The Organisation
Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity supporting low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.
We help thousands of families every year with essential grants, services and practical support. But we do much more than that. We champion families’ voices, challenge inequality and help shape the conversation on disability, childhood illness and disadvantage.
The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to shape how Family Fund connects with people across the UK. As a newly created role, it offers real scope to define and develop the function, while playing a central role in strengthening the organisation’s voice and influence.
We are looking for a bold, creative Group Director of External Affairs to join our Senior Leadership Team. At a time when families need us more than ever, you will raise Family Fund’s national profile and influence, positioning the organisation as a trusted, evidence led voice on childhood disability, serious illness and the broader challenges facing low-income families. You will build and sustain strong relationships with policymakers, funders, and the public ensuring the organisation secures the visibility, support, and resources needed to drive lasting change for the families we serve.
You will lead an energetic, specialist team spanning communications, media, public affairs, partnerships and research, bringing these areas together through a joined up external engagement strategy that delivers real impact.
Some key responsibilities include:
- Lead our communications, media, public affairs, partnerships and research teams
- Raise Family Fund’s profile as a trusted national voice
- Build strong relationships with policymakers, media, funders and partners
- Help drive real change for families through influence and insight
Who we’re looking for
We are looking for an experienced leader who loves the power of communication, influence and connection.
Key attributes will include:
- Senior experience in external affairs, communications or public affairs
- A strong track record of influencing policy and engaging senior stakeholders
- Experience leading teams and working at senior level
- A warm, confident communication style and great relationship skills
- A real passion for Family Fund’s mission and social justice
This is an exciting, high impact role with the chance to make a genuine difference to families across the UK.
Candidate Briefing Pack
For comprehensive information about Family Fund, the role responsibilities and the person we are looking for, please download the Candidate Briefing Pack.
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for this fantastic opportunity, please provide the following with your application:
- An up-to-date CV
- A supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4, outlining your experience, motivations and suitability for the role.
All applications are being handled by our recruitment partner, Russam. All applications should be uploaded via the Russam website.
If you have any difficulty uploading your application or if you would like to have an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Melissa Baxter - Managing Partner, Charities at Russam.
Closing date for applications: Monday 2nd February 2026
Initial interviews with Russam: 17th and 18th February 2026
Interviews with Family Fund: 4th, 5th and 6th March 2026
Flexibility will be provided if needed - do let us know as soon as possible if you are unavailable on these dates.
We commit to inclusion, equality and diversity and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. Family Fund is a Disability Confident Leader. We will invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the requirements for the role. If you have a disability, and are happy to let us know, please highlight this in your covering letter. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant, and we welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community.
Salary: £34,582 – £36,120, plus £3,366 London weighting or £500 Home Working Allowance (as applicable)
Location: Hybrid (London office) or remote within the UK
Contract: Permanent
Help shape fundraising products that change lives
We are looking for a highly skilled and thoughtful Senior Product Officer to play a key role in developing, delivering and improving a wide portfolio of fundraising products. This is an exciting opportunity to influence how supporters engage, contribute and connect, while working within a supportive team focused on meaningful impact and continuous improvement.
Sitting within the Engagement and Fundraising directorate, you will support and lead on the development and fulfilment of new and existing fundraising products—from regular giving and lotteries to digital propositions and innovative new ideas. You’ll work with colleagues across multiple teams, external suppliers, volunteers and supporters, ensuring every product is developed to the highest standard and contributes to long-term fundraising goals.
This is a role for someone who thrives on variety, enjoys solving problems creatively, and brings confidence in managing data, stakeholder relationships and product development. You’ll join a mission-driven team committed to inclusion, flexibility and ensuring every supporter has a great experience.
What you’ll do
- Lead or support the development, innovation and delivery of fundraising products
- Manage the fulfilment and end-to-end delivery of products across the organisation
- Create and maintain product performance reports and financial models
- Contribute to product development roadmaps, business cases and strategic papers
- Work with suppliers, external partners and internal teams to ensure high-quality delivery
- Provide insight through research on sector trends and comparable organisations
- Support budget management, including raising purchase orders and processing invoices
- Promote best practice and share specialist knowledge across teams
- Work cross-functionally to maximise fundraising outcomes
- Support campaigns that promote products to new and existing supporters
What you’ll bring
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas clearly and persuasively
- Confidence presenting updates, ideas and pitches to a range of audiences
- Ability to analyse, interpret and communicate numerical and financial data
- Strong time management skills, with experience managing competing deadlines
- Proven ability to build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Creative and innovative problem-solving skills
- Experience in a customer-focused environment such as fundraising, sales or marketing
- Proficiency in Windows-based software including word processing, spreadsheets and email
- A commitment to high-quality service delivery and a flexible, collaborative approach
What we offer
- Salary: £34,582 – £36,120
- Plus either:£3,366 London weighting (for hybrid London workers), or £500 Home Working Allowance (for remote workers)
- Flexible hybrid or fully remote working options within the UK
Our commitment to inclusion
We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.
We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are really excited to have welcomed our new Director of Income Generation and Development to Brain Tumour Research this month, a great new start for the new year!
This is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraiser, to be based in the East Anglia region.
As the Community Fundraiser covering East Anglia you will play a crucial role in helping the charity meet its strategic plans and objectives, which include campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK. Your role will be to generate and grow our income through community fundraising activities, contributing to a regional team target of more than £1.5 million.
- Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
- Do you live in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk?
- Do you have at least one years' experience of working in a professional Community Fundraising position?
Have you answered Yes to these questions?
Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start?
If you are excited to learn more about this position, please take a read through our recruitment pack which is attached in this advert.
If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we welcome your application. We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!
We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process. Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.
We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.