Development and communications assistant jobs

Lead quality and innovation in adoption – and make a lasting impact.

Position: Adoption Quality and Development Lead

Location: Based in Reading with hybrid working arrangements

Contract: Permanent role. Full time (37 hours per week) or part-time (4 days per week may be considered).

Salary range: Starting Salary Range from £49934 to £58256

About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team in a newly created position which is a reflection of our dedication to ensure the highest standards of quality and continuous improvement across our adoption services.

The Adoption Quality and Development Lead plays a key role in supporting the delivery of high-quality adoption and adoption support services. The post holder will lead on quality assurance activities, policy development, complaints investigations, and specific projects, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and contributing to continuous improvement. They will be one of PACT’s agency decision makers. They will also manage projects such as the birth relatives project and support digital and training initiatives. The role requires collaboration across teams, liaison with external agencies, and occasional cover for Team Managers.

About you:

We are looking for a qualified and registered social worker with substantial post-qualification experience in adoption and children’s services, including quality assurance and inspection preparation. You will have excellent knowledge of adoption legislation and standards, strong analytical and organisational skills, and the ability to influence and advise at all levels.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is passionate about driving quality and innovation in adoption services. You will have access to learning and professional development opportunities and the chance to make a real difference to the lives of children and families.

We realise that this may be a role that is unique to PACT. Other relevant roles you may have experience of could include: Team Manager; Adoption Team Manager; Adoption Practice Manager; Practice Manager; Adoption Service Manager; Service Manager; Quality Assurance Manager; Social Work Team Lead; Social Work Team Manager etc

About PACT:

PACT is a long-standing, established charity and has been building and strengthening families since 1911. We have a long history of providing adoption services and specialist adoption support for life. As an independent adoption charity, PACT has been rated outstanding by Ofsted three times in a row in 2014, 2017 and 2023.

PACT has a stable and committed workforce, with a passion to support families and a desire to deliver the highest quality services. Last year, PACT found loving and permanent homes for 84 children.

For further information, contact email and details on how to apply, please visit our website.

Closing date: Friday 23rd January 2026 (midday)
Interviews are planned for: Monday 9th February 2026

We look forward to hearing from you. Early application is encouraged. We will review applications received throughout the advertising period and may close the vacancy or interview earlier than stated.

Please do not submit your CV; only completed application forms will be accepted. No agencies please.

PACT is a supportive and respectful place where people are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of women, children and families from many different backgrounds. We continuously look to progress the ways in which we create families and bring people together and encourage applications from people across all communities. We are committed to ensuring that our people and our services reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and applications from people from under-represented groups are particularly welcomed.

PACT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Anyone joining our team is subject to PACT’s Safer Recruitment pre-appointment enquiries. These include the provision of documentation of the right to work in the UK, Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check, overseas police check where applicable and references covering a minimum 5-year period. All opportunities are based in the UK

Whitley Fund for Nature

The Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) is a UK charity supporting outstanding grassroots conservation leaders across the Global South. Through project funding (Awards), training, and media profile, we support local solutions to the planet’s most pressing conservation challenges. Our winners are courageous changemakers, working alongside communities to save species and protect ecosystems. Established in 1993, we have channeled £24 million to +220 conservation leaders in 80 countries, benefitting wildlife, landscapes, and people. WFN is governed by a committed trustee board. Our team is dynamic, passionate about our mission, and ambitious. The charity benefits from high profile support from Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, and Ambassadors including Sir David Attenborough.

The Opportunity

In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to use and develop your communications skills to help amplify the work of WFN and conservation leaders. You’ll play an important role in supporting our digital channels, campaigns, and content creation - from social media and newsletters to website updates and event communications. You should have excellent writing skills, strong attention to detail and an interest in nature and wildlife conservation issues. If you are looking to build a career in communications, want to help support those protecting our planet, and are seeking experience working for a small, ambitious charity, then we want to hear from you!

“Saving our planet is now a communications challenge. We know what to do, we just need the will” - Sir David Attenborough.

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT - PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• Excellent writing skills
• An eye for design to create engaging assets for diverse audiences and platforms, including our website, newsletters, social media and events
• Confident communicator with a friendly, professional manner
• Organised, with high levels of accuracy and attention to detail
• Proficient in Microsoft Office - Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Able to manage and prioritise a varied workload within deadline
• Reliable, proactive, and willing to take initiative
• Comfortable working as part of a small, busy team
• Interest in wildlife conservation.

