Development director jobs in buckingham, buckinghamshire

Are you passionate about fundraising? Do you want to work for an organisation that puts people at the heart of everything it does?

Whether it’s due to homelessness or poor mental health, the number of people experiencing a crisis is on the rise. Connection Support believes in a future where people are free from crisis. But for the times when crises do happen, we’ll be there to help every step of the way.

Does this sound like something you want to be a part of?

We are looking for a passionate and driven Head of Fundraising to help us take our fundraising to the next level.

The impact you will have

Leading Connection Support’s fundraising activities, you will generate income from existing sources and new income streams, and inspire funders, donors and local companies to support our work. Providing strategic direction combined with a hands-on role, you will lead on funding applications, plan and deliver campaigns and events, and develop lasting relationships with our supporters.

This is an exciting time to join Connection Support as we celebrate our 30th anniversary and turn our focus to preventing homelessness long before it happens, as well as continuing to provide support for those in crisis. You will be joining a supportive and friendly team and will work closely with colleagues from across the organisation to deliver fundraising activities and raise the profile of Connection Support.

Contract: Permanent, Hybrid working

Hours: Between 30 – 37.5 hours per week.

Salary: £42,322 - £47,949 per annum (pro rata for part- time)

Closing date: Tuesday 10th June @10am

Interviews: Monday 16th June

About you

You will have significant fundraising experience, including trust and foundation fundraising. In addition, you will have experience of at least one charitable income stream, i.e. cooperate, public, major donor or legacy, and a successful track record of delivering results.

Your experience should also include designing and managing fundraising campaigns and monitoring and analysing fundraising performance.

You will be passionate about solving homelessness and mental ill-health and share the values of Connection Support.

What we offer in return

Connection Support is committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive and ensuring everyone is treated is valued, treated with respect and has a positive experience.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented candidates, including but not limited to Black, Asian, ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, LGBTQIA+, men, women, and people with lived experience.

We have been named as one of the top 10 charities to work for in the UK by Best Companies and offer fantastic benefits including 30 days annual leave (pro rata for part time), plus bank holidays, sick pay, and an enhanced benefits package which includes cover on health benefits, eco travel incentives, childcare discounts, retail discounts and much more. 

Should you need additional support with your application or require adjustments to any part of our recruitment process please don’t hesitate to ask. We are more than happy to help, drop us an email or call direct to discuss your requirements.

Connection Support is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

One of our fantastic clients is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Head of External Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive external affairs strategy. This pivotal role will be instrumental in strengthening societies and changing lives, working closely with senior leadership to lead government relations across the UK and cultivate relationships with elected representatives, the Civil Service, and key partners within the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors.

The successful candidate will lead a team of public affairs, policy, and influencing professionals, contributing to the wider communications strategy. They will leverage an extensive network of stakeholders and a deep understanding of policy and public affairs to stay abreast of significant developments, ensuring the organisation remains proactive in its positioning and sensitive areas.

This role requires a leader who can inspire and develop a team of External Affairs professionals, devising and executing projects in a fast-paced environment while ensuring alignment with strategic goals. The External Affairs mandate is exceptionally diverse, spanning devolved governments across the UK and increasing regional devolution within England. Regular travel to attend meetings and spend time with colleagues across the UK will be required.

The Head of External Affairs will provide a professional, consistent, and expert service, supporting strategic activity across the organisation. They will oversee tailoring outputs to effectively reach key external affairs stakeholders and play a senior role in assessing areas of reputational risk.

Key responsibilities

• As a member of the communications leadership team, take ownership of, create, and implement a comprehensive external affairs strategy to deliver the organisation's missions and strategic objectives, including significant activity in the national portfolios, integrated and aligned to its communications strategy.

• Provide strategic oversight of government relations, public affairs, and strategic engagement across the UK, including relationships with sponsor bodies, working closely with the CEO Office and Portfolio Directors. Offer strategic guidance, sound judgement, and advice to senior leadership and other teams, driving a consistent organisational approach to relationship management.

• Take responsibility for strategic horizon scanning for external affairs activity across the mission areas, ensuring information and advice is shared directly with the CEO and senior colleagues, and opportunities for stakeholder engagement and influencing are maximised.

• Devise and lead a programme of external engagement with key policy, political, and mission-related stakeholders for the Chair, CEO, Board Members, and other senior leaders. This includes owning and coordinating key messages and briefings, attending meetings as appropriate, and ensuring actions are followed up.

