Community engagement executive jobs in Manchester, greater manchester

Employer: Community Rail Network 

Salary: £43k-£51.5k pa, full time 

Location: Home based / flexible or Huddersfield 

We are seeking a dynamic director of policy and communications, to lead and develop our increasingly impactful external affairs activity. You’ll be sharing community insights and evidence with policy and decision-makers at national and devolved level, supporting a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable transport and mobility, while overseeing high-quality, inspiring member communications and thought-leadership, drawing on grassroots experiences.  
  

About us 

Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation supporting a growing ‘community rail’ movement, which helps communities get the most from their railways, promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making, and brings people together.

Community rail is made up of 76 community-based partnership organisations, and c.1,300 station friends volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects for young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence among marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener tourism by rail.

Our enthusiastic team of 24 works from home in different locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support our members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in developing our team and helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.

About this role 

This role is crucial for us, our members and their communities, especially at the current time, with our need to seize on the opportunities of rail reform and devolution, promote wider use of sustainable transport, and bring communities together. You will spearhead our external affairs strategy and plans, building political relationships, influencing decision-making and raising awareness of community rail and its insights, while ensuring effective communications with our members and helping them to have a voice locally and regionally. You’ll be striving to put community rail at the forefront of a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable mobility.

As a member of our senior leadership team, reporting to and working closely with our chief executive, you will manage a passionate team of four, ensuring collaboration with our other teams, partners and funders, and drawing on members’ insights.

 
Main responsibilities 

• Lead the review, development and delivery of our communications, policy and insights strategy, working to position the community rail movement effectively, use its insights to influence policy change, and ensure our members are well-informed and have a voice; 

• Further strengthen our advisory and influencing work with national, devolved and regional government, transport bodies, parliamentarians and other decision-makers, especially around rail reform, transport devolution and integrated, inclusive, sustainable transport; 

• Ensure we’re engaging effectively with policy developments and opportunities, taking forward a programme of relationship-building, and identifying and engaging in relevant consultations, events and speaking opportunities, enabling community rail’s insights and experiences to be shared; 

• Collaborate with partners in rail, government and the third sector to feed in our expertise on community engagement with rail, amplify our campaigns, and build opportunities for joined-up communications and policy work;

• Continually develop and disseminate our evidence base and insights on the social, environmental and economic value community rail delivers, and opportunities to create greater benefits for communities from rail and transport; 

• Oversee high-quality, coherent and inspiring communications with our members and partners, promoting our work, and sharing news, opportunities, and good practice across the movement; 

• Manage production of high-quality resources, case studies and reports that our members can use to enhance their impact and which showcase community rail’s impact; 

• Lead and develop our media relations and awareness-raising PR, championing community rail and its messages on sustainable, inclusive travel and communities at national and regional level, while supporting members on local PR; 

• Develop our online presence and reach, making full use of our website, social media, our Scenic Rail Britain campaign, and partners’ channels to celebrate and position community rail and grow its reach and impact; 

• Oversee a calendar of creative and impactful campaigns that involve and empower our members, creating PR and engagement opportunities, including Community Rail Week;

• Play a key role in collective leadership, strategic focus and organisational development as a member of our senior leadership team, including through internal communications and cross-team working, annual planning, funder liaison and reporting, upholding our strategies and policies, and pursuing opportunities for continuous improvement. 

 
Skills and competencies 

1. Strong leadership and management skills, including experience managing, developing and drawing on a multi-faceted team delivering complex campaigns or projects, and budget management; 
2. Excellent communication and external leadership skills; articulate, assertive, and with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels; 
3. An understanding of public affairs, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, and a demonstrable ability to identify influencing opportunities, deliver thought-leadership, and engage with policy-makers, including sharing community insights; 
4. Politically astute, with awareness of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a good grasp of the importance of public transport sustainable travel, and community-led action, to these agendas; 
5. Understanding of political processes and experience of engaging with policy and decision-making, ideally at national, devolved and local levels; 
6. Sound knowledge of communication and marketing methods and channels, and ability to oversee messaging and targeting of public and professional audiences, and to align content across multiple channels; 
7. A demonstrable ability to think analytically and draw on statistical and qualitative research to construct robust, evidence-based arguments; 
8. Experience of working with the media and achieving coverage at national, regional and local level; 
9. Experience working collaboratively with partners and ideally funders to deliver communications and policy activity and forming professional networks; 
10. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while dealing with competing priorities, and to support team members to do so; 
11. IT literate with a good working knowledge of Office, the internet and social media; 
12. Appropriate qualifications and professional development demonstrating knowledge and skills in line with the above, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.

