Communications project support officer jobs

Manchester Central Foodbank is a busy Trussell Trust-affiliated food bank, with centres in Central, North, and East Manchester. We were established in Ardwick in 2013 by students at the Manchester Universities’ Catholic Chaplaincy, making us the first student-led food bank in the country. Since then we have grown significantly, expanding our weekly sessions into Harpurhey and Openshaw.

Our core aims are to deliver the best quality support that we can to the largest number of our neighbours in need, while working with partners and influencing and organising at a neighbourhood and citywide level to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

We currently support 16,000 people per year with nutritionally balanced 3-day food parcels. This is double the number of people we supported in the first year following the Covid-19 pandemic, and four times the number supported in 2019. We also provide financial inclusion support with advice workers in public sessions, access to energy vouchers, SIM cards, and other voucher or material support. We coordinate across a network of 200 active front-line referral agencies with the aim of ensuring everyone who accesses our service has appropriate, specialised, and ongoing support alongside the material provision that we provide.

We are active leaders in anti-poverty organising and community development, as convenors of the citywide Building an Anti-Poverty Community collective and aim to be key shapers and influencers of new strategies and policies, working closely to support and influence local government, NHS, education and research agendas in Manchester and more widely building upon our track record of successful anti-poverty partnership work, social value impact and Parliamentary influencing. Our core values are: care, partnership, dignity, partnership, anti-stigma and rights-based.

Key responsibilities
As Chief Executive Officer you will be the key senior staff leader for the charity. You will lead the team to ensure they have the resources, frameworks, and support to effect smooth day-to-day running of our frontline support service. You will provide a strong business management focus, through supporting the financial process, overall metrics and reporting, day to day HR and input for the external Payroll Team, Health and Safety, appropriate working conditions, and strategic planning and communications. 

As the senior lead you will also facilitate and support the Board of Trustees to develop and lead strategic development objectives and plans for transformation, and ensure the delivery and implementation of the charity’s overall strategy and specific focused strategies. You will develop and manage strategic relationships with stakeholders including Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value funders and partners, and high-value and donors. You will also plan and lead fundraising strategies. 

You will be a key external interface for our community and partners.  You will do this by:

Staff/Board Leadership and Governance:

• Line managing a current team of operations staff, including those supporting the recruitment, training, and management of a large team of volunteers. 

• Building team spirit and employee engagement and offer.

• Leading and delivering regular staff performance and development reviews.

• Developing and delivering robust metrics and reporting to the board and staff team, through consistent monthly and quarterly reporting packs to the board of trustees.

• Ensuring all staff and volunteers are familiar and engaged with the charity’s long-term goals and objectives, and know how their work helps to implement these on the ground. Leading the development of induction packages and ongoing offers for staff and volunteers. You will be responsible for writing, implementation, and update of institutional policies as needed to staff and volunteers.

• Leading targeted volunteer recruitment strategies to maximise core delivery capacity through volunteer roles and prioritise staffing capacity to core charity operations.

• Ensure policies are kept current.

• Ensure recording and management of absence/leave.

• Ensure Health and Safety aspects of all organisational operations are compliant, in collaboration with the Board sponsor.

• Manage day to day financial input, through the Xero app, and ensure accurate and up-to-date financial reporting for the Board/Treasurer. This includes administering monthly payroll requests.

• Oversee training and personal development plans for staff and volunteers, as appropriate.

• Working with the Chair of Trustees to implement the charity’s strategic plan and structural development objectives.

• Develop and implement ongoing plans and actions to ensure operationally-appropriate and safe office, warehouse, and working spaces.

• Lead on development, modelling, and maintenance of service delivery standards, quality control, and ensuring frontline teams have the appropriate resources, support, and frameworks to deliver high quality and consistent support offers.

Foodbank Management:

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to deliver the smooth running of food bank sessions across multiple centres, ensuring an excellent standard of service across all centres, and seeking to continually develop our service in line with our goals to support the largest number of people with the best support we can while working to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

• Develop and build a new Delivery Strategy with the Chair of Trustees and Operations and Project Lead.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead and Warehouse and Logistics Coordinator to safely store and maintain optimal stock levels, maximise food donation levels and reduce food spend, develop and maintain relationships with community donors, and record incoming and outgoing stock, with the aim of ensuring that all centres are well stocked to provide as many varied, balanced, and nutritious and culturally-appropriate food parcels as necessary.

• Ensure compliance with the procedures set out in Manchester Central Foodbank’s policies, the Trussell Trust’s Operating Manual, and relevant statutory requirements at all times.

• Ensure our food bank centres provide a safe and dignified environment for clients, free from discrimination, judgement, and stigma.

Strategy and External Relationships:

• Working with the Chair of Trustees on development, monitoring, and implementation of the core charity strategy and sub-strategies. Ensuring the involvement and participation of the food bank’s staff, volunteers, external partners, and service users in all strategic planning and decision making, where appropriate.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to work build strong relationships with referral partners and wider community and statutory networks of collaborators and support to ensure that our service users are able to access the maximum amount of support before, during, and after accessing our service to minimise the length and severity of financial crisis, maximise their incomes, and provide pathways to ongoing and longer-term support.

• Play an active role in strategic and convening spaces around our city and neighbourhoods to present the foodbank’s approach, bring more partners into our network, and influence policy and funding frameworks.

• Develop and manage a Corporate Relationships and Social Value strategy, including communications, networking, and relationship management.

• Lead on directing the charity’s external communications, including social media, in person, newsletters, company visits, and other content.

• Manage internal communications, including developing and delivering two-way team briefings with the board and staff/volunteers, biannual town halls or away days with board members and staff/volunteers, newsletters, and an open and collaborative, person-focused, and developmental culture within the organisation.

About you

Essential Experience and Knowledge:

• 5 years’ experience of leading a similar profiled charity or organisation and successful Board interaction.

• Experience of leading successful transformation and change for a charity and a strong developmental mindset and focus.

• Have led a team of 5 or more staff members to successful performance, demonstrating experience of coaching and individual development skills.

• Experience in developing and leading successful and engaged volunteering programmes and support.

• Full valid driving licence. 

• Proven experience of leading the development and delivery of strategy and sub-strategies to successful conclusion and fashioning evidenced business cases for current and new development projects.

• Leading multiple complex projects or services, balancing the needs and interests of a range of stakeholders.

• Experience of implementing rigorous reporting and evaluation practices on operations.

• Experience of managing day-to-day financial administration and reporting.

• Evidence of delivering clear metric dashboards and reports.

• Experience of high-quality implementation of Health and Safety and Safeguarding policies and a leadership practice that centres care for staff, volunteers, and service users. Safeguarding lead qualification is desirable but will provide training if not.

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in HR processes and management.

