Design jobs

The Student Volunteering & Social Impact Coordinator leads the coordination of London Play Design’s Student Volunteering Programme, working closely with delivery/ Technical teams, partnerships staff and senior management.

This role focuses on connecting people, projects and learning, rather than carrying sole responsibility for delivery. The post-holder coordinates systems, supports students and ensures quality, while working as part of a wider team.

The role is designed to be manageable, collaborative and sustainable, with clear shared ownership of outputs.

The role operates across two interconnected strands:

Student learning, insight and impact
Supporting students to understand the social impact of London Play Design’s work, contribute to evaluation and learning, and help strengthen partnerships through the development of case studies and programme insights.

Practical delivery and capacity-building
Connecting students with hands-on opportunities that build their practical experience while supporting the delivery of corporate volunteer days, construction activity and community projects.

What You Will Do

1. Coordinate the Student Volunteering Programme

You will oversee the day-to-day coordination of the programme, ensuring students have a clear, supportive and meaningful experience.

This includes:

• Coordinating student recruitment, onboarding and induction
• Developing clear volunteering pathways, role descriptions and learning outcomes
• Acting as the main point of contact for student volunteers
• Monitoring engagement, attendance and well-being in collaboration with on-site teams
• Supporting continuous programme improvement as part of a team, not in isolation

On-site supervision and safeguarding are led by delivery staff. You will not be expected to supervise students independently on live sites.

2. Support Research, Learning & Social Impact (with students)

You will coordinate and quality-check student-led research and impact work, rather than producing it yourself.

Your role will be to:

• Support students to collect qualitative and quantitative data
• Guide students in drafting case studies, learning notes and impact stories
• Review work, give feedback and ensure clarity and consistency
• Coordinate publication processes alongside the Partnerships team or delegated student roles
• Share learning internally to support organisational development
• Supporting funding applications and reporting with structured evidence and insights

You will not be responsible for writing funding applications or producing full reports independently.

3. Connect Students to Live Projects

You will work with internal teams to place students on appropriate projects for learning and case-study purposes, and support volunteer days and construction delivery

This includes:

• Matching students to projects and departments
• Liaising with technical and Partnership teams to support access and information
• Connecting students with partner charities where appropriate
• Keeping student case-study activity on track
• Working with the technical team to align student support with project needs
• Balancing learning needs with delivery realities

4. Maintain University Partnerships

London Play Design already has established relationships with a small number of universities (typically 2–3).

You will:

• Maintain communication with university contacts
• Represent the organisation at a small number of events or talks each year (approx. 3–4)
• Support the ongoing development of placement and volunteering opportunities.

5. Support Communications & Storytelling (Shared Responsibility)

Working with student volunteers and the Partnerships team, you will support:

• Clear and accessible communication of London Play Design’s work
• Impact storytelling for websites, publications and social media
• Sharing community learning and project outcomes

You will not be the sole content producer or final editor for all communications.

How You’ll Work

• As part of a collaborative, supportive team
• By coordinating and enabling others, not doing everything yourself
• With delegated student roles supporting research, writing, construction support and communications
• With senior and partnership staff sharing strategic and reporting responsibilities

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Strong commitment to social impact and community-based work
• Experience coordinating programmes in education, volunteering or community contexts
• Strong organisational and communication skills
• Experience supporting research, evaluation or structured learning (e.g. case studies, reports)
• Confidence working with students or early-career individuals
• Ability to collaborate across teams and disciplines

Desirable

• Experience in the charity or social enterprise sector
• Background or interest in design, architecture, playwork, journalism, social design or community development
• Experience working with universities or student placement programmes
• Understanding of community engagement and ethical research
• Experience supporting on-site or practical projects.
• Knowledge of adventure play or playwork, including child-led play and risk-benefit approaches.

A Plus / Advantageous

• Knowledge of play safety regulations or play space design.
• Full, clean UK driving licence and willingness to drive a van in London.
• Experience using power tools, safely and under supervision.
• Relevant training or qualifications related to community engagement, education, safeguarding, design or project delivery.
• Experience using social media or digital tools to share stories, impact or community work.

We welcome applications from people with transferable skills and lived experience. You do not need to meet every criterion.

Progression & development:
This role offers scope to grow alongside the Student Volunteering Programme, with opportunities to develop skills in programme coordination, social impact, research, partnerships and community engagement.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
London Play Design is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups in the play, design and built environment sectors.