Other information

As you will be home-based, we are flexible about your location. However, you will be expected to travel to in-person full team meetings quarterly (usually in West Yorkshire), and you will need to bring your team together (currently all West Yorkshire based) with similar regularity in between. Attendance at in-person events and meetings is also important. We therefore welcome applications from those with decent public transport links, not too far from a railway station, to enable journeys to be made sustainably.   

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months.   

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.  

Sightsavers works in more than 30 countries across Africa and South Asia to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities. Join us and together we can create a world where no one is needlessly blind and people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

Title: Digital Fundraising Insight and Optimisation Executive

Location: UK Remote with regular office days (approx. 1 – 2 per month) or hybrid (our head in Haywards Heath is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for those who prefer to work from the office regularly)

Contract:  Permanent

Hours:  This is a full-time role with some flexibility around hours worked

Salary:  £29,000 to £34,000 pa

About the role

Sightsavers are looking for a Digital Fundraising Insight and Optimisation Executive to drive data-led decision-making and enhance the performance of our global digital fundraising activities.

As the Digital Fundraising Insight and Optimisation Executive, you will deliver actionable insights through data analysis and reporting to inform strategic decisions and optimise digital fundraising performance. You’ll play a key role in supporting conversion rate optimisation (CRO) by analysing test results, maintaining data integrity and identifying opportunities to improve supporter journeys and retention.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across various teams to enhance campaign effectiveness and deliver measurable impact. This is a hands-on role where your expertise will directly influence income growth and supporter experience.

Responsibilities

• Analyse performance data across channels (GA4, BigQuery, SQL) to identify trends and optimisation opportunities.

• Create clear dashboards and reports to improve campaign effectiveness and supporter engagement.

• Track and report on KPIs, translating complex data into actionable insights.

• Support CRO activity including analysing test results and recommending improvements to impact conversion and donor retention.

• Ensure best practice in data capture, tagging and reporting across teams.

• Conduct competitor analysis and benchmarking to inform optimisation strategies.

• Develop guidance and training resources to upskill colleagues in data interpretation and reporting.

• Share best practices and learnings from testing and optimisation activities.

• Stay up to date with analytics tools and techniques to enhance insight capabilities.

About you

As the ideal candidate, you will combine strong analytical skills with a creative approach, using data to uncover insights and spot opportunities for optimisation. You’ll have experience with GA4 and data visualisation tools and be confident in interpreting and presenting complex data in a clear, actionable way that drives performance improvements.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential

• Strong analytical skills with experience in GA4 and data visualisation tools (e.g. Google Looker Studio).

• Ability to interpret and present complex data in a clear, actionable way.

• Familiarity with CRO concepts.

• Knowledge of A/B testing and experimentation frameworks.

• Experience with Google Tag Manager and marketing platforms like Hotjar, A/B testing tools like VWO and email marketing platforms.

• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.

Desirable

• Proficiency in SQL and experience working with large datasets (BigQuery desirable).

• Experience in a fundraising or non-profit environment.

This is a hands-on, impactful role with the opportunity to strengthen digital fundraising performance. Please read the full Job Description for further details.

Benefits

Sightsavers offers flexible working, a collaborative culture and benefits to support wellbeing. Our comprehensive benefits package includes generous annual leave allowance, pension, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships and wellness discounts. If you choose to work in or are visiting our collaborative, modern office space, you will find it an easy 20-minute train journey from Brighton or 45 minutes from London.

Next steps

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

We anticipate that remote interviews will take place from 19 January onwards and the interview process will likely include two stages with a task. We will provide interview themes in advance to support candidates.

Closing date: 11 January 2026

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Birthrights is recruiting a Campaigns and Policy Manager to help drive transformative change in maternity care. This is a powerful opportunity to shape national policy and campaigns that centre human rights, racial justice and the lived experiences of women and birthing people.