• Experience in building and delivering strategic plans.

• Proven experience of effective problem solving and responding to crisis situations.

• A good working knowledge of the social welfare and political landscape in Manchester – or demonstrable experience in similar expertise and networking and an openness to learn and develop sector-specific knowledge.

• A nuanced and sensitive understanding of the complex reasons people attend food banks.

Desirable Experience and Knowledge:

• Partnering with and building relationships with Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value partners and funders, high net worth donors, and fundraising through grant applications and individual/community donors.

• Experience of working collaboratively with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and views. 

• Experience of handling safeguarding incidents, follow-ups, and debriefs with staff, volunteers, and service users.

• Demonstrated success in delivering communications strategies for internal and external stakeholders, including social media and press content and campaigns.

Personal Skills and Attributes:

• An individual who embodies the values of Manchester Central Foodbank in their core professional practice and personal approach to their work.

• An empathetic and care-centred approach and the ability to centre the experience and outcomes of people from marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds in core decision-making and prioritisation.

• A leader who takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility to drive an organisation and team forward with a developmental mindset.

• A highly self-motivated and proactive person who centres collaboration and consensus with the staff team, volunteers and Board of Trustees in their approach.

• Able to develop strategy and plans and translate strategy to actionable delivery and developmental projects.

• A high level of literacy and communication.

• A high level of numeracy and ability to analyse data.

• Strong leadership attributes to build engagement and performance with the team.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate, persuade, and coach staff and volunteers.

• Excellent personal organisation skills and the ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities and deadlines.

We’re looking for a creative and organised Design Officer to join our Marketing team on a FTC until August 2027. This is an opportunity to play a key role in helping people recognise The National Lottery Community Fund and understand the difference our funding makes to communities across the UK.

Working closely with the Brand Manager and colleagues across Communications and Engagement, you’ll help create clear, accessible and engaging design materials for a wide range of channels. From templates, presentations and reports to campaign assets, event materials and branded guidance, your work will help us tell our story consistently and creatively.

This role would suit someone who has a flare for design and enjoys balancing hands-on design delivery with brand stewardship, working with different teams, managing varied briefs and finding practical creative solutions in a busy organisation.

You might start the day reviewing new design requests from colleagues, then spend time creating branded assets for a campaign, presentation, report or event. Later, you may be advising a team on how to apply our visual identity, updating a template, or working with an external designer to make sure commissioned work is on brand, accessible and delivered on time.

You’ll be expected to balance hands-on design delivery with brand guidance, helping colleagues produce communications that are clear, consistent and engaging.

 

Key responsibilities may include:

• Create high-quality design materials for internal and external communications, across print and digital channels.
• Manage and prioritise design requests, agreeing realistic timelines with colleagues.
• Support the Brand Manager in maintaining the consistency and integrity of the Fund’s visual identity.
• Provide practical design advice to teams across the UK, balancing brand consistency with creative flexibility.
• Design quick-turnaround assets in-house, including presentations, social media graphics, reports, event materials and branded documents.
• Brief and work with external designers, freelancers or suppliers where additional support is needed.
• Ensure design work is accessible, inclusive and appropriate for the intended audience.
• Work closely with communications, content and country teams to support integrated campaigns and projects.

We’re looking for someone with strong practical experience in graphic design, ideally with at least five years’ experience in a design role or similar creative environment. You’ll be confident creating high-quality design work across a range of formats, including digital, print, presentations, reports, social media, campaign materials and event assets.

You’ll need a good understanding of brand identity and be able to apply guidelines consistently while still bringing creative thinking and flexibility to your work. You should be comfortable managing multiple briefs, prioritising your workload and working to deadlines in a busy organisation.

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least five years’ experience in a graphic design role or similar creative background.
• A strong, up-to-date portfolio of design work that you are able to talk through.
• Experience creating materials for both digital and print channels.
• Good knowledge of design software and tools, such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva or similar.
• An understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to produce clear, polished and accurate work.
• Experience working with brand guidelines and maintaining visual consistency.
• Good communication skills, with the confidence to advise colleagues and respond constructively to feedback.
• The ability to manage competing deadlines and work with colleagues across different teams.
• Experience briefing or working with external designers, freelancers or suppliers would be helpful.
• This role can be based anywhere in the UK. You will be expected to travel at least once a month for team meetings, and occasional additional travel may be required to support projects, events or collaboration with colleagues.
• A relevant design qualification, certification or equivalent professional experience would be welcome, but we are most interested in your practical experience, portfolio and ability to create accessible, effective and brand-aligned design work.

 

Interview details:

• Date: w/c 6th or 13th July
• Format: Online
• Location: We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Newtown.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: Ibi Adekoya. For any questions about the recruitment process, please email us.

 

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application. If you are selected for interview we will request to view your portfolio before the interview date. 

Your supporting statement should explain how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria below. Your portfolio should include examples of recent design work that show your approach to brand, accessibility, layout, digital and/or print design. We will use your CV, supporting statement and portfolio to assess your application.

 

Essential Criteria:

• At least five years’ practical experience working in graphic design, brand design or a similar creative role.
• A strong and relevant portfolio demonstrating high-quality design across a range of formats, such as digital, print, reports, presentations, campaigns, social media or event materials.
• Experience applying brand guidelines consistently while using creative judgement to adapt designs for different audiences, channels and purposes.
• Strong working knowledge of design tools, particularly Adobe Creative Suite, with confidence using other tools such as Canva or Microsoft PowerPoint where appropriate.
• Good understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles, with the ability to create clear, user-focused and accessible design work.
• Strong communication skills, with the confidence to advise colleagues on design choices and explain creative decisions clearly.
• Experience commissioning and briefing and working with external designers, freelancers or suppliers where additional support is needed

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience designing for a public sector, charity, non-profit or purpose-led organisation.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

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

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

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

Project Manager (Cascade Wellbeing Project)

Part Time – 21 hours (3 days) per week

Salary £24,000 (£40,000 FTE)

 

We are seeking a Project Manager to deliver the Cascade Project – a partnership between the St Benedict’s Centre and the Diocese of Rochester. The project aims to develop a programme of initiatives and interventions to support frontline church leaders (lay and ordained, including Headteachers of church schools) with their wellbeing.

The project has been under development for the past year. The Project Manager will lead the project from development to implementation. Funding has been committed by the Church Commissioners for the first 4 years of the implementation period.

The Project Manager will provide overall leadership for the Cascade project, taking responsibility for setting culture and strategy and vision, developing strong and successful relationships with key external partners, delivering an imaginative programme (in person and online) to support the wellbeing of lay and ordained church leaders (including Headteachers of Church Schools) in the Diocese of Rochester and beyond, and ensuring that there are sufficient resources available for Cascade to flourish.

