External communications lead jobs

Do you want to change the world?So do we. Join us… 

Salams, peace and hello… I’m Joe, the Director at The Aziz Foundation. We at The Aziz Foundation are a family charitable foundation established to support British Muslim communities to flourish and give back to our country and the wider world. Through our flagship university Scholarships programme, the Foundation has invested over £8 million into more than 700 scholarships for British Muslims pursuing postgraduate degrees as well as working with employers to facilitate work experience and internships for young British Muslims.We have also supported a wide range of charitable initiatives including funding of historic buildings, community sports, research into discrimination, inter faith activities and the engagement of British Muslims in the democratic process of our country. 

Do you want an exciting comms & public affairs role that’s important for our country… keep reading… if you want an easy job… stop reading 

At a time of great polarisation in our country, we need more than ever to be able to communicate well. That doesn’t mean preaching to the converted.We are non-partisan politically – we recognise that as a country we need to come together.In order to do that, the first thing we need to do is to communicate.We need to be able to engage with everyone in the country regardless of faith or ancestry. 

This is a new and vital role for the Foundation, involving development and implementation of a new strategy for comms and public affairs.The aim is to ensure the Foundation can achieve its charitable objects by promoting awareness of all our activities to a range of stakeholders including Aziz Scholarship Alumni, university partners, employer partners, secular and Muslim charity partner organisations, partner organisations of other faiths, journalists, influencers, policy makers and politicians. 

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop a new strategy from scratch and to then lead on implementation.The Senior Comms and Public Affairs will manage external communications across all mediums and platforms for the Foundation ensuring our messages are clear, consistent and reflective of the Foundation’s charitable objects and values. 

And who will you be working alongside?Only the best people… 

Our website lists all the team and you’re welcome to LinkedIn stalk us.Having worked in the charity sector for almost 30 years, I can honestly say this is the most hard-working team I’ve ever been a part of.You can expect a really supportive, hard-working team alongside you that pitch in when you need any help or support.We look for solutions, not barriers. We will expect the same of you.It’s a collegiate team with high mutual expectations. Our board is also very hands on so you will certainly engage with the Aziz family as part of your role. 

About The Role

Join us as Marketing & Communications Manager and play a pivotal role in promoting Place2Be’s services and mission: ensuring no child has to face mental health issues alone.

In this role, you’ll work closely with key stakeholders to plan, implement, and evaluate marketing and communications strategies that drive engagement and impact. You’ll lead projects from brief to delivery, collaborating with our digital and design teams to create campaigns that truly resonate.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic thinker with strong project management skills and a passion for making a difference. If you’re ready to help shape the future of children’s mental health support, we’d love to hear from you.

 Together we can change children’s lives. At Place2Be, we believe every child should have easy access to mental health support whenever they need it. We create a safe place in schools where children and young people can open up without pressure or stigma, allowing our highly skilled and diverse counsellors to reach children, young people and their families who need us.

For a career with purpose, this is your place.

Recruitment Process:

As part of your application you will need to answer some shortlisting questions. Please answer these as fully as you can, we recommend using the STAR model. Situation, Task, Action Result.

Closing date for applications: Midnight on 11 May 2026

1st Interview date: 13 May 2026 via Teams

2nd Interview date - 21 May 2026 - In person

Our Benefits

When you work at Place2Be –whether that's in a school, supporting families, providing clinical supervision, or in IT, Finance, or Fundraising –every role can make the difference to a young person. To achieve this, we ask that you bring your best self to your role and our commitment to you, is to welcome you into our community, and help you progress. Because we know that you being at your best, means the best outcomes for the children we support.

Here’s just a few things we have on offer:

• Annual Leave that increases with service
• Comprehensive learning and development to enable you to progress your career
• 5% contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance of four times your annual salary
• A comprehensive employee assistance programme
• Mobile Phone Discounts (EE network)
• Wellbeing days to allow you some ‘you’ time
• Christmas holidays closure period in addition to your annual leave

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented within our organisation.