What We Offer

• A meaningful coordination role within a values-led organisation
• A clearly scoped role with shared responsibility and realistic expectations
• Flexible working arrangements
• A creative, collaborative working culture
• The opportunity to support both children’s right to play and student development

Why Join Us?

• Impact: Help translate student learning into real community benefit
• Collaboration: Work within a multidisciplinary, supportive team
• Development: Build experience in programme coordination, social impact and learning
• Balance: A role designed to be challenging but sustainable

About This Job

Are you passionate about digital transformation and supporting the delivery of impactful projects? As a Software Developer within Cadet Digital Services, you will play a vital role in ensuring the successful development and maintenance of digital applications, primarily the Westminster MIS platform.

Working as part of a collaborative digital delivery team alongside a Solutions Architect, the developer will deliver well-structured, secure solutions in line with MOD digital and security standards, supporting the effective delivery of cadet activities across the UK.

You will have the opportunity to engage with volunteers and staff nationwide, delivering support through a mix of in-person sessions, webinars, and online learning resources.

If you thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, enjoy problem-solving, and are keen to make a difference in the digital landscape of the Cadet Forces, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

· Develop and maintain application components using Oracle APEX, PL/SQL, and related technologies.

· Implement user interface elements and application logic in line with existing designs and patterns.

· Collaborate closely with your product owner, testers, and other team members to understand requirements and contribute to user-focused solutions.

· Participate fully in Agile ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives) and work within agreed sprint commitments.

· Apply established MOD standards for security, accessibility, and performance across all development tasks. Take part in estimating, code reviews, testing, and documentation to support quality and maintainability.

· Contribute ideas for improvements and raise technical issues through the team’s established processes.

· Resolve bugs and minor enhancements raised by the Service Operations Team, prioritised and assigned to sprints as part of the development workflow.

· Suggest improvements and raise technical issues through established team processes.

· Continue developing knowledge of Oracle APEX and best practices through day-to-day delivery and supported learning.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for further information.

Our charity

ACCT UK is a national youth charity dedicated to improving the life chances of young people. The Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA) is a charity dedicated to the promotion of the ideals and activities of the Combined Cadet Force in schools. Together we want to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence and be inspired through their cadet experience.

We want to develop the youth leadership and training abilities of adult volunteers whilst also helping young people to access cadet activities through fundraising, grant-making, developing new resources and direct support.

We strongly believe that everyone benefits when you help young people to develop their character and values through activities that stretch and mature them. We also know that when young people engage with others at a range of levels in their communities it builds confidence and improves empathy for other’s lives.

Who we are

You will enjoy being part of our small team who work very happily together. By joining ACCT UK you will help us to reach more young people and make a greater difference and we look forward to working with you. We actively promote and encourage you to explore ideas that improve all aspects of the charity’s work in pursuit of its charitable aims.

What we can offer you

In addition to your salary, we offer all staff:

· Flexible working arrangements (you agree a working pattern with your line manager).

· Personal Accident Insurance, including loss of earnings cover and death benefit.

· 15 days of sick pay in any 12-month period (after 12 months employment - pro-rata for part time staff).

· A contributory pension scheme (you contribute at least 5% and we will contribute 10%).

· Good leave allowances (which are offered pro-rata for part time staff):

o 20 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

o Additional privilege leave, on set days each year, such as between Christmas and New Year.

o An additional five days of volunteering leave.

· Support for qualifications and personal development.

· Employee Assistance Programme.

· Season ticket loan.

· Railcard (if you are eligible)

· A caring and supportive team environment.

How to apply

Please send a CV and Cover letter that details how you meet the requirements of the job description by 2359 hrs by Sunday 1st March 2026.

Interviews will be held in person during the week commencing 16th March 2026.

While AI tools can be beneficial, we value the personal touch and authenticity in job applications. We encourage you to highlight your unique experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, ensuring all information is accurate. Please use AI tools responsibly and with integrity throughout the application and selection process.

Please note that as a charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people, we require staff to make a declaration about any relevant convictions, undergo both a Disclosure and Barring Service check and a Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check (one of the requirements being that applicants must have been resident in the UK for 3 years). In addition, we will follow up references.

