External affair manager jobs in cardiff

The National Youth Agency is looking for a new Campaigns and Media Manager to join our Policy, Insights & External Affairs team.
 
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £36,000 - £40,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Remote: This role is homebased (within the UK) with occasional travel for staff residentials and other events. Ideally the post-holder will live in commutable distance to our office in Leicester.
 
What we do
 
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
 
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
 
About the Role
 
Responsibilities of the role comprise:
 
Campaign planning

• Lead the delivery of an ambitious and creative media and campaign strategy to bring about an improved recognition of the value and impact of youth work.
• Lead on other campaign strategy and planning, utilising a range of campaign tactics integrating media, digital media and other campaign tactics, working closely with other members of the Comms team and across Directorates.
• Oversee campaign activity for the annual Youth Work Week, to ensure the campaign engages key opinion formers and provides an opportunity for those within the sector to celebrate the impactful work they do.
• Analyse campaign effectiveness, including setting and tracking metrics across digital and traditional media.
• Ensure campaign plans are fully scoped and uploaded to the online project management system.
• Leading on strategic approaches to celebrity supporters / ambassadors and ongoing relationship management.

 
Press Office function

• Lead proactive media monitoring, enabling timely responses to significant developments and tracking positions on issues relating to NYA’s work.
• Develop key messages and positioning statements on issues in the youth sector and NYA’s activities, role and stance and promote consistency of messaging across NYA’s channels.
• Managing and responding to reactive media enquiries, providing statement and reactive ‘lines to take’, with the support of the Head of Communications
• Producing engaging content for various channels and audiences including press releases, blogs, opinion pieces and media briefings to elevate NYA’s profile and demonstrate our expertise and thought leadership.
• Managing the media monitoring and media database, nurturing relationships with target journalists, as well as online news outlets and thought leaders on key strategic issues.
• Confidently working with charity and corporate partners to maximise opportunities to demonstrate the impact of their support.
• Provide line management and development support to two Communication Officers.

 
About You
 
Essential competencies of the Campaigns and Media Manager:

• A self-starter brimming with creative ideas and proven experience of designing and executing high-impact campaigns that bring about a measurable change in knowledge, behaviour and / or policy.
• Strong interpersonal skills for building effective relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders, including political audiences, and confident in growing new relationships and leading meetings.
• An ability to grasp complex information and distil key messages for different audiences and crucially, which tactics and channels to use to engage them
• Have proven experience and a strong understanding of the UK media landscape, with demonstrable experience of having nurtured relationships with national and sector journalists to garner high-quality coverage.
• An understanding of how to use research and intelligence gained from listening exercises and other stakeholder insights to inform campaign messaging and metrics.
• Be skilled in developing media strategics and developing case studies and using data to create compelling new hooks
• Be proficient in evaluating campaigns and media outputs, with the ability to derive insights that inform future strategies.
• Be proficient in drafting statements and media responses at speed and in line with key messages.
• Have outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce and edit content to a journalistic standard across diverse audiences and channels.
• Have an understanding of how to use social media platforms to engage audiences effectively, understanding their role in broader campaign strategies.
• Be experienced in line management and fostering the NYA culture of personal growth
• Excellent project management skills - able to keep track of all the moving parts to keep tasks on track and mitigate risks. Experience of using project management platform (or similar) would be an advantage.
• An understanding of data protection and safeguarding young people.
• A passion for using effective communications to promote youth work and celebrate the achievements of young people and youth workers.
• Highly competent in all Microsoft suite and ideally have experience of Google Drive and Sharepoint.

 
Please refer to our Candidate Pack for more information on the role and the requirements.
 
Why Work for NYA?
 
NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
 
NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
 
A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
 
NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
 
We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
 
How to Apply:
 
Please download our applicant pack to find out more about the role and requirements
 
To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Friday 13th July 2025:
 
A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
 
A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the About You section.
 
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.
 
Please note: the covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 30% AI generated content with be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.
 
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
 
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
 
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
 
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To develop and deliver the charity’s policy and campaigning strategy and the charity’s programme of health projects to ensure the charity achieves its key objectives.  To build engagement with the NHS, Department of Health, Parliamentarians, policy makers, think tanks, charity and patient groups to develop and deliver our campaigning strategy.  Build engagement with HCP networks and related organisations to inform and support delivery of our health information work.

To be the owner and primary point of contact for FBC’s health policy and campaigning activities, working closely with the CEO to represent the interests of the charity with decision-making bodies such as UK government and Parliament, NHS, devolved health and social care bodies and other stakeholders.  The postholder will Influence key decision makers, collaborate in initiatives and comment on policy decisions to press for higher levels of research funding, organisational changes to drive earlier diagnosis and improvements in patient experience.

