Seeking a purposeful career change? Start on your transformative journey with the On Purpose Associate Programme, offering a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals to transition into impactful work. This paid, year-long leadership programme is designed for those ready to pivot their professional journey towards creating a regenerative, equitable and just future.
Key info:
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Based in London, UK
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Full-time (4.5 days at placement & one half day training weekly)
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£27,010 per annum salary (pro rata)
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Programme dates: April 2026 - March 2027 (49 weeks)
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Apply by Monday 20th October, 9:00 am (BST).
About On Purpose:
On Purpose is tackling the greatest challenge of our time: transforming our economy from profit to purpose. Our leadership programmes develop people who will play their part in this transformation.
Together, we learn to see a different future and take action towards realising it in the organisations we work in. Our programmes seed a vibrant community who care, inspire, challenge and support one another as we make this transformation a reality.
Programme structure:
Two 6 month placements
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Through work placements with organisations driving impactful change, you'll gain hands-on experience tackling pressing social and environmental issues 4.5 days of the week. Some of our current partners include Better Society Capital, Save the Children, BAFTA and VISA.
Expert-led learning
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Our intensive Learning & Development programme involves weekly in-person sessions led by experts from across sectors. This blend of professional training and academic rigour equips you with the skills, knowledge and mindset to lead organisational and systemic change.
1:1 mentoring & coaching
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Receive support through fortnightly mentoring sessions and quarterly executive coaching, fostering both your personal and professional growth.
Join a supportive, impactful community
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You’ll be part of a tight-knit cohort of 20 Associates, participating in training sessions every Friday afternoon together. You’ll also join the wider On Purpose community, connecting with a global, influential network of impact-driven professionals offering life-long inspiration, collaboration and opportunities.
Benefits:
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Earn a £27.01 k (pro rata) salary - On Purpose stands out by offering a paid learning and training opportunity, saving you significant costs compared to paying for other leadership programmes or MBAs, all the while offering extensive learning and development.
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Develop your ability to make an impact - Equip yourself with the skills and insights needed to drive meaningful change. You’ll join nearly 1000 purpose-driven alumni who are leading transformative change worldwide in all parts of the system, with 92% currently working in the impact sector.
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Unlock purpose-driven career opportunities - Our Associates have moved into a range of sustainability and social impact roles, ranging from CEOs of social enterprises to leadership positions within traditional companies driving change from within. We have a former music label business owner now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Director of Impact at B Lab UK and a former civil servant now Climate Lead at Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
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Standard UK holiday allowance
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A 3-day residential (all expenses paid)
Who we’re looking for:
This programme is ideal for:
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Individuals seeking a career change into the environment and social impact sector.
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Individuals already in the impact sector who want to develop new skills, have the opportunity to work in more commercial organisations, or to join an engaged network of people who share your values and are working toward the same goal.
Specific sector or industry experience is not important. We’re looking for talented people from diverse industries who have a determination to bring their skills and experience to purpose-driven projects and to driving systemic change. We seek ambitious individuals with:
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A minimum of three years full-time professional experience
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The right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme
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Fluency in English
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Office environment experience
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Skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, adaptability, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, quantitative analysis and strategic thinking.
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Excitement and commitment towards building a career that helps transform our economy from profit to purpose.
Diversity and Inclusion:
We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences and those who are often under-represented in the impact sector, including but not limited to individuals with disabilities and those from diverse ethnic, gender identities, sexualities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds.
How to apply:
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Register your interest via our website to receive a link to your online application form.
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Closing date for applications: Monday 20th October, 9:00 am (BST).
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Interviews will be held in mid-late November.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Salary £38,000 - £40,000 per annum - subject to skills and experience
Hours of work 37.5 hours a week over five days
Base Hybrid working for the foreseeable future, with attendance in the office
two days a week, including one day being a Thursday at our central office:
· Pears Building, Pond Street, London, NW3 2PP
Other office days may be worked from our other sites at:
· Barnet Hospital, Wellhouse Lane, Barnet, EN5 3DJ
· Chase Farm Hospital, 127 The Ridgeway, Enfield, EN2 8JL
The role
The philanthropy manager will report to the senior philanthropy manager.
