Digital delivery lead jobs in dorchester, dorset

Department: Communications and Public Affairs 
Contract type: Permanent  
Hours: Full time
Salary: £36,000 – £38,000 per annum
Location: Home Based with UK wide travel as required
Reports To: Media and External Affairs Manager

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is seeking a proactive and skilled Media Officer to join our Communications and Public Affairs team. This is a newly created role, offering the opportunity to help shape and strengthen NFCC’s voice in the national conversation around fire and rescue services.

Reporting into the Media and External Affairs Manager, you will play a central role in growing our media presence and positioning NFCC as the go-to source for journalists covering national fire and rescue issues. You will help to ensure our messages are clear, timely, and authoritative across all platforms.

Join us and help ensure that fire and rescue services have a strong, consistent voice on the national stage.

Key responsibilities:

Serve as a point of contact for incoming media enquiries.

Draft high-quality, publication-ready communications content – including press releases, news articles, opinion pieces and other engaging content. 

Support NFCC’s campaigns and policy initiatives by securing media coverage and developing strong relationships with journalists and editors.

Take ownership of key communications tools and systems, including media monitoring and audit of coverage. 

Act as the lead Comms officer on at least one area of NFCC’s work in partnership with the relevant NFCC teams and lead officers (but will also work on a wide range of our issues and areas).

Participate in an out-of-hours communications rota as part of NFCC’s communication support function (with some out of hours support – see job description for more information). 

What we are looking for:

Experience in a media, journalism or communications role. 

Excellent writing skills with the ability to produce accurate, compelling content under pressure. 

Confidence in handling media enquiries and building positive relationships with the press. 

Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. 

A collaborative approach, with experience working across teams and engaging with senior stakeholders. 

A good understanding of the UK media landscape and wider external environment. 

If this sounds like the kind of opportunity that you would be interested in, please have a look at the Job Description on the NFCC website and apply.

Working with us:

NFCC is a fully remote organisation, and all staff work from home. This role will involve some travel for stakeholder meetings, events, conferences, training sessions and team away days, for which travel expenses are paid.

How to apply:

Please complete the application form linked from the ‘apply now’ button on the NFCC Website. CVs will NOT be accepted for this position. 

Closing Date – Sunday 1 June with interviews being conducted on Teams on Tuesday 17 June. If you are not available for interview on this date, we will try to provide an alternative date, though we advise that we may not be able to do this.

NFCC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and will require a DBS check to be completed prior to commencing in post. 

NFCC is committed to being an inclusive employer. We comply with the Equality Act 2010, and we believe that everyone deserves to work in safe environments that are free from bullying, harassment and discrimination, abuse, and harm, where they feel supported, welcome, and able to thrive. 

NFCC acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice, all staff are expected to share this commitment. 

About VODG

The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) represents over 130 organisations within the voluntary sector whose work is focused on enabling disabled people of all ages to live the lives they choose. VODG believes that an ambitious, reliable and vibrant voluntary sector that works together is critical to achieving this aim.

VODG’s mission is focused on two key areas – enabling our members to be the best they can and improving the environment in which its members operate. VODG believes that our membership approach and operations should centre around the views of disabled people and be influenced by professional expertise.

Introduction to the role

Reporting to the Head of Membership and Operations, the Business Development and Partnership Manager will play a crucial role in driving sustainable growth and cultivating strategic partnerships that align with the organisation's core mission and values. This newly created position aims to strengthen our expansion efforts and help us adapt to the changing landscape of care and support for disabled people.

We are seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Business Development and Partnership Manager who will lead initiatives to identify, develop, and manage partnerships that can drive significant growth and enhance our market presence. This role will also focus on existing revenue streams and explore new areas for development and growth. The position requires exceptional relationship-building skills and a deep understanding of partnership management. It also requires a strategic approach that blends attention to detail and results-oriented delivery.

The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels, along with a proven track record of successful partnership management and revenue growth. As we continue with our growth plans, this role will be essential in advancing our organisational goals and objectives while fostering an environment both internally and externally that draws in expertise and insight from beyond our membership.

Purpose of role

The role will:

· Formulate and nurture strategic partnerships with corporate partners and non-profit organisations.

· Enhance the visibility and reputation of VODG among key stakeholders.

· Identify and pursue new business opportunities aligning with VODG’s mission and vision.

· Manage relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.

· Foster collaboration and create synergetic relationships for mutual benefits.

· Assess partnership effectiveness through detailed metrics and feedback.

· Negotiate corporate partnerships and secure commercial sponsorships.

· Build long-term relationships that promote shared goals and lead to the development of new business opportunities.

· Focus on exploring new areas for development and growth.

· Support internal colleagues, as necessary, on partnership grants and awards.

· Coordinate with colleagues for alignment of activities with organisational goals.

Specific responsibilities and duties

Business Development Strategy and Implementation 

· Develop and implement comprehensive business development strategies to identify and secure partnership opportunities. 

· Identify and explore innovative areas for development and growth.

· Set clear goals and objectives to measure the success of business development efforts. Analyse market trends and the competitive landscape to inform partnership strategies.

Partnership Development and Relationship Management 

· Identify and engage potential partners while building and maintaining strong relationships with existing stakeholders. 

· Serve as the main point of contact for key partners, ensuring their needs are met and expectations exceeded. 

Opportunity Identification and Market Research 

· Identify and evaluate new business opportunities and partnerships that align with organisational goals, including new membership opportunities.

· Conduct market research to recognise trends, opportunities, and challenges in the sector, analysing competitor activities to inform strategies.

· Deliver on existing opportunities and identify new ones, including sponsorship activities for events, projects, programmes, work, events and conferences, and smaller strategic roundtables.

Negotiation and Contract Management 

· Lead detailed negotiations for partnership agreements, ensuring favourable terms for both parties, and oversee contract management to ensure compliance and performance monitoring.

Collaboration and Project Management 

· Work closely with internal colleagues to align partnership initiatives with business objectives, managing execution to ensure initiatives align with organisational priorities. 

· Collaborate with internal teams to coordinate campaigns and promotional events effectively.

Performance Tracking and Financial Management 

· Monitor and analyse partnership performance, using data to refine strategies and maximise impact. Prepare regular updates on business development activities and partnership outcomes. 

· Prepare budgets and financial forecasts related to business development activities, monitoring and reporting on the financial performance of initiatives and partnerships.

Networking and Representation 

· Represent the organisation at industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to promote business development initiatives and cultivate a strong professional network for future partnerships. 

·Engage in community outreach and represent the organisation in public forums to expand its network and promote its mission

Job Profile

CAFOD’s mission in the Catholic community of England and Wales is to inspire and equip Catholics to actively engage in the Church’s efforts to overcome poverty and injustice. Our regional teams focus on recruiting and supporting a dedicated group of volunteers within parish and school communities, empowering them to educate, engage, and inspire others to act in solidarity for the common good. Regional teams also collaborate with clergy and other representatives across the Catholic community to ensure CAFOD’s volunteer programme is aligned with faith life.

The primary purpose of this role is to provide administrative and communications support to the Community Participation Coordinators across England and Wales, with a focus on the West & Wales region as the first point of contact. This includes coordinating administrative tasks performed by office volunteers and identifying opportunities for process improvements. The role also involves volunteer recruitment administration, overseeing and training Office Volunteers, and ensuring effective database management.

This role can be based anywhere in the UK including our head office in London, working from home, from one of CAFOD’s Volunteer Centres, or a combination of both. The role requires occasional travel to London and other areas within the East & West side of the country. Travel expenses will be reimbursed, and time off in lieu will be granted for travel beyond normal working hours.

This is a full-time position (35 hours per week) and reports to the Volunteer Support and Development Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities Overview
The post holder will play a key role in driving smooth, efficient operations across CAFOD’s West & Wales region. As the go-to person for admin excellence and volunteer support, you’ll work closely with your line manager and colleagues in the East to streamline processes, improve systems, and keep everything running like clockwork.

You’ll lead on volunteer recruitment and engagement—welcoming new volunteers, managing onboarding, and ensuring everyone feels valued, equipped, and inspired to support CAFOD’s work. Your people skills and attention to detail will shine as you manage applications, data entry, and training coordination.

