Country research manager jobs
Groundwork South is seeking a motivated and experienced Senior Project Officer to lead on the delivery of our Climate Action Fund project over the next five years.
Senior Project Officer (Climate Action Fund Training and Development Lead)
Reference: CAF0626
Contract: Fixed term until June 2031
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours each week
Salary: £28,000 - £32,000 per annum
Location: Home-based (with travel across England) – There is a focus on South West England during the pilot phase
About Us
Groundwork South works with communities across the south of England to transform their lives and the places where they live. We have been at the forefront of social and environmental regeneration for over 25 years, and today we have a simple mission: to create better places, improve people’s prospects, and promote greener living and working.
We are passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny, and no-one is held back by their background or circumstances. This vision drives the work that we do. Each year we deliver over 100 innovative projects, tackling the biggest issues facing our communities and creating real and lasting, positive change.
About the Project
Communities Prepared works with volunteers and communities across England to help them build the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. This includes supporting communities to plan for climate-related risks such as flooding, storms, heatwaves, and severe weather.
Despite the successes we have had through our programme to date, we are not currently reaching diverse enough audiences and too often there are people missing from the resilience sector. This needs to change. To address this we are now embarking on an exciting new UK-wide partnership programme funded through the National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund over the next five years.
The programme responds to growing evidence that climate-related emergencies, including extreme heat, flooding, fire, cold and severe weather, disproportionately impact marginalised communities, while those same communities are often excluded from resilience planning and decision-making.
The programme brings together Equally Ours, Communities Prepared (part of Groundwork South), and the VCS Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP, part of the British Red Cross) to strengthen climate resilience by ensuring that communities experiencing discrimination and disadvantage are at the heart of climate preparedness, response, recovery and policy-making.
Through a rights-based and co-produced approach, the programme seeks to shift climate resilience policy and practice away from models that frame communities as “vulnerable”, and towards approaches grounded in agency, participation, equality and shared responsibility.
Key Responsibilities
As Senior Project Officer, you will:
- Work with the project team to map stakeholders and co-develop a structured engagement plan to recruit and work with marginalised communities.
- Build a collaborative and trusting relationship with the partner organisations and other stakeholders for this project, ensuring this work meets their expectations and complements areas of the work programme led by others.
- Work with project participants and partners to co-design Communities Prepared material and delivery methods that are more accessible and relevant to diverse audiences.
- Lead on the delivery of resilience training and workshop sessions with diverse audiences, both in-person and online.
- Work with project participants and partners to co-design a train the trainer model that will enable diverse audiences to deliver resilience training within their own communities, amplifying reach and impact.
- Work with the core Communities Prepared team to adapt our offer with the long-term goal of the Programme reaching more diverse audiences, especially those seldom heard in this sector.
The role involves regular travel across the UK, with a focus on South West England during the project’s pilot phase.
We are looking for someone with:
- Experience in community engagement or community development.
- Experience delivering training or workshops.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, confident to engage people from a range of different backgrounds.
- Experience working with multiple stakeholders or partners.
- Confidence working independently in a remote role.
- An interest in climate change, community resilience and wider community development.
- A willingness to travel across the country.
Closing date for applications: 11.59pm, 30th June 2026
Interview date: 15th July over MS Teams
Interview panel: Representatives from Groundwork South, Equally Ours and VCSEP (tbc)
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.
Groundwork South is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all members of the community.
No agencies please.
Registered Charity 
101 - 500
Thank you!
- Do you want to do work that really matters? Help us end avoidable blindness
- Part time: Fixed term: 3- 6months 3 days a week, role is based London (Flexible work from home arrangements available)
- Closing Date: 30 June 2026
ABOUT THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION
The Fred Hollows Foundation is an international development organisation working to prevent blindness and restore sight. We continue to carry on the legacy of Professor Fred Hollows, who believed every person had the right to quality eye care, no matter where they live. The Foundation is known around the world as an organisation that works with purpose and determination. With a reputation for excellence, we are well known for making change happen.
The Foundation has grown to work in more than 25+ countries throughout Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific, as well as Australia. The Foundation has restored sight to more than 3 million people worldwide. We have an ambitious five-year strategic plan that aims to take us even closer to realising our vision of a world in which no person is needlessly blind, or vision impaired and Indigenous Australians exercise their right to sight and good health.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Philanthropy and Partnerships Coordinator support the development and progression of philanthropy and partnership activity across trusts & foundations, corporate partners, and high‑value philanthropic audiences in the UK. The role is focused on coordination, preparation, prospects research, and pipeline support, enabling effective relationship management and timely progression of opportunities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate and support a targeted portfolio of trusts & foundations, corporate, and philanthropic prospects, assisting with qualification, cultivation, and stewardship activity.
- Support the preparation and submission of trusts & foundations applications, including coordinating inputs, drafting supporting materials, and managing timelines and follow‑up.
- Support donor and partner engagement through effective briefing, scheduling, meeting preparation, follow‑up, and moves management.
- Act as a coordination point between UK, Global Philanthropy, Programs, and Business Development teams to align inputs, streamline processes, and reduce bottlenecks.
- Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date CRM and pipeline records, ensuring donor intelligence, engagement activity, and stage progression are consistently recorded.
- Supporting prospect research and developing profiles when required.
- Support reporting and insight generation, including pipeline tracking, income forecasting inputs, and progress summaries to inform prioritisation and decision‑making
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEED
- Experience supporting or coordinating fundraising, philanthropy, or relationship-based income generation within a charity or comparable environment.
- Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Ability to analyse and interpret information and data to support decision-making and insight.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing professional-level briefs and materials.
- Strong collaborative skills and the ability to work effectively across teams and stakeholder groups.
- Exposure to fundraising, particularly in major gifts, trusts and foundations, and/or corporate partnerships.
- Understanding of data protection regulations (e.g. GDPR) and their application in donor management.
- Experience supporting donor stewardship activities and relationship management processes.
- Familiarity with working in an international or not-for-profit environment
How we recognise your contribution
Through our internal programs and employee benefits we aim to create an environment where you will feel supported and empowered. Whether your focus is on continuous learning, professional development or finding an environment which enables you to thrive while balancing family or personal commitments, we have a range of programs in place to support you.
APPLICATIONS
Please apply directly using the "Apply" button. Your application should include a CV and, preferably, a cover letter that outlines your interest in the role and addresses the key criteria listed in the “Key Responsibilities”, and “What you need to succeed” sections of the advertisement.
Applications Close:30 June 2026
The Fred Hollows Foundation is committed to protecting the rights of children and community partners in all areas where we work. Applicants are advised that The Foundation reserves the right to conduct police checks, and other screening procedures to ensure we maintain and promote a child safe environment, as well as to protect The Foundations reputation and values. In addition, The Foundation reserves the right to verify qualifications and credentials of applicants as part of our recruitment and screening processes.
Please be advised:
- Fred Hollows Foundation will never ask for a fee during any stage of the recruitment process.
- All active roles are advertised directly on our website here.
- Please note we will not be accepting CVs via agencies for this role.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Purpose of the Role
As the Policy and Campaigns Officer for Scotland, you will be the driving force behind our policy development, political monitoring, and strategic advocacy in Scotland. Your work will champion the strategic interests of dietitians as both a professional membership body and a registered trade union. Alongside core policy work, you will take direct ownership of designing and delivering a high-profile national campaign which is delivered across the UK. This allocated campaign will focus on a critical theme impacting both public health and our workforce.
The role sits within the BDA’s policy and public affairs function, and you will be part of a small team of policy officers and a public affairs officer who work across the other home countries and the UK. You will have access to an established Scotland board, a colleague who covers trade union representation in Scotland and a supportive professional practice, communications and leadership team based at our Birmingham head office.
Key Areas of Responsibility
The post holder will deliver on the following key responsibilities:
Policy development and advocacy (55%)
- Monitoring the political environment in Scotland in our key areas of interest, providing briefs and advice to the Scotland board and BDA senior leadership team on developments within Holyrood, NHS Scotland, STUC and local government.
- Policy development including work with relevant committees and BDA staff in the development of key policy documents and position statements with particular responsibility for policy positions in Scotland which balance clinical standards with social impact, workforce and employment rights.
- Co-ordinate and draft robust, evidence-based responses to consultations from Scottish government, public bodies and parliamentary committees. May also respond to UK consultations where appropriate for a campaign theme.
- In conjunction with the BDA public affairs officer, advocacy for the dietetic profession and the BDA in Scotland by maintaining a network of contacts across the Scottish political spectrum including MSPs, government officials, health board executives, and policy influencers.
- Translate political updates and complex policy changes into clear accessible updates and guidance for BDA members via newsletters, webinars and the website.
- Represent the BDA with internal and external stakeholders including BDA Specialist Groups, AHP policy officer and working groups/networks and other alliances.
- Represent the BDA at Allied Health Professions Federation Scotland (AHPFS) working groups and events, building relationships, contributing dietetic priorities and ensuring the profession’s interests are reflected in shared policy discussions and collaborative activity.
Campaign co-ordination (30%)
- Completion of campaign workplan/s template with the campaign working group/s.
- Co-ordinate campaigns in conjunction with working group/s.
- Monitoring the landscape with regards to allocated campaigns. Provide advice when relevant issues are trending or becoming topical.
- Build appropriate alliances with third-sector organisations, networks and charities, food policy alliances and other health unions to amplify the campaign’s impact.
- Working with colleagues in communications, design and public affairs to create compelling campaigning materials, digital content, and toolkits to mobilise members, the public, and parliamentarians to lobby for legislative and budgetary changes that support dietetic services and interests.
- Establish clear KPIs for the campaign/s, monitoring progress, media coverage, member engagement, and policy shifts, and reporting these to senior leadership.
Cross BDA engagement and communications (15%)
- Help and deliver the BDA’s participation in profile raising events in Scotland, such as NHS Confederation.
- Regular engagement with the Chair of the Scotland Board on policy, political and government matters, resulting in input to Board agendas and support for political engagement.
- Provide expert advice and briefings to senior leadership ahead of high-level meetings or media appearances in Scotland.
- Be a valuable member of the BDA policy and public affairs function, contributing to the evolution of the policy function and contributing to the wider work and objectives of the Trade Union team
Person Specification
Knowledge
- Degree educated.
- Campaign/project management.
- Health policy development.
- Equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Public policy making process, particularly within Scotland.
- Knowledge of the Health and Social Care policy landscape in Scotland and the devolved nature of public services.
- It is also desirable if you have an understanding of the trade union movement in Scotland.
Experience
- Experience of working in a policy, public affairs or research role in healthcare, membership, charity, public sector, or trade union.
- Experience of lone working and being part of a small field-based team.
- Working within a health professional body or trust/board.
- Working in a political environment.
It is also desirable if you have worked as a dietitian or dietetic support worker.
Ideally you should be confident working independently in a small field-based team, able to build relationships and translate complex policy into clear advice, with desirable experience in a professional body, trade union, or dietetic setting.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.