Please be advised that this position may close earlier than the stated deadline if a sufficient number of high-quality applications are received. To ensure your application is considered, we strongly recommend submitting it as soon as possible. Candidates will be notified of the next stage in the recruitment process if they are shortlisted.

Interview process

Once Shortlisting has been completed, the application process will consist of the following:

Stage 1: Application Questions to be completed by candidates

Stage 2: Assessment day (successful candidates will progress to the final stage)

Stage 3: Interviews

The ISM website is the organisation’s shop window: showcasing everything ISM offers in a visually engaging, modern way. It supports sales, marketing and external affairs, strengthens our profile, and drives member recruitment and retention through high-quality content, functionality and forward-thinking digital design. This role leads the management, development and optimisation of the ISM website, ensuring it is engaging, accessible, technically robust and aligned with brand, SEO and marketing priorities. It oversees content quality, suppliers, and web projects, while keeping ISM’s digital presence user-centred and ahead of trends.

The role also manages digital marketing and insights, optimising paid and organic campaigns, analysing performance across all digital channels, and delivering clear reporting to support membership recruitment, retention and strategic decision-making.

Additionally, it supports CRM development, brand consistency, and cross-organisational initiatives to strengthen ISM’s profile and understanding of member and prospect behaviour.

A full job descriton can be found on the ISM's website along with details of how to apply.

We are looking for a dynamic Programme Manager. The post-holder will play a key role in managing specific programme and partnership activities in partnership countries such as the Gambia, Kenya and Sierra Leone as well as project management, monitoring and reporting for our cross-partnerships strategic project on strengthening health systems through strengthened postgraduate medical education of health worker.

The post-holder will also support the design and management of new programmes, working closely with the KGHP Director, Head of Programmes, Partnership Leads, Advisors and with our partners.

This is a fantastic opportunity to shape innovative and impactful health systems strengthening programme, rooted in strong local partnerships.

Based in the UK, this role may require line management support to in-country coordinators/UK based Programme Officer(s).The role will require travel for 1 week at a time to monitor projects abroad to our projects/ partnership countries, totalling no more than three times a year.

We’re looking for a Creative Communications Lead to help shape how St Stephen’s communicates, both internally and externally. You’ll combine strategic oversight with hands-on delivery, creating high-quality design, social media, and film content that brings our vision and ministry to life.

This role is ideal for someone with a passion for creative communication, strong practical skills, and the ability to turn ideas into engaging, impactful content

Cardiomyopathy UK is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by cardiomyopathy. We provide clinical information, emotional support, and work to influence policy and practice so that everyone affected by cardiomyopathy receives timely diagnosis, high-quality care, and support.

Our established Change Maker volunteer network brings together people with lived experience of cardiomyopathy who share their stories and the expertise it provides to advocate for meaningful policy and practice change. Change Makers contribute in a range of ways, from running awareness raising activities and supporting social media campaigns to engaging with MPs. Their work helps drive improvements in care pathways, raise public understanding of cardiomyopathy and provide valuable input into Cardiomyopathy UK’s policy development.

As the network enters its next phase, we are seeking a skilled and passionate Freelance Senior Advocacy Officer to help take it forward.

Role Purpose

The Freelance Senior Advocacy Officer will lead the growth and development of our Change Maker network, ensuring volunteers are supported, empowered, and equipped to influence change at local, regional, and national levels. In this role, you will work closely with the Policy Manager to design and implement a strategic plan for the network, and provide the training, tools and resources our volunteers need to advocate effectively. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in advocacy, campaigns or volunteer engagement, along with strong project management skills.

As a 0.4 FTE freelance role, responsibilities will be phased and prioritised over the course of the contract. 

Please see the job description and person specification for further details.

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Premises Officer to join our Putney School of Art and Design team at Enable! 

About Us 

Enable is a charity dedicated to improving people's wellbeing and strengthening local communities. We work with councils, charities and other local organisations to deliver health, leisure, community services and events that enrich people’s lives and strengthen our local community.

At Enable, we value our employees and our culture, focusing on embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive, flexible and fun environment for employees to perform at their best.