• Oversee the design and delivery of engagement programmes that measurably increase engagement with key political and other audiences. Identify and manage risks, trends, or opportunities to protect and enhance the organisation's reputation and ensure successful influencing among key stakeholders.

• Plan and deliver a continuous review and evaluation of activities, including external benchmarking, measurement of engagement levels, and performance standards to ensure effective delivery of the External Affairs strategy across the four nations.

• Lead and develop a high-performing team, delegating work effectively, ensuring appropriate use of resource across the team, and providing and commissioning external suppliers and internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality plans.

Person Specifications

• Substantial experience leading government relations, public affairs, policy, and advocacy in a large, matrix organisation, ideally interacting with devolved administrations (national and mayoral).

• Experience in building and maintaining relationships with senior political and other stakeholders, fostering collaboration across diverse communities and perspectives.

• Experience of planning and executing strategic engagement across a range of high-profile audiences and activities, including responsibility for Chair/CEO/Board-level engagement.

• Experience of strategic planning and decision-making at a local, regional, and national level, including with peer organisations and local governments.

• Excellent interpersonal, networking, and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences with clarity and inclusivity.

• Experience of briefing and working with senior leaders in support of organisational and engagement objectives, often at short notice, including providing counsel in times of reputational risk and navigating complex organisational dynamics.

• Demonstrable leadership and project-management ability, with experience developing high-performing teams, resource management, and working in a matrix-management and collaborative environment.

• Experience commissioning agencies and third-party suppliers to work with internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality plans.

• Experience of continued professional, managerial, and personal development within the relevant discipline.

• If this role is based in Wales, or supports customers or colleagues in Wales, an understanding of Welsh language legislation and the Welsh Language Standards of the organisation is required.

What’s on Offer:

• Salary of £54,277-£60,000 outside London or £59,000-£66,500 inside London 

• Full time role 

• 12 month contract

• Immediate start 

How to Apply: To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the “apply now” button via our website.

The process: If your experience aligns with what we're looking for, a member of our team will be in contact to discuss the role with you in more detail before presenting your profile to the client. We will also ensure that all applicants receive an email to inform them of the outcome of their application.

To avoid any potential delays or your application being missed, please apply solely via the 'Apply Now' button.

Commitment to Diversity: The Talent Set and our partner organisation are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or gender. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

Are you passionate about clients having a voice on how organisations provide services and support?

Whether it’s due to homelessness or poor mental health, the number of people experiencing a crisis is on the rise. Connection Support believes in a future where people are free from crisis. But for the times when crises do happen, we’ll be there to help every step of the way.

Does this sound like something you want to be a part of?

The impact you will have

Client involvement is at the heart of everything we do. You will be responsible for developing and enhancing our involvement with clients and the communities we work alongside, to give them influence, a voice and control in how we provide our services across the organisation.

We are also just as passionate about our volunteers. Part of this role will develop and enhance our work with volunteers, peer mentoring and student placements to maximise the impact of volunteering across our services, enhancing the support we deliver.

This is an exciting time to join Connection Support as we celebrate our 30th anniversary and turn our focus to preventing homelessness long before it happens, as well as continuing to provide support for those in crisis.

Contract: 12 month fixed term contract. Maternity cover

Hours: Between 22.5 and 37.5 hours per week. This post requires a minimum 30% of the time face to face.

Salary: £42,322 - £47,949 per annum (pro rata for part time), dependent on experience

Location: Based in one of our main offices across our areas of operation (Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes) with flexibility to travel between offices and work from home.

Closing date: Tuesday 10th June at 10.00am.

Interview dates: Week commencing 16th June

About you

Your experience involves working in client engagement within the social care or similar sector. You are an excellent communicator who thrives on driving organisational change and forging relationships with clients, colleagues and stakeholders.

You are passionate about the value volunteers bring to client services and will have experience in supervising/managing volunteers and developing volunteer programmes/systems.  

You have excellent research, analytical and problem solving skills and the project management skills to translate your ideas into reality.

You will be passionate about the impact you can have by being part of Connection Support, and your values align with ours.

Due to the nature of this role a driver’s licence and access to a vehicle is essential.

What we offer in return

Connection Support is committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive and ensuring everyone is treated is valued, treated with respect and has a positive experience.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented candidates, including but not limited to Black, Asian, ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, LGBTQIA+, men, women, and people with lived experience.

We have been named as one of the top 10 charities to work for in the UK by Best Companies and offer fantastic benefits including 30 days annual leave (pro rata for part time), plus bank holidays, sick pay, and an enhanced benefits package which includes cover on health benefits, eco travel incentives, childcare discounts, retail discounts and much more. 

