Development director jobs in saffron walden, essex

***Must be in France/Spain/UK/Netherlands/Sweden

About Us

The Sunrise Project is a global network of independent organizations united by a common mission: scaling social movements to drive the global transition beyond fossil fuels. We've developed a unique model that combines strategic grant-making with campaigning, supporting interconnected organizations to create powerful change aligned with our mission. Find out more here.

About the Program

The Europe Regional Finance program has evolved out of our Financial Regulation and Policy Program that began in 2019 with a narrow focus on European central banks. Since then, we've expanded to shape financial regulation and policy globally to accelerate clean energy and create lasting systemic change in how public finance addresses climate challenges. Now the Europe Regional Finance program will focus on EU Policy and Finance and UK Policy and Finance. 

About The Role

Working closely with the Program Director, the Program Manager adapts and manages the Europe Regional Finance program to ensure the program team delivers on its objectives and goals. The role requires high-level coordination and support to a team working across Europe, leading campaign planning and evaluation processes, grant management, while coordinating the program's budgeting and re-forecasting. 

The Program Manager ensures the effectiveness of the Europe Regional Finance Program by managing and coordinating its various projects, overseeing budgets and grant cycles, implementing team effectiveness initiatives, and supporting the development and execution of program planning, monitoring and evaluation processes.

We support networks of organisations to work together to achieve outcomes that would not be possible by individual organisations acting alone. We expect all roles at Sunrise to actively support the capacity building of these networks and partner organisations. 

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Program Director to develop and implement robust planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes and foster a culture that recognises the importance of failure and learning in the pursuit of greater impact, identifying ways of measuring impact and success.
• Manage a multi-million dollar campaign budget, including tracking spending to stay on budget, reporting on our spending to donors and internal audiences, and advising on a partner grants plan and resourcing plan.
• Manage the entire program’s grant portfolio, ensuring efficient management and processing of grants to support program delivery. This includes providing guidance to team members on grant processes, tracking and monitoring grant payments, authoring and reviewing grant dockets and memos as appropriate, working with other program teams on grants as needed, and ensuring timely follow-up and feedback with partners. 
• Oversee program’s contracts, including the hiring and onboarding of necessary new agency partnerships, contracts, and temp employees, and tracking and monitoring contract payments.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive team environment that values continuous learning and professional growth to maximize program effectiveness, including proactively supporting the professional development of individual team members and line management as appropriate for the program structure.
• Lead programmatic oversight of risk, security, and compliance as appropriate for the program and in coordination with TSP’s operations team
• Co-lead on high-performance, collaborative and sustainable teamworking by fostering Sunrise’s culture and hiring, managing, and developing talented individuals.
• Lead the planning and delivery of online and in-person events (briefings, convenings, and retreats) from ideation to debrief, with responsibilities spanning logistics, agenda design, facilitation support, vendor management, RSVP oversight, in-person support, and post-event follow-up.
• Lead in developing program-specific onboarding systems and materials for new staff and contractors that build on Sunrise-wide onboarding processes.
• Represent the program as appropriate in various operational initiatives and organizational efforts.
• Proactively contribute to the culture of the wider organization, including leadership on our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Align programmatic strategies and OKRs with Sunrise’s Values.

Required skills and experience

• Demonstrated experience in management of complex projects with a strong orientation to detail, including demonstrated ability to develop a detailed plan to monitor projects from initiation to completion, including managing stakeholder input and coordinating people and processes to deliver desired results.
• Demonstrated experience in people, performance, and culture leadership, with operational management experience including hiring, nurturing, coaching and enabling talented and diverse people.
• Demonstrated ability of building, managing and tracking large, multifaceted budgets including grant plans.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute team systems, processes and culture that enable a team to work more efficiently and effectively together for maximum impact.
• A high level of emotional intelligence with excellent interpersonal communication and group facilitation skills.
• Ability to manage risk, security, and compliance in complex programmatic environments.
• Experience, successfully managing across cultures, and a track record of creating inclusive work cultures, both internally and with partners.
• A passion for action on climate change and a commitment to social justice, equity, diversity.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience supporting fundraising is beneficial.