Reports to: Operations Manager 

Based: Putney School of Art and Design 

Salary: London Living Wage - £13.85 (£15.52 Inclusive of A/L)

Contract: Casual 
Work Arrangement: 2 Evenings per week minimum, On-site

DBS: Enhanced with Children

Role Overview: 

Reporting to the Operations Manager, The Premises Officer will be responsible for the security of the building and the safety of staff and learners, when on duty. The post is to cover evening shifts at the school, 5-10pm during the term dates and various additional hours to cover annual leave out of term dates, including the weekends. 

The team at PSAD are passionate about connecting the community through culture, art and design, making it affordable and accessible for all. Today, managed by Enable and firmly rooted in the community, the school offers art and design courses, including specialised courses like the Art and Design Diploma, a Family Learning programme where parent and child can learn and work together, and courses for young people.

Main Duties/Responsibilities 

• Set up studios as required, directed by the Operations Manager or the Curriculum Manager. 
• As directed, maintains the security of the School and the safety applying the closed down procedure at the end of each day , students and staff have safe access, unexpected visitors and contractors show identification and sign a visitor book; reports all incidents e.g. security breaches, threatening behaviour, theft to the Operations Manager or the most senior officer on duty. 
• Ensure all of the facilities, studios and teaching spaces are prepared ready for each class throughout the School's opening hours e.g. putting away equipment, cables, turning off heaters, clearing studios of rubbish, emptying bins, any cleaning as required during operational hours. 
• Assumes full responsibility for the building and the safety of students in the absence of more senior staff, contacting the Key Holder (Operations Manager/Head of School) in the case of an emergency. 
• Assists the Operations Manager with minor repairs as required. 
• Assists with the delivery, unpacking and storing of stock and stores. 
• Operate the school Art Shop and sell a range of art materials to students at designated hours, and refreshments to students in the evenings and at weekends, if required. 
• Handles cash accurately, including use of cash tills and credit card payments, maintaining security of cash and stock at all times. 
• Assist and contribute to key school events including operational tasks related to them such as setting up exhibitions, and technical support for tutors in using IT facilities for teaching and learning equipment. 
• General administrative and operational duties including taking payments from students for fees and materials, using the school MIS system to enrols students, ensuring that all details are inputted correctly to ensure accurate record keeping and check course information on the school website and make necessary updates. 
• To carry out any other reasonable duties and responsibilities within the overall function, as directed by the Head of School. 

The successful candidate will have 

• Competent IT knowledge & skills 
• Experience of working in a school and / or customer care 
• Awareness of the importance of Health and Safety
• Willingness to be flexible to help meet urgent and important business deadlines 
• Strong interpersonal skills 
• Can prioritise own workload with good time management abilities.
• Can work under pressure to meet the needs of the school business. 
• Ability to problem-solve and make decisions when needed. 

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a company that positively impacts the community around them! If you are someone that is motivated by a desire to enrich the lives of others and make a genuine difference, then please Apply Now and follow the prompts. 

The RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch is seeking to increase its fundraising activity in order to secure the funding neccessary to completely rebuild the York Animal Home. We are looking to bring on an experienced individual to design, launch and lead our capital campaign and raise the remaining funds needed to complete the project.

The Capital Campaign Lead will take overall responsibility for planning, leading and delivering the £5m capital appeal over the next few years. This includes developing the case for support, managing campaign phases, cultivating major donors and funders, and ensuring strong governance, reporting and stewardship throughout the campaign.

The York Animal Home was built in 1980 and no longer meets modern welfare, licensing or operational requirements. Demand for our services is rising sharply, while the complexity and scale of cases continues to grow. We are at the point where our current animal facilities do meet our needs and have been working to redevelop the site and build new modern facilities.

We have received planning permission and are in the process of finalising the designs prior to construction beginning this year.

We expect Major donors, high-net worth individuals and corporate partnerships to make up the main elements of the fundraising campaign, so are looking for individuals with a proven track record of raising large sums in these areas.

All information and how to apply is available on our website

Are you an expert content designer with a passion for creating clear, user-centred content that helps people take action? Join Shelter as our Senior Content Designer and play a key role in shaping campaigns, policy and research content that supports people to get involved, donate and campaign with us to end the housing emergency.

About the role

Reporting to the Operations and Content Lead and working closely with product managers and stakeholders across all directorates, the role requires someone who is an expert in content design. You will be an impeccable writer and editor who can quickly adopt Shelter’s tone of voice. You’ll be able to write clearly and accurately. You will be able to write communications that encourage our supporters to campaign, donate and get involved with our work.