Candidates should have experience of leadership in a church setting with project management experience.  You should have an understanding of wellbeing issues for frontline workers and knowledge of a variety of therapeutic processes and other interventions.  You will have excellent organisational and communications skills.

Please see the attached Job Description for a full list of responsibilities, which include:

· Developing a clear vision and strategy for the project, ensuring that all necessary resources are in place for the project to flourish

· Developing, delivering and sustaining an imaginative and adaptive programme of interventions to support the wellbeing of lay and ordained church leaders, including workshops, peer support, therapy, counselling, one-to-one support, coaching, conferences, retreats, speakers on specific topics, etc

· Responsibility for building strong and effective relationships/partnerships with external stakeholders

Please note that we are advertising this role in parallel with the role of St Benedict’s Centre Warden. While the two roles are distinct, they are inter-related. We are open to flexing both appointments where one person is interested in holding both part-time roles together.

What we can offer:

· Flexible working, Hybrid working and TOIL

· Generous holiday entitlement

· Contributory pension scheme

· Access to an Employee Assistance programme

This is an employed post, if you are an ordained candidate wishing to remain a member of the clergy pension scheme, please contact us for a discussion about salary and pension.

The St Benedict’s Centre is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment. 

The wider a group’s diversity, the smarter, wiser, and more compassionate and creative its decision making becomes. We are committed to the Diocese of Rochester’s aim to achieve diversity by seeking UKME/GMH colleagues and those from a wide-range of backgrounds, to help create a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Closing date for applications: Friday 12 June

Interviews will be held: Wednesday 1 July

About the team

We have big goals over the next few years.

We're going to be fighting for mental health in a way we never have before.

Together we'll be working to make sure everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets the support and respect they deserve.

Team information

Will you join us?

We're recruiting an Events Officer to join Mind's Events team. The team is focused on recruiting supporters to take part in third party sports events - such as TCS London Marathon, Tough Mudder, Royal Parks Half and the Ultra Challenge series - and helping them to achieve their fundraising goals.

The Events team is a part of a wider Mass Engagement team. In this financial year, the team is responsible for raising more than £23 million, so that Mind can fight for timely access to great quality care for all.

This is a part-time role, working 14hrs per week.

This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Key duties and responsibilities

The post holder will:

Day to day, the Events Officer manages supporter journeys from end-to-end. You'll make sure that those taking part in running, hiking, cycling and other active events get the information they need ahead of their events, feel connected to Mind's mission and are inspired to fundraise. You'll work with the Senior Events Officer, supporting other areas of event delivery, such as marketing and event day logistics.

We'd like to hear from you if you have…

-Experience working on peer-to-peer fundraising programmes and delivering memorable fundraising experiences for supporters.

-Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build authentic and effective relationships with supporters.

-Track record of monitoring and meeting targets and KPIs, ensuring strong ROI and supporter engagement.

-Project management skills, including ability to work across multiple projects simultaneously. Ability to use initiative to work alone ensuring work is planned, prioritised, and organised to achieve set deadlines.

-Ability to interpret and analyse data and use insight to improve performance.

-Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams and functions, fostering a positive and productive working environment.

-Commitment to using communication skills to improve supporter experience through insight-driven communications and personalised engagement strategies

Mind's equity statement

Mind is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Please refer to the Role Profile while completing your application as candidates will be shortlisted based on how closely they match the criteria in the personal specification.

About the team

Even though 1 in 4 people have mental health problems, most of us don't get the help we need. This has to change.

We have big goals over the next few years. We're going to be fighting for mental health in a way we never have before.

Together we'll be working to make sure everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets the support and respect they deserve.

The Individual Giving team is focused on recruiting supporters to give a one-off donation or a direct debit to Mind. The team creates insight-led and creative fundraising campaigns and stewardship activities that acquire, retain and deepen engagement with supporters building long-term relationships that help deliver income for Mind.

About the role

Will you join us?

We're recruiting 2 x Individual Giving Officer roles to join the team.

As an Individual Giving Officer, you will support the Senior Individual Giving Officer in generating and delivering inspiring and motivating marketing and stewardship communications - as well as leading on delegated campaigns and projects, to build engagement with supporters and drive long term support for Mind.

You will deliver marketing campaigns from beginning to end - from writing briefs and working with agencies and internal teams on media, creative, data, print, production, and fulfilment, to collating results and using data and insight to optimise activity and deliver a brilliant supporter experience.

You'll be joining a team of friendly and passionate fundraisers, and you'll be supported to develop your skills and personal development plans in a wellbeing focused environment.

The Individual Giving team is a part of the wider Mass Engagement team, and you will play a pivot role in helping the team to reach and exceed their target of raising over £23 million, so that Mind can fight for timely access to great quality care for all.

This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

About you

We'd like to hear from you if you have…

-Experience in planning, delivering and evaluating campaigns or activities, managing timelines, budgets, and multiple stakeholders to meet targets; with a track record of meeting and exceeding KPIs.

-Strong communication skills and the ability to engage with and steward our supporters across a range of marketing channels.

-Experience interpreting and analysing data to optimise marketing, fundraising or communication campaigns or stewardship strategies to improve performance and strengthen loyalty and trust.

-Excellent interpersonal skills and can build strong relationships internally and externally with suppliers, agencies, and stakeholders to collaborate and deliver a high-quality supporter experience.

-Experience in innovative thinking and creative approaches to enhance campaign performance and deepen supporter engagement.

-Experience administering PO & invoicing processes, accurately tracking expenditure to ensure activities are within budget and supporting financial reporting.

Mind is open to experience outside of the charity sector, transferable skills and learning in post, and we will welcome applications from candidates who may not meet the criteria exactly.

About applying

For more information about the role and its core responsibilities, download the full role profile below. If this sounds like the role for you, click "Apply Now". Please apply with a CV and covering letter or personal statement (no more than two A4 sides for each) which refers to the Person Specification.

Mind are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we will always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. We are also open to flexible working arrangements so please don't be afraid to speak to us about this at the interview stage, so we can explore what's possible.

Interviews are likely to take place week commencing 22nd June 2026 and will be in person at our office in Stratford, London.

Mind's equity statement

Mind is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Please refer to the Role Profile while completing your application as candidates will be shortlisted based on how closely they match the essential criteria in the personal specification.
 

We are seeking a highly motivated, creative and strategically minded individual with a strong track record of developing and delivering successful projects who can identify new opportunities, build and maintain strong relationships, uphold established ways of working, and bring fresh ideas and energy to our creative programme.

The Projects and Community Engagement Lead will lead on the development and delivery of new creative, community and participatory projects; and will play a pivotal role in strengthening the organisation's engagement with its volunteers and audiences in communities across Dorset.