Desirable

• Experience drafting and scheduling social media posts, and producing campaign assets
• Familiarity with programmes such as Canva and Hootsuite to aid with content creation and scheduling
• Experience with basic video editing
• Competency using a Salesforce database, WordPress, or Mailchimp.

Additional details and benefits:

• Attractive holiday package totaling 30 days p.a. plus bank holidays
• Training and professional development opportunities provided
• Hybrid working opportunities
• The charity operates a Pension Scheme and a Life Assurance Scheme
• Access to 24hr Employee Assistance Programme.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship. Only applicants who have the right to work in the UK at the time of application will be considered for this role.

Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

Diversity and Inclusion

At WFN we are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse organisation, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. We celebrate and respect diversity in nature and among the people and partners with whom we work. We need more people and diversity across the environment sector, and to achieve our vision. We therefore encourage applications from Black, Asian or minority ethnic; disabled; LGBTQ+; or from lower socio-economic backgrounds. As a small organisation we are committed to progressing and continuing development across DE&I. Please contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application. Applications are considered solely on your demonstrated suitability for the role.

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT - JOB DESCRIPTION

REPORTING TO HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

 DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

WFN’s communications amplify the work of Whitley Award winners, raise the profile of the charity, bolster fundraising efforts, and contribute to global conservation conversations, positioning WFN as a leader within the sector.

• Monitor, and create and schedule content for WFN’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn accounts, helping to grow engagement and channel performance, driving traffic to WFN’s website, and sharing charity, winner, and sector news – in line with WFN’s communications strategy and with oversight from the Head of Communications (HoC)
• Lead management of WFN’s photo library and footage archive (Google photos): naming, categorising, and uploading winner and event photos
• Support delivery of social media campaigns during the lead up to events to drive engagement and/or donations, and supporting with posting content throughout the event period
• Help produce video content
• Support production and distribution of our regular e-letter (through MailChimp)
• Work with the HoC on WFN’s website to regularly review and update content
• Draft copy for website news stories and any additional copywriting as needed throughout the year
• Assist the HoC with monthly reporting on the website, social media platforms, newsletter and media coverage
• Support digital event communications including creation of e-letters, e-invitations, website pages, email signatures and visual assets.

 PR

WFN shares impactful stories that resonate with supporters and demonstrate we can make a difference. Throughout the year, we actively work to secure PR coverage for Whitley Award winners. Increased visibility helps winners to attract further funding, gain new connections, and increase political clout – all tools which strengthen conservation work.

• Produce reactive social media to share PR coverage secured by the HoM
• Create and distribute toolkits for press and partners to bolster media campaigns
• Collate charity and winner press coverage, including website news pages, throughout the year
• Support the Head of Media (HoM) and HoC in responding to press enquiries and supplying materials.

 EVENTS

Whitley Awards Ceremony

The Whitley Awards are the result of an international search to find, fund, train and put a spotlight on outstanding grassroots leaders and their conservation projects. Finalists are invited to London for a week of training and events, culminating with the Whitley Awards Ceremony, where winners receive their Awards from WFN Patron, HRH The Princess Royal in front of 400 guests and many more tuning in via our livestream.

The Communications Assistant will assist the team in planning and delivery of events during the Whitley Awards Ceremony week, including the Friends Reception, Ceremony and NGO Reception, particularly in the following areas: 

Communications

• Assist with supplier liaison across event filming, livestream, and photography
• Help create event visuals and on-screen graphics
• Support with creation of the Ceremony invitations and booklet
• Support with sourcing additional material for the Whitley Award films as needed
• Support the HoC with creation and uploading of content to the website and across social media platforms, including press releases, photographs, news stories, winner pages, and films.

Other WFN Events

Throughout the year WFN holds other fundraising and engagement events ranging from intimate dinners with supporters, winner talks, events as part of our Next Gen programme and major initiatives such as Biodiversity Summits which will require the CA’s assistance.

• Assist with the production of pre-event communications and marketing materials, including invitations, e-letters, social media content, and advertisements
• Assist with setting up and managing platforms such as Eventbrite as needed
• Assist with production of event materials (signage, banners, programmes, displays, slides)
• Assist with communications-related supplier liaison eg. Photography, filming, livestreaming etc.