Reporting to the CEO, you will lead our policy and campaigns strategy, shaping how we influence government, the NHS, regulators and professional bodies. You will identify leverage points for change, develop strong and persuasive policy positions, and deliver bold, creative campaigns that challenge harmful practice and shift power. Working closely with our legal, information & advice, training and communications teams, you will ensure our policy and campaigning work is grounded in evidence, lived experience and human rights law.

You will also contribute strategically to Communities Imagine — a core organisational initiative rooted in racial justice, community leadership and a radical re-imagining of maternity care — while working alongside and supporting dedicated roles focused on its delivery.

Birthrights is a small but mighty charity with a national profile and a strong track record of influencing maternity policy and practice. We offer flexible, remote working, a supportive team culture and generous benefits.

If you are a values-driven campaigner with a passion for racial justice, reproductive justice and human rights, we would love to hear from you.

Closing date: 12 noon on Monday 26th January – please refer to the candidate pack for full details.

We are seeking a Community Development Officer to lead a major in-progress project improving recognition, support, and care for people with smell and taste disorders at a local level across England. 

This three-year, volunteer-led programme, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund has achieved significant success in its first eighteen months. We are now recruiting a new postholder to take this strong foundation forward through the next phase of delivery. 

Over the past eighteen months, we have recruited and established a thriving network of volunteers and local groups across England. This momentum is expected to continue. The Community Development Officer will work closely with existing volunteers and groups, primarily remotely, while also attending in-person events and meetings in different parts of England as needed. 

The postholder will lead the ongoing recruitment, training, and support of volunteer groups, working with them to identify opportunities for local outreach and engagement. Together, you will ensure that more people affected by smell and taste disorders access the information, support, and recognition they need, while continuing to raise awareness of these often-unrecognised sensory impairments. 

Our volunteer groups bring together people with lived experience alongside experts from the food, beverage and fragrance sectors, and other relevant fields. 

We are looking for a motivated, forward-thinking individual with experience in leading and inspiring others. You will bring energy, creativity, and excellent communication skills to drive the project forward and help build an innovative, sustainable programme of volunteer-led activity, supporting our volunteers to influence change within their communities. 

You will empower volunteers to play an active role in transforming public understanding of how essential smell and taste are to our lives, whether they are running peer support groups, organising local events, delivering talks in community settings, or representing the charity at information days. 

You will join a small, friendly and ambitious team committed to your professional development as the charity continues to grow. 

If you are passionate about making a difference, enjoy working with people, and want to contribute to a pioneering and collaborative organisation that values and empowers its community, we would love to hear from you. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. 

As CEO, you will work closely with our Board and Senior Leadership Team to shape a bold vision for Bolton CVS, ensuring our work remains innovative, inclusive, and impactful. You will enable trust, shared accountability, and collective ambition; strengthening our position as a catalyst for collaboration, equity, and social change.

From influencing policy to driving investment into the sector, your leadership will help organisations and individuals thrive. You will champion financial sustainability, nurture a values-driven culture, and enable colleagues to take ownership and deliver exceptional support.

As a trusted advocate, you will represent Bolton CVS and 10GM in strategic spaces and high-profile events, amplifying the voice of the VCSE sector and forging partnerships that unlock opportunity and resilience.

We're looking for someone who:

Leads with Energy: Brings dynamic, values-driven leadership that motivates teams and partners toward shared goals. Creates momentum and a culture of ambition and collaboration.

Thrives in the Fast Lane: Enjoys an evolving environment and embraces new challenges with enthusiasm, agility and resilience.

Adapts and Innovates: Translates strategic ambition into clear priorities and measurable outcomes that deliver lasting change. Anticipates future needs, embraces innovation, and leverages new approaches to strengthen organisational and sector-wide effectiveness and impact.

Celebrates Diversity: Promotes equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. Builds an organisational culture where all voices are valued and shape decisions.

Connects Hearts and Minds: Builds authentic relationships with stakeholders, partners, and communities. Creates trust and shared purpose to unlock collaboration and collective impact.