Should you need additional support with your application or require adjustments to any part of our recruitment process please don’t hesitate to ask. We are more than happy to help, drop us an email or call direct to discuss your requirements.

Connection Support is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

RISE is a collaborative effort with the goal of delivering a unified approach to women’s empowerment in global supply chains. Bringing together the world’s four largest women’s empowerment programs in the global supply chains - BSR’s HERproject, CARE International, Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. Program and ILO-IFC Better Work, RISE will leverage the combined experience in over 21 countries to achieve transformative change for the millions of women who work within supply chains globally. 

RISE will focus on three interrelated pillars of action to tackle both immediate barriers and medium/long term structural improvements for women workers. These include increased agency, confidence, and communication, increased access to and control over financial products, services and resources, enhancement of the capabilities of unions and industry organizations, and implementation of policies at the workplace level, but also regional and national levels that promote gender equality.

Pillar 1: Capacity Strengthening: Working in factories in key countries, RISE will achieve impact with a network of local civil society partners and organizations working on gender equality to deliver worker capacity building programs.  There are four options available (i) Foundation – a 13 month needs based worker training program (ii) Digital – an 8-month tablet-based learning on health, financial literacy and stress management, (iii) Respect - one year program on gender-based Violence prevention and remediation and (iv) Financial Health – a one-year program on financial capability, resilience and inclusion​.

Pillar 2: Market Transformation: RISE will work with and encourage leadership from industry actors (brands, buyers, suppliers, and worker representatives) to improve operating practices at all levels in global value chains to support greater gender equality outcomes. 

Pillar 3: Influencing: RISE will leverage the founding partners’ existing relationships and identify opportunities to work in partnership to influence employer/company/factory policies, programs, and budgets, as well as government policies that impact workers, in particular women workers.

PURPOSE OF THE CONTRACT

The consultant will lead the implementation of RISE’s MEL framework to ensure that data and insights inform the organization’s work and effectively demonstrate our impact.

The consultant will embed MEL systems across the organization, provide technical support and guide the teams. In addition, the consultant will lead on evaluation, develop data collection tools, analyze data and share reports and learning to improve program effectiveness.

The consultant will also demonstrate RISE’s impact to internal and external stakeholders.

Scope of Work

MEL Management and Implementation

• Implement MEL frameworks, including Theories of Change, Logical Frameworks, KPIs, and outcome indicators, ensuring they remain up-to-date and aligned with RISE values.
• Systematically integrate MEL across all programs and organizational processes to drive continuous improvement.
• Build teams’ MEL capacities and capabilities through direct technical support and guidance on MEL systems, data use, and strategic alignment.
• Foster a culture of learning through strategic reviews with the teams, gathering evidence and learning: key insights, impact narratives and lessons learnt.
• Lead quality assurance of MEL processes to improve rigor and integrity. Assess their strengths and weaknesses and recommend improvements.
• Provide strategic MEL input to support organizational planning, grant reporting, and decision-making, providing insights that support RISE’s aim of multistakeholder action.

Program Evaluation

• Design and implement robust evaluation methodologies. Refine measurement indicators and develop tools for data collection (quantitative and qualitative).

• Develop and oversee data collection tools such as surveys, focus group protocols, and interview guides.
• Lead baseline, midline, and endline evaluations, including analysis and reporting.
• Lead on impact assessments for RISE’s program areas

Data Management, Analysis & Reporting

• Manage data collection, cleaning, analysis, and visualization using appropriate software tools.
• Ensure data integrity, consistency and compliance with ethical standards and GDPR.
• Produce high-quality, accessible impact reports for internal and external audiences.
• Develop key learning products to improve internal and external communications.
• Proactively explore innovative ways to analyze data, including the use of A.I., to support more efficient analysis.

Communications

· Demonstrate RISE’s impact through a variety of channels like external publications, reports and insights, communicating value to stakeholders.

• Engage internal and external stakeholders by showcasing social impact stories and deliverables.

Note: This Scope of Work is not exhaustive but reflects a range of duties the consultant will perform. The job description will be reviewed regularly and may be changed based on experience and in consultation with the consultant.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Minimum8+ years of experience in MEL roles within sustainability, development, or impact-focused organizations.
• Proven experience designing and leading MEL strategies and frameworks, preferably across multi-country or cross-sectoral programs.
• Strong background in both qualitative and quantitative methods and tools.
• Knowledge of leading global best practice and emerging trends in the collection, measurement, management and reporting of social impact data.
• Excellent analytical and research skills, including the ability to process large amounts of information, distribute it appropriately and extract critical analysis from it.
• Advanced proficiency in data analysis tools and visualization platforms.
• Demonstrated experience translating complex data into strategic insights and engaging reports.
• Strong project management, research, reporting writing and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication skills – verbal and written.