Job requirements

• You must have full working rights in the country in which you will be working. The Sunrise Project is unable to sponsor applicants for employment visas.
• Employment background checks may be required.
• Previous employment reference checks will be required for successful applicants
• Intermittent travel with advanced notice may be required.

How Sunrise supports its staff

The Sunrise Project is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. Sunrise has the following in place to help us achieve that, noting pro rata will apply for part time staff and/or temporarily appointed-fixed term staff. The successful candidate will be hired via a Professional Employment Organisation (PEO) on behalf of the Sunrise Project, so conditions of employment may vary.

• Statutory benefits and entitlements of the country in which you are employed.
• Sunrise may provide additional benefits, where in-country entitlements are less than our standard package, where applicable including:
• Paid Parental Leave that is gender-neutral & inclusive of all types of families, incl. Parental Return To Work & Keeping In Touch Program
• Life Leave (up to 40 days p.a. for significant personal reasons)
• Public Holiday + Cultural Leave
• Workspace Benefits incl: Macbook & accessories, initial $2,000* for home workspace & IT equipment + $800* every 2 years + up to $75/mth phone/data/internet (equivalent local currency) .
• Shared office support

Additionally we offer:

• Flexible Working Policy
• VIDA - An AI tool to support your health and wellbeing
• Regular all-org and team meetings & retreats
• Learning & Development Program incl. a professional development budget for every staff member
• Coaching & manager support with regular 1:1 meetings
• Annual performance & development reviews with 360 feedback
• A co-developed work plan to ensure clarity on your role & key responsibilities
• We provide our staff with a voice on issues that concern them via consultation, caucuses, working groups, and surveys.

How to apply for this job

We recognize that racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, classism and other forms of discrimination creates structural barriers that impact opportunities to formal education and experience. When assessing candidates we look at more than the jobs you've been paid to do but the range of ways you've picked up skills and knowledge throughout your life.

This is why we assess candidates on how well they respond to application questions. Please do not write a cover letter. 

About Charity Right

We are a focused and passionate international food charity on a mission to free people from the devastating effects of hunger. Since our founding, we have provided over 40 million meals across 7 countries, serving those who need it most with dignity and care.

Our Mission

We believe that no child should go to school hungry. Our single-cause focus allows us to be exceptionally effective at what we do best: providing nutritious school meals that keep children in classrooms and give them the opportunity to break free from poverty through education.

About the Role

We are seeking a strategic and experienced Head of Fundraising & Events to lead the development and growth of a high-performing department focused on generating income through national and international challenge events and corporate partnerships. 
 
This is a senior leadership role with full responsibility for designing the fundraising and events strategy, building the structure and team to deliver it, and ensuring scalable, sustainable growth. You will shape the long-term direction of the department, ensure the right people and processes are in place, and play a key role in supporting the organisation’s broader income generation goals — including supporting the CEO with major donor stewardship. 
 
While the department’s primary focus is income growth through challenge events and corporate partnerships, the role also includes oversight of a small number of legacy community events and relationships ensuring continuity and reputational stewardship. 
 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategic Leadership & Department Building 

• Develop and lead the overall strategy for the Fundraising & Events department in line with the organisation’s income growth objectives. 
• Design and build a departmental structure capable of delivering scalable fundraising through events and partnerships. 
• Recruit, lead, and manage a high-performing team, ensuring clarity of roles, effective delegation, and strong performance management. 
• Establish systems, workflows, and processes that support growth, quality, and consistency across all fundraising activity. 
• Set and monitor departmental KPIs, targets, and budgets, reporting regularly to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team.

Challenge Events Programme 

• Oversee the strategic growth and diversification of the organisation’s challenge events portfolio, building on successful formats and expanding into new areas. 
• Provide leadership and oversight of event planning, delivery, and evaluation — ensuring the team has the tools and capabilities to execute effectively. 
• Identify and guide strategic partnerships with external groups and communities that can support participant growth and event reach. 