The post holder will have the ability to meld impactful campaigning, political astuteness and evidence-based policymaking to drive change with demonstrable sensitivity to health inequalities and other issues that affect bladder cancer patients and their families.

They will be organised and will be able to manage several tasks at once, meeting strict deadlines.

Reports to: Director of Strategy

Staff responsibilities: Line manage four staff; Senior Social Media Officer, Communications Officer, Communications Assistant, Media Officer 

Hours of work: 37.5 hours, full time. The role is contracted until 31 March 2026, due to government funding.

Please note, candidates must be based in the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the promotion of Bikeability, the Government’s national cycle training programme, as a key member of the management team.

The Head of Marketing and Communications is responsible for the creation, development and delivery of marketing and communications activity with both internal and external audiences, including the Bikeability industry, schools, parents, the general public, media, and key stakeholders.

You will head up a team of talented communication experts, as part of the Strategy team, ensuring the delivery of all communications activity, including marketing campaigns, social media, press relations, industry engagement, and communications support to our public affairs strategy.

You will have excellent experience of delivering outstanding marketing and communications campaigns to increase brand awareness and drive service demand. You will have a collaborative approach and enjoy working as part of a team.  You will report to the Director of Strategy and be actively engaged in advising the executive team and trustees. 

Responsibilities:  

Lead the Promotions and Communications team to: 

• Develop and deliver The Bikeability Trust’s marketing, communications and media activities, including campaigns and project communications

• Manage relevant contracts with external agencies, including website management and graphic design

• Deliver the Bikeability social media programme to key audiences including parents, schools, internal Bikeability industry, and general public for wider awareness 

• Deliver communications support for Bikeability industry through a programme of regular communications 

• Work collaboratively with teams across the organisation to deliver effective project communication deliverables 

• Effectively manage team budget 

• Use media monitoring and brand tracking to evaluate impact and manage brand reputation

• Ensure evaluation and impact of communications work is collated and learning shared.

Enhance and improve strategic stakeholders’ engagement, including joint campaigns, cross-promotion and/or specific project activity to: 

• Ensure the Department for Transport and Active Travel England are fully engaged in any communications activity, working with them to amplify messaging 

• Work with cycling and active travel organisations on joint campaigns and promotions 

• Suport our Fundraising team to generate engagement and income from individual donors and corporate partners 

• Work with our agency partner to provide communications support to public affairs strategy 

• Ensure equality, diversity and inclusion are considered, and the Bikeability industry voice is at the centre, in all research projects and programmes. 

Provide communications leadership across The Bikeability Trust: 

• Champion and advocate the brand, supporting and motivating teams across the organisation to adopt our tone of voice and messaging 

• Track communications performance management and make recommendations for improvement 

• Deputise for the Director of Strategy in reporting to Board and attending Board meetings. 

Essential Skills and Experience 

• Minimum of 2 years leadership experience in communications, PR or marketing, including management of a small team.

• Experience of communications and marketing, including promotional campaigns 

• Experience of website management 

• Strong leadership and collaborative working style 

• Self-motivated with positive mindset 

• Excellent communication and analytical skills 

Desirable Skills and Experience: 

• Experience working in charity or non-profit sector 

• Experience working in cycling industry 

• Experience working with local and national government 

About The Bikeability Trust 

The Bikeability Trust’s purpose is to ensure that all cycle training is delivered to a gold standard, inspiring everyone to cycle with competence and confidence.   

We are:  

• Expert: The Trust has successfully administered the Bikeability programme on behalf of government since 2018, delivering high-quality delivery guides and instructor training, and our workforce has thousands of years combined experience teaching people to cycle.  

• Inspiring: Every rider completes our training feeling able, confident and motivated to cycle safely on the roads for short journeys. Transforming the traditional image of cycling to an everyday, everyone activity.    

• Quality focussed: Our instructors deliver high-quality, consistent and standardised cycle training. We aim to ensure that every rider achieves the same outcomes to the same standard, taking into account their individual capabilities, including special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  

• Inclusive: We take action to reduce barriers to participation, support underrepresented groups and ensure that anyone who wishes to access Bikeability cycle training is able to do so, and cycling is seen as an activity for all.   

• Efficient: Our delivery programme offers value for money and is delivered in an economic, proportional and efficient way.  

• Influential: We share our evidence of the impact of cycle training across a variety of sectors (transport, education, environment, health, leisure, etc) and work collaboratively with stakeholders, partners and commercial organisations to achieve our vision and influence behaviour change.