· Excellent relationship management internally and externally.

· Able to manage multiple diverse projects and prioritize workload.

· Excellent team-working and cross-team collaboration and influencing skills.

· Ability to review proposals and contribute to the development of project designs, evaluation methods, logic models, performance indicators, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

Desirable criteria:

· Excellent understanding of measuring women's empowerment and social impact programs on a global scale, and in emerging markets.

· Excellent understanding of programs that focus on workers employed in global supply chains.

· Experience designing and implementing gender equality approaches to MEL.

· Experience in technical advisory roles or equivalent.

· Flexibility to undertake overseas travel.

 Reporting and Location

The consultant will report to the RISE Program Director.  This is a remote part-time (2-3 days) role, with preference for UK-based consultants. The initial contract will be for a period of six months, at which point it will be reviewed for extension.

Abandon Normal Devices are seeking an experienced finance professional or small accountancy provider to manage our core finance functions on a freelance/contract basis. This is an ongoing, part-time contract supporting the financial operations of a small, ambitious arts organisation working at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture.

We are looking for someone with a strong understanding of charity finance, skilled in Xero, bookkeeping, payroll, reporting, audit preparation, HMRC filings and support with funding reports. You may be an individual already set up for freelance work, or a firm used to providing finance support to charities or arts organisations. You’ll work closely with the Chief Executive and liaise with trustees and external auditors as needed.

To apply for the role please:

• Read the Finance Manager Job Description
• Complete an Application Form 
• Complete an Equal Opportunities Form (submitted anonymously).

Application Timeline

• The closing date for applications is midnight Sunday 1 June 2025
• Interviews are expected to take place on W/b 16 June 2025

About us

Abandon Normal Devices (AND) is a commissioning agency and arts organisation known for creating radical, site-responsive projects at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture. Working across the UK and internationally, AND commissions artists to explore the social, environmental and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Our portfolio includes large-scale outdoor artworks, exhibitions, research programmes, residencies, online projects and our flagship AND Festival — a
nomadic biennial bringing cutting-edge digital experiences to diverse locations.

Our work often takes place in unexpected settings, from post-industrial towns to natural landscapes, creating space for bold experimentation and critical reflection. At our core, we champion interdisciplinary collaboration and are committed to inclusive, sustainable practices that challenge what is considered ‘normal’ in culture today.

Overview

High energy costs are a nightmare for millions of UK households, while huge profits are made at our expense. Poor housing and heating systems are a key part of the problem, along with dependence on polluting, climate-changing fossil fuels. FPA is a campaigning organisation that sets out to attack the root causes of fuel poverty along with the specific injustices facing people and communities. We want to see the UK’s energy system decarbonised as rapidly as possible, with a just transition for communities and workers.that includes affordability. 

Working closely with pensioners groups, trades unions, disabled campaigners, tenants’ organisations and others on the frontline of fuel poverty, we’re using protest and direct action to fight for real, sustainable solutions to the cold homes crisis. We are looking for a committed senior organiser, who shares our passion and values, to bring energy and imagination to developing our base and supporting our members to build their power.

About the role

Fuel Poverty Action (FPA) was started in 2011 by climate activists who wanted to ensure that the green energy transition doesn’t happen at the expense of those with less social and economic power. Rather, they saw the break with fossil fuels as an opportunity to end the scourge of fuel poverty in the UK - a chance to rethink priorities and design inequality out of the energy system.

Immediately, they were drawn into community-based struggles for energy justice, against false, profit-driven solutions and maladministration of ‘green’ measures with no accountability to tenants and residents.

Over the years others joined the fight, growing FPA to a small membership-led organisation comprising people at the sharp end of fuel poverty - people of all ages and backgrounds, mainly located in London. Since 2022, funding has enabled us to employ a small, dispersed team who are accountable to directors and a membership that is now UK-wide. 

We are now looking for an experienced, senior organiser to help FPA grow and evolve our membership network further. We want to reach more people and support members to be active within FPA so that we can build our political impact and remain meaningfully member-led. 

