Counselling jobs in chelmsford, essex

Fundraising Officer – North of England

Job description

A fantastic permanent opportunity has arisen for a part-time Fundraising Officer to join our dynamic, friendly and supportive fundraising team. This is a home-based role and will suit an individual living in the North of England. You will be reporting to the Corporate & Regional Fundraising Manager and working in a very varied and exciting working environment.

The perfect candidate will enjoy forging positive and robust relationships with supporters including corporate partners, small businesses, philanthropic groups as well as supporting community fundraisers across the North of England, to raise vital income for our Association.  

You will use your creative and professional skillset to provide high-quality account management, stewardship, and growth across all managed income streams. No two days are the same and we are looking for someone who can be flexible in their approach and able to multitask effectively.

Blesma is a unique membership Association as well as a charity. Our Members (limbless veterans) are at the heart of all our work – therefore, the impact of our fundraising is clearly visible in the experiences of our inspirational injured veterans.

We would love to hear from talented individuals who want to help us raise the funds that we need to support limbless veterans. If you would like to apply for this exciting role, please read the attached Job Description and apply with your C.V. and a Covering Letter detailing why you’d be an ideal candidate for the role and how your experience and skills match those detailed in the Person Specification.

If you are uncertain about your suitability for this role, we encourage you to apply and allow us to assess your fit.

Please note that we may close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of applications.

 We look forward to hearing from you.

WHO WE ARE

Animal Equality is an international animal protection organisation working with society, governments and companies to end cruelty to farmed animals. Animal Equality has offices in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and India.

Animal Equality releases investigative materials captured from inside factory farms and slaughterhouses, exposing the conditions that farmed animals face around the world. We publish our findings on television, in newspapers and online. We routinely secure mainstream media coverage, including on the BBC, ITV, Sky News, The Times, The Guardian, The New York Times and many more.

Animal Equality also advocates for political change. Our current campaigns include a UK ban on foie gras imports, increased enforcement of existing animal protection laws, legal protections for farmed fish, and Government subsidies for transitioning towards a plant-based food system.

We focus on farmed animals because of the scale and severity of the issue. More than a billion animals are confined and killed for human consumption every year in the UK. Farmed animals also often suffer in some of the worst ways: pigs typically endure painful mutilations, many chickens die of heart attacks, fish are confined in underwater cages, and some farmed animals are victims of deliberate abuse and neglect. But the problem is solvable! By utilising effective campaigning strategies, Animal Equality is having an impact for animals around the world and building a future where all animals are respected and protected and are no longer exploited for human consumption.

Animal Equality UK’s current key campaigns include:

• Strengthening enforcement of animal protection laws.
• Halting the expansion of Scotland’s salmon farming industry.
• Achieving a ban on foie gras imports.
• Securing species-specific slaughter legislation for fish.
• Inspiring the public to eat plants, not animals.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Animal Equality’s campaigns have driven Parliamentary debates, legal victories, policy shifts, corporate commitments, mainstream media coverage, and inspired thousands of individuals to change their diets.

We are seeking a creative, driven, and strategic Campaigns Coordinator to deliver our current high-impact campaigns with a view to exposing the cruel animal agriculture industries, influencing decision-makers, and mobilising the public to create lasting change for farmed animals.

Working closely with team members, the Campaigns Coordinator will design and deliver imaginative campaigns while working in alignment with the organisation’s wider mission: to end factory farming. The role requires initiative, creativity, tenacity, and a solutions-focused mindset, as well as the discipline to execute projects effectively and professionally.

The Campaigns Coordinator will report to the Campaigns and Public Affairs Manager and work closely with others across our UK and international teams. You will play a key role in coordinating and inspiring volunteers and external stakeholders.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Campaign delivery: Drive Animal Equality’s high-impact campaigns, bringing the plight of farmed animals into the public consciousness. Plan, coordinate, and implement imaginative and effective campaign actions that influence policy-makers, businesses, philanthropists, and the public. Produce clear, compelling, and engaging campaign resources.
• Stakeholder management: Build and maintain strong relationships with decision-makers, experts, regulators, allied organisations, and members of the public to strengthen campaign outcomes.
• Volunteer mobilisation: Grow and energise our Animal Protectors network through training, regular newsletter communication, and opportunities for online and in-person action.
• Peaceful protest coordination: Organise creative, non-violent demonstrations and direct actions that advance campaign objectives and attract media coverage.
• Research and uncovering malpractice: Conduct desk-based research, including FOI requests and collaboration with academics, to uncover questionable industry and regulatory practices, and inform evidence-based campaigns.
• Uncover scandals through desk-based research: Using Freedom of Information requests, conducting research, working with academics, and liaising with concerned members of the public, support the release of exposés that demonstrate the reality of animal agriculture.
• Media generation: Work with Animal Equality’s Marketing and Communications teams to design noteworthy content, ensure strong campaign narratives, and maximise media exposure.
• Support our digital campaigning work: Work alongside colleagues in our international Marketing and Communication Departments to engage the public through our multi-channel communication strategy. Assist with the development of content for our website, social media, YouTube and other platforms to successfully share plans and updates in relation to Animal Equality’s campaign priorities.
• Project management: Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines, budgets, and objectives are met.
• Campaign evaluation: Monitor, measure, and report on campaign impact, adapting tactics as needed to ensure effectiveness.
• Policy oversight: Stay informed about relevant political and legislative developments to identify opportunities and risks for our campaigns.
• Represent Animal Equality’s culture: Support Animal Equality’s life-saving work by producing high-quality output, embracing and representing the organisation’s culture principles proudly at all times, and supporting our philanthropic efforts.
• Support with other ad hoc duties, as requested by your line manager.