 GENERAL DUTIES

• Review and respond to general email enquiries when needed (info@ inbox)
• Represent WFN professionally at all times
• Adhere to WFN’s financial and operational procedures
• Undertake any other duties as reasonably requested from time to time. This job description is not exhaustive and may evolve.

To lead the development and delivery of Women for Refugee Women’s (WRW) campaigns and communications strategy, ensuring compelling public engagement that amplifies the voices of refugee and asylum-seeking women, strengthens WRW’s profile, and mobilises supporters to take action. This role combines strategic communications and media liaison with impactful campaigning to influence public opinion and drive systemic change.

We are part of the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative. The network supports inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system. If this is your experience, you can find useful resources on the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative website.

Full-time 35 hours per week. 2 year's fixed term

For the right candidate we are open to flexible working terms. Hybrid working is available, office based in Gloucester

Salary Band 5 (£30,961 – 33,682) per annum depending on experience

 

We are looking for a highly organised, experienced and exceptional administrator to work as a trusted partner to The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Church Development Agency (CDA). The CDA is a national organisation dedicated to supporting the Church in serving its communities through the delivery of affordable housing and community development projects, established in response to the Church of England’s “Coming Home” report.  

This key role within the CDA requires a thinker who can anticipate needs, manage priorities, and support The CEO in his leadership function and ensuring effective governance. The Executive Assistant (EA) will play a pivotal role in enabling the CEO to oversee a diverse portfolio of approximately 50 affordable housing projects. Most of the work is funded by the Oak Foundation, with a focus on achieving long-term sustainability.

The ideal candidate will have:

· Demonstrable experience of working as a high-level EA support to a CEO/Senior leader or equivalent

· Excellent time management and the ability to balance numerous priorities and deadlines

· A high degree of confidentiality and flexibility

Crucially, you will love to organise and drive forward actions while building meaningful relationships and enabling social impact.  If you are looking for a stimulating role where no day is the same, this could be the perfect job for you.

Closing date is 10 am on Monday 12th January 2026

Interviews in Gloucester on Thursday 22nd January 2026

 

National Learning and Development Coordinator
 
ABOUT THE ROLE
 
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week, full time
Salary: £38,870.89 per year (plus London Weighting if applicable)
Place of work: London, or within commuting distance to one of L'Arche's Communities
Contract Type: Full time, permanent
Closing date: Sunday 18th January 23:59
 
This position does not offer visa sponsorship.
 
Main purpose of the role:
The Learning and Development Coordinator is key to setting and maintaining the strategic direction for the people and culture team, as part of the learning and development function in L'Arche. This role provides direction and support to L'Arche Communities in the UK, focusing on learning and development in service of the Mission, and our national and regulatory requirements. 

The Learning and Development Coordinator provides line management to the National Learning and Development team, supporting and overseeing the coordination of key areas of learning.

In close partnership with national and local learning and development structures, they will ensure the implementation of objectives identified in the national and local community's learning and development strategic priorities.
 
Key essential criteria:

• Proven experience of developing and delivering learning and development plans aligned to L'Arche's needs and regulatory requirements;
• Experience of line management, including coaching, support, and performance management of employees and volunteers;
• Strong understanding of learning pathways, skills frameworks, and evaluation of impact; 
• Knowledge of mandatory and regulatory training requirements, including safeguarding;
• Experience of using or managing a Learning Management System (LMS); 
• Experience in a learning and development role, ideally within a charity, social care or health organisation;

You can find more details about L'Arche on our website.
 
Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore our employee benefits on our website.
 
Please download the recruitment pack for more details and a full job description and person specification. 
 
The closing date for applications is: Sunday 18th January 23:59
 
Interviews are expected to take place in the week beginning 26 January 2026.
 
We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then.

We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.
 
To apply, please answer the questions on our online application form.
 
Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.
 
REF-225 795

Founded in 1681 by King Charles II, the Royal Hospital Chelsea has stood for centuries as a national symbol of gratitude to the soldiers who have served our country, and is home to the iconic Chelsea Pensioners. Today, the Hospital’s job remains to ensure that those who have served are always supported.

We are now looking for a high-performing, delivery-driven Communications and PR Manager - someone who knows how to get stories live in national media, and understands how powerful, authentic beneficiary storytelling drives fundraising and public engagement.