Corporate Fundraising 

• Design and implement a new corporate fundraising strategy
• Lead the identification and prioritisation of strategic corporate opportunities. 
• Guide the creation of partnership models, engagement materials, and stewardship plans, supporting the team in execution. 
• Develop the necessary infrastructure (e.g. pipeline management, prospecting systems) for long-term corporate fundraising success. 

Major Donor Support 

• Act as a senior partner to the CEO in managing and stewarding major donors. 
• Ensure the department provides the research, briefing, and coordination required to support a best-in-class major donor experience. 

Legacy Community Fundraising 

• Provide oversight and continuity for a limited number of legacy community events, ensuring they are delivered with appropriate resource and quality. 
• Work with the Fundraising & Events Manager to assess the future viability of these events and how they may integrate with or exit from the broader fundraising strategy. 
• Maintain key relationships with mosque and school partners to preserve goodwill and support transitional planning. 

Team Leadership 

• Line manage the Fundraising & Events Manager, providing coaching, strategic direction, and performance support. 
• Ensure the team structure remains fit for purpose as event formats, income goals, and capacity evolve. 
• Delegate operational oversight of individual events and activities while maintaining accountability for departmental outcomes. 

Cross-Organisational Leadership 

• Represent fundraising and events at the senior leadership level, contributing to organisational strategy and decision-making. 
• Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement across teams. 
• Uphold high standards of integrity, professionalism, and alignment with the charity’s values and mission. 

Essential Skills and Experience

• Significant experience in a senior fundraising or income generation role, including designing and delivering strategy at a departmental level.
• Strong track record of building and leading high-performing teams. 
• Experience growing and managing challenge events or mass participation programmes, either directly or through team leadership. 
• Proven ability to develop income streams, including events and corporate fundraising, from inception to sustainability. 
• Commercially minded, with strong strategic planning and budget management skills. 
• Excellent relationship-building skills and comfort engaging at senior/executive levels. 
• High levels of initiative, resilience, and the ability to lead in a remote-first environment. 

Desirable 

• Experience supporting major donor programmes or working in close partnership with a CEO or Director-level fundraiser. 
• Familiarity with charity CRMs and performance reporting tools. 
• Experience working within a faith-informed or values-driven organisation. 

Working Culture: 
We are a remote-first organisation. This role offers flexibility in working hours and location, with occasional UK travel required for key events and team meetings. You’ll be part of a purpose-driven leadership team committed to creativity, integrity, and delivering real-world impact.

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time 
Location: Remote Working
Reports to: CEO
Salary: £48,000 – £54,000, dependent on experience

Bipolar is one of the most significant mental health challenges of the 21st century, with over one million people in the UK with lived experience. That's approximately one in every 50 individuals, around 30% more than those affected by dementia.

The symptoms of bipolar can emerge at any age and the condition is increasingly affecting young people, who are more likely to screen positive than older generations. It also has a profound impact on the families and friends of those affected and the need for a dedicated national bipolar charity has never been greater.

Bipolar UK is the only national charity dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by bipolar, and we offer peer support at the core of our work. Our aim is to provide a nationwide Peer Support Service for people affected by bipolar and increase the reach of our delivery. To act as the voice of our community to change public attitudes, and to build a society that enables people affected by bipolar to live well and fulfil their potential.

Role: Fundraising Supporter Engagement Assistant (Apprentice)

Contract: 13-month fixed term contract with a view to be permanent after completion of apprenticeship

Location: Home-based

Salary: £23,000

Hours: This role is full time (35 hours)

Holiday: 25 week days of annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), increasing by one day for every full year of service (up to 5 years)

Pension: Up to 5% contribution towards a stakeholder pension is offered after successful completion of probationary period

Reports to: Director of Fundraising

Purpose:

Bipolar UK is seeking a Fundraising Supporter Engagement Assistant to aid the Fundraising Team in donor stewardship and to enabling growth in the organisation’s supporter base across all income streams.

This role is an apprenticeship with the apprentice programme starting September 2025, provided by Apprentify - an industry-led apprenticeship provider.

The successful candidate will learn and work on the job at Bipolar UK whilst receiving 20% off-the-job training from industry experts, which will be led through virtual classrooms.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to help transform the lives of those affected by bipolar across the UK.