We are proud to be a disability confident employer and will ask you during your application If you wish to be considered for a guaranteed interview under the disability confident scheme. Under the scheme we commit to offering an interview to disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria as outlined in the job role.

We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may want to use it to help you format your CV, create responses to application questions or even help you prepare responses. AI can be a powerful enabler and we are open to you using it to apply for roles with us, but we ask you to ensure anything you submit truly represents your capabilities and viewpoint. We value honesty, integrity and creativity and want to understand what you will uniquely bring to our team.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

The Head of Strategic Communications will lead strategic communications at ECU, building on our track record of shaping media narratives around the economy and working across multiple campaigns and programmes.

As our Head of Strategic Communications, you will devise and deliver impactful communications strategies to shape the way the UK media covers economic policy. You’ll help ensure that UK media debates are grounded in robust and innovative economic thinking and rise to the scale and urgency of current societal challenges.

If you believe that media and public debate on economics could be improved - and if you have the strategic communications track record to make that happen - then we would like to hear from you.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Communications Officer to come and join our team in Redcar & Cleveland. 

Location – This role is both community-based in Redcar & Cleveland, with the ability to work from home as agreed with your manager. There may also be occasional travel to other programme sites (currently Middlesbrough, Stoke-On-Trent and Scotland) or travel to our London office.  

Salary – Up to £35,000 DOE 

Employment Type – Permanent

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following: 

• Significant experience in a communications role, including experience with copywriting and content creation. 
• Experience producing high quality, clear, compelling and audience appropriate content for a range of platforms. 
• The ability to clearly demonstrate our impact and inspire collaboration among our partners and stakeholders by sharing compelling and meaningful stories.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the local community, including its strengths, needs, and challenges. 
• Strong knowledge and skills in Adobe Creative Suite such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or Canva. 

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include: 

• Actively identify opportunities where communications can strengthen programme delivery, support parent outreach and increase engagement with families and communities. 
• Develop the local stakeholder engagement approach in line with agreed objectives, proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen relationships and using data and team insight to increase engagement.
• Support effective communications with stakeholders across sectors including community, health, education and local organisations. 
• Develop and produce compelling, audience focused content for a range of channels, including newsletters, case studies and promotional materials. 
• Work closely with the Head of Communications, Programme Leads and colleagues across the organisation to align communications priorities with programme and organisational objectives. 

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.
 

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities. 

About our benefits

• Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST. 
• 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.
• £100 contribution towards your professional body membership.

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK. 

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 8th May 2026.

ABOUT CITY HARVEST

Est. 2014, City Harvest London food charity rescues nutritious surplus food from farms,

manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, and delivers it, for free, to over 130,000 people a

week via organisations feeding those facing food poverty. Our HQ depot is in Acton, with a

satellite site at New Covent Garden Market. City Harvest rescues food, people, and the

planet by diverting food waste and providing life-changing support to communities across

London.

Distributing free food for more than 1.3 million meals a month, our fleet of vans deliver to

food banks, homeless shelters, hostels, soup kitchens, mental health charities, projects

supporting the elderly and socially isolated, social pantries, community kitchens, refugee

hostels, schools and nurseries, family centres and domestic abuse refuges. Join our passionate mission to reduce waste and feed London, with opportunities to grow while

making a real difference.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The lead and deliver integrated communications that build the charity’s profile, deepen engagement and support income generation. This role will develop compelling narratives, manage key channels, and ensure consistent, high-quality messaging across all audiences.

Key stakeholder comms

• Brand management - responsible for all branded marketing communications, across socials, website, marketing materials, event presentations, media, and partner comms.
• Campaigns - creating content for various annual fundraising, volunteer, and food-sourcing campaigns.
• Digital campaign marketing.
• Content creation - design trusted content to achieve organic reach, with broad messaging to support department KPIs, volunteer and donor engagement
• Website management.
• Press coverage - reactive press office management, press release writing, image archiving.
• Run GDPR compliant email marketing campaigns.
• Internal comms – responsible for the staff newsletter.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Brand management
• Social media management
• Campaign management
• Newsletters - Mailchimp
• Content creation/ archiving
• Press office
• Creation of marketing materials
• Managing budget
• Website updating/editorial
• Managing third-party website support & SEO specialist

KEY DELIVERABLES

Collaboration

• Internal comms: Ensuring consistency in appearance, accuracy, and tone across all
• communications between departments.
• Newsletter management for internal comms and external stakeholders.
• External comms: Ensure CH is recognisable by partners and stakeholders, with a quality
• brand consistently applied across all materials, including its use by partner organisations.
• Manage stakeholder partnerships: PR, press releases, event materials, branding.