If you’ve worked in PR or communications at a national charity, know how to maximise national moments like Remembrance, have worked sensitively with beneficiaries, and are the person people come to when something simply needs to get done – this could be the role for you.

Where you fit in

You’ll join an ambitious marketing and communications team focused on raising the Royal Hospital’s profile, increasing fundraising income, and building new audiences through strategic, emotive and measurable communications.

Your work will directly contribute to protecting and securing the future of the Royal Hospital Chelsea - helping us reach supporters, donors, and the veteran community with stories that inspire action and demonstrate undeniable impact.

What you’ll be doing

You will lead our press and PR delivery, responsible for an ‘always-on’ approach that generates consistent local and national coverage. You’ll ensure our stories land where they matter - driving donations, admissions, brand visibility and engagement with the veteran community.

We want someone who is:

· A proven PR operator with significant experience in a national charity or large not-for-profit environment

· Exceptional at storytelling, especially beneficiary-led stories, handled with sensitivity and impact

· Good at spotting media opportunities, crafting strong angles, and who knows what journalists want

· Comfortable juggling multiple projects and deadlines without ever dropping the standard

· An experienced line manager or mentor of junior colleagues

If you love bringing powerful stories to life, know how to turn awareness into action, and have the energy and drive to elevate a national institution - this is your chance to do career-defining work.

To apply please submit your CV and a covering letter of up to 500 words.

Early applications are encouraged as we will be reviewing applications and interviewing candidates throughout the recruitment process.

The Organisation

The Open SU serves the interests of around 170,000 part-time and distance-learning students spread across the UK, continental Europe and beyond. Our role is to represent and support the interests of this vast and diverse community of students. The Open SU is an independent registered charity, governed by elected student leaders. Our team of vibrant, friendly and dedicated professional staff provide the vital support needed to deliver our ambitious strategy. Here at the Open SU we are committed to a positive team culture to enable and empower all members to be their very best.

The Job

In this role, you will play a vital part in supporting the delivery of our Volunteering Strategy helping to ensure every student has the chance to connect, contribute and belong. Working closely with the Volunteering Manager, you will:

· Provide high quality administrative support which includes responding to volunteering enquiries, supporting at meetings, producing volunteer communications and maintaining volunteer records.

· Act as a first point of contact for volunteers, offering guidance and support throughout their journey, and assist with recruitment, onboarding and recognition.

· Help deliver engagement and appreciation events, share inspiring stories through newsletter and volunteer spaces and gather volunteer feedback to improve services.

· Champion good data practices, maintaining accurate records and ensuring information is handled responsibly. Above all, promote inclusive, safe and accessible volunteering across all activities.

 

The Person

This role is a great opportunity for an organised and proactive administrator who enjoys supporting others and being part of a friendly, collaborative team. You will also enjoy working with and supporting volunteers, helping to spark new ideas, create great experiences and build a real sense of community and belonging along the way. You’ll be passionate about creating and supporting the development of volunteer communications and storytelling to inspire others to get involved.

You will be comfortable using Microsoft 365 tools such as Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and Forms and will bring a flexible, can-do approach to your work. Above all, you will value inclusion, accessibility and team work, and will be committed to learning, growing and contributing to an open, supportive and sustainable community.
 

How to apply

Please send over your CV and a supporting word document answering how you meet the below criteria in no more than one page of A4:

1. Please describe your experience of providing administrative support as part of a team.

2. Tell us about a time you supported people from a range of backgrounds or with different needs (for example students, volunteers, service users or customers)

3. Please give an example of how you have supported a project, programme or event, and how you contributed ideas, solved problems and worked with others.

Please email your CV and supporting statement over to  where you will receive confirmation of receipt within a couple of days.

The Open University Students Association is committed to equal opportunities for everyone in education and employment and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Closing date for applications: Monday 19th January, midday

Please note there are two positions available: 1 Permanent and 1 Fixed Term Contract (12 Months)

Location: Office Based - London (Southwark) (due to the nature of this role, it cannot be offered on a home-working or hybrid basis)

Job Profile

Are you interested in an opportunity in the charity sector? Would you like to develop an understanding of internal processes and liaise with multiple teams in the organisation? Are you someone who likes to work with money, data and people?