In summary the Fundraising Supporter Engagement Assistant will support the fundraising team in growing the community, individual and events fundraising income streams, and be the first point of contact for all fundraising enquiries.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure that all our fundraisers and donors are thanked in an appropriate manner, developing a robust stewardship programme.

• Support fundraising volunteers in a professional but empathetic way.

• Provide relevant information and resources to our fundraising volunteers in a timely manner.

• Support the team with sourcing fundraising merchandise and materials.

• Record all supporters’ non-financial information on the CRM in line with our data policies.

• Co-ordinate the challenge events programme and explore new initiatives to help grow this income stream.

• Support the fundraising team with the promotion and delivery of workplace training sessions.

• Help grow membership for our Bipolar Friendly Workplace Scheme and develop effective stewardship plans.

• Become a valued member of the Fundraising team, sharing knowledge and best practice.

• Support other members of the team in the development and delivery of all our fundraising activities.

• Work closely with colleagues to develop robust fundable project proposals that align with current and future growth plans of Bipolar UK.

About The Role

What if your product vision could transform how one of the UK's largest charities delivers life-changing support to families affected by dementia? Imagine building digital products that empower millions of people to access the support, hope, and breakthrough research they need most? 

About the opportunity 

As Product Lead, you'll oversee the software products and tools that underpin our vital dementia services, funding generation, and campaigning efforts. You'll be at the heart of our exciting Technology Transformation programme. Leading high-performing product teams to deliver modern, secure and user-centred solutions that enhance our capabilities and maximise our impact. 
 
This is an impactful role within our Digital team and part of our Technology Directorate, working closely with the Associate Director of Digital & Data. You'll line manage Senior Product Managers in a matrix environment while establishing our product approach and community of practice. You'll lead multidisciplinary teams using agile methodology to create products that help thousands of people get support from us daily. 

If you're a passionate product expert looking to lead transformational digital change that makes a meaningful difference, we'd love to hear from you.

About you 

You're an accomplished Product Lead with extensive experience delivering high-transactional digital products and platforms in large, complex organisations. You have a proven track record of leading multidisciplinary teams using agile methodology, and you're passionate about user-centred design and data-driven decision making. You thrive on mentoring others and building product communities that deliver exceptional results. 

You'll have:

- Successful track record of leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-transactional digital products and platforms using agile methodology in a large and complex organisation.
- Extensive experience in understanding user, organisational, and technical needs and balancing these when setting product strategy and direction.
- Proven experience of researching, prototyping, launching and scaling products, platforms, and end-to-end services from inception to live.
- Significant experience working with cloud architecture and infrastructure and managing relationships between interdependent technology teams.
- Strong influencing skills with the ability to persuade and negotiate with stakeholders at all levels, including CEO, board and trustee level.
- Commitment to sharing knowledge, having mentored and coached others with a passion for working collaboratively.
- Passionate about Tech for Good with a proven desire to work in an equity-driven organisation solving complex problems. 

What you’ll focus on:

- Leading and delivering digital products, platforms, and end-to-end services that directly support people affected by dementia through strategy development, stakeholder management, and value-driven outcomes.
- Managing and developing product team members, establishing product ways of working that support our mission and strategy while building a culture aligned with our organisational values.
- Taking an active leadership role in our Digital team. Working closely with communities of practice and specialist discipline leads to define and deliver our Digital strategy.
- Developing ambitious product visions and strategies, engaging teams across the organisation to understand priorities, align plans, and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders.
- Using qualitative and quantitative data to make informed, outcome-focused decisions while translating vision into prioritised, deliverable goals that track product performance and user outcomes.
- Creating user-centred solutions by identifying user needs based on evidence, translating user stories, and proposing design approaches that improve overall user experience.

Ready to be part of something impactful? Join the digital transformation of one of the UK's largest charities. Where your product expertise helps build the society it takes to beat dementia and deliver help and hope to millions. 

Important Dates

Application Deadline: 23:59 on Sunday 17th August.
Applications will be reviewed: Week commencing 18th August.
Interviews will take place early-mid September.
 