Working within a small team can at times be highly pressurised, so we require someone who can adjust quickly and contribute positively to a supportive and collaborative working culture. This role requires a flexible and adaptive approach to support our volunteer promoters and venues in delivering high-quality cultural experiences to their communities, ensuring our events meet their needs and interests; and to support the Executive Director in delivering the core performance programme with our volunteer promoters.

Carers First is a charity that works directly with, and for unpaid carers, providing personalised information, advice and tailored support making it easier for those caring for someone else to continue living their lives to the fullest.

We have a committed, dedicated staff team and you could be just the person we are looking for to join us to make that valuable difference in carer’s lives. We live and work through our values in all that we achieve by being positive, collaborative and ambitious and we have clear plans to scale our reach, support and impact for carers.

About this role

As a Project Officer, you will play a key role in supporting the planning, delivery, and evaluation of projects that help bring the Carers First Strategy to life—enabling us to reach more carers and improve the support we provide. This role is funded through the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund as a Fixed Term contract for the life of the project until September 2028.

Working closely with the Project Manager, you will:

• Support the development, coordination, and delivery of projects from initial scoping through to evaluation
• Work in co-production with carers, ensuring their voice shapes everything we do
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams, partners, and stakeholders
• Facilitate groups, workshops, and discussions to engage carers and colleagues
• Produce high-quality project documentation, communications, and reports
• Support evaluation activity, capturing impact, learning, and outcomes

You will also contribute to identifying new opportunities and projects, staying informed about developments in health, social care, and policy affecting carers.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking, values-driven organisation. You’ll play a vital role in shaping and delivering projects that create real, lasting change for carers, while working in a supportive and collaborative environment.

About you

We are looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about supporting unpaid carers and committed to making a positive impact
• Experienced in supporting or delivering projects, from development through to evaluation
• Skilled in engaging and working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Confident facilitating discussions and getting the best out of groups
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• An excellent communicator, able to produce clear, engaging reports and materials

An understanding of project management approaches (such as Theory of Change or change management) is desirable, but not essential.

We are looking for passionate people who are committed to the overall aims and objectives of the Charity. Carers First is committed to providing a supportive, vibrant, diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.  

Carers First Can Offer You  

In return for your contribution, we have an amazing package of staff benefits including 26 days annual leave entitlement which increases with length of service, flexible working options, paid carers leave, access to our work-place pension, staff discount scheme, employee assistance programme and a Benenden Healthcare package.  Whatever you are aiming to achieve in your career, we are here to encourage, help and support you grow, through our excellent training and development programmes.

How to apply

To apply for our exciting opportunity and make a real difference to the lives of carers, just visit the Carers First website and click on the ‘Apply Now’ button to begin your application. Appointments are subject to Carers First receiving an appropriate disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service that we consider acceptable.

Interviews

All applications will be assessed upon receipt, and successfully shortlisted candidates will be

invited interview which will be in two parts:

• A presentation delivered to the panel followed by an interview.

Interview date will either be 17 June 2026 or 25 June 2026.

Carers First is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Positive      Collaborative      Ambitious

 

• Reports to: Director of Fundraising & Partnerships
• Hours: Full time with flexible hours. Core hours are 10am to 4pm. 
• Contract length: 13 months, starting in mid-July 2026.
• Location: Hybrid. London (Embankment) two days per week and remote working.

Benefits: 

• 25 days annual leave, UK bank holidays and one volunteering day a year, one day for moving home 
• A highly competitive pension (up to 11% employer contribution for 5% employee contribution) 
• Private health insurance, eye tests and medical checks 
• Flexible working: core hours from 10am to 4pm with a minimum of two days spent in the office in London each week (Wednesdays and Thursdays)
• 24/7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Programme
• Income protection insurance and life assurance 
• Cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan and gym membership loan
• Free access to The Economist content, including an online subscription, our range of apps, podcasts and more 

ABOUT US

The Economist Educational Foundation is a fast-growing charity on a mission to ensure that every child is empowered to think critically and communicate effectively about the world’s most complex current issues.

Last year, 10,800 teachers downloaded Topical Talk lessons, reaching 532,000 children in over 86 countries. We are on track to double this number, reaching over 1 million school children by the end of this academic year.

Topical Talk helps children join inspiring discussions about the news by providing:

• Topical Talk Headlines – award-winning teaching resources for classroom discussions about global news stories
• Topical Talk Festival – the world’s biggest news festival for young people
• Leadership for Change Prize – child-led solutions to complex global issues
• Community partnerships – support and training for teachers via partnerships with Multi-Academy Trusts in the UK and School Districts in America

Our programme has received international recognition, including from HundrED as one of the top 100 education initiatives, from UNESCO as a winner of the Global Media and Information Literacy Awards 2022 and from the Money And Inclusion Awards (MAIA) for best content in 2025.

THE ROLE

We are looking for a highly organised and proactive Senior Fundraising Officer to join our team on a fixed-term contract.

Working closely with the Director of Fundraising and the Senior Fundraising Lead, you will ensure our high-value corporate partnerships run smoothly, our high-net-worth events are a success and our external pitches are sharp and well-researched. 

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to develop your hands-on experience across corporate, trusts and foundations and individual giving within a fast-growing charity backed by a globally recognised brand.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research and opportunity generation

• Support the team by researching and keeping abreast of new funding opportunities across trusts, foundations, and corporate prospects.
• Compile background research to help the team evaluate and pursue new business leads.

Funding applications and pitch support

• Assist the Senior Fundraising Lead and Director of Fundraising with writing funding applications.
• Help structure and draft compelling pitch documents to support the team’s new business goals.
• Design and adapt templates for various fundraising documents and pitches.

Partnership coordination

• Take ownership of the day-to-day coordination of our corporate and institutional partnerships, ensuring exceptional donor care and seamless communication with external stakeholders (e.g., tracking partnership metrics, coordinating meetings, monthly data reporting and managing external communications).
• Deliver external logistics, such as school visits and workshops for corporate partners.
• Draft and prepare comprehensive reports for funders, while managing and responding to all ad hoc requests efficiently.

Fundraising operations support

• Be a key, dependable member of the team, supporting various fundraising work streams to ensure targets are met and team effectiveness is maximised.
• Draft supporter newsletters for our donor communications. 
• Coordinate in-person and online events (e.g., roundtables, fireside talks).

REQUIRED SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES AND EXPERIENCE

Skills and attributes

• Organised: You can manage multiple tasks and deadlines across different projects and teams.
• Compelling communicator: You can write with clarity and warmth, tailoring your tone to engage corporate partners and institutional funders.
• Team player: You are a positive, helpful presence who is motivated by helping others succeed and willing to lend a hand whenever the team needs you.
• Reliable: You are disciplined with deadlines and act as a dependable anchor for the team, managing requests with consistency.