Support

• Cultivate good working relationships with all teams to ensure alignment with our core marketing and communication strategies.
• Assist all departments in their internal and external communications needs
• Ensure consistency and timely delivery of events and communications plans
• Orchestrate digital content strategies across all online platforms to drive traffic and engagement that translates to brand promotion and donor acquisition.
• Oversee the editorial calendar, including internal and external teams, supporting all department KPIs and campaigns.

Fundraising focus

• Assist in the delivery of the City Harvest fundraising strategy, including corporate partnerships involving charity of the year’s programmes and cause-related marketing campaigns.
• Showcase corporate partnerships across the website and socials to attract new business.
• Promote challenge events, individual giving campaigns and corporate volunteering.
• Work with the fundraising team on large annual campaigns such as The Big Give
• Understand and create impactful supporter journeys across awareness, engagement, donation and retention.
• Ability to tie communications directly to impact & income.
• External newsletter highlighting fundraising.

Campaigns

• Clear and compelling content creation to meet the needs of the organisation’s targets.
• Measure and report on the performance of marketing campaigns, gain insight and assess against goals.
• Balance short-term campaigns with long-term brand building.
• Plan timelines and content calendars.
• Deliver to deadlines often with last-minute changes.
• Ability to use data insights to inform decision-making and future approach/design.

Financial responsibility

You will be responsible for managing the digital marketing budget, in line with the organisation’s scheme of delegation and financial procedures.

Organisation-wide responsibility

• Comply with relevant equality and diversity policies, promoting a healthy working environment where all individuals are valued.
• Comply with relevant data protection policies, ensuring General Data Protection
• Regulations (GDPR) are considered when making plans and decisions.
• Work as part of a wider team, undertaking any other reasonable duties appropriate for the role that may be required by the organisation.

ABOUT YOU

• Sympathetic to and aligned with City Harvest’s mission.
• Emotional intelligence often involves working with sensitive topics, internal pressure and competing priorities
• All-rounder and self-starter.
• Creative and able to create content with ease.
• Ability to push back diplomatically and maintain boundaries even with leadership.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• 3+ years’ experience in a similar role
• Strong time-management and organisational skills
• Experience with online community building
• Proficient with Canva
• Brand management experience
• Content marketing with GA knowledge
• Experience across a range of roles across the communications and marketing mix
• Strong copy writer and attention to detail
• Great ethical storytelling for supporter engagement
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build healthy work relationships
• Ability to cope and work well with high work volumes, conflicting priorities and tight deadlines
• Problem-solving skills and positive, proactive "can-do" attitude
• Technological proficiency in relevant software – e.g. proficiency in Microsoft Office,
• Experience working with Outlook, and Google products etc.

DESIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Communications & marketing experience gained within the third sector
• Fundraising communications experience or working alongside fundraising teams
• Experience of public relations
• Ability to interpret data analysis and evaluate campaigns
• Ability to assess and advise on any reputational risk, including sensitive stories and issues

QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS AT CITY HARVEST

• Charitable
• Compassionate
• Community-focused
• Aspiring
• Trustworthy
• Collaborative team player

JOB DETAILS

• Job Type: Full-time, permanent, Monday to Friday
• Hours of Work: 9-5pm / 40 hours per week (with a 30-minute unpaid lunch break each day)
• Salary: £37,500 per annum
• Place of Work: Hybrid, 2 days in the office (Unit 8, Acton Park Industrial Estate, London, W3 7QE)

City Harvest London is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe in treating all employees, volunteers, candidates, and stakeholders with fairness and respect. We value the unique perspectives and experiences that individuals from different backgrounds bring to our organisation, and we strive to foster an environment that promotes equal opportunities for all.