Speaks the Language of Impact: Communicates with clarity and influence across diverse audiences. Articulates complex ideas in ways that inspire confidence, engagement, and action.

Navigates Complexity: Provides strategic leadership across internal operations and external partnerships. Balances organisational priorities with sector-wide opportunities to drive alignment, collaboration, and sustainable outcomes.

Leads Through Challenge: Provides confident, values-driven leadership in sensitive or high-pressure situations. Creates space for constructive dialogue, builds consensus, and transforms challenges into opportunities for growth and resilience.

Ready to Lead Boldly? If you’re prepared to bring vision, energy and influence to the table, this is your opportunity to strengthen the future of Bolton CVS, 10GM and the wider VCSE sector. As CEO, you’ll be at the heart of driving collaboration, championing equity, and unlocking potential, helping organisations and communities thrive. This isn’t just a role; it’s a chance to lead with purpose and make a lasting impact.
 

About SCEC

SCEC was founded over twenty years ago to provide learning enrichment opportunities to primary school children in disadvantaged communities in south London. Together with our partners, several leading independent schools, we currently operate four schemes in math, literacy, science and art. Children learn through fun, engaging group activities like science experiments, storytelling and mathematical treasure hunts, all taught by qualified teachers with added support from student mentors. Through the schemes, children explore their curiosity, build knowledge and develop their confidence as learners.

Your Role

The Scheme Director is a newly created role that will be pivotal in helping SCEC extend its reach. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will help SCEC design and implement an expansion programme as well as coordinating the delivery of the existing schemes via our school partners. You will also serve as a trusted partner to the Board in the administration of the charity.

Similar to a COO, this role straddles the operational and the strategic. We are looking for a confident communicator and relationship builder who can work across varied stakeholder groups. You will have project management experience that can be applied to challenges like process design and change management. You should be able to grasp the big picture and have an eye for the details needed to deliver successful outcomes.  This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to join SCEC on a transformational journey working with excellent learning partners and established leaders to improve educational outcomes for children.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee scheme operations including pupil recruitment, enrolment and attendance to ensure the smooth running of schemes and maximum impact
• Promote the charity to prospective partners and donors
• Support the Board in developing, implementing and monitoring an expansion programme
• Monitor and report on scheme performance and impact
• Prepare and manage budgets and disbursement of funds 
• Build and maintain systems and processes to support scheme operations, compliance and monitoring

Key Qualities

• Passionate about making a difference in the lives of children
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing strategic plans to achieve organisational goals
• Track record of effectively managing programmes and services, including programme development, implementation, and evaluation
• Committed to working collaboratively to build strong relationships with business partners and colleagues and proactively engaging stakeholders when making decisions
• Self-motivated and highly organised, you have a strong sense of initiative and take a hands-on approach to planning and administration

Child Protection

SCEC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This is the responsibility of the whole organisation (trustees and staff).  An enhanced DBS Disclosure is required for this role.

For more information, please see the attached Job Description below

From a disused paint factory to an award-winning community hub, Gorton Central has had a £1million makeover transforming it into a thriving community asset. 

Healthy Me Healthy Communities is a not-for-profit social enterprise founded in 2012 making a positive difference to people’s health, lives and local communities.

At Healthy Me Healthy Communities we believe in the power of people and place, working together to tackle today’s societal challenges, alleviating the everyday struggle faced by many people, and meeting the ambitions of residents and communities. Often when organisations look to improve the lives of those affected by poverty, discrimination, and exclusion, they overlook local knowledge, skills and expertise.

For over 10 years, HMHC has been developing neighbourhood approaches and developing multi-sector partnerships, empowering people and communitie

We’re looking for a pro-active person to do this varied, ‘hands on’ role at Gorton Central, our community hub and home, where we develop exciting, innovative and quality services and collaborations. The Centre Coordinator will be responsible for the day to day operations of our busy community hub.

The Centre Coordinator will report to the Service and Business Manager, and will line-manager centre and centre volunteers. 

Position Type: Permanent 

Location: Gorton Central, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8PE. 

Working pattern: 35 hours a week. For this role, we expect the post holder to work at Gorton Central 4 days a week including Wednesday (shared team workday) and Thursday (Good Food Gorton activities day), with a day working from home (to be negotiated Monday-Friday). 