Experience 

You must have:

• Fundraising experience: Experience working and/or volunteering in a fundraising capacity.
• Pitch and proposal support: Proven ability to write funding applications, grants, or persuasive pitch documents.
• Task management: Experience managing multiple tasks or priorities effectively, whether in a work, volunteer, or educational setting.
• Professional communication: Experience communicating clearly and professionally in person, via email and phone.
• General IT proficiency: Experience using standard office software (such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace) and a readiness to learn new digital tools.

You might have:

• Research skills: An ability to conduct thorough background research to identify new potential funding opportunities.
• Events and logistics: Experience helping to coordinate events (virtual or in-person), including handling bookings and catering.
• Coordination experience: Experience in a support, coordination, or customer-facing role within a charity, sales, or account management environment.

We’re particularly keen for you to apply if you are from a community under-represented in the charity sector or have lived experience of facing extra barriers because of your background. 

Leukaemia UK – Our Charity
We are a ‘small but mighty’ charity with one big ambition: to stop leukaemia devastating lives. Over the next 10 years we want to help save and improve the lives of more people with leukaemia through funding life-changing research and campaigning for change. Despite decades of incredible progress, only half of leukaemia patients live longer than five years after their diagnosis. We won't stop until we change this.

We are looking for a Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager to join the Policy and Advocacy team. At a pivotal moment for Leukaemia UK, they will lead and manage our political influencing work, ensuring our profile and reputation remains high and we are able to influence political decisions.

With our new strategy period beginning in 2027, over the next 5 years we plan to increase our investment into ground-breaking research and campaigning to improve diagnosis, treatment and care. We are in a period of significant growth, investing to grow our income, profile, influence, engagement and impact.

Having developed our policy, public affairs and campaigns function over the current strategy period, this role will help take this to the next level and play a key role in strengthening our ability to influence change across the UK.

 

Team

We are a close-knit team, who are all passionate about Leukaemia UK and putting those affected by the disease at the heart of everything we do. We are all focused on pragmatic, practical solutions, as well as ensuring that our charity gets the funding it needs to continue to help those diagnosed with leukaemia and related conditions.

As a small organisation with just over 30 employees, every role counts. We have ambitious plans and we rely on individuals being self-starters, resilient and used to working at pace to maximise our collective impact. We are all about delivering exceptional expertise and making a real change to people’s lives.

Leukaemia UK and You

We are looking for a self-motivated Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager to join our team, taking a leading role in shaping and delivering Leukaemia UK’s influencing and campaigning activity to drive policy change. The successful candidate will be an innovative, driven and forward-thinking individual with a proven track record of delivering impactful public affairs and campaigning work within the health charity sector. You will work closely with the Head of Policy and Advocacy and the Policy Officer to ensure a coordinated, insight‑led and strategically aligned approach to policy development, public affairs and campaigning activity across the organisation.

The Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager will be instrumental in strengthening and growing the charity’s profile, influence and impact among political stakeholders and senior civil servants across all four UK administrations. This role will ensure that the ‘patient voice’ is heard and acted upon by key decision-makers, while also ensuring that the needs and priorities of individuals affected by leukaemia are understood, represented, valued and embedded within our influencing and campaigning strategies.

Alongside this, you will lead the development of creative and innovative campaigning approaches, using a range of tactics to effectively engage supporters, partners and policy makers in our work. You will create compelling opportunities for stakeholders to join our efforts to drive policy change, and ensure that our campaigns are visible, impactful and aligned to our policy priorities.

You will work closely with the Communications team to ensure that campaigning to drive policy change is clearly understood, amplified and embedded across digital channels and content strategies, maximising reach, engagement and impact. You will also support with identifying and developing new opportunities for PR, media engagement and thought leadership to strengthen Leukaemia UK’s position as a credible and influential voice in the sector. You will be representing Leukaemia UK in multiple charity coalitions and forums to ensure that leukaemia is represented on the political agenda.

The successful candidate will be adept at articulating evidence-based policy positions to policy makers, healthcare professionals, researchers, effectively representing the perspectives of those affected by leukaemia. They will have the ability to influence a wide range of senior stakeholders to drive progress and bring about meaningful change. A strong understanding of the external political landscape, coupled with exceptional communication skills and attention to detail, is essential.

This role does not currently include direct line management responsibility but will play a key role in coordinating activity across the Policy and Advocacy function, with potential to take on management responsibilities as the team grows.

Experience and skills

Essential 

• Experience of working within public affairs and/or campaigning, with demonstrable impact in influencing policy or driving change (candidates should have strong experience in at least one of these areas, with an understanding of how they work together)
• Experience of influencing government, policy makers and/or decision makers, preferably within the health, research or charity sector
• Experience of developing and delivering public affairs and/or campaigning strategies, including planning, delivery and evaluation
• Experience of engaging and managing a range of stakeholders, including policy makers, partners, and supporters
• Experience of producing high-quality written outputs such as briefings, consultation responses, or campaign materials to influence decision makers
• Experience of working collaboratively across teams, particularly with communications functions
• Experience of monitoring and evaluating activity to assess impact and inform future approaches
• Experience of delivering multiple projects and programmes in a fast-paced environment

Desirable

• Experience of integrating campaigning with digital, PR or communications strategies
• Experience of identifying PR, media or thought leadership opportunities
• Experience of working in the cancer or wider health policy environment
• Experience of line management or supporting others’ development

Knowledge and personal traits

Essential

• Strong understanding of the UK political and policy landscape, including how decisions are made and influenced
• Understanding of how public affairs and campaigning can work together to drive change, including supporter engagement and mobilisation
• Ability to think strategically and identify opportunities to influence policy and public debate
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly to different audiences
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders with differing perspectives
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and an understanding of the importance of engaging with patients and underrepresented groups
• A proactive, collaborative and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to work at pace

Desirable

• Knowledge of the cancer, research or NHS policy landscape
• Experience of working with patients or in an advocacy capacity

Role Specifics

• Full time: 37.5 hours per week, worked Monday to Friday.
• Location: We are very flexible! Our offices are based in Central London, and we operate hybrid working.  In this role you are required to work from the office at least one day per fortnight and as appropriate, to  undertake the proper performance of the role duties regarding internal and external meetings and activities.
• Annual Salary: £40,000 - £50,000

Benefits- We are proud of our benefits

• 36 days holiday per year, including bank holidays- pro rata for part time employees
• Pension – default is 4% employee and 4% employer and we match up to 6%
• Life Assurance – x 4 cover
• Critical Illness Cover
• Cash back healthcare scheme & Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Hybrid Working
• Company sick pay
• Individual training budgets

Applications and interview timings 

If you feel you have the passion for our work and the right mix of experience, skills, energy, and flair, then we would love you to apply. Please also see the full job description attached to the advert.  To minimise unconscious bias, we use anonymous recruitment and are unable to consider direct applications. Please apply via the CharityJob website with your CV and covering letter.

