Development associate jobs

About the RSPCA

Founded in 1824, we have been saving animals for almost 200 years and are proud to be the oldest welfare charity. It has always been our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion, so our volunteers and employees work tirelessly to ensure that all animals can live free from pain and suffering.

We seek to raise standards of care through our numerous campaigns and awareness of issues affecting animals today. We rely heavily on our volunteers, who play a significant role in enabling us to carry out this important animal welfare work every day!

The RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch

The RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch is one of the branches of RSPCA, but we are also a separately registered charity looking after animals in our local area. Much of the animal welfare work of RSPCA is carried out through local branches, which is run by volunteers who have the support of the National Society of RSPCA.

The main activity of our branch is specialised in the rehoming of small animals including cats, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs and hamsters. The animals come into our care from various sources such as those which are rescued, abandoned, neglected or given up by their owners. Each animal is medically and characteristically assessed to ensure it is fit and well before being available for rehoming. This all costs money, and could not be achieved without your support. 

Job Summary

This role is responsible for the development, implementation and operation of appropriate financial and business management tools to support the day-to-day business and financial administration of the Branch.

Reporting to and working closely with the Chief Executive Office (CEO), you will be expected to make use of the full capability of the Branch’s existing software systems (Google Workspace, and Quick Books) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery and develop management information to aid the Trustees & CEO in decision making.

You will be responsible for all financial management across the charity. This includes bookkeeping; financial statements; financial planning; financial policies, processes and controls and budgeting. 

You must ensure that all activities are carried out in compliance with current legislation, Branch and Society policy, relevant Health & Safety regulations and any associated statutory or legislative requirements.

Note: Branch targets and budgets are agreed on an annual basis and these will inform the personal targets agreed at the annual performance review. Progress towards personal targets will be reviewed at regular one-to-one meetings with your line manager.

This role is home based, with occasional travel across South Bucks.

Principal Accountabilities

Financial Management & Operations

• Support the CEO as a key strategic and operational partner, acting as second-in-command and deputising in their absence where appropriate.

• Maintain all financial records and accounting systems (the Branch currently uses Quick Books accounting software), registers and statistics as required by the CEO & Branch Trustees.

• Work with the CEO and Branch Trustees to develop financial plans and an annual financial budget.

• Maintain close oversight of the branch’s budget in collaboration with the CEO, proactively identifying and addressing any discrepancies, overspend, or unplanned financial activity to ensure effective financial control and informed decision-making.

• Process, monitor, record and manage all receipts & payments to/from the Branch in accordance with the agreed procedures and in liaison with the appropriate staff and volunteers including weekly banking, cash handling, invoice creation and processing, Branch payments (including those made via credit cards and petty cash) and account reconciliation.

• Monitor, review and reconcile monthly receipts & payments on the Quick Books accounting system.

• Produce monthly management accounts which include bank reconciliations, balance sheets, Branch/departmental profit & loss statements, departmental comparisons and performance against budget and such other financial reports/management information as may be required including monthly reporting to the board of trustees.

• Coordinate bank accounts across the charity, including set-up and balance management.

• Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns.

• Prepare annual financial statements and coordination of annual audit review.

• Support the staff and volunteers with day-to-day financial operations and ensuring departmental financial records are maintained and that monies received or expended are accounted for correctly.

• Work with the RSPCA Society National team regarding legacies, submission of care contribution funds, renewals of insurances etc.

• Ensure that strict protocols are followed for cash handling and that unbanked cash remains within the insured limit for cash held at each premises.

• Liaise with the Branch’s payroll provider to ensure staff hours are submitted and salary payments processed on a monthly basis and within the appropriate timescale.

• Process all staff and volunteer expenses in a timely manner.

• Manage all bookkeeping processes and functions, including the asset register, ensuring annual accounts are produced no later than the end of March each year.

• Develop, implement and maintain appropriate financial administrative procedures and processes.

Business Administration

• Responsible for day-to-day financial administrative support for the CEO and Trustees.

• Ensure that all administrative paperwork, including external correspondence is processed in accordance with Branch and Society procedures, including completion of all appropriate records for insurance and risk management purposes.

• Ensure financial data processing, retention and destruction conforms to the relevant policies such as GDPR.

• Ensure regulatory and legislative compliance of financial charity policies.

• Work closely with relevant operational staff to ensure appropriate responses are issued to all enquiries whether from members, supporters & volunteers, RSPCA colleagues or the general public.