The interview process will include a task, followed by a competency panel interview taking place via Microsoft Teams on the same day. Candidates will need to allocate 2 hours of time on the day of their interview. 

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer’s Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a DBS check at the relevant level.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it’s like to be an employee at the Society.

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that builds the capacity of developing countries to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM), a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that developing countries should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions.

Degrees’ programmatic work is centred on capacity-building through research grants and North–South and South–South collaboration schemes, outreach activities, and cross-cutting community building. As part of this, Degrees runs workshops in the Global South that bring new voices into the SRM conversation, and our research funds support scientists and other experts in developing countries as they research what SRM could mean for their regions and become part of a global research community.

The Policy Engagement Assistant role offers a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to help scale up the organisation’s work, building on the successes of the last decade, and to help the most climate-vulnerable countries make up their own minds about SRM. 

Joining a growing team, the Policy Engagement Assistant will support the Policy Engagement and Programmes teams through the provision of administrative services to ensure the efficient organisation of, execution of, and participation in events. Secondarily, the Assistant will provide general administrative support to the Policy Engagement team. 

The Policy Engagement Assistant will work under the supervision of the Policy Engagement Director, while supporting the Policy Engagement Managers and the Programmes team. Responsibilities will include: 

• Arranging travel, lodging and other travel logistics for Degrees staff, funded scientists, policymakers, and other external participants; 

• Arranging meeting facilities; 

• Facilitating requests for visas and other travel authorisations; 

• Serving as a point of contact for external event participants’ queries about travel and events; 

• Ensuring proper distribution of information documents and meeting minutes in a timely manner;

• Drafting general and formal correspondence; reviewing and formatting documents and slides according to style;

• Organising and maintaining the policy engagement team’s shared mailbox and filing system;

• Scheduling staff and other meetings; 

• Supporting processes for this new team, including aspects of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL); 

• Maintaining the list of external policy engagement contacts; 

• Any other related activity in support of the Policy Engagement team. 

Does your extensive experience of delivering  anti-racism, equity and inclusion (AREI) strategies within a complex organisational structure include having collaborated and co-produced solutions with a wide range of stakeholders? Then join Shelter as Head of Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism and you could soon be playing a pivotal role within our Equity, Inclusion and Culture Directorate.

About the role

This is a hands-on, practical role for someone who can hit the ground running. You’ll be leading the design and delivery of Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion (AREI) plans that turn vision into reality — working across directorates to embed change where it matters most.

You’ll work closely with Directors, HR, and a range of stakeholders to build and deliver programmes that support Shelter’s strategic aims. That means helping teams shift from intention to action — shaping and delivering interventions that have a real, measurable impact. From advising on best practice, facilitating workshops and training, to reporting on progress and helping the organisation stay accountable — this is a role with reach and purpose.

Role specifics

An excellent leader and project manager, your career to date will need to include extensive experience of mobilising teams to support the development of measurable initiatives to drive and embed cultural change and inclusion within an organisation. We’ll particularly be looking for a pragmatic and proactive approach, with a history of co-designing and delivering Equity and Inclusion (E&I) initiatives that resonated with an organisation’s core values and were pivotal for driving forward their ambitious goals. A flair for turning concepts into actionable plans is essential too, as are strong communication and presentation skills and the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of an organisation. In short, you’re a strategic thinker with a values centred approach, E&I expertise and proven experience of leading and managing others. You are a confident leader and experienced project manager, with a solid track record of driving cultural and organisational change. You know what it takes to co-design and deliver initiatives that are grounded in an organisation’s values and relevant to its people.

You bring a practical, collaborative approach — and you’re not afraid to challenge, ask the right questions, and get things moving. You’ve led or supported measurable EDI or anti-racism work before, and you understand how to turn strategy into action. You will take a structured yet flexible planning approach, ensuring delivery stays focused while adapting to the realities of a fast-paced environment.

Crucially, you are someone who brings people with you. You can engage and influence at all levels, communicate clearly, and translate complex ideas into achievable plans. You are values-led, focused on impact, and ready to help push this agenda forward in a meaningful way.