We adhere to the Equality Act 2010, and our policy is to be fair and consistent in all aspects of our organisation. Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to select candidates based on their abilities and merits to perform the tasks required. All applications received will be dealt with confidentially and subject to our company's recruitment and selection processes. Employment is subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks and eligibility to live and work in the UK.

At City Harvest London, we embrace equality as part of our ways of working because we believe it is the right thing to do for our people, our community, and our success. We do not discriminate in employment based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, disability, age, marital status, medical history, parental status, or genetic information.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Communications Officer to come and join our team in Middlesbrough.

Location – This role is both community-based in Middlesbrough, with the ability to work from home as agreed with your manager. There may also be occasional travel to other programme sites (currently Redcar, Cleveland, Stoke-On-Trent and Scotland) or travel to our London office.  

Salary – Up to £35,000 DOE 

Employment Type – Permanent

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following: 

• Significant experience in a communications role, including experience with copywriting and content creation. 
• Experience producing high quality, clear, compelling and audience appropriate content for a range of platforms.
• Empathy, cultural awareness, and sensitivity when communicating with and about communities whose voices and experiences are often underrepresented, including those with English as an additional language or limited literacy in English.
• The ability to clearly demonstrate our impact and inspire collaboration among our partners and stakeholders by sharing compelling and meaningful stories.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the local community, including its strengths, needs, and challenges. 
• Strong knowledge and skills in Adobe Creative Suite such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or Canva. 

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include: 

• Actively identify opportunities where communications can strengthen programme delivery, support parent outreach and increase engagement with families and communities. 
• Develop the local stakeholder engagement approach in line with agreed objectives, proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen relationships and using data and team insight to increase engagement.
• Support effective communications with stakeholders across sectors including community, health, education and local organisations. 
• Develop and produce compelling, audience focused content for a range of channels, including newsletters, case studies and promotional materials. 
• Work closely with the Head of Communications, Programme Leads and colleagues across the organisation to align communications priorities with programme and organisational objectives. 

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.
 

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities. 

About our benefits

• Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST. 
• 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.
• £100 contribution towards your professional body membership.

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK. 

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 8th May 2026.

Do you want your work to influence Parliament, shape public debate and make a tangible difference to people’s lives? 

We are looking for a driven, curious and politically savvy External Affairs Specialist to join an excellent team that delivers for our members every day. This role offers a genuine opportunity to help build and strengthen our parliamentary engagement and deliver high quality communication with our members at a pivotal time for social care. 

You will join a supportive, intelligent and ambitious team that values evidence, collaboration and impact. We invest in our people, encourage professional development and give you real responsibility and exposure from day one. Your work will help shape national conversations and support a sector that matters. 

About us 

We are the UK’s leading membership body for over 2,200 homecare providers. Together, we work to ensure society values and invests in homecare so people can live well at home and flourish in their communities. We support our members with practical tools, trusted insight and strong representation, and we speak with authority to government, Parliament, the media and the wider public. 

About the role 

As External Affairs Specialist, you will play a central role in two of our most important priorities: strengthening our parliamentary engagement and delivering clear, timely and high-quality communication with our members. 

You will ensure members feel informed, heard and represented, while helping to build our presence and influence in Parliament. A core part of the role involves translating what our members experience on the ground into clear, persuasive messages that resonate with policymakers and parliamentarians. 

This role suits someone who enjoys joining the dots, spots opportunities quickly and wants to continue building a career in public affairs, parliamentary engagement and communications within a respected, mission driven organisation. 