Closing Date: 9am Monday 22nd June 2026

• First interviews will be held via Teams on Thursday 2nd July 2026
• Second interviews will be face to face in our London Offices – at 26 Great Queen St, London WC2B 5BL on Thursday 9th July 2026

I look forward to hearing from you! 

Georgia

Georgia Papacleovoulou

Head of Policy & Advocacy

Leukaemia UK

About The Clink Charity

The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, aims to prevent and reduce reoffending through training, reintegration, and support. We deliver hospitality and horticulture training behind the prison walls and in the community by creating an environment where our students are supported to gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to rebuild their lives.

Since that time, we have trained approximately 5,000 people in prison and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications in a variety of hospitality and food courses.

What makes The Clink so unique is our post-release support and mentoring programme that reintegrates an offender back into society through assistance with health and mental health issues, housing, employment, family connections and friendships.

The charity operates an award-winning fine-dining restaurant open to the public inside HMP Brixton, training kitchens in the prison estate, horticulture projects at HMP Send and HMP Erlestoke, a commercial bakery in Brixton, and a bespoke delivery service, Catered by Clink.

Additionally, Clink Events is our social enterprise catering business with food produced by the women in HMP Downview and also in an additional kitchen at Herne Hill and then served by alumni on front of house at some of the best venues in London including: the Guildhall, the Science Museum, Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens and the Camden Roundhouse. In 2025, across 239 events, The Clink fed 43,000 people.

More information can be found on our website and social media channels.

About The Role

Working pattern: Full time, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, 3-4 days in the office, or on site at projects in prison or in the community.

Location: Our Head Office is in Herne Hill, SE24 London (7 min walk from Herne Hill station)

Our Head of Fundraising & Brand is a vital leadership role within The Clink Charity, responsible for securing the income, profile and partnerships needed to sustain and grow our life-changing work.

This is a broad and influential role, providing strategic leadership across fundraising, communications, marketing and brand. Working within our portfolio of prison and community-based projects, the postholder will help ensure that The Clink's impact is communicated in a compelling and consistent way to funders, supporters, partners and the wider public, while developing sustainable income streams to support our long-term ambitions.

Building on The Clink's strong reputation and proven impact, the Head of Fundraising & Brand will lead the development and delivery of a fundraising and communications strategy that extends beyond grants to encompass major donors, corporate partnerships, individual giving, events and other income opportunities. Through powerful storytelling, audience growth and brand development, they will increase awareness of our work, strengthen engagement with key stakeholders and create new opportunities for fundraising, partnerships and commercial income generation.

Working closely with the Chief Executive, Director of Finance & Resources and senior leadership team, the postholder will lead and develop a talented fundraising and marketing team, cultivate strategic relationships and identify new opportunities for growth and collaboration.

As The Clink continues to expand its reintegration, training and employment programmes, this role will play a central part in securing the resources needed to support that growth, strengthen our brand and increase engagement with our mission to reduce reoffending.

If you are a strategic and ambitious fundraising leader with a track record of generating income, building partnerships and inspiring teams, and are passionate about creating meaningful social change, we would love to hear from you.

A Little About You

You could be a great fit for our Head of Fundraising & Brand role if you are an ambitious and strategic leader with experience of developing fundraising strategies, growing income and building organisational profile. Perhaps you've led fundraising within a charity, developed successful partnerships, secured major grants, or overseen marketing and communications activity that has strengthened a brand, increased audience engagement and generated growth in income through fundraising, commercial activity or the sale of products and services.

You may have built your career in fundraising, communications, marketing or business development, but you'll have a strong understanding of how these disciplines work together to generate support, attract funding, grow audiences and drive sustainable income. You'll be comfortable developing strategy, building relationships and translating organisational impact into compelling stories that inspire funders, partners, customers and supporters.

We welcome applications from experienced professionals who are ready to lead a talented team, shape the future direction of fundraising and brand development at The Clink Charity, and play a key role in our continued growth. Most importantly, you'll be passionate about our mission and motivated by the opportunity to transform lives, reduce reoffending and create second chances

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising and Income Generation

· Develop and deliver a multi-stream fundraising strategy that supports The Clink Charity's growth and long-term sustainability.

· Use brand identity to drive sales.

· Lead income generation activity across trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, individual giving, events and other fundraising streams.

· Use communications to create income from marketing of our commercial products and services e.g. bakery, restaurant, café, events.

· Build and manage a strong fundraising pipeline, identifying and securing new funding opportunities and strategic partnerships

· Monitor fundraising performance, ensuring targets are achieved and opportunities and risks are proactively managed.

Brand, Marketing and Communications

· Lead the development and delivery of a compelling brand and communications strategy.

· Ensure The Clink's impact, mission and outcomes are communicated effectively to supporters, funders, partners and the wider public.

· Oversee marketing campaigns, digital engagement and communications activity that strengthen the charity's profile and support income generation.

· Champion a consistent and impactful organisational brand across all channels.

Leadership and Team Development

· Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing fundraising, marketing and communications team.

· Create a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

· Support the development of fundraising and marketing capability across the wider organisation.

Strategic Leadership

· Contribute to the strategic direction and future development of The Clink Charity.

· Work closely with colleagues across operational and support functions to align fundraising and brand activity with organisational priorities.

· Represent the charity externally with funders, partners, supporters and other key stakeholders.

· Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations, best practice and organisational policies.

 Person Specification

Essential

· Significant experience in fundraising, income generation and fundraising strategy development.

· A proven track record of delivering sustainable income growth across multiple fundraising streams.

· Experience of developing and implementing successful fundraising plans, campaigns and income-generation initiatives.

· Experience of leading or overseeing brand, marketing and communications activity, including the development of organisational messaging and audience engagement strategies

· Strong understanding of how fundraising, brand, marketing and communications can work together to increase income, profile and supporter engagement.

· Experience of leading, motivating and developing high-performing teams.

· Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and inspire a wide range of audiences.

· Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling cases for support and communicate organisational impact effectively.

· Strong planning, organisational and project management skills.

· Experience of using data, insight and performance metrics to inform decision-making and drive improvement.

· A commitment to the mission, values and objectives of The Clink Charity.

Desirable

· Experience within the charity, social enterprise or not-for-profit sector

· Experience of working with senior leadership teams, trustees or boards.

· Experience of corporate partnership development, major donor fundraising or philanthropy.