• Liaise with staff and volunteers to facilitate the ordering of materials, supplies and equipment for the effective operation of the Branch, ensuring budgetary controls are maintained at all times.

• Work with the CEO and other staff to manage relevant licences, vendor relationships, service agreements and invoicing.

• Work with staff and volunteers across the whole charity on financial processes and controls.

Fundraising & Donations

• Identify, assess, and apply for appropriate grants and funding streams to maximise income for the branch, ensuring applications are timely, well-prepared, and aligned with funder criteria to support the branch’s strategic and operational objectives.

• Ensure that all donations (financial or otherwise) are acknowledged in a timely manner, receipts are issued for financial donations and the banking of all funds raised.

• Responsible for the accurate recording and banking of the funds raised.

• Develop, and manage relationships across relevant stakeholder groups, both within and outside the charity.

Gift Aid

• Ownership of the Gift Aid process.

General

• Attend meetings and training courses as required.

• Undertake such other duties as directed from time-to-time by your line manager.

Essential skills, qualifications and experience:

• A finance qualification or working towards level 3 AAT or ACCA with proven experience in charity financial operations.

• Good general level of education.

• Strong experience in financial reporting, budgeting and compliance.

• Demonstrable experience of managing small to medium size budgets (circa £400,000) & accounting systems (ideally with experience of Quick Books software).

• Proven experience of cash handling and financial management procedures. 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

• Proven ability to work to tight deadlines, be proactive and work autonomously.

• Proven IT literacy including use of business software and accounting packages (including Quickbooks), and Google Workspace.

• Strong numeracy and analytical skills.

• Experience supporting audits and implementing robust financial controls.

• Knowledge of Charity and Company Law.

• Proven ability to work under direction from superiors but equally able to use their own initiative.

• Proven ability to prioritise workload and meet tight deadlines.

• Proven ability to complete essential management paperwork and analyse data.

• Personable and with an open, positive approach to new ideas coupled with drive and enthusiasm.

• A flexible and collaborative approach to colleagues both staff and volunteers.

• Honest, trustworthy and reliable.

• A calm and friendly approach particularly when working under pressure.

• Sympathy for animal welfare and the work of the RSPCA.

• Full valid UK driving licence.

• Willing and able to travel around the Branch area on occasions.

Desirable skills, qualifications and experience:

• Experience of management & leadership.

• Training, coaching & mentoring skills.

• Experience of working with the general public and/or in a customer care environment.

• Experience of managing change in the workplace.

• Experience of managing small projects.

• Good basic knowledge of employment law.

• Knowledge of data protection requirements.

• Willingness to learn and acquire new skills through training.

We promote an inclusive working environment in which diversity is recognised, valued, and encouraged. We acknowledge the multi-cultural and diverse nature of the UK workforce and society in general. We are committed to principles of fairness and mutual respect where everyone accepts the concept of individual responsibility. 

SHiFT is an innovative, ambitious, and impatient organisation. We’re in a period of rapid growth and are already achieving significant successes alongside children and families. We are passionate about the ability of data and insights to help achieve this.

We’re a dynamic organisation with a strong focus on evidence and impact, and the Learning Team has already laid strong foundations for our data infrastructure. We are now looking for a Data Analyst to join our national team - a new and varied role, working alongside the Data & Insights Analyst and the Learning & Insights Lead. This role is key in championing our learning culture at SHiFT, supporting our Voice, Participation, and Belonging strategy, and ensuring that our systems and reporting effectively demonstrate the impact SHiFT is having - not only with children and families, but also at a wider systems change level. On a fixed-term basis, this role will support the Learning Team by freeing up capacity for strategic and evaluative work, while also offering the opportunity to contribute to an exciting phase of growth in SHiFT’s data infrastructure and learning capabilities.

This role is perfect for someone looking to take a step up in data management, training, and information sharing. The Data Analyst will play a key role in streamlining data processes, supporting accurate and efficient data collection across Practices, and helping us maximise the insights generated from our new, customised Salesforce data system. You will work closely with our data experts in local Practices (Practice Coordinators) and the wider SHiFT team. Therefore, you must be a proactive team player who is brilliant at building relationships, sees the value in working collaboratively, and enjoys problem-solving with others. You have a sharp eye for detail, sweat the small stuff, have a ‘can do’ attitude, and are ambitious to grow and make a difference as part of a practice-led systems change organisation.