The post holder will contribute to ensuring the Supporter Donations Team (SDT) manage and administer supporter donation activity on behalf of CAFOD, providing a high level of supporter care while delivering within agreed service levels and Key Performance Indicators. SDT has the overall responsibility for managing and thanking all supporter donations to CAFOD made through a variety of channels and schemes. SDT works within the Finance and infrastructure group, liaises across all teams in CAFOD, and external service providers to ensure donations are processed within agreed service levels and quality standards. Due to the nature of SDT’s role, SDT has particularly close ties to CAFOD Fundraising activities and actively engages in our fundraising programmes and schemes.

Key Responsibilities

Supporter Care:

• Handle telephone, email and postal enquiries from supporters; identifying and resolving queries in a prompt, warm and sensitive way.
• Provide phone cover to the Supporter Care team as required.
• Provide reception cover to the Supporter Care team as required.

Donations:

• Accurately code donations received, ensuring agreed departmental procedures are followed.
• Process, set up and administer instructions and payments through a variety of donations channels and schemes such as Online, Direct Debit, standing orders, BACs, Payroll giving schemes and online giving platforms.
• Input and maintain data on CAFOD’s supporter database, ensuring high degrees of accuracy on our donor records.
• File and archive financial data, while adhering to strict audit controls.

Gift Aid:

• Understand Gift Aid and its application within CAFOD.
• Assist with all aspects of tax effective giving, in accordance with agreed procedures and priorities, including preparation of regular tax claims for submission to HMRC.

Thanking:

• Produce and dispatch letters to thank and acknowledge donations received.
• Write bespoke letters of thanks to supporters to respond to exceptional donations and provide a personal touch.
• Contribute to ongoing enhancement and improvement of supporter thanking

Post/banking:

• Assist with all incoming and outgoing postal duties held by SDT to maximise effectiveness of processes and delivery of key service levels.
• Preparation of daily banking, cash handling and initial reconciliation of all monies received daily.

 All SDT staff are expected to:

• Attend and contribute to regular team, section, divisional and CAFOD-wide meetings and briefings.
• Work as a supportive member of the team, providing cover for and training of the section staff and volunteers as required.
• Participate in training and other activities as requested by the line manager
• Assist with the rapid set up of projects and work packages in response to major emergency and disaster appeals.
• Rotate through all key tasks within the team / section.

This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.

Safeguarding

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

Job Specific Competencies 

• Displays a methodical approach to administrative tasks to meet processing deadlines, whilst maintaining an excellent standard of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to communicate professionally with supporters, from individual givers to religious communities.
• Displays excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build strong collaborative relationships with colleagues.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience with CRM software/ database

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

High Trees are seeking a new team member to provide full administrative and programme support to the Research & Impact team. You will be joining us at an exciting time as High Trees continues to grow the reach and scale of our research and impact. This is an exciting opportunity for a thoughtful and proactive individual to work within a small, collaborative and dynamic team in a varied role. You will be passionate about ensuring that the voices of the communities that we work with remain at the heart of what we do and how we do it.

This role is central to supporting the team in the day-to-day running of our service. You will be responsible for producing dynamic and impactful marketing and communications content, and providing administrative support for our research, evaluation and partnership activities and events. You will also be proactive, keeping abreast of developments and opportunities in the sector to raise the profile of our work. You will be highly organised and details-focused, a compelling communicator, and confident to take initiative.

Collaboration with colleagues is an essential part of this role and you will enjoy working with others and be a valued partner, peer and colleague. Supporting the Head of Community Research and Impact and the wider team, you will actively contribute to delivering and shaping our service. You will need to be highly responsive to the needs of colleagues, service users, partners, and be able to provide practical solutions for a range of situations. This is an entry-level post, and you will be encouraged and supported to grow and develop your skills and expertise across a range of areas.

Be part of The Vegan Society’s journey as we begin delivering our new three-year strategic plan to drive meaningful change.

We are seeking an experienced Executive Assistant to provide high-level administrative support to the Chief Executive Officer. This role is central to ensuring the CEO’s time and priorities are managed effectively and that communication with internal and external stakeholders is clear and timely.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the CEO’s diary, travel arrangements, and correspondence.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and briefing materials for meetings, events and other public engagement activities.
• Provide administrative and minute-taking support for Board and committee meetings.
• Support the CEO with strategic projects as required.
• Handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Proven experience supporting at CEO or Director level.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.
• Competence in Microsoft 365 and familiarity with online meeting/event platforms.
• Professional, proactive, and adaptable approach.