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

Benefits 

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

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

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

About the team

The Equity, Inclusion and Culture (EIC) Directorate was created in 2021 to look at the future with an equity lens across Shelter and Shelter Scotland as a core part of our strategic aims.  It combines critical enabling functions to achieve this: a defined anti-racism, equity and inclusion programme, effective internal communications and engagement, dedicated lived experience activity, innovative learning, and quality volunteering.   

About Shelter

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

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

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

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

Safeguarding statement

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

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

Remote position with some preference for Freetown Sierra Leone, Cape Town South Africa or Nairobi Kenya

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Grantmaking Due Diligence & Onboarding

• Coordinate the collection, review, and secure storage of due diligence documentation from prospective grantees.

• Assist with risk screening checks and internal reviews in alignment with Purposeful’s grantmaking policies.

• Prepare grantee onboarding documentation, including grant agreements and orientation materials.

• Track submission of required onboarding documents (e.g., bank forms, MoUs, safeguarding policies).

• Monitor and keep track of the grants due for payment.

• Respond to grantee and applicant inquiries and proactively update them on the status of their grant awards.

2. Grant Compliance & Documentation

• Monitor compliance status of all active grants, flagging outstanding requirements and follow-up needs.

• Ensure that compliance-related deadlines (e.g. reporting dates, grant conditions) are met and documented.

• Maintain clean, well-organised, and accessible digital grant files, using existing tools or systems (e.g., Google Drive, Netsuite, Salesforce, etc.) to ease retrieval and generation of reports.

• Support internal checks to ensure that funds are disbursed in line with compliance protocols and funding agreements.

3. Finance Coordination

• Liaise with the finance team to prepare and verify payment documents, banking instructions, and payment schedules.

• Support alignment between grant budgets and payment disbursements.

• Track the movement of funds across grants, ensuring appropriate documentation is in place for each transaction.

4. Donor & Internal Reporting

• Assist in preparing compliance-related sections of donor reports and internal grantmaking summaries.

• Track reporting obligations by donor or partner, and ensure all documentation is collected and filed on time, including any relevant country-specific compliance requirements.

5. Audit & Policy Support

• Prepare documentation for internal and external audits, including sampling, document summaries, and data extractions.

• Assist in developing and maintaining internal tools (templates, checklists, trackers) related to grant compliance.

• Contribute to ongoing improvements in Purposeful’s compliance systems, bringing in lessons learned and audit feedback, and emerging regulatory or legal considerations relevant to our work.

The vacancy

We are seeking to appoint one lay member to sit on our GOC Council.

About the GOC

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website:optical. org.

About the Council

The role of Council is to lead on the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services.  The Council is composed of six lay members (including the Chair) and six registrant members (i.e. registered optometrists and dispensing opticians).  At least one member of the Council must work wholly or mainly in each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  One Council member acts as a Senior Council Member whose role is to carry out the Chair’s appraisal as well as provide a sounding board for the Chair and serve as an intermediary for Council members, Executive and stakeholders as necessary. 

The successful candidate will contribute to Council by exercising oversight, ensuring effective corporate governance, and making high-level policy decisions. They will be able to operate strategically and impartially; listen, communicate, and influence effectively; exercise judgment; and inspire confidence and support amongst our stakeholders. 

Remuneration and time commitment

Council members are remunerated in accordance with our member fees policy (£13,962 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses).  The member fee includes time for reading and preparation.

The appointed member will be expected to commit approximately 2-3 days per month.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices at Level 29, One Canada Square, London, E14 5AA. There are occasional online catch-up meetings - these are currently scheduled on a Tuesday evening every 6-8 weeks, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.

How to apply:

Please email the the following to appointment@optical. org

· your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic or vocational qualifications;

· the application form, stating how your experience matches the criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and

· complete the EDI monitoring form linked in the candidate pack (this is an online form and does not need to be included in the email with your CV and application form).

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  midnight on Sunday 10 August 2025.

Online interviews will be held on between Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as these are currently under-represented on our council and committees.

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity and geographical locations outside of London.