ABOUT YOU

You are a professional, confident, and resilient campaigner who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is committed to Animal Equality’s objectives. You are adaptable, with excellent interpersonal skills, and a positive outlook. You are curious, creative, and agile, able to think outside the box and solve problems. You can move seamlessly between big-picture strategy and on-the-ground delivery, bringing fresh ideas and relentless energy to every project.

You actively seek constructive feedback and use it to continuously improve your work. You show ownership and a growth mindset that is focused on improving the world for farmed animals. Knowledge of farmed animal issues and alignment with Animal Equality’s mission is a must, as is professionalism, adaptability, and discretion.

You must have a minimum of three years’ experience in campaigning, advocacy, or directly related fields, with a proven ability to design and deliver successful campaigns.

You will be based remotely in the UK. In addition to monthly meet-ups, some travel within the UK may be required for demonstrations, meetings, and events. While not common, occasional evening or weekend work may be necessary to support campaigning activities. Any additional hours worked and agreed with your Manager can be reclaimed as TOIL.

BENEFITS

• Holiday entitlement equal to 33 days per year (including standard public holidays).
• Personalised employee assistance programme (EAP): An Animal Equality-funded benefit that offers employees confidential counselling and advice on a wide range of work and personal issues. The programme offers several services, such as a 24/7 confidential helpline and expert cognitive behavioural therapy.
• Flexible hours, with the option to start between 8am and 10am and finish between 4pm and 6pm.
• Able Futures Support: The service is a nine-month, practical and confidential support service for employees whose circumstances or mental health may impact their wellbeing or work. Employees can work with a mental health professional to deepen their understanding of how their mental health may impact them and build coping skills and resilience to thrive at work.
• Yearly stipend to access learning and development resources to help employees further grow their personal and professional skills.
• A free vegan lunch every month at the Animal Equality monthly meetups.

APPLY NOW

For more information and to apply, please visit our vacancies page.

Closing date: 5.00pm on Friday 19th September 2025.

Position Title: Helpline Supervisor
Reports To: Helpline Manager / CEO
Salary: £36,000 per annum, plus pension and employer NI contributions
Hours: 40 hours/week
Contract: Permanent, full-time, flexibility required in work hours
Location: Remote / Office-based – some evening/weekend work required

Role Purpose:

The Helpline Supervisor will provide support, guidance and supervise the helpline advisors and in the future helpline volunteers. The role will further provide emotional support and debriefing for the helpline advisors and volunteers during each helpline shift and when appropriate after each reported incident. They will also oversee the quality of service and ensure each report is dealt with appropriately to a high standard and that reports are logged appropriately recording all relevant information, ensuring data is protected and all procedures are followed.

Role Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day supervision, guidance and emotional support to helpline advisors.
   

• Monitor call logs, case records, and system reports to ensure quality and flag complex or urgent cases.
   

• Ensure safeguarding protocols are followed and lead on referrals involving serious risk or protection concerns.
   

• Deliver pre-shift briefings, post-shift debriefs, and facilitate reflective practice sessions.
   

• Coordinate rotas and ensure adequate shift coverage.
   

• Support the recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing training of helpline staff (and volunteers when).
   

• Promote staff wellbeing and implement trauma-informed approaches in staff support.
   

• Liaise with external agencies and partners to strengthen referral pathways and collaborative responses.
   

• Lead on service improvement by identifying trends, risks, and areas for development.
   

• Monitor and analyse service data to contribute to internal reviews and funder reporting.
   

• Ensure compliance with data protection, confidentiality, and safeguarding standards.

• Undergo regular training in trauma-informed approach, safeguarding, anti-Muslim hate and any other relevant topics.
   