Desirable: Experience in a not-for-profit or mission-driven organisation and knowledge of governance frameworks.

Benefits

• Flexible working hours.
• Ethical pension scheme (5–7% employer contribution).
• Health cashback scheme & Employee Assistance Programme.
• 25 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays and Christmas closure days.
• Death in service benefit.
• Climate perks (additional paid time off for sustainable travel).
• Animal companion compassionate leave.

How to Apply

If you are interested, please send your CV along with a personal statement (no longer than two sides of A4) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

Closing date for applications: Friday 30th January 2026.

Interviews will be held: Wednesday 11th/Thursday 12th February 2026.

Apply now and help shape the future of The Vegan Society.

Actors’ Trust supports professional actors and stage managers in times of need, and our bold new Acting for Impact strategy seeks to increase the charity’s reach and impact within the performing arts community.

The Digital Marketing Executive will play a key role in growing the charity’s online presence, engaging many more beneficiaries and supporters, and generating income through creative, high quality digital content and supporter-focused campaigns. Working closely with the Head of Engagement & Development, the postholder will support the planning, management and optimisation of the charity’s digital marketing and communication activities.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys combining creativity and innovation with advanced digital analytics. You’ll play a key role in supporting and delivering the charity’s marketing and communications strategy and enabling the charity to grow its reach. You will ensure that our social media channels, website, SEO and email activities are effective, on-brand, and accessible. Most importantly, you will create awareness activities that convert, engagement activities that retain and ensure each segment of our community receives the greatest online experience from their interaction with Actors’ Trust.

We are looking for a motivated self-starter keen to take on a new challenge within a fast-growing organisation, to join us and support our vision: an empowered and vibrant performing arts sector. You will have an appetite for detail, strong copywriting skills and a thorough understanding of measuring analytics to improve performance. Additionally, you will be a problem solver, team player, able to quickly adapt, (and to ask for help when you need it) and you’ll have the self-belief and capacity to hit the ground running.

How to Apply 

• Please apply with an up-to-date CV and a brief covering letter telling us why you’re a good fit for this role.

• The closing date and time for applications is 9am, Monday 19th January 2026. 

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE POST

This strategic and outward-facing role will be instrumental in expanding the School’s network of supporters and maximising philanthropic income as we celebrate our Centenary in 2026. The postholder will take a leading role in identifying, cultivating, and securing new major donor relationships - building a strong and sustainable pipeline of prospects capable of making transformational gifts to support the School’s vision and long-term priorities as it seeks to uphold its global standing as a centre of performance excellence in classical dance from London base.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity for an experienced development professional to play a pivotal part in shaping the School’s next chapter. Working closely with senior leadership, the postholder will design and deliver innovative engagement strategies to attract new supporters, deepen relationships with key prospects, and communicate the School’s impact and ambitions with clarity and passion. The role requires a proactive and strategic relationship-builder with the confidence to engage high-level individuals and the insight to convert interest into enduring philanthropic partnerships in support of the future of the performing arts at the highest level.

CONTRACT TERMS

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday

Salary: £45,000 per annum

Location: Upper School, Covent Garden

Start Date: March/April 2026

Annual Leave: 30 days per annum

MAIN DUTIES

Donor Cultivation and Relationship Management

• Build and nurture strong, long-term relationships with new and existing supporters through personalised engagement strategies informed by the Head of Development
• Represent the School at meetings, events, presentations and functions to cultivate connections with prospective donors
• Collaborate with senior leadership and the Donor Relations Team to ensure high-level donors are onboarded seamlessly and receive tailored stewardship and recognition.

Strategic Fundraising Planning

• Develop and implement strategies to attract new major donors, aligning with the School’s fundraising priorities for UK in-year activity, as well as USA and Asia development
• Work with senior leadership to set fundraising targets, track progress, and report on performance across each giving level prioritising annual donations of £50k+ per annum.

Proposal Preparation

• Collaborate with content, communications and marketing team colleagues to create compelling materials that articulate the School’s mission and strategic priorities
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of fundraising campaigns, events, and initiatives to engage, cultivate and convert prospective supporters.