Day to day, you'll sit in a product team focused on our campaigns, policy and research content alongside another content designer. You’ll lead on workstreams and projects, ensuring work is delivered to meet objectives. Advocating for our users and building strong relationships with our stakeholders will be key to your success.

As a line manager to one of our content designers, you'll need to be able to demonstrate your ability to support their professional development.

Role specifics

We’re looking for a curious, creative problem-solver who’s confident collaborating across teams. You’ll be an expert in content design, who is comfortable working independently to research user needs and create clear, user-focused content. You’ll have a track record of managing different groups of stakeholders, and using research and expertise to demonstrate the value content design can bring to their work. You’ll set meaningful digital content KPIs, use data and analytics to measure performance, and ensure everything you publish is accurate and high-quality.

With experience using CMS platforms and a range of design patterns, you’ll take the lead in delivering projects on time, support product managers, and help develop and motivate your team. You’ll communicate ideas clearly, work confidently with stakeholders, test design hypotheses, turn research into practical improvements, and enjoy generating ideas, running workshops and shaping user-centred content strategy. You’ll have experience identifying opportunities to improve wider content team processes and working collaboratively to set and document standards.

You’ll be an experienced line manager, who is confident leading by example, as well as coaching and supporting others to achieve their goals.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team

The Digital Content and User Experience team plays a key role within Shelter by producing exciting content design work for directorates across the organisation, delivered through the Digital team. Collectively, they set the example for Shelter in digital best practice, discovery and innovation.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Icon, the Institute of Conservation, is looking for an experienced and collaborative Groups and Public Programmes Lead to help us empower our volunteer community and bring the value of heritage conservation to wider audiences.

Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this new role will support Icon’s volunteer-led specialist Groups, helping deliver inspiring events, talks, training and activities that celebrate and share widely the importance of conservation.

You’ll develop and lead Icon’s public engagement programme – creating partnerships with charities, schools and community organisations, coordinating studio visits and workshops, and championing opportunities for conservators to connect with new audiences. You’ll also design and deliver volunteer training, support Group committees, and line‑manage our Groups & Public Programmes Administrator.

We’re looking for someone with experience delivering creative or cultural programmes, supporting volunteers, and managing partnerships. Strong communication, organisational skills and a passion for heritage are essential.

Icon is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

PMRGCAuk is a small national charity dedicated to supporting people affected by polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). We have a big impact, supporting patients with our small staff team and with the help of a proactive team of volunteers and working closely with leading rheumatologists and researchers to improve diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. As we continue to grow, we are looking for a passionate and dynamic Fundraising Officer.

Key focus of the role

This is a newly created role designed to develop and support our fundraising activities, particularly in the areas of legacy fundraising and grants and trusts, as well as increasing our membership, working alongside our small team. We are a small charity with big ambitions and this role is designed to help us grow and become sustainable in the future.

Key Responsibilities

Legacies:

· To develop a comprehensive legacy fundraising strategy and workflow, in collaboration with the Director and the Fundraising Committee.

· To work with colleagues to raise the profile of legacy fundraising, including production of materials, social media content, website development, etc.

· Work across the charity to ensure legacies are integrated across relevant channels to reach key audiences

· Build a portfolio of case studies in conjunction with the Deputy Director to showcase how legacy giving has impacted the community

Trust and Grants

· Identify and research a pipeline of potential Trust and Grant funders to secure financial support for the charity

· Work with the Director, trustees and other colleagues to develop fundraising applications for new and existing projects

· Develop compelling funding applications with service-user insight to Trust and Grant funders

· Manage and track existing funding received and complete appropriate reporting protocols to the relevant funders

· Produce timely and engaging project reports to inspire future funders and clearly measure impact of any funding received.

Membership

· To develop a strategy to increase membership, including professional membership

· To increase membership, including professional membership in conjunction with the wider PMRGCA team of staff and volunteers

General

· To lead on the development and establishment of a ‘shop’ on our website to generate additional funds.

· Support with other fundraising initiatives within the organisation, for example, Marathon in a Month, Big Give.

