Community leader jobs in Manchester

For over 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been building a better childhood for all.

Research and Development Officer
Contract: Permanent
Work Pattern: Part Time, 28 hours per week (0.8 FTE)
Salary: £27,526 per annum, with annual salary increments for the first three years
Location: Homebased – however NCB and RiP has offices in Sheffield, Newton Abbot and Belfast that staff can work from should they choose.

The Vacancy

For over 20 years, Research in Practice has been at the forefront of supporting evidence-informed practice in adult social care. We are now looking for a passionate and experienced Research and Development Officer to join our adults’ team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a skilled facilitator with strong experience in adult social care (or a related sector, e.g. housing, homelessness, mental health or criminal justice) who is motivated to make a real impact. While the role requires a solid understanding of research and its application, it is not a primary research post—instead, the focus is on translating evidence into meaningful learning and development opportunities.

You will play a key role in designing and delivering high-quality learning experiences, including programmes, full-day workshops, webinars, and events, working with diverse audiences such as senior leaders and practitioners.

What you’ll be doing

• Designing and delivering engaging learning and development activities for a range of audiences
• Translating complex research, policy, and legal frameworks into accessible, practical learning
• Developing high-quality outputs (e.g. publications, tools, and learning resources)
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders and supporting collaborative projects
• Managing multiple projects effectively in a varied and fast-paced environment

About you

We are looking for someone who brings:

• In-depth knowledge of adult social care, or related sectors such as criminal justice, housing and homelessness, or mental health
• Experience in facilitation and delivering learning, including workshops and webinars
• A strong understanding of research, policy, and practice frameworks
• Skills in knowledge mobilisation, with a passion for co-production and evidence implementation
• Proven experience in relationship management
• Excellent communication skills, including confident public speaking
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work flexibly (including occasional travel and overnight stays)

Research in Practice

Research in Practice is part of the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) family. For over 60 years, the NCB has been building a better childhood for all.

Research in Practice works with organisations across the adults and children’s social care, health and criminal justice sectors, supporting them to develop an evidence-informed approach to their work. Our focus is on using evidence from research, practice and lived experience, to provide resources that improve policy and services, in order to achieve positive outcomes for people of all ages.

About NCB

For more than 60 years, the National Children’s Bureau has championed the rights and amplified the voice of children and young people in the UK. We interrogate policy and uncover evidence, blending in lived and learnt experience to shape future legislation and develop more effective ways of supporting children and families.

Bringing people and organisations together is fundamental to how we improve the systems that babies, children, young people and their families rely on to thrive. We push boundaries, even looking beyond childhood itself to consider transitions into adulthood and the impact of childhood issues on an entire lifespan. We are united for better childhoods and brighter futures.

The Benefits

• 30 Days Annual Leave
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexible Working
• Winter Holiday Closure & Break

Employee Assistance Programme

Closing date: 8am, Friday 10th July 2026
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible .

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are actively seeking to broaden the diversity of our staff group and warmly welcome applications from candidates underrepresented in the charity sector, including those from Black and Global Majority communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with lived experience of the issues NCB works on.

No agencies please.

Member Relationship Manager

Location: Home or hybrid option

Hours: 4 or 5 days a week

Salary: £36,791 (full time equivalent)

Accountable to: Head of Strategic Communications

Responsible for: Membership Officer X1

DBS Eligibility: Basic DBS check

Closing Date: 28th June 2026

Interview Date: 7th July

About the role

Join a charity that’s passionate about safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. If you want your work to have a real-world impact, this is the role for you.

What You’ll Do:

You'll head up our Membership team, responsible for new and existing members. This is a front-line role where you’ll:

• Grow and develop membership by identifying, engaging and converting new member organisations, building a strong pipeline of opportunities and increasing membership income.
• Manage and strengthen member relationships to maximise engagement, retention and progression across Thirtyone:eight's tiered membership offering.
• Lead membership operations and performance through effective use of CRM data, reporting, budgeting, process improvement and line management of the Membership Officer.
• Champion the membership proposition by collaborating with internal teams, developing strategic partnerships and representing Thirtyone:eight at events, conferences and networking opportunities.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to combine relationship management, business development and strategic leadership to grow Thirtyone:eight’s membership community, strengthen engagement across churches and Christian organisations, and support the charity’s mission of creating safer environments for vulnerable people.