Whilst this role requires proven experience of quantitative skills, we are open to candidates with limited or no experience in qualitative research. This is a varied role, and we envisage opportunities for fieldwork, e.g. conducting interviews, facilitating and moderating focus groups. We can provide training and support to help you develop the necessary qualitative skills. The successful candidate will bring both expertise and creativity to help improve data capture, analysis, reporting processes, and insight generation. Your experience will include working with CRM system(s) and data reporting tools, and you will be adept at managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

If you enjoy making data fun and easy to understand, are comfortable working with stakeholders from non-analytical backgrounds, and get a kick out of improving processes – then get in touch.

We aim to provide significant opportunities for personal growth, training, and career development, and are seeking someone with the ambition to play a crucial part in maintaining our data and evidence quality as we strive for systems change.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

SHiFT is actively committed to the eradication of discrimination and disadvantage on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, age, marital status and on the basis of socio-economic circumstances.  We are determined for SHiFT to be a diverse and inclusive organisation that is enriched by a wide range of backgrounds, expertise, and experiences. We want to build a workplace that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included, and involved. 

As a charity working within youth justice, we are keenly aware of the over-representation of children who identify as Black, Brown or Mixed Heritage within the youth justice system. Challenging racism is a key priority for SHiFT. In seeking to achieve this, we understand the value and importance of recruiting and retaining a workforce which represents the children we seek to support. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, and we recognise that this group is currently under-represented within our national team.

THE RESPONSIBILITES

SHiFT’s Data Analyst has responsibility for: 

Data Collection and Management

• Support the effective use of SHiFT’s Salesforce system, ensuring accurate, timely data entry and maintenance across local Practices.
• Assist members of our local Practice Teams (Practice Coordinators and Guides) with data queries and monthly surveys.
• Coordinate and quality-assure monthly data submissions, working closely with Practice teams to ensure consistency and completeness.
• Help to develop reporting tools, dashboards, or templates on and off Salesforce to support embedding learning back into practice and more widely to contribute to our ambitions for systems change.

System Improvement and Efficiency

• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline data processes.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of SHiFT’s Salesforce configuration, in collaboration with external developers and internal users.
• Help document processes and support training materials for system users.
• Navigate and innovate with different systems, including understanding the data recording systems used by Local Authorities and working with the Learning and Practice team to reduce duplication of data entry for practitioners.

Learning and Insight Generation

• Produce routine reports and data summaries for internal use, feeding into learning and influencing conversations.
• Support the Learning Team’s efforts to use data for reflection, learning, and improvement both locally and nationally.
• Contribute to longer-term work exploring integration of data across education, youth justice, social care, and health systems.

YOU WILL BRING

Beliefs and alignment:

• The belief that all people are capable of change and that a relationship with a skilled practitioner can be a powerful driver of this.
• The belief that young people who display behaviours linked to offending can be supported so that they cease offending and meaningfully contribute to society.
• An alignment to a culture of high trust and high expectation where there are fewer rules, high levels of accountability, and a need for excellent performance from the entire team.
• An alignment to SHiFT’s Values – ambition, courage, flexibility, and tenacity – which reflect the ‘Breaking Cycles’ ingredients (the foundations on which SHiFT is built).
• A preparedness to challenge the status quo and be positively disruptive in the pursuit of higher standards even when this is uncomfortable.
• Dynamism, tenacity, and determination – you are someone who does not give up until you succeed. You have a ‘can do’ attitude.
• Curiosity and a commitment to learning – comfortable in a fast-paced and aspirational ‘start-up’ context, and as part of a team that is committed to ongoing reflection, adaptation, and improvement.

Experience, knowledge, and skills – to be demonstrated in application

Essential

• Undergraduate level or equivalent experience in relevant subject area such as research methodologies, social research, sociology, criminology, policy etc.
• Highly developed knowledge and experience of data management systems, tools, and ability to use statistical and data analysis packages (Microsoft Excel, Power BI, or ideally Salesforce).
• Experience working with data entry, cleaning, and quality assurance processes.
• Experience in using data visualisation tools to create dashboards that improve efficiency and enable self-serve insight.
• Solid understanding and commitment to ethical and responsible research, data use and storage, and GDPR implications including anonymising sensitive datasets for analysis. 
• A demonstrable track record of using data to generate insights that inspire meaningful change, and a genuine interest in data as a tool for social impact and learning.
• Commitment to Anti-racist and Anti-oppressive approaches.
• Highly technical, able to think about the data pipeline from end to end, resolve difficulties and proactively source data where appropriate.
• Comfortable working with stakeholders from non-analytical backgrounds, gathering requirements, and translating them into structured analytical questions and approaches.
• A keen interest in improving organisational effectiveness and a passion for data literacy with an understanding of the delivery challenges and opportunities with the practical application of learning strategies.
• Demonstrably strong communication skills, with the ability to influence, build connection, and persuade at all levels and across teams.