· Achieve agreed income targets, with a focus on securing funding from Trusts and Grants, as well as an increase in legacy donations and increased membership

Who We're Looking For:

• A proactive self-starter with experience of legacy and trusts and grants fundraising
• Someone with experience of working in a small voluntary organisation who recognises the needs to be flexible and adaptable
• Someone with knowledge of the UK voluntary sector and a passion for improving health outcomes.
• A strong communicator with excellent writing, project management, and financial skills.
• Someone who is confident with IT systems

Part time – 22.5 hours per week (equivalent to 3 days)

Salary range £27,000-£30,000 FTE (pro-rata 0.6 £16,200- £18,000)

Fixed term contract – 2 years

Location: Home based with occasional travel to meetings in London

This is a fixed-term contract for a period of two years. The fixed-term nature of the post reflects the charity’s current operational and financial planning cycle. Any extension beyond this date will be at the charity’s discretion based on organisational need and affordability.

Closing date: 5th March 2026

Please apply by sending a copy of your CV and a cover letter (no more than 2 sides) outlining why you feel you would be the perfect fit for this role and what you could bring to the organization.

Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier if we receive sufficient applications so, please submit your application as soon as possible.

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

Leading national policy strategy

As Head of Policy and Public Affairs, you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan.  Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall. 

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services

• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits

• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups

• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people

• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level

• Professional development standards for school inclusion

Developing implementation expertise in the middle tier

In your first six months, you will advise on the internal development of a new programme for middle tier policy actors: multi-academy trust and local authority leaders.  You will support the Programme team in its design, to plan strategically for the recruitment of trusts and local authorities, and you will plan the research and influencing work which will seek to share their success nationally.

Building the evidence base

In your second six months, you will work with the CEO to build out our research function. Your influencing plan will include how The Difference can learn from the work across our multi-academy trust, local authority and internal AP pioneer partners over the next four years, to develop influential publications. Research work ahead will include publishing sector-facing publications of The Difference’s own research, carried out by our research lead and associates; alongside managing external contractors and internal colleagues to bid for and deliver aligned research disseminating our ideas.

Raising your voice

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to inclusive policy change. The Difference has always punched above our weight in national and sector press reach. In post,  you will publish blogs and comment pieces, disseminating our shared ideas.  You will be a prominent voice on inclusion.

The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being highly autonomous, reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 
We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.

Join a team with a bold mission – at Swindon and Gloucestershire Mind, we are dedicated to reshaping the landscape of mental health and emotional wellbeing in our community. The Autism Practitioner will work with people across Swindon with Autism and mild to moderate mental health concerns at pre/post assessment stage. Your role is all about providing a collaborative and tailored approach.

What You'll Do:

Collaboration and Efficiency: Work hand-in-hand with other local agencies/organisations to effectively deliver a wide variety of wellbeing support for people with Autism.
 

Innovation and Empowerment: Channel your passion into providing evidence-based interventions, elevating the mental health and emotional well-being of the people we serve, while opening doors to life's possibilities.

About the role

Are you a systems or data professional who can combine business analysis and project management skills with excellent communication skills. We are looking for a talented, enthusiastic and highly organised individual with exceptional attention to detail and strong experience of working with large customer or membership databases.

You will be a part of the Advancement Operations Data and Insight Team. The team works collaboratively to provide system management, business analysis, project management, reporting and management information for the University’s fundraising, alumni engagement and broader advancement activities.

What you would be doing

You will be responsible for improving existing processes, monitoring and analysing system use and developing new data solutions so that the University’s business practices are enhanced, building strong collaborative relationships across the University to achieve this. You will also contribute the design and delivery of training programmes, producing accessible documentation and monitoring database use across the University to ensure it is consistent and accurate.

What we are looking for:

• Extensive experience of using all aspects of BBCRM or a similar fundraising CRM
• An understanding of the theory of large, complex relational databases, and experience of designing and implementing new data structures and system processes
• High level competence with MS Excel
• Experience of developing and delivering training programs, and designing systems for ongoing guidance and training, ideally related to databases
• Experience of gathering, interpreting and documenting business requirements

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to play a key role in embedding the new CRM system 
• The opportunity to participate in the next phase of alumni engagement and philanthropy at Imperial, as we embark on our ambitious fundraising campaign 
• Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days’ annual leave and generous pension schemes)
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing

Further Information

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week).

This role is for a fixed-term contract for 12 months.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

Closing date: 3 March 2026

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial.

Our culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and creating an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation.