Director of research and policy jobs in salford, leicester
We are looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Programme Officer to work as part of our National Programmes Team.
This is a 25 hour a week fixed term position until July 2026
Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.
Mental Health UK brings together the heritage and experience of four charities from across the country who’ve been supporting people with their mental health for nearly 50 years.
With our local service delivery and national expertise in supporting people whose lives are affected by mental health problems, we have been able to mark a significant footprint in the areas that deeply challenge our mental health and stability.
We provide support and services for some of the biggest societal challenges that pose a threat to people’s mental health, including money problems, navigating through the system to get the right support, understanding mental health, loneliness and isolation, and resilience in young people.
The Mental Health UK programmes team is responsible for the delivery of high-quality programmes and projects that: meet the aims and objectives of Mental Health UK’s 2025-2030 Strategy, strategically align with the needs and expectations of our four founding charities, deliver for all stakeholders including funding partners and beneficiaries.
We design, deliver and measure the impact of our projects and services, ensuring that they meet the needs of people living with mental health problems and have a positive impact on the lives of individuals and communities across the UK.
One in four people in the UK have experienced a mental health problem. At Mental Health UK, we won’t stop until everyone has the tools they need to live their best possible life.
How you will make a difference
As Senior Programme Officer, I will support the Head of Commercial Insight & Development to ensure Mental Health UK delivers high quality projects and programmes that:
- Meet the aims and objectives of our 2025-30 strategy.
- Are strategically aligned with the needs and expectations of our four founding charities.
- Deliver for all stakeholders, including funding partners and beneficiaries.
In this role, I will support the Head of Commercial Insight & Development to identify opportunities to grow and expand our existing programmes. I will work with the Communications and Marketing Team to identify opportunities throughout our programmes to demonstrate our impact as an organisation.
I will oversee the day-to-day delivery of projects within Mental Health UK’s portfolio, supporting colleagues across Mental Health UK and the four founding charities to ensure outputs are delivered on time and to budget, and outcomes are achieved as planned.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here.
We’re Rethink Mental Illness and no matter how bad things are, we can help people severely affected by mental illness to improve their lives.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced strategic lead to drive the next phase of our Right to Health campaign. This new role will work with our experienced and well respected team and our extensive network, to make the political case for the better legal recognition and real-world protection for the right to health.
An ideal candidate
You will be a passionate and experienced advocate for health, human, social or environmental rights, committed to driving meaningful change in the UK. You will bring proven expertise in leading policy, advocacy, or parliamentary engagement work - ideally within health, human rights, social or environmental justice sectors - and thrive in building strong, strategic relationships with government, civil society, and community stakeholders.
You have a good understanding of the structural causes of health inequality and the power of human rights frameworks to address them. You will know how the UK political and parliamentary systems work, and you are skilled at influencing these processes through clear, compelling narratives backed by evidence.
You are able to communicate with clarity and impact, tailoring your message to diverse audiences - from policymakers to grassroots activists. You are confident working independently and collaboratively within a small, flexible team, balancing strategic vision with practical delivery. Your approach is solutions-focused, inclusive, and grounded in the lived realities of people affected by health inequalities.
Most importantly, you are motivated by the opportunity to join a dynamic and well respected organisation and lead a strategic campaign that challenges the status quo and contributes to a fairer, more just UK.
You have the right to work in the UK and be able to work from home in London or within easy reach of London. A minimum of weekly attendance in London will be required.
This opportunity is open to applicants wishing to deliver the work on a self-employed freelance or employed basis.
For application, please complete:
- the Application Form
- a CV outlining your career (including paid and unpaid work), with any academic and professional qualifications, to date.
Applications that do not include both documents will not be considered.
Fundraising Manager
Salary: Manager Level 1 – £38,316
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time (typically 09:30-17:30, with flexibility)
Location: Elephant & Castle, London / remote
Responsible to: Director of Fundraising, Marketing, and Communications
Application Deadline: 5pm 27 June
Interview Dates: 1st round interviews: 8 & 9 July
Our Commitment to Equity
We believe everyone has potential. We are committed to increasing equity among business owners, and we want to do the same for our team. Research shows that some underrepresented groups tend to only apply for roles if they meet every single requirement. At Hatch we are interested in your future potential just as much as your past experience. So if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t tick every box on the job description, we’d love it if you went ahead and applied anyway.
We want to ensure that our team represents a wide cross-section of society, and we know that means we have to make an effort to understand and accommodate different people’s needs. If you would require any reasonable adjustments to be made to support you to apply, interview or join the Hatch team please contact us.
Role Purpose
Hatch is on a mission to build a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem, one where underrepresented founders have the resources, support, and funding to thrive. We are looking for a relationship-driven Fundraising Manager to secure, steward, and grow funding partnerships across trusts and foundations, corporates, and high-net-worth individuals (HNWI).
You will play a key role in unlocking income growth through strong relationship management, compelling bid and proposal writing, and strategic prospect research. While managing your own portfolio of funders, you will also support senior fundraisers to progress high-value partnerships, developing your skills and confidence as you grow your own partnerships.
At Hatch, we are not limited by opportunities but by capacity. Demand for our programmes is greater than ever, from beneficiaries as well as from funders. Over the past four years, we have made significant strides in fundraising, growing our income from £500k per year in 2019 to over £2m in 2024. We have built a strong pipeline, developed innovative funding models, and positioned ourselves as leaders in enterprise support for underrepresented founders, earning recognition as finalists for the Third Sector Fundraising Team of the Year in 2022.
Your role will focus on:
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Developing and managing partnerships across corporate, trust and foundation, and individual giving audiences.
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Securing new funding opportunities and supporting income growth, working closely with the fundraising and marcoms team.
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Leading engagement activities including funder and prospecting events and funder experiences.
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Ensuring strong reporting and impact measurement for our funders.
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Drafting compelling applications that forge an emotional connection and securing financial support to transform the lives of our beneficiaries.
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Representing Hatch externally to deepen relationships with funding and strategic partners, securing long-term commitments and increasing brand awareness.
This is a fantastic opportunity to work with experienced fundraisers, build game-changing partnerships, and contribute to a highly impactful team. If you thrive in an environment that combines relationship management, strategic fundraising, and social impact, we’d love to hear from you.
Key responsibilities
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Manage partnerships - Steward a portfolio of trusts, corporates, and individual donors, ensuring consistent communication, timely reporting, and strong funder retention.
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Lead on bid and application writing - Write tailored and compelling funding applications, proposals, and case materials for grant-giving bodies, corporates, and HNWIs.
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Support senior fundraisers across the team - Assist colleagues working on major partnerships by providing background research, preparing proposals and meeting materials, and helping to coordinate follow-up actions.
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Provide regular updates and comms to funders - Ensure all funders receive timely, engaging updates on programme delivery, impact and outcomes, maintaining trust and strengthening long-term relationships.
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Identify and qualify new prospects - Proactively research and assess new funding opportunities. Bring warm leads into the pipeline and contribute insight to support strategic alignment.
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Respond to inbound funding enquiries - Manage and convert lower-level inbound opportunities, ensuring prompt and appropriate responses that align with Hatch’s offer and impact areas.
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Maintain accurate CRM records and support reporting - Keep the fundraising pipeline up to date in Salesforce and Monday. Track deadlines, ensure data accuracy, and support internal reporting and team coordination.
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Coordinate cross-team collaboration - Work with Programmes and Marcoms teams to gather inputs for applications and reports, prepare for funder meetings, and ensure aligned messaging.
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Use data and storytelling to showcase impact - Contribute to the development of reports, updates, and communications that clearly demonstrate Hatch’s value and the impact of our work with funders.
Person specification
We are looking for a relationship-driven fundraiser who can grow and manage a funder portfolio, write compelling funding bids, deliver employee engagement and volunteering opportunities, and support wider team success. You’ll need to be confident working across income streams and motivated by social impact.
Essential skills and experience:
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Excellent relationship management skills, with experience stewarding funders or clients
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Strong bid and proposal writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling content
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Proven ability to research, assess, and qualify new prospects
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Ability to provide timely, well-crafted funder communications and updates
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Experience in creating and delivering funder volunteering and engagement activities.
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Highly organised and comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines
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Strong attention to detail, particularly in maintaining records and reporting
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Confident communicator with strong written and verbal skills
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A collaborative approach and willingness to work cross-functionally
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Proactive, self-motivated, and solutions-oriented
Desirable skills and experience:
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A background that reflects the lived experiences of underrepresented communities Hatch exists to support, including but not limited to those marginalised by race, gender, disability, or socio-economic background
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Experience working in fundraising across multiple income streams
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Familiarity with funder reporting requirements and impact measurement
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Experience with high-net-worth individual giving or corporate partnerships
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Understanding of Hatch’s mission and commitment to equity
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Experience using CRM systems and project management tools (e.g. Salesforce, Monday)
This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape and grow strategic partnerships, contribute to a dynamic team, and make a real difference in creating a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem. If you thrive on building relationships, securing funding, and driving impact through emotionally compelling storytelling, we’d love to hear from you.
Benefits
We care about our people and giving them the things they need to succeed, and we are passionate about Hatch being a great place to work.
We are a hybrid working organisation, and our head office in Elephant and Castle is available for anyone to work from as much or as little as they’d like. Although we offer the flexibility to work from home, there are times when it is useful for us to get together in person for collaboration, meetings and team days.
Our benefits include:
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Flexible working - work from home or in the office and at the times that work best for you
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38 fully flexible holiday days (including the 8 UK bank holidays) in 2025
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Paid time off for dedicated learning and development opportunities
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Access to Hatch programmes and events free of charge
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L&D Learning Platform - Access Learning
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Employee Assistance Programme - Health Assured
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Team Days/get togethers
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Four days per year paid time off to volunteer
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Four Wellbeing days per year
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Employee pension scheme - Salary Sacrifice Scheme
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Enhanced parental leave
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Cycle to Work Scheme
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Eye care scheme
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Enhanced sick pay leave
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Interest free loans to purchase season tickets for travel to work
To Apply
In order to apply for this role, we ask all candidates to provide a CV, a cover letter and a response to the following bullet points:
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What excites you about Hatch as an organisation and about this role in particular?
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Give an example of an organisation we should approach for a mutually beneficial partnership and explain why.
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What would you do in this role that would really make an impact?
Please note we are only able to accept applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK. In addition, we only accept applications via the portal which is accessible on our website.
If you have any questions or need any help with your application, please drop us a line (recruiters will be politely turned away).
If you apply, we will process your personal data for recruitment purposes only and in accordance with our Data Privacy Policy.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts 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!
About Kinship
We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to.
Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.
About the role
Funded by the Department for Education, the National Peer Support Service for England is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and over two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.
This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form peer support groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.
You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.
About you
We are seeking a dynamic person located in or close to Greater Manchester, and willing to travel into priority areas across the North West of England who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:
- Establish new peer support groups across a diverse range of communities
- Supervise a small team of Peer Support Development Officers
- Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to inspire yourself and your team to achieve key targets and objectives
- Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the delivery of safe and effective support services for the kinship community
- Support the sustainability of existing Peer Support Groups, taking the lead from the Hub (our network support Team)
- Keep precise records to create reports, extract learning, and share key insights throughout Kinship, enabling the organisation to enhance our services and products continuously
In the role of Senior Peer Support Development Officer, you will be instrumental in ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, consistent, and sustainable peer support service that has a significant impact on the lives of kinship carers.
You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey toward sustainability.
An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.
Essential requirements include:
- Experience of team leadership or line management and supervision of a small team and managing performance to deliver targets effectively.
- Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.
- Experience developing peer support communities.
- Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers.
- Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services is evidenced through high-quality data collection.
- Evidence of delivering training/support to volunteers,
- Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user led groups with charity beneficiaries.
- Understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families.
What we’ll offer you
Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time) as well as a generous pension scheme. We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.
Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion. We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams. We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us.
This is a fantastic time to join a supportive and well-established team within an organisation with rapid growth ambitions. This role will be what you make it and we’re looking for someone to seize this opportunity!
How to apply
Please apply via Charity Job with your CV and a cover letter of no more than 2 pages for the attention of Deborah Fox. Please include your notice period and earliest availability to start in your cover letter.
- Application deadline: 11.59pm, Thursday 26 June 2025
- First interview: We will hold ongoing online first-round interviews as we receive applications. Final interviews will be held face-to-face in Manchester on Thursday 3 July 2025
Kinship reserves the right to close applications early on receipt of sufficient applications. Apply early!
• Really tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values. You can read about our values above.
• Keep your response clear – use bullet points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to really focus on your answer.
• Don’t go over 2 pages on your cover letter.
• Please do not use AI tools like ChatGPT to produce your cover letter. We use software to check and your application will be rejected if you do.
We support kinship carers in their homes and communities, giving advice and helping them work through problems to find the best way forward.





The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.