· Experience of managing digital marketing, audience development or supporter engagement activity.

· Understanding of rehabilitation, employability, education or the criminal justice sector.

· Membership of a relevant professional body such as the Chartered Institute of Fundraising or the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Personal Attributes

· Demonstrable belief in The Clink’s mission and passion for our work.

· High levels of self-awareness, humility and flexibility, as well as an open and collaborative leadership style.

· Personal integrity, kindness, warmth and sound judgement.

· Good communicator: orally and in writing.

· Proactive, adaptable and can use initiative and find solutions to problems.

· Positive, entrepreneurial, energising and adopts a “can do” mentality.

· Values driven and promotes inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA).

Reporting Lines & Management Expectations

You will report to our Director of Finance and Resources and will initially have two team members reporting to you.

General clink charity information

All staff are expected to:

· Comply with all current legislation

· Comply with all prison operational policies

· Comply with The Clink Staff Handbook

· Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be requested by your Manager

Benefits:

28 days holiday plus bank holiday

Company pension scheme

Free meal on duty at Head Office or in the Restaurant

HOW TO APPLY

If you would like to apply for this post, please send your CV and a supporting statement (maximum 2 sides of A4) to Lizann Barnwell (HR Consultant) via this job site.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged. The closing date is Monday 22nd June, 9am.

In your supporting statement you should ensure that you try to address the desirable criteria set out in the person specification for the role. Make sure you give evidence which shows how you meet the criteria, not just telling us that you did it.

Interviews will be arranged on a rolling basis for this role, so early applications are encouraged. The deadline for applications is Monday 22nd June 2026, 9am.

We do not send individual acknowledgment of applications due to the high volume we receive, and we will only contact candidates who are shortlisted for an interview. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, your application has not been successful on this occasion.

If you would like an informal chat about this role, we can offer a call with a member of The Clink Team. Even if you feel you do not meet some of the criteria listed above, we would still welcome applications from passionate candidates who are keen to make a difference.

Appointment Process

Applicants who have demonstrated that they meet the desirable criteria set out in the person specification will be contacted and interviews arranged on a rolling basis.

Interview

If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be invited to a selection process. A panel of two or more, including the recruiting manager conducts all interviews. If there are any special arrangements associated with the selection process e.g. tests or presentations, you will be informed accordingly.

Interview Outcome

If you are invited to attend an interview, you will be informed either verbally or in writing of the outcome. The successful candidate will have the decision confirmed in writing as an offer of employment. Unsuccessful candidates will be offered the opportunity for feedback.

You’ll carry out key administrative tasks, growing the support and development function of the Charity. This is an exciting opportunity to help Cambridge City Foodbank realise its vision of ending the need for foodbanks, through an ambitious strategy operating through networks of affordable food clubs, foodbank welcome centres, holistic support projects, and campaigning to change current systems which contribute to food insecurity.

Your tasks will include stewardship communications with individual donors and creating assets for community supporters to generate food and financial resources. You will assist the securing of income from grant giving trusts and foundations, and will undertake key executive assistant duties on behalf of the Development Director and CEO.

Main Duties:

● Develop strong individual donor relations through regular stewardship communications and powerful fundraising appeals, alongside establishing the associated data and systems;

● Create community development assets, which enables community groups to engage with and provide resources for the Charity, such as for charitable fundraising / food donation events.

● Together with the Development Director and CEO, secure income from, and maintain relations with grant giving trusts and foundations.

● Together with the Development Director and CEO, develop a team of volunteers who can support the work of the Charity’s development function.

● Support the Development Director and CEO, in their communication with supporters and corporate partners, to build good relations, gain and maintain corporate partner support.

● Liaise with colleagues across the Trussell Trust network; sharing best practice and participating in learning opportunities, to further the work of Cambridge City Foodbank.

● Other administrative activities may be requested from time to time by the CEO and Development Director, consistent with the needs of the Charity and role of Executive Assistant.

Personal Specification:

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

● Strong administrative experience, highly organised, and able to effectively juggle multiple administrative tasks at the same time!

● Competent in the use of Zoom/Teams and MS Office software. Training will be provided to upskill in the use of Canva, Mailchimp, donor databases and social media (such as LinkedIn and Instagram).

● Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship management skills, you will inspire and motivate existing and prospective supporters, providing excellent stewardship and crafting compelling donor updates, applications and appeals.

NB. Experience of charitable fundraising is not essential when demonstrating the strong transferable skills above. Training will be provided.

Behaviours and competencies:

● Friendly, trustworthy and able to maintain confidentiality.

● Able to demonstrate empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds.

● Be committed to the vision, respect the ethos and uphold the values of Cambridge City Foodbank and Trussell Trust.

Our Vision, Ethos & Values:

Our Vision is to end the need for UK food banks. Each day we meet the need for emergency and affordable food, and tackle the causes of poverty, by harnessing the power of the community. We are an independent local charity and member of the Trussell Trust network.

We value dignity, justice, compassion, community and impact, in all that we do. We serve local people regardless of background, inspired by our Christian ethos and values.

As part of our commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity actively encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions and those with a lived experience of poverty as well as any other under-represented group in our workforce. We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of our employees from all forms of harm.

In 2026: our team of over 200 volunteers, will provide 250,000 meals to people across Cambridge through our network of Foodbank Welcome Centres and Fairbite Food Clubs.

Liberty is seeking an experienced, dynamic and ambitious Individual Giving Manager to implement a recently adopted individual giving strategy, lead a fast-paced team, and drive forward the next phase of increased public fundraising.

We are looking for someone experienced in digital communications and conversion, excited by the chance to work across a range of human rights issues, and who brings solid experience in leading a team.

Our current priorities are to maximise the success and profitability of supporter acquisition and conversion (mostly digital), forming tailored, data-driven supporter journeys (online and offline), creating a culture of testing, evaluating and optimising, and delivering engaging, integrated fundraising campaigns based on Liberty’s public campaigning and legal cases, and the investigative journalism of Liberty Investigates.

Liberty fully embraces flexible working and is committed to employee development. We aim to encourage people from all backgrounds to work with us and are particularly interested in hearing from people from minority backgrounds and all socio-economic sections of society. Liberty supports hybrid working, with a minimum office attendance of between one and two days per week in the Westminster office, depending on contracted hours.

The deadline for applications is 9am Monday 15 June 2026

Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Please be aware that we do not accept CVs for this role. All applicants must complete the application form to apply.

First round interviews will be held online on Thursday 2 July 2026 and Friday 3 July 2026.

Second round interviews will be held in the office on Monday 13 July 2026.

What does it take to lead the national voice for special schools at a time of real change?

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – National Association of Special Schools (NASS)

National – home-based, with regular travel across England and Wales, particularly London

£90,000–£110,000 per annum

Full-time, permanent.