Prospect Research and Identification

• Maintain and update the active prospects pipeline, ensuring all opportunities are tracked and appropriately prioritized with touchpoints and assigned relationship leads
• Contribute to the invitations tracker to ensure all prospects are engaged with in a systemised and relevant way according to location, interest, propensity to give.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Analysis

• Maintain accurate records of donor engagement and interactions in the CRM system improving and refining systems and processes as part of a growing department
• Monitor progress against fundraising targets, providing regular reports and insights to senior leadership on pipeline value from identification to stewardship stages
• Analyse donor trends, sector insights and curate feedback to refine engagement strategies.

Team Collaboration and Leadership

• Work closely with colleagues across Development and the Senior Leadership Team as well as Artistic and Academic staff to refine the propositions and align fundraising priorities
• Host year-round events with the Development Team to enable all prospect engagement
• Mentor and support junior staff involved in development activities where appropriate.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria:

• Proven experience in donor cultivation and relationship management - Demonstrated success in building and sustaining 5 and 6 figure annual relationships with major donors and key stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and project management skills - Capacity to manage multiple donor relationships, events/projects, and fundraising initiatives simultaneously, while maintaining attention to detail in a dynamic office environment.
• Strong strategic fundraising expertise - Ability to design, implement, and evaluate fundraising strategies that align with institutional priorities and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills - Skilled at engaging and influencing diverse audiences through persuasive written and verbal communication, including at senior levels.
• Proficiency in proposal and campaign development - Experience preparing compelling fundraising proposals, campaign materials, and event strategies that inspire donor support.
• Analytical and reporting skills - Ability to monitor, interpret, and report on fundraising performance, donor trends, and engagement metrics using CRM and data analysis tools.
• Collaborative teamwork - Proven ability to work effectively across departments and with senior leadership, collaborating with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• Ethical commitment and alignment with institutional values - Demonstrated integrity, discretion, and commitment to advancing the mission and values of the School through responsible fundraising practices.

Desirable Criteria:

• A knowledge and appreciation of ballet, the arts, performance, elite sport
• Understanding of 501c3 and Endowment Fund structures
• Previous experience of using Salesforce.

SAFEGUARDING DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and recognises that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. The School expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment to children’s safeguarding and to share this child-centred approach. This approach means that staff must consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. Additionally, the following is expected of all staff:

• To uphold the School’s policies relating to safeguarding and child protection, behaviour, health and safety and all other relevant policies
• To promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for whom you are responsible and come into contact with
• To report any safeguarding concerns using the relevant channels, such as informing the Designated Safeguarding Lead, in a timely and appropriate manner
• To ensure full compliance with all statutory regulations, particularly the most recent Keeping Children Safe in Education, and to communicate concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, other relevant staff of The Royal Ballet School or local children’s services as appropriate.

This job information cannot be all encompassing. It is inevitable over time that the emphasis of the job will change without changing the general character of the job or the level of duties and responsibilities entailed. Consequently, this information will be periodically reviewed, revised and updated in consultation with the post holder to reflect appropriate changes.

We are committed to creating an environment where all our employees feel part of our team and can flourish, regardless of their background. We’re proud to be an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.

Role Description

The purpose of the Executive Assistant role is to provide administrative, organisational and coordination support to the Executive Team, ensuring their time and attention are aligned with organisational priorities, goals, and objectives. The role covers executive coordination, governance administration and project support.  The Executive Assistant enables effective decision making across the Leadership Team, supports the smooth delivery of priorities, and contributes to the execution of long-term strategic goals.

The Executive Team comprises the Chief Executive, Operations Director and Business Development Director.  They work together as part of the Leadership Team, comprising key leaders from across the charity.

Excellent attention to detail is crucial, as is the ability to operate with discretion and flexibility. A high standard of written and verbal communication is essential. The role requires collaboration across Finance, HR, Trustees, and external stakeholders, and an understanding of effective charity governance would be desirable.