We are seeking a creative and driven philanthropy manager to join our team on a permanent basis. Working alongside members of the wider team, you will help deliver the best possible experience to some of the charity’s most committed donors through a mixture of bespoke events, personalised communications, and recognition opportunities across our hospital sites.
Specifically, this role will lead the team’s efforts in securing four and five-figure gifts and stewarding donors with a gold-standard experience that ensures continued support for the Royal Free Charity.
You will play an important role within our philanthropy & capital campaign team, helping to build relationships, and increase income, in a pivotal year for the charity. The role will offer significant scope for development, giving you the opportunity to grow your relationship-building, communication, and project management skills in a supportive, ambitious, and high-performing team.
The team
Our dynamic fundraising department generated £4.5m through donations in 2023/24, and we are now preparing for an ambitious multi-million-pound campaign in support of a ground-breaking cancer centre on the site of the Royal Free Hospital.
We pride ourselves on being a supporter focused and agile function, working at the heart of the charity to deliver impact for patients and staff across our hospitals.
Responsible for attracting and retaining donors, and delivering an outstanding supporter experience, the fundraising department comprises two teams which work closely together to achieve our shared objectives:
· Our philanthropy & campaigns team builds relationships with individual philanthropists, trusts, foundations, corporate organisations and intermediaries, giving or facilitating donations of £10,000 or more to the charity each year. They lead major appeal activity for the charity, currently focused on our forthcoming cancer campaign, and special events to support these activities.
· Our public fundraising team harnesses the support and energy of individuals and groups, helping them to give back in the way that works for them. This includes committed giving, in memory support, gifts in wills, and fundraising events and challenges.
· Our database and supporter care colleagues underpin and support the entire department.
Organisation
The Royal Free Charity stands at the threshold of its most important period of development.
Our vision is for everyone served by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) to have access to world-leading healthcare, delivered by a thriving workforce, and driven by medical research that has a global impact. We support the 17,000 staff of the RFL and their two million patients across Barnet, Chase Farm, North Mid and Royal Free hospitals and more than 30 NHS services.
Through the services we provide, and the programmes and equipment we fund, we make a profound and immediate difference to patients’ experiences of care.
The recruitment process
To apply for this post please send your:
- CV (please include your last employer and dates of employment)
- Cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description and person specification,
Please note, that applications submitted without a cover letter may not be considered for this role.
Closing date for application: Monday 29 September 2025, 9 am
First stage interview date: Wednesday 15 October 2025
Second stage interview date: Wednesday 22 October 2025
Please kindly note that we may close the job advert before the closing date if we receive a large volume of applications.
- You must be eligible to work in the UK
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may require during the recruitment process.
As an equal opportunities’ employer, the Royal Free Charity is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.
We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Royal Free Charity and act in line with our values of dedication, innovation, partnership, energy and respect.
Benefits:
Core benefits
· 25 days of paid holiday, plus three-day office closure rest period between Christmas and New Year, and UK bank holidays. This increases to 30 days leave after five completed years of continuous employment (all leave is pro rata for part time employees).
· A contributory pension scheme, where we match your 4% contribution towards your pension. If you choose to increase your payments into your pension scheme, we’ll match your contribution up to 9%.
· A sick pay package that offers one month’s full pay and one month’s half pay in any 12-month period if you’ve been with us for less than two years. This rises to two months’ full pay and two months’ half pay in any 12-month period after two years of continuous employment.
· Occupational maternity pay and paternity pay packages that provide more generous support than statutory pay alone.
· A flexible working policy to support our employees’ work/life balance.
Support for your financial wellbeing
As a member of the Royal Free family, you’ll be entitled to benefit from:
· Expert financial advice from our financial partner, the London Credit Union
· Savings on purchases with the Blue Light Card
· Our Death in Service benefit
Support for your health and wellbeing
· Subsidised gym, pool and classes at our Rec Club in Hampstead
· Secure bicycle parking and shower facilities at our Hampstead site
· Fortnightly guided meditation
· Free massage therapy from our complementary therapy team
· Menopause peer support group
· Employee Assistance Programme offering 24-hour access to free confidential advice and support on work and personal issues.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
We accelerate improvement and innovation beyond what the NHS can provide
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.