What you will do 

Parliamentary engagement 

• Lead day to day parliamentary monitoring and identify opportunities to influence debates, questions and policy development 

• Draft high quality briefings, parliamentary questions and stakeholder communications 

• Build and maintain relationships with MPs, Peers and parliamentary staff 

• Support delivery of our parliamentary engagement activity, including events and party conferences 

Member communication 

• Draft clear, timely and engaging communications for members, including briefings, updates and campaigns 

• Work directly with members to capture insights, case studies and evidence 

• Ensure member voice sits at the centre of our external messaging 

• Translate complex policy and political developments into practical, accessible information for members 

Wider external affairs 

• Monitor media coverage and support proactive and reactive media activity 

• Contribute to social media and wider communications output 

• Support campaigns, publications, events and stakeholder engagement 

• Support team coordination, reporting and continuous improvement 

About you 

You are bright, motivated and organised, with a strong interest in politics, policy and communications. You enjoy writing, relationship-building and working at pace. You take initiative, think critically and care about delivering high-quality work. 

You will bring: 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to tailor messages to different audiences 

• Experience in public affairs, media, communications or campaigning, or a closely related field 

• An understanding of UK parliamentary processes and political engagement 

• Confidence using social media to inform, engage and influence 

• Strong planning skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities 

• An interest in social care, health or public services, or a desire to build expertise in this area 

Why join us 

If you want a role where your ideas count and your work makes a difference, we would love to hear from you. 

WHO WE ARE

We are Zarach, the children’s bed charity, and we’re on a mission to end child bed poverty, helping children get a good night's sleep, and the chance to thrive at school.

In our nearly seven years as a registered charity, we’ve captured the hearts and attention of many individuals, community groups, businesses and funders who want to support us on our mission. We’ve also been given an incredible media platform from which we have raised awareness of child bed poverty at local, regional and national levels. This support and awareness has seen us deliver over 17,000 bed bundles to children to date. 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

As we grow, we are looking to recruit a Communications Officer to join the Communications team.

As our ideal candidate you will need to be in commuting distance to our Leeds warehouse, meaning you can travel regularly to meet with the team. This is a hybrid role based between the Leeds warehouse and home, with at least one day per week at the warehouse. Some travel to other locations may be required occasionally for events.

You will be someone who has good experience of the broad range of day-to-day communications admin and management activities that working in a small team brings and someone who enjoys the busyness and variety of this.

Alongside your Communications Officer-related skills and experience, we’ll be looking to see that you have a genuine care for our mission and, as such, are self-motivated to do a great job and be a values-led member of our team.

Ideally, you’ll have experience of engaging and growing audiences in the charity sector, due to some of the specialities that come with this, such as understanding the donor experience as opposed to commercial endeavours. But charity experience is not essential if you can demonstrate an appetite and track record for continual learning and development across your working life to date. 

WHAT WE OFFER

• Starting at £26,000 with progression up to £30,000 p/a (FTE) 

• 28 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays (prorated for part-time work)

• Healthcare Cash Plan

• Quarterly Staff Recognition Award

• A great working environment! One of our colleagues described us as- “Zarach is a wonderful place to work with the mission at the core of all that we do” 

To decide if you’d like to bring your skills and experience to bear in the pursuit of our mission, please have a look at the job description, our website and the coverage of us across social media.

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your CV and cover letter as soon as possible.

Reports toDirector of External Relations

Hours37.5 hours per week 

Salary£56,959.05 - £63,886.54

ContractFixed Term Contract - 12 Months

LocationRemote (with occasional travel across UK) 

BenefitsA generous package including 25 days holiday per year plus public holidays, employee pension scheme with 4% employer contribution, Cycle2Work scheme, 365 days a year Employee Assistance Programme 

About SafeLives

We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone, for good.

We work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. We want what you would want for your best friend. We listen to survivors, putting their voices at the heart of our thinking. We look at the whole picture for each individual and family to get the right help at the right time to make families everywhere safe and well. And we challenge perpetrators to change, asking ‘why doesn’t he stop?’ rather than ‘why doesn’t she leave?’ This applies whatever the gender of the victim or perpetrator and whatever the nature of their relationship.

Last year alone, we delivered more than 700 sessions to over 15,000 learners across the UK in policing, health, housing, justice, education and the