Person Specification:

• Supervisory or senior experience in helpline, casework, or support services.
   

• Proven ability to provide emotional and professional support to frontline staff.
   

• Experience in handling safeguarding referrals and risk assessments.
   

• Trauma-informed approach and working knowledge of hate crime, discrimination, and support needs.
   

• Strong understanding of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia.
   

• Excellent understanding of British Muslim communities, their diversity, and everyday practices.
   

• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills.
   

• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
   

• Experience using communication and case management platforms (e.g., RingCentral, Zoho, Microsoft 365) is desirable but not necessary.
   

• Experience in monitoring, evaluation, or impact reporting is desirable.
   

• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.

• Strong commitment to inclusion, ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds feel heard, respected, and supported. This includes working sensitively with people of all faiths and none, and with diverse identities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, queer Muslims, Muslims from minority sects, and other marginalised or intersectional communities.
   

• Enhanced DBS check required (to be obtained on your behalf if your application is successful).
   

Note: This job description is not exhaustive and may be subject to review and amendment from time to time in line with organisational needs. As the helpline opening hours extend then there is potential for the working hours and timings to change or increase.

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until the role is filled with a suitable candidate, with the aim of appointing someone by mid-August to early September. To apply, please send your CV and cover letter, Applicants are responsible for ensuring they have the legal right to work in the UK and will be required to provide ID and verification if shortlisted.

You will be joining us at a time that holds the greatest potential for fundraising in our history, following the launch of the UK Government’s Delivery Plan for ME and initial findings of the DecodeME genetics study (co-led by Action for ME) in Summer 2025. 

Building on our charity’s already established level of support from major donors, you will provide exceptional relationship management to existing donors alongside growing our network of high value supporters.

Working closely with the CEO, alongside managing a portfolio of donors and prospects ensuring excellent stewardship, you will support our Breakthrough-ME Group (a group of high net worth and highly networked individuals). There is an established level of support from major donors at Action for ME so this is a role that will require exceptional relationship management to retain our current valued supporters while growing this crucial area of fundraising. 

This would be an ideal role for an experienced philanthropy professional seeking to work for a small but ambitious charity, helping us to achieve our mission to improve the lives of all people affected by ME – better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow.

Key duties

Major Donor Fundraising

• Successfully develop and implement the philanthropy strategy to secure and maximise funds from high value individuals for Action for ME achieving annual income of £250k+

• Set plans and budgets which will deliver income through major gift fundraising and philanthropic giving through family trusts and foundations, including quarterly forecasting.

• Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors at the £5k to £100k level, to develop and maintain strong and long-standing partnerships

• Work closely with the Director of Fundraising and Development and other colleagues to ensure that plans and activities for fundraising from high value individuals are integrated into the overall fundraising strategy and plan for significant growth.

• Be responsible for our Breakthrough-ME Group with high quality proposition development.  Contribution to Group fundraising activities with a specific focus on ensuring their networks support pipeline growth for future fundraising.

• Lead the delivery of our biennial fundraising gala dinner, maximising income and new opportunities from attendees.

• Develop engaging and inspiring opportunities to steward and cultivate support creating a calendar of activities including events, presentations, approaches, networking and meetings.

• Utilise the CRM database (Raisers Edge) to provide the data required to strategise your approach to philanthropy, monitor progress and provide a high-quality donor experience.

• Ensure utilisation of insight & data, producing management information data to inform planning and strategy development.

• With the Director of Fundraising & Development, create inspiring cases for support and resulting propositions with clear budgets and outcomes.

• Create adequate systems and processes to support the major donor programme.

• Undertake and manage research into prospects and major donors, preparing for approaches and presentations and briefing senior leadership and trustees for donor meetings and events.

• Develop and maintain relationships with donors, a wide range of staff and volunteers from trustee level down.

• Provide regular feedback and internal reporting to line management.

• Work with other fundraisers to ensure that all fundraising opportunities and leads are followed up – particularly in corporate, community and trust fundraising.

• Work with Trustees, the Chief Executive and members of the Leadership Team to develop relationships with major donors.

• Self-administrate including managing your own diary and meetings, keeping accurate and up to date records of activity

• Occasional travel to London, Bristol & events

Other duties

• To positively promote the work and activities of Action for M.E. at all times.

• To contribute to the team’s overall, ongoing and annual planning and budgeting.

• To undertake any other reasonable activity in line with the responsibilities of the post as requested by the Director of Fundraising and Development, Chief Executive or any other senior Action for ME management.

• Act as an advocate for the Charity and its work.

• To work in accordance with Action for ME’s values of collaboration, equity and empathy.