This role requires a high level of emotional intelligence, sound judgement, and the ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organisation. Success in this role depends on a proactive mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to remain calm and resourceful under pressure. The Executive Assistant must be highly dependable, detail-oriented, and capable of managing sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Responsibilities

Executive Coordination

• Manage calendars, inboxes, travel and meeting preparation for Executive Team
• Coordinate agendas and logistics for internal and external meetings
• Liaise with stakeholders, clients and partners to ensure smooth engagement

Governance Support

• Own the established governance timetable, board meeting scheduling, and trustee communications
• Draft and distribute board packs, take minutes, and track actions
• Support governance processes in collaboration with the Operations Director
• Support trustee onboarding, training, and engagement
• Ensure timely completion of Charity Commission and Companies House submissions
• Leverage AI tools and platforms to enhance business processes

Strategic communications

• Communicate with external stakeholders on behalf of the Executive Team
• Coordinate staff events and meetings
• Work with marketing and communities & projects teams for conferences and external events

Project support

• Support ongoing transformation projects in collaboration with Head of Business Functions
• Support recruitment and onboarding for senior roles led by the Head of Business Operations
• Support strategic planning and performance tracking led by the Operations Director and Business Development Director
• Support handover and re-onboarding of Executive Assistant on her return April 2027

Role Requirements

Required:

• Minimum of four years’ experience in a similar role.
• Experience supporting senior leaders in a fast paced and changing environment, taking initiative and managing competing deadlines calmly and flexibly.
• Confident communicating with the executive and leadership team, trustees and external partners in a professional and timely way.
• Able to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and good judgment.
• Confident coordinating meetings, preparing papers and taking accurate minutes.
• Ability to research, digest, analyse and present material clearly and concisely.
• Ability to identify and apply AI-driven tools to enhance business activities and using AI to streamline workflows and personalise business engagement.
• Comfortable stepping into an established role quickly and maintaining continuity during the maternity leave period.

Desirable:

• Experience in charity governance
• Experience in project support/management

Employees are also expected to be flexible in undertaking the duties and responsibilities attached to their post and may be asked to perform other duties that are consistent with the grade, responsibilities, and typical scope of the role. Any additional tasks should remain appropriate to the nature of the post and not extend into unrelated functions or specialisms.

All employees are expected to work in accordance with the organisation’s values and behavioural standards, which include being supportive, transparent, respectful, kind, honest, and collaborative. This means fostering a culture of empathy, openness, integrity, and teamwork in all interactions, and contributing positively to the organisation’s mission and strategic objectives.

We are committed to flexible working and are open to requests for different working patterns. This includes part time arrangements and four day working week requests, which we will always consider as part of the recruitment process.

To apply for this role, please share your CV with a one-page cover letter setting out why this role appeals to you and how your skills and experiences meet the key skills points in the job description.

Interviews expected to take place on week commencing the 2nd of February 2026.

Curatorial Assistant

Permanent, Full-Time

£28,000 - £30,000 per annum

You will participate in an ambitious and inclusive permanent display and exhibitions programme, and will work closely with the Senior Curator, Senior Collections Manager and other colleagues deliver the strategy for care, access and engagement for the Collections. You will contribute to the efficient day-to-day running of the Collections Department, creating a sense of common purpose, with an openness to innovative thinking and awareness of best practice. You will participate in the strategy for Waddesdon and the RF as a whole and the representation of the Collections within it so that learning and skills are valued and the Collections Department is recognized as an exemplar of excellence. You will work with a wide range of other departments and require good people and communication skills.

Key responsibilities include:

• Become familiar with the whole collection and develop interests in particular subject areas. Those that would benefit from particular focus include (but are not limited to) paintings (specifically Dutch 17th century), textiles, photographs, books, prints and drawings, sculpture and contemporary art

• Undertake research and information gathering for projects and reports

• Support the delivery of exhibitions, projects and permanent displays

• Assist with planning of events, activities and visits by groups and individuals to the Department. Act as point of contact for these arrangements and liaise with relevant teams to deliver these activities

• Schedule and support meetings of the Collections Department and assist with the preparation of agendas

• Manage the distribution of incoming enquiries about the collections, passing on to relevant colleagues, taking action as appropriate and drafting some communications as required.  Keep track of progress on enquiries

• Support research and cataloguing campaigns and assist with inputting information onto the Collections Management system including tidying of information such as checking for duplicate records, checking for missing/inaccurate data)

You will be a great fit if:

You have a relevant Undergraduate degree, or equivalent experience and qualifiations, with a desire to expand your skills and working with varied 19th and 20th century collections. You are collaborative, engaged, and motivated, able to work both as a kay part in a small team and independently.

You enjoy variety but can show your attention to detail and dedication in infromation gathering and record keeping.

For the full job description, please see the attached. To apply for the role, please submit your covering letter and CV.