Head of Retail and FOOD Services

Department: Directorate of Development and External Affairs

Salary: Starting at £47,264, rising to £54,728 FTE per annum + £480 home-based allowance FTE per annum

Location: Homebased with weekly national travel 

Hours: 37 hours per week (full-time)

We offer flexible working arrangements - please see below for more details. 

Contract: Permanent

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities. 

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team as the Head of Retail and FOOD Services. This is a unique opportunity to lead and innovate in a role that combines strategic leadership, operational excellence, and community impact.

Main Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a multi-channel retail and food services strategy, including business planning, risk assessment, and performance management to increase net profit and service impact.
• Lead on budgeting, financial forecasting, and P&L management. Identify and develop new income-generating opportunities, including grants and tenders.
• Provide strategic leadership to geographically dispersed teams, ensuring effective recruitment, support and training of staff and volunteers.

Main Requirements 

• Educated to degree level or above in a relevant sector. 
• Demonstrable senior retail management knowledge and experience in managing complex projects, leading teams, and delivering measurable outcomes.
• Proven track record in income growth, financial planning, and managing budgets.

Benefits: 

• an annual paid leave entitlement of 30 working days plus bank holidays
• up to 6% matched-pension contributions
• enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions
• eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers
• cycle to work scheme
• investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

• Apply via the Family Action Careers Hub linked to this advert 

• Closing Date: 7th July at 23:59

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 16th-22nd July 2025.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role and will reimburse your travel cost if you attend an interview.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Employer Policy Specialist

Working Hours: 0.6FTE (full-time equivalent 37.5 hours). There is a degree of flexibility surrounding the working hours which will be determined by the demands of the role.

Salary: 0.6FTE: £40,658 (the full-time equivalent salary is: £67,763).

Start Date: 1st September 2025.

Reporting to: Director of Public Affairs & Policy

Deadline for applications: Friday 18th July 2025, 5pm

Interviews: Interviews will be conducted online on Thursday 24th July

Overview

The DfE has nominated CST as the employer representative for academy trusts for specific purposes (for example, the school support staff negotiating body).  The postholder will be required to work directly with the Department for Education at a senior level to undertake the duties associated with this employer representative role.  CST also wishes to strengthen its support to members on wider matters of employer policy. There is significant scope to shape and develop this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Have a detailed understanding of the terms and conditions of employment of teaching and support staff and the workforce issues affecting the education sector, particularly those influencing recruitment and retention of staff.

• The ability to build relationships with key stakeholders (members, senior DfE officials and ministers) and work closely with other employer representative organisations.

• Working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO, build relationships at senior level with trade unions (leadership, teacher and support staff unions).

• Lead on developing CST’s employer policy and guidance, working with our members and commanding their support and respect, and working closely with the policy team.

• Support the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Public Affairs and Policy to influence and respond to government policy in respect of employer policy, including drafting responses to government consultations and being our representative on the DfE’s formally constituted groups.

• Provide professional support and guidance to members on matters relating to employer policy, within the restrictions of what we are insured to do as a professional body.

• Support our HR professional community.

• Speak with authority at events and conferences as CST’s nominated representative on employer policy.

• Offer support to the wider CST policy team in other areas that fall within the postholder’s experience or expertise. This may include occasionally deputising for other team members for example covering for annual leave or sickness absence.

• Any other duties and responsibilities that may be delegated by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive or Director of Public Affairs and Policy from time to time.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Likely educated to degree level (or holding a similar professional qualification or experience) with significant knowledge and experience of employment matters within the education sector and employer policy.

• The ideal candidate will have experience working at senior level likely within an educational, policy or consultancy setting. Knowledge of schools and the trust sector is essential as is the ability to respond to issues in a way which conveys the practical realities of working in schools.

• A sound understanding of the differences between academy trusts and the maintained sector.

• Secure knowledge of legislation, regulations and policy that affect school trusts.

• Authority and gravitas with the ability to speak up at meetings with senior officials with the required diplomacy and at all times with the members’ interests in mind.

• People-centred, with excellent relational skills, adept at forming and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues, members and senior external stakeholders (including policy makers, employer representative organisations and trade unions).

• Output focused, able to execute a range of communications across channels efficiently.

• Fluent and precise, an excellent communicator who writes well.

• The ability to analyse detail and distil key points, identifying matters of concern or interest to school trusts.

• Highly organised, with the ability to prioritise and work to tight deadlines, including turning around high-quality responses to members and DfE in short timescales.

• Someone who embodies the Nolan Principles and acts with integrity and discretion.

• Aligned with CST’s aims to promote education for public benefit.

• Skilled at working remotely as part of a close-knit team. Whilst this position is remote (home-based) there will be the requirement to attend in person meetings from time to time.