Position: Community Support Senior Officer x 3
Type: Full-time (35 hours a week), permanent
Location: Homebased (1 x with access to North West England, 1 x with access to East Midlands and 1 x with access to West Midlands). Must have access to a car with clean driving licence
Salary: Starting from £33,044 per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 2, Charity
You’ll start at our entry point salary of £ 33,044 per annum, increasing to £35,109 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £37,174 after a further 6 months.

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

Join us as a Community Support Senior Officer and make a real difference!

In this pivotal role, you’ll provide high-quality support to volunteers, volunteer managers, and service providers across our community networks. You’ll help ensure enquiries are resolved promptly, guide volunteers through their journey, and work collaboratively to maintain well-governed, compliant groups that meet local needs. If you’re passionate about empowering volunteers, skilled in communication and planning, and eager to contribute to positive change for people affected by MS, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note, you must have access to car with a clean driving licence for this role.

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Monday 5 January 2026

We anticipate interviews will take place week commencing 12th January 2026.

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

Community Fundraiser - London​

Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research? ​

Brain Tumour Research is seeking an experienced and motivated fundraiser to join our team. As a key part of our fundraising efforts in our high-performing East region, you will have the opportunity to drive income generation through a variety of initiatives, including challenge events, fundraising groups, and corporate partnerships such as charity of the year. You will also be responsible for driving initiatives to increase our profile and supporter base within London.​

Key Responsibilities: ​​​

• Generate income across a range of community fundraising initiatives and events, with the opportunity to lead on key projects 
• Steward supporters to help drive the charity’s fundraising activities and growth 
• ​Work with the fundraising team to develop and maintain strong relationships with fundraisers, donors, partners, and key stakeholders ​
• Contribute towards the growth and success of fundraising efforts, ensuring a sustainable income stream for the vital ongoing funding of brain tumour research ​​

Requirements: ​​

• At least one year of fundraising experience, with a proven track record in income generation 
• Strong experience in supporter stewardship  
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire supporters and partners alike ​
• Passion for Brain Tumour Research and its mission to fund research and ultimately find a cure 

​

If you are looking for a fulfilling and impactful role and have the level of experience and skill we are looking for, we welcome your application.​​

​For this role, the successful candidate must live in the London area.​​

​We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.

​

We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process.  Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.

Closing Date: 04th January 2026

​

We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

​

Role Description

The purpose of the Executive Assistant role is to provide administrative, organisational and coordination support to the Executive Team, ensuring their time and attention are aligned with organisational priorities, goals, and objectives. The role covers executive coordination, governance administration and project support.  The Executive Assistant enables effective decision making across the Leadership Team, supports the smooth delivery of priorities, and contributes to the execution of long-term strategic goals.

The Executive Team comprises the Chief Executive, Operations Director and Business Development Director.  They work together as part of the Leadership Team, comprising key leaders from across the charity.

Excellent attention to detail is crucial, as is the ability to operate with discretion and flexibility. A high standard of written and verbal communication is essential. The role requires collaboration across Finance, HR, Trustees, and external stakeholders, and an understanding of effective charity governance would be desirable.

This role requires a high level of emotional intelligence, sound judgement, and the ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organisation. Success in this role depends on a proactive mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to remain calm and resourceful under pressure. The Executive Assistant must be highly dependable, detail-oriented, and capable of managing sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Responsibilities

Executive Coordination

• Manage calendars, inboxes, travel and meeting preparation for Executive Team
• Coordinate agendas and logistics for internal and external meetings
• Liaise with stakeholders, clients and partners to ensure smooth engagement

Governance Support

• Own the established governance timetable, board meeting scheduling, and trustee communications
• Draft and distribute board packs, take minutes, and track actions
• Support governance processes in collaboration with the Operations Director
• Support trustee onboarding, training, and engagement
• Ensure timely completion of Charity Commission and Companies House submissions
• Leverage AI tools and platforms to enhance business processes

Strategic communications

• Communicate with external stakeholders on behalf of the Executive Team
• Coordinate staff events and meetings
• Work with marketing and communities & projects teams for conferences and external events

Project support

• Support ongoing transformation projects in collaboration with Head of Business Functions
• Support recruitment and onboarding for senior roles led by the Head of Business Operations
• Support strategic planning and performance tracking led by the Operations Director and Business Development Director
• Support handover and re-onboarding of Executive Assistant on her return April 2027

Role Requirements

Required:

• Minimum of four years’ experience in a similar role.
• Experience supporting senior leaders in a fast paced and changing environment, taking initiative and managing competing deadlines calmly and flexibly.
• Confident communicating with the executive and leadership team, trustees and external partners in a professional and timely way.
• Able to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and good judgment.
• Confident coordinating meetings, preparing papers and taking accurate minutes.
• Ability to research, digest, analyse and present material clearly and concisely.
• Ability to identify and apply AI-driven tools to enhance business activities and using AI to streamline workflows and personalise business engagement.
• Comfortable stepping into an established role quickly and maintaining continuity during the maternity leave period.

Desirable:

• Experience in charity governance
• Experience in project support/management

Employees are also expected to be flexible in undertaking the duties and responsibilities attached to their post and may be asked to perform other duties that are consistent with the grade, responsibilities, and typical scope of the role. Any additional tasks should remain appropriate to the nature of the post and not extend into unrelated functions or specialisms.

All employees are expected to work in accordance with the organisation’s values and behavioural standards, which include being supportive, transparent, respectful, kind, honest, and collaborative. This means fostering a culture of empathy, openness, integrity, and teamwork in all interactions, and contributing positively to the organisation’s mission and strategic objectives.

We are committed to flexible working and are open to requests for different working patterns. This includes part time arrangements and four day working week requests, which we will always consider as part of the recruitment process.

To apply for this role, please share your CV with a one-page cover letter setting out why this role appeals to you and how your skills and experiences meet the key skills points in the job description.

Interviews expected to take place on week commencing the 2nd of February 2026.

Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £49, 282 - £54,495 per annum

Location: Gorse Hill Studios, Trafford, Manchester (Some remote working will be considered)

Contract Type: Full time, permanent

About Gorse Hill Studios

Gorse Hill Studios is a dynamic and ambitious youth and community arts charity. At the heart of our organisation is a belief that all young people deserve to feel valued, supported and inspired. We work with young people to build confidence, creativity and community connections, ensuring they have the opportunities and encouragement they need to thrive.

We believe that creativity can transform lives, and we are committed to placing young people at the centre of everything we do. Their voices, ideas and experiences help shape our programmes, partnerships and strategic direction.

We are entering an exciting phase of growth and development. Our team currently includes 20 core staff and a wider network of volunteers and creative practitioners, delivering a diverse portfolio of youth arts sessions, community engagement projects, creative wellbeing initiatives and partnership-led activity with local schools and organisations. The CEO will play a pivotal role in leading this portfolio, strengthening our impact, championing youth voice and ensuring young people continue to shape our future direction as we move into the next chapter of our development.

About the Role

As CEO, you will provide strategic, compassionate and visionary leadership, ensuring Gorse Hill Studios delivers its mission to empower and inspire young people. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will hold overall responsibility for the organisation’s performance, culture, operations and long-term sustainability. This role calls for someone who demonstrates strong strategic insight with the ability to influence and inspire others, using emotional intelligence and collaborative leadership to build positive internal and external relationships.

A fundamental part of this role is your commitment to embedding young people’s voice in decision making. You will champion their perspectives, ensuring programme development, strategy and organisational culture reflect the needs and aspirations of the young people we serve.

You will also be an ambassador for the charity, building trusted relationships with young people, partners, funders and the wider community. This role requires a leader who is values led, resilient and passionate about supporting young people through the arts and creative engagement.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Lead on the development and delivery of the charity’s long-term strategy, with young people meaningfully involved
• Ensure compliance with all statutory, regulatory and governance requirements, including Charity Commission expectations and safeguarding duties
• Provide clear, timely reporting to the Board
• Support the Board to operate effectively

Financial Management and Income Generation

• Oversee budgeting, financial planning and responsible management of all funds
• Lead a diverse income generation strategy
• Identify sustainable opportunities for organisational growth