Communications will be at the heart of your role. You’ll create engaging e-bulletins and social media content that keeps our community informed and motivated, while ensuring messages are clear, consistent, and aligned with CAFOD’s wider goals.

You’ll be the guardian of accurate data, working with office volunteers to maintain up-to-date records that support smarter outreach and efficient workflows. Your collaborative spirit will help strengthen connections across teams, share best practices, and contribute to creative new approaches for engaging communities.

This is a role for a proactive, organised, and people-focused individual who’s excited to innovate, solve problems, and make a tangible impact in a supportive, values-led organisation.

Safeguarding

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

Person Specification

Understanding our context

1. Understanding Catholic identity: sympathetic knowledge of the life, culture and structure of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and an ability to work effectively within it and especially an understanding of parish community life.
2. Understanding CAFOD: ability to express what motivates people to volunteer for, and support, CAFOD and the main activities in which Catholic community primarily participate. Being informed about, supportive of, and actively promoting our anti-racism work.

Working together

1. Managing ourselves: strong interpersonal skills including an ability to develop personal relationships quickly and to convince others.  Ability to be self-motivated and able to work in isolation linking with different people in a variety of contexts; confident with articulating support required for you to work well.
2. Working with others: builds positive and fruitful partnerships, particularly with volunteers; works effectively as part of a team which may work at a distance to ensure sharing of good practice and shared workload; being willing and able to help other team members and be helped to achieve delivery of shared objectives.
3. Communicating: ability to identify how best to communicate instructions and processes clearly and how this helps achieve the objectives CAFOD seeks to deliver and how to share knowledge and information across teams.

Making change happen

1. Managing resources: confident with processing data for planning, monitoring and reporting:  proven time-management, data-management and organisational skills/experience of delegating tasks clearly and making improvements to processes.
2. Achieving results: ability and willingness to focus on achieving efficiencies, especially in support of regional plans for community participation and income growth.
3. Managing our performance: ability and willingness to work to targets and achieve results.

Job-Specific Competencies

Administrative Process Improvement:

Proven ability to assess, streamline, and document administrative processes. Strong organisational skills are required to manage a variety of tasks and ensure efficient delegation to volunteers. Ability to identify inefficiencies and propose practical solutions to enhance office operations.

Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement:

Expertise in recruiting, onboarding, and maintaining volunteer engagement. You will build strong relationships with volunteers, ensuring their experience is positive and aligned with CAFOD’s mission. Experience in using volunteer management systems and managing volunteer data is essential.

Communication & Content Creation: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience in producing engaging content for e-bulletins, newsletters, and other media resources. Ability to tailor messaging to different audiences, ensuring clarity and consistency in CAFOD’s communications.

Data Management & Accuracy:

Attention to detail is crucial for maintaining accurate records. Experience with databases, data segmentation, and ensuring data integrity is essential. A strong understanding of data protection standards, including GDPR, will be necessary.

Collaboration & Team Communication:

Effective communicator with internal teams, ensuring smooth communication and alignment across various regions. Ability to foster positive working relationships and collaborate across teams, both virtually and in person. Proficiency with communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Zoom is required.

Training & Support:

Experience in delivering training to volunteers and staff, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Ability to provide ongoing support to regional office volunteers, helping them succeed and contribute effectively to the team.

Adaptability & Problem-solving:

Flexible and resourceful, able to adapt to changing priorities. You will be expected to identify challenges and propose solutions to keep operations running smoothly.

Commitment to CAFOD’s Mission & Values:

A deep understanding of CAFOD’s mission and Catholic social teaching, with the ability to align volunteer engagement and administrative activities with the organization’s goals of addressing poverty and injustice.

Use of Digital Tools & Systems:

Competence in using databases, Microsoft Office Suite, and collaboration tools. Ability to train volunteers in these systems to ensure smooth operations across teams.

Project Management & Accountability:

Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring tasks are completed within deadlines and to a high standard. You will be responsible for delivering results aligned with CAFOD’s objectives.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues.  If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).  If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

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

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

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