with lots to do, but team engagement is important to us, so whilst you'll have the choice of where you are based, you'll need to travel for team meetings and planning days which are often in our London Head Office. 

What We Offer

RNIB prides itself on being a great place to work with a positive, progressive culture. We offer a wide range of benefits including 26 days of holiday per year (plus bank holidays) which rises with service, enhanced family friendly benefits, a contributory pension scheme with an employer contribution of up to 11% and a rewards platform with employee discounts across over 800 retailers.

For more information on our available benefits, please visit our .

How to Apply

If you'd like to apply for this opportunity, please apply online, uploading your CV and supporting statement, telling us how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification.

About Bright Futures UK

 Bright Futures UK supports children and young people aged 5 to 24 whose education has been disrupted due to serious long-term physical or mental health conditions. We offer online one-to-one tutoring, befriending, and mentoring programmes, as well as group activities including hospital workshops, industry events, and advocacy initiatives. Working with hospitals, families, and partner services, we make sure children and young people experiencing health-related challenges are not left behind.

Role Overview

Provide an adaptable programme and volunteer support across referral intake, onboarding, delivery, safeguarding, and impact. The postholder will be placed on a primary track that suits their strengths and the organisation’s needs, while contributing to core team tasks.

Key Responsibilities

• Move children and young people or volunteers smoothly through referral or onboarding steps and keep them informed at every stage.
• Maintain clear, accurate records in our CRM and task systems, meeting GDPR and safeguarding standards.
• Coordinate logistics such as calls, meetings, sessions, and training, including invitations, reminders, and attendance records.
• Complete required paperwork and checks.
• Build positive relationships with families, hospitals, schools, partners, and volunteers through timely, friendly communication.
• Monitor progress against timelines, identify bottlenecks or risks early, and work with colleagues to resolve them.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns promptly in line with policy and contribute to safe, trauma-informed practice.
• Prepare and share resources and updates, and support basic reporting by tracking outputs, outcomes, and feedback.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Demonstrated ability to hold sensitive conversations in a trauma-informed, empathetic and professional way
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• High level of organisation and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain accurate records
• Commitment to safeguarding, confidentiality and ethical practice
• Proficiency in using digital systems and confidence in learning new tools (e.g. Better Impact, Asana, Canva)

Desirable:

• Experience working with or supporting children and young people with complex needs, including health, SEND or mental health challenges
• Experience working in a charity, school, hospital or youth work setting
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches and inclusive practice
• Experience supporting or supervising team members
• Mental Health First Aid

Salary: £46,698 (London) / £42,373 (National) per annum

Hours:                       35 hrs per week

Contract: Fixed term contract (until March 2027)

Benefits

· 27 days annual leave + statutory holidays + 3 closures days over the Christmas period;

· Flexible working for all staff including working from home / hybrid working, and flexi-time/TOIL scheme;

· Attractive family friendly policies;

· Private healthcare cover;

· Season ticket loans;

· Employee awards, and training and development opportunities.

For more information about our benefits please visit our website.

Office locations:  London, Bristol or homeworker

The role will involve spending a substantial amount of time in the East of England (including early starts/late finishes and overnight stays where required) and regular travel nationwide for NHF events and meetings. 

Please note, if office based, the successful candidate will be expected to carry out two days in-person working per week on average which will include attendance at your office location.

Flexible working arrangements can be discussed and agreed with the line manager subject to role and business needs.

An exciting opportunity has arisen at the National Housing Federation (NHF) to join our team of External Affairs Managers on a fixed-term basis to cover maternity leave. The NHF is the voice of housing associations in England. We are the trade body to almost 600 housing associations, who have grown from philanthropic roots to provide 2.6 million homes to around 6 million people. You can find further information about the NHF on our website.

Could you be our new External Affairs Manager, working closely with our housing association members across the East of England?

This is a unique and varied role which would appeal to someone with a background in areas such as stakeholder management, policy, public affairs, communications, programme management – or a combination of these areas! For example, you may be looking to step into a role to further develop your leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, whilst still building on your policy or programme management experience and knowledge.

You will operate at the heart of social housing by working with key decision makers across the housing association sector – including managing relationships with chief executives, chairs of boards and executive directors. Strong communication and influencing skills are essential to the role, as well as the confidence to work at the most senior levels.  

It is crucial that you can work collegiately to lead key programmes of work across the NHF with colleagues in other teams, for example from our policy, press, events, and public affairs teams. Equally, you will be comfortable working autonomously and shaping your own work programme.

The core of the role involves being responsible for engagement with a whole geographic region of our membership; and working closely on or leading one of the NHF’s key themes of work, which include areas such as supported housing; devolution; developing new homes; decarbonising existing homes; ensuring the building safety agenda is delivered; or representing our rural or smaller housing associations.

The role is wide ranging and in addition to stakeholder management and programme leadership, will include running roundtables between our members and government, chairing sessions at NHF conferences, and presenting political and policy updates to senior teams within housing associations.

You will be part of a team of eight External Affairs Managers sitting within the member services directorate, which is there to ensure that we provide excellent value for money for our housing association members.