We are seeking a flexible person with significant leadership experience who will be confident working as part of a small team, capable of outward facing work and internal management. You will have experience of organising in collective campaigns,  including digitally, and a background in grassroots or community-based action, with a strong commitment to inclusive and anti-oppressive practice.

As the Organising Lead, you will join our Campaigns Lead and Operations Lead as the third pillar of our self-managing Coordination Team. While line-managing other colleagues and enabling the contributions of members who are unpaid, you will yourself be a member of FPA, and answerable to the group. 

We use the digital platform Action Network to run campaigns and communicate with FPA supporters. Our ideal candidate would have the skills to incorporate ladders, tags and custom fields into our digital campaigns to maximise online to offline impact and convert list growth into membership. They would also actively maintain relationships with existing members who are not always confident with online communication tools. 

There is a lot of scope to bring new ideas and perspectives to shape our work.

What you might find yourself doing:

Strategy development: Leading on creation of a new membership growth and retention strategy in collaboration with existing members

Growing our base: Boosting in-person recruitment and using Action Network to build a digital pipeline into membership

Communications: Ensuring members are connected and informed through one-to-one calls, emails, members’ section of the website, WhatsApp groups and other platforms. 

Member development: Building one-to-one relationships with members, understanding their interests, linking them to opportunities and providing feedback and follow-up

Member activation: Supporting members to participate in our own and allies’ events, actions and mobilisations, digitally and on the ground

Speaker invitations: Representing FPA at events and in media as well as supporting members to do so

Capacity building and training: Providing tools, advice and training to members and supporters, including to FPA’s local groups in Glasgow, Manchester and London

Administration: Managing onboarding systems and securely maintaining records

Organisational management: As part of the self-managing Coordination Team

Line management: Providing light touch management for one or more colleagues

Online meetings: Including prospective member induction interviews and regular members’ meetings which you organise and facilitate

About You

Essential requirements. You’ll thrive in this role if you:

• are highly organised, comfortable self-managing and detail-oprientated in routine admin tasks

• have demonstrable skills in organisational and people management that are relevant for a remote team

• are instinctively collaborative and able to communicate warmly, openly and honestly with colleagues

• are self-motivated, flexible and positive about remote team working, ready to take responsibility for pacing yourself and maintaining your well-being at busy times

• have excellent communication skills, including verbal, written, editing, IT skills, and listening 

• are agile in your use of digital platforms to communicate with different audiences

• have a strong affinity with FPA’s aims, objectives and organisational values of solidarity, empathy and respect

• have a proven understanding of anti-oppression work and commitment to tackling all institutional forms of oppression, bigotry and exclusion 

• have excellent relationship-building skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and sensitively, and work effectively with diverse individuals, including those directly impacted by injustice and oppression 

• are confident and creative in your approach to running online and in-person meetings

• have several years of experience in organising or campaigning on issues of poverty and/or the climate, housing or energy 

It is also desirable (but not necessary) for you to have:

• experience of using Action Network or similar platforms to build an activist pipeline

• the skills to craft compelling calls to action and design digital content optimised for engagement

• experience of providing training tools, skills and hand-holding to those at the sharp end of the polycrisis

• links and ongoing relationships with networks and movements with similar aims or values to Fuel Poverty Action

• experience of horizontal organisations and ways to promote staff wellbeing and sustainable remote working 

Compensation Policy 

We’ll compensate team members on the following basis:

• All salaried team members are contracted on the same terms and conditions

• We have a 30 hour week maximum for all team members - most commonly worked as 4 x 7.5 hour days

• Team members are paid an equitable and sustainable compensation rate which is the pro rate equivalent to a full-time (5 day) salary of £40-45,000, regardless of role or level of experience

• Our compensation rates have been set following Platform’s best practice Social Justice Waging System:

Annual salary (30 hours per week):

• Band 1 - No dependents or children and inherited wealth: £32,000 

• Band 2 - One or more children or dependents and inherited wealth OR No inherited wealth but no children or dependents: £34,000

• Band 3 - One or more more children or dependents and no inherited wealth: £36,000 

Further details

• 3% employer-matched pension

• Genuinely flexible working

• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays

• A progressive parental leave policy

•  £15 / month working-from-home broadband stipend 

We have no central office or workspace budget, so it is imperative that you are comfortable working from home

Some costs-paid travel and monthly evening and occasional weekend working will be required

We particularly welcome applications from marginalised groups, especially people of colour and other ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQIA, disabled people and those who identify as working class or have done so in the past 

The appointment will be for one year with a hope of extension, funding permitting, and a four month probationary period