Why You’ll Love Working Here:

• Purpose-driven work: Everything you do helps protect children and vulnerable adults.
• Flexible working options: Balance your life and work with hybrid arrangements.
• Professional growth: Opportunities to learn, innovate, and lead.
• Supportive culture: Join a friendly, collaborative team that values your ideas.

If you enjoy delivering excellent customer service, handling detailed processes, and contributing to work that makes a meaningful difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Main Responsibilities

1.    Lead the active recruitment of new members with a particular focus on decision-makers and leaders.

2.    Build, manage and progress a membership pipeline, using proactive activity, referrals, events, partner networks and existing organisational data.

3.    Use Thirtyone:eight’s membership database to identify prospective organisations, map trends and growth opportunities aligned with our tiered membership model.

4.    Initiate and lead conversations with prospective members, articulating the value of membership clearly and confidently, responding to questions and handling objections appropriately.

5.    Manage relationships with existing member organisations, ensuring they understand and experience the value of their membership.

6.    Identify opportunities to grow value within existing accounts, including movement between membership tiers or increased engagement with services.

7.    Work with the Head of Membership and Finance & Business Manager to develop systems and processes that support effective relationship management and growth.

8.    Contribute to the ongoing review and development of Thirtyone:eight’s membership offer, ensuring it remains relevant, clearly articulated and aligned with member need.

9.    Collaborate with internal teams to ensure a joined-up member journey from first contact through to ongoing engagement. 

10.    Ensure staff and volunteers across the organisation are well equipped and confident to promote the benefits of membership.

11.    Represent Thirtyone:eight, its Christian ethos and safeguarding mission at external events, exhibitions, networks and conferences. 

Specific Responsibilities

1. Line manage the Membership Officer, providing supervision, support and clear objectives aligned to recruitment and relationship management priorities.
2. Work with the Membership Officer to embed an effective membership account management structure that develops member relationships at the appropriate level with key clients.
3. Work closely with the Communications Manager to shape and deliver member communications that support recruitment, retention and progression across membership tiers.
4. Produce regular, insightful reporting on member recruitment,retention and churn, pipeline health and activity, and performance against agreed targets.
5. Ensure staff and volunteers across the organisation are properly equipped to promote the benefits of membership.
6. Work collaboratively as part of Thirtyone:eight’s management team to support the delivery of the organisation’s strategic objectives.
7. Identify and develop opportunities to work with partners and networks that can support membership growth and visibility.
8. With the head of department and finance team to set the annual membership budget and ensure all spend is within budget, appropriately accounted for, and that maximum return on investment is achieved. 

Person Specification

A) Essential Personal Characteristics and Qualities:

• Humility - Having a modest view of your own importance.
• Integrity - The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
• Openness - Acceptance of, or receptiveness to change or new ideas. 
• Collaborative - Involving two or more parties working together. 
• Solution-focused - Concentration in problem solving or dealing with a difficult situation.
• Learning - Knowledge acquired through study, experience, or being taught.
• Creative - Having good imagination, thinking differently, or having original ideas.
• Fair - Treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination. 
• Committed - Dedicated to a certain course, cause or policy.
• Passionate - Having or showing strong feelings or beliefs. 

B) Essential Experience:

• Sales and marketing experience with good relationship/account management experience.

• Experience of using a CRM system to manage and analyses data and record activities. (Knowledge of MS Dynamics desirable).

• Relevant experience of managing and developing relationships with churches, Christian faith-based organisations, or charities, to increase engagement. 

• Experience in developing and embedding of processes and procedures to ensure high levels of customer service are monitored and maintained across an organisation.

• Experience of line managing a team of staff and volunteers as well as working with external agencies.

• Comfortable working to targets and being accountable for outcomes.

C) Essential Abilities, Knowledge & Motivation:

These are the skills we regard as essential for the role:

• A strong working knowledge of churches, Christian faith organisations and charities.

• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively at all levels of an organisation.

• Motivated to continually improve on past success and to challenge the status quo.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage an audience.

• Self-motivated, resilient and outward-looking

• Ability to build strong, professional relationships with contacts of the charity. 

• Ability to work as a team member with colleagues and across departments.

• Good IT skills (MS Office applications as a minimum) with analytical capability.

• An ability to travel independently; both regionally and nationally as required.

• Knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunity and Anti-discriminatory practice. 

• Willingness to promote and participate in relevant training and CPD. 
• Ability to identify with and accept the aims and objectives of the charity and statutory and other professional guidance as appropriate.