Key elements of the role:

· You will build and maintain brilliant relationships with housing associations leaders, using your well-developed communication and advocacy skills to maximum effect.

· You will develop knowledge, insight and understanding of housing associations to shape our policy and influencing work and to create structured programmes of member engagement on critical policy and political issues.

· You will be the contact point for housing associations in your region, ensuring they receive first class customer service on the issues which matter to them. Working closely with NHF members you will facilitate the organisation of regional chief executive or leaders forums and sounding boards.

· In addition to your regional work, you will lead on the strategic planning and delivery of a key NHF policy priority. This will require collaborative working with colleagues from across the organisation and working with members across every region and specialism.  You will play a leadership role, creating structured engagement strategies to ensure members are able to influence policy as well as engaging key NHF stakeholders and sharing best practice.

· Your role will be to implement structured member engagement to ensure our policy priorities, positions and influencing work are member-led. This will include working directly with members to inform our policy positions and lead our influencing work.

· You will influence debates at the highest level and you will spot in advance and act strategically to mitigate the risk to our membership. As such, this role requires a high degree of political and organisational acumen and the ability to horizon scan.

· You will work with colleagues in our Commercial and Events teams to maximise commercial opportunities and help shape content at our conferences, as well chairing conference sessions.

· To be the face and voice of the NHF with members, stakeholders and the media.

· To ensure that as an organisation we deliver as a whole team, seamlessly, to members to achieve greatest impact in line with the business strategy.

· To maintain high quality standards and follow NHF policy and process.

The successful candidate:

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

· A sound knowledge and understanding of housing associations and issues affecting the wider sector.

· A sound understanding of the political and policy landscape that housing associations operate in.

· Demonstrable knowledge and experience of establishing and maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders, demonstrating excellent customer service and value for money.

· Effective communication skills, in person and in writing, including the ability to credibly and confidently present at meetings and events.

· Ability to listen to and influence senior stakeholders, demonstrating diplomacy, effective communication and negotiation skills.

· Clear leadership skills, able to lead complex and strategic programmes of work effectively, including experience of matrix managing and motivating a team.

· Excellent analytical skills and strategic nous with the ability to summarise complex information effectively to aid decision making.

· A commitment to excellent customer service.

· A positive, energetic and agile approach to work.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The NHF has published its equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, which was co-created with staff. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and we value the contribution each individual makes to our work.  

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and are working to increase the diversity profile of our workforce. We are currently under-represented by ethnic minorities, people with a disability or disabilities and LGBTQ+, and would particularly welcome applications from people in these groups.

Disability confident employer

We are a disability confident employer and if you are a disabled person who meets the skills and experience we consider essential for the role, we will offer you an interview.

Please note: there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job. In certain recruitment situations such as high-volume of applications, we may be required to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.
In these circumstances the NHF will select the disabled candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria, as we would do for non-disabled applicants. This is in line with the Disability Confident guidelines.

We are happy to consider reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process if you have a disability or have a condition that you feel may affect your performance during the recruitment process. Please contact the People team with your request or to arrange a time to discuss in more detail.

Our role profile and job advert can also be requested in large print or in accessible format via this email address.

Completing our Application Form

To apply for this role, please complete our online application form. The application form includes your employment and education history plus you will be asked to answer questions in relation to your knowledge, skills and experience, why you are applying for the role and questions in relation to our values. The application form is anonymous and will not require you to upload a CV or cover letter. This will help us to shortlist candidates for interview based solely on their knowledge, skills and experience.

Right to work in the UK/UK VISA sponsorship

You must have the right to work in the UK and it is important to note that the NHF does not sponsor individuals to work in the UK.

Closing date for applications: 4 January 2026

Interview date: 14 and 15 January 2026

Can you inspire and be inspired? Can you deliver great customer service? Are you looking for a chance to shine? We have fantastic opportunities for progression and development and the Freedom to nurture ideas and flair within a Framework of support to develop you.

At Barnardo's we believe in children, the funds we raise in store support the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK and now's your chance to play your part in this vital work. As well as maximising sales and profit in store you'll also ensure the very highest standards of presentation and customer services – your aim will be to make your store the best in town, for customers to visit and for your colleagues to work in.

You're an experienced people manager; you are creative and resourceful and can use this to generate customer, donor and colleague loyalty. You'll need to be well organised with great communication skills to lead your team of colleagues in store to maximise sales and profit and meet your stores targets.

In return you will work for one of the UK's largest charity retailers with benefits, including full training and development package, promotion prospects, pension and benefits.

Generating the money we need to make children's lives better is a truly fulfilling role so if you'd like to use your talent to make a positive difference then we would love to hear from you!

The full Job description and Person profile is available below. Please read this before applying to ensure that the job matches your skills and experience.

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document (if applicable). This should be done with an understanding of the context of the role described.

* As part of Barnardo's ongoing commitment to safeguarding, our retail recruitment process requires that successful candidates are asked to consent to a Basic criminal records check.

Interview Date: Where an interview date has been given in the advert, this will be the only date available. Please check this before proceeding with your application.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.