About NASS 

The National Association of Special Schools (NASS) is the membership association for special schools in England and Wales. We bring together independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, special academies, maintained special schools and multi-academy trusts with specialist provision.

We exist to inform, support and represent our members, helping specialist schools improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND and secure the place of specialist provision within the wider education system. NASS is known for being accessible, responsive and personal, combining national influence with practical support that members value as timely, human and trustworthy.

This is a pivotal moment for the organisation. In February this year, the Department for Education published a major white paper on SEND reform which will require NASS to both influence national policy on behalf of our members and children and young people, as well as support them to navigate the changes. Our new CEO will need to review our strategy while building on our strong platform and momentum to further deepen our influence and strengthen our internal capacity.

As our next Chief Executive, you will:

• Strategy & Impact: Lead NASS through a period of policy and structural change, ensuring the organisation remains clear on purpose, responsive to members and influential in the SEND landscape.
• Governance & Finance: Work closely with the Board of Trustees to provide strong governance, prudent financial stewardship, robust risk management and clear strategic oversight.
• Operational Leadership: Provide confident leadership to a small, remote team, strengthening collaboration, accountability, resilience and a positive, high-trust culture.
• Income Generation: Oversee budgeting, planning and reporting while developing thoughtful opportunities to diversify income through membership, partnerships, events and related activity.
• Community & Partnerships: Build and sustain trusted relationships with government, parliament, regulators, sector bodies and member schools, ensuring NASS remains relevant and well connected.
• Member Services: Protect and enhance the practical offer to members, from briefings and special interest groups to conferences, webinars, training and peer-to-peer learning.
• Brand & Profile: Act as a credible public ambassador for NASS, helping to modernise communications and broaden the organisation’s voice beyond a founder-shaped model.
• Future Growth: Shape a distributed leadership profile and support a more varied, accessible and engaging approach to membership, advocacy and communications.
• A seasoned senior leader with experience in a charity, membership body, education or public sector setting, and a clear track record of leading through change.
• A strong strategic thinker, able to absorb complex information quickly and translate it into clear, practical direction.
• A confident communicator with the gravitas to represent NASS with members, staff, trustees, MPs, peers, media and national partners.
• A politically astute relationship-builder, comfortable navigating a complex and fast-moving external environment.
• Experienced in governance, with a sound understanding of working with boards or trustees and supporting effective decision-making.
• Numerate and commercially minded, with experience of budgets, financial planning, income generation or partnership development.
• Credible, approachable and resilient, with the emotional intelligence to lead well in a high-profile, remote and sometimes uncertain context.
• Direct SEND experience would be a significant advantage, alongside understanding of specialist education or similarly complex stakeholder environments.

Why NASS?

• This is a chance to lead a respected, member-led organisation with a strong national reputation and a clear public purpose.
• You will help shape the future of specialist education at a time when SEND reform is high on the agenda.
• NASS has a loyal, experienced and collegiate remote staff team, supported by an active Board of Trustees.
• The organisation offers a genuinely influential platform, with strong connections across the sector and with government.

Application

For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill via apply button with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 8th June 2026

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

We are recruiting two permanent Funding Officers in the South West: one full-time and one 0.9FTE (33.5 hours per week). Funding Officers in these roles will primarily be part of a South West regional team delivering our Reaching Communities programme, with opportunities to be involved with other programmes and aspects of the Fund’s wider operations as they arise. As a Funding Officer for the National Lottery Community Fund you will be integral to supporting the organisation to deliver our strategy It Starts With Community.  

These roles will contribute to ensuring that vital funding reaches communities and projects who need it most in our region. As a Funding Officer you will work as part of our South West regional team, working day-to-day alongside fellow Funding Officers, supported by a Funding Manager.

Across the two posts we are looking for people who will provide support across the region, with a focus on developing relationships and being a key point of contact for either Exeter & East Devon or Swindon & Wiltshire.

Ideally (but not essentially) you will live in or near one of these areas and have good knowledge of the respective local area.

The Funding Officer role is classed as mobile working which means you will be expected to work from home primarily and visit various locations across the region, as needed. The ability to drive and have access to a vehicle is therefore beneficial, although not essential.

Responsibilities & Expectations of the Role

• You will assess applications for funding and manage grants using local knowledge, best practice and thematic expertise and you will harness the experience of customers and stakeholders to improve our grant making and inform our decision making.
   
• Being responsible for supporting local people and communities, you will have a strong understanding of our vision, our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and our funding products.
   
• Being responsible for a pipeline of projects you will need to understand and respond to the different needs of our customers by providing advice and considered feedback, and be willing to have challenging but constructive conversations.
   
• You will ensure that both grant management and application assessment play an effective part in contributing to the Fund’s knowledge and learning as a grant maker. You will manage your own caseload, liaise with grant recipients, undertake project visits, identify and manage risk, support organisations to meet their grant requirements and measure their impact.
   
• You will be an active and integral member of the South West regional team, as well as the wider hub and Fund. You will contribute your skills, knowledge and expertise to a range of work and programmes as need arises. Within an organisation and sector experiencing on-going change, an agile & flexible approach to the role will be essential for success.
   
• You will represent the Fund, including at funding fairs and external meetings, creating opportunities for people to come together. You will share learning from your role with other colleagues so that we can maximise our impact.
   
• You will need to work within the Fund’s policies and procedures and relevant legislation, and in a way that is in line with our vision and values.

We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The SW regional office is in Exeter.

Interview details: 

• Date: 29th & 30th June 2026

• Format: Face-to-face

• Location: SW Regional Office, Exeter

We will be hosting a briefing session on Monday 1st June, 12pm. To register for the session or for any questions about the recruitment process, please email the recruitment team.

If you would like an informal conversation about the Funding Officer role, please contact the recruitment team.

How to Apply:

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

Essential criteria  

• Communication skills: Strong listening, written and verbal communication with an emphasis on written communication for assessment purposes. 
   
• Analytical skills: Ability to assess a high volume of applications, make good judgements, challenge when appropriate and manage risk. 
   
• Relational skills: Ability to build, develop and promote effective relationships with colleagues, community organisations and other external agencies with a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.
   
• Organisational skills: An ability to use your initiative and manage your own workload and time, meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
   
• Lived experience or working knowledge of the needs and priorities of communities in and across the SW, especially under-represented groups plus an understanding of the local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.
   
• Values driven and passionate about the Fund’s purpose.

Desirable criteria  

• Demonstrable sound IT skills, in particular Microsoft Office products and the ability to learn detailed processes quickly and accurately. 
   
• Understanding of financial planning and business plans, ability to analyse accounts and numerical data.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

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

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

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