Operational Management and Programme Delivery

• Oversee day to day operations and ensure systems are effective
• Ensure programmes are high quality, inclusive and reflective of young people’s needs and feedback
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, or ensure robust safeguarding practices across the organisation

People Leadership and Culture

• Inspire, support and lead a dedicated staff and volunteer team
• Champion a positive, inclusive and collaborative working culture
• Oversee recruitment, wellbeing and performance management

External Relations and Advocacy

• Act as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Gorse Hill Studios
• Build strong relationships with partners, funders and stakeholders
• Advocate for and with young people locally and nationally
• Represent the charity confidently at events and in the media

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Senior leadership experience in the charity, youth, arts or wider non-profit sector
• Strong financial management skills
• Proven success in fundraising or income generation
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement
• Knowledge of safeguarding practices in youth settings
• Experience leading teams and developing positive organisational cultures
• Strategic leadership experience

Desirable

• Experience in the youth arts or creative community sector
• Understanding of the Trafford community landscape

Values and Commitment

We are committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from individuals who share these values and are passionate about empowering young people.

An enhanced DBS check will be required.

Application Details

To apply, please submit your CV and covering letter.

Closing date: 19 January

Interview date: 23 January at Gorse Hill Studios

Interviews will include a stakeholder panel and a formal interview.

REF-225 658

Lead innovative programmes that strengthen social cohesion and create lasting change. Join Belong and help communities thrive across the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in delivering impactful, evidence-based programmes that bring people together and foster inclusion. As Belong enters its next phase of growth, we are expanding our reach and deepening our impact. The Programme Lead will be at the heart of this journey, shaping and delivering high-quality initiatives that respond to local needs and drive systemic change.

About Belong
Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network is the UK’s leading not-for-profit organisation focused on building a more united and less divided society. We work with communities, local authorities, and national partners to strengthen trust, belonging, and resilience. Through place-based programmes, research, policy influence, and thought leadership, we help create stronger, kinder, and more connected communities. Our growing membership spans local authorities, charities, civil society, and businesses. Belong is collaborative, evidence-led, and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The Role
As Programme Lead, you will design and deliver innovative programmes that make a measurable difference to communities. You will lead the development of local strategies, co-create solutions with partners, and ensure programmes are inclusive, impactful, and aligned with Belong’s mission.

Key responsibilities include:

• Programme Design and Delivery

  • Lead the delivery of Belong’s local programmes, ensuring they are evidence-based and responsive to community needs.
  • Design and facilitate workshops, training sessions, and community engagement activities.
  • Apply strong research methods, including desk-based analysis, surveys, and social media insights.
  • Manage programme budgets, timelines, and resources to ensure effective delivery.
  • Monitor and evaluate programme outcomes, producing reports and insights for stakeholders.

• Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with local authorities, community organisations, funders, and commissioners.
  • Co-design programme approaches with partners, ensuring shared ownership and relevance.
  • Represent Belong at external events, meetings, and forums to promote our work and build new opportunities.

• Strategic Development

  • Contribute to Belong’s organisational strategy through programme innovation and learning.
  • Support business development by identifying opportunities, developing proposals, and contributing to bids.
  • Share learning and best practice across the organisation to inform future programme development.

• Planning, Delivery, and Risk Management

  • Demonstrate strong project management skills, including coordination of deliverables and budget tracking.
  • Conduct risk assessments and map risks and opportunities to ensure programme success.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in dynamic environments, enjoys working collaboratively, and is passionate about creating lasting change in communities.

About You
We are seeking a proactive and collaborative programme leader with:

• Proven experience in designing and delivering community-based programmes.
• Experience working in or with local government or voluntary sector organisations.
• Strong facilitation and engagement skills, with familiarity in participatory methods.
• Excellent project management skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with strong communication skills.
• Relevant qualification in community development, public policy, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of social cohesion and integration issues.
• Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities.

Desirable: Experience in Prevent, PCVE, community tensions, hate crime, or tackling misinformation.

Personal Qualities

• Passionate about improving cohesion and integration in the UK.
• Collaborative and solution-focused.
• Entrepreneurial and proactive in identifying opportunities.
• Practical, focused, and reliable.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
• Committed to personal and professional development.