Desirable

• Experience of survey and questionnaire design, qualitative interviewing and use of more innovative methods of qualitative data collection to capture user voice.
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to write reports both verbally and in writing clearly and confidently to a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with social sector data (e.g. education, social care, youth justice).
• Strong experience with Salesforce CRM platform.
• Experience of writing fundraising applications.

Qualifications and background

• Right to work in the UK.
• This post is subject to a police check of previous criminal convictions with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Candidates are encouraged to apply even if your experience does not precisely match the job description for this role. Your experience, skills and passion will set you apart so tell us about your achievements and how this has shaped you, including things you’ve learned along the way.

Salary: £31,000 FTE.

Position: 1-year fixed term, full time, open to flexible and hybrid working, with an expectation of regular travel to the national office in London and out to Practices across England as needed.

Location: UK-based, with regular travel to Coram Campus, Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AZ / our Practices across England.

Reporting to: Learning & Insight Lead.

Start date: ASAP.

Apply by sending a short covering letter (maximum 2 sides of A4) addressed to Ella Armstrong, Learning and Insights Lead, SHiFT, outlining your experience and suitability for the role, together with a CV, details of two referees. We will not take up references without your permission. Please include details of your current notice period as part of your CV or letter of application. Please also fill out the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form in the job pack.

Applications close at 23.59 on 21st July 2025.

Applicants will be notified of shortlisting decisions on 22nd July 2025 and invited for interview as appropriate.

Staff panel interviews will be held virtually on 29th July 2025, this will be a values-based interview. Second round, competency-based interviews, will be held on either the 5th or 7th of August 2025. Decisions will be made and communicated to candidates as speedily as possible thereafter. A data task will also form part of the application process.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Would you like to play an important role in running an organisation that improves the way science is covered in the news?

Diet, microplastics, climate change, e-cigarettes, Alzheimer’s....if it's in the news and it’s controversial, the SMC will be working hard to pump out accurate, evidence-based science into the 24 hour news media.

But this frenetic media operation must have rock-solid operations support behind it.  It needs a highly competent, confident, organised and efficient individual who supports the SMC’s mission but loves running the operations behind the scenes.  The successful candidate will be a calm, self-sufficient problem solver who makes the charity run smoothly and who takes satisfaction from ensuring that the team of energetic, dynamic press officers can make a difference to science in the media every day.

The Head of Operations and Governance is a key member of senior staff.  You will be either a practised operations specialist looking for a new challenge or someone with relevant experience looking to step up to their first role leading operations.  In this role, you will:

• Be responsible for financial management, fundraising admin, preparation of annual accounts and bookkeeping
• Support the CEO in fundraising initiatives and project admin
• Provide the operational underpinning for the Centre ensuring the smooth running of IT, events, contracts and all office systems
• Act as secretariat to the Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee, Remuneration Committee and Audit and Risk Committee
• Guide the governance of the charity and complete statutory reporting. 

You must be highly organised and have a clear head for numbers and systems.  Often working under your own steam and multitasking to tight deadlines, you will need to be efficient and committed to the unique needs of this role without being drawn into the science and media activities of the Centre. 

Experience of the charity sector, finance and/or governance is an advantage. 

You must have the right to work in the UK.  We cannot provide visa sponsorship. 

Starting salary: £41,400-£56,700 depending on experience, with an annual performance-related pay increase

Application deadline: 9am Monday 4th August 2025

Interviews: Tuesday 19th August 2025

To start: October/November 2025

Location: We are an in-person Central London office where staff work on site 5 days a week, but opportunities for flexible working will be considered.

For information

For an informal discussion about the role please contact (between 14 and 25 July):

• Selina Kermode (current post holder) [email listed on the jobs page of the Science Media Centre website]
• Fiona Fox (Chief Executive) [email listed on the jobs page of the Science Media Centre website]

The application deadline is 9am on Monday 4th August, and interviews will take place on Tuesday 19th August. Click on the 'Redirect to recruiter' button below for instructions on how to apply.