Why Join Us?
At Belong, you’ll be part of a dynamic, values-driven team united by a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and connected society. We offer:

• 30 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Hybrid working (typically 3 days in the office)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly policies
• Opportunities for professional development and growth

Join us and help shape programmes that build stronger, kinder, and more connected communities across the UK.

Our office is based in Manchester and we offer hybrid working for those able to travel there. However, this role is open UK-wide and can be worked remotely, with regular travel across England and Wales required.

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that strengthens the capacity of the Global South to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM), a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that the Global South should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for over a decade, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim. 

This is a unique opportunity to inform conversations on SRM in Africa. Rather than lobbying for outcomes, Degrees aims to support informed, independent policymaking by fostering connections between researchers and policymakers and strengthening institutional expertise. Degrees promotes regional research, creates spaces for policy-science dialogue, and supports the dissemination of Global South research.

Responsibilities

The Policy and Engagement Manager, Africa will strengthen the voice of the Global South in discussions and potential negotiations on SRM research and governance with relevance to Africa by connecting experts to policy processes. Accordingly, the successful candidate will: 

• Identify and engage key policy actors (e.g. national delegates and legislators, scientific advisors, intergovernmental officials) in Africa, connecting them to local SRM experts and providing them with information, where appropriate, while remaining neutral regarding the potential use and governance of SRM;
• Work with SRM researchers from the region to support the ongoing development of a coordinated community of experts; 
• Build informal and formal partnerships with like-minded organisations, helping to inform discussions and counter misinformation about climate and SRM.
• Share expertise and experience gained from Africa with staff and researchers and participate, as appropriate, in activities in Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean to gain similar expertise;
• Identify the most impactful international forums and regional SRM discussions, and work to connect local experts into these; 
• Identify a core group of researchers interested in policy engagement, and facilitate and join their participation in governance fora such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNFCCC COP, UN Environment Assembly, and meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• Support the execution and coordination of the Degrees policy engagement strategy in collaboration with other policy and programmatic staff; 
• Contribute to budgeting and alignment with programmes;
• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities by contributing to tracking, documentation, and reporting of policy engagement outcomes;
• In cooperation with the communications staff, ensure the development of clear, contextualised briefing materials for policy makers and other audiences. 

Harris Hill is proud to be partnering with the Community Land Trust Network to recruit a New Business, Partnerships and Innovation Manager — an exciting opportunity to join a highly respected national charity championing land justice, community ownership and social equity.

About the Role

Accountable to: Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £45,200–£55,200 (depending on skills and experience)

Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract, with potential to become permanent

Working Hours:

· 3 days / 21 hours per week (with reduced duties), or

· 4 days / 28 hours per week
Working pattern negotiable

Location: Remote/home-based

This newly created role will play a pivotal part in expanding the charity’s income and influence. You will:

• Lead on new business development, nurturing existing supporters and securing new partnerships with developers, housing associations, local authorities, funders and other stakeholders.
• Shape and grow their consultancy and service offer, helping reduce reliance on grant funding.
• Support the roll-out of their Growth Lab, working with practitioners and community groups to develop innovative models, products and services for Community Land Trusts.
• Capture insights, impact and learning to strengthen the case for scaling these innovations.
• Work closely with the CEO on funding proposals, partnership development and strategic initiatives.

This role offers variety, influence and the chance to help shape a major area of the charity’s future work. The team operates fully remotely, with a warm, collaborative culture and a strong focus on wellbeing.

About You

They are looking for someone who:

• Has experience in partnerships, business development, philanthropy or account management — and enjoys turning opportunities into long-term relationships.
• Communicates with clarity, confidence and professionalism across sectors including business, charity, local government and community groups.
• Is entrepreneurial, proactive and excited by innovation and co-creation.
• Shares a commitment to social justice, equity and community-led change.

Key Dates

• Closing date: Monday 5th January 2026
• Interviews: Week commencing 12th January 2026

How to Apply

Please email Hannah Laking at Harris Hill to request the full job pack, or you can download it directly from this advert. If you’d like to learn more about the role, you’re welcome to book a call with Hannah. Alternatively, you can simply send your CV and supporting statement which must follow the structure outlined in the job pack before the closing date, and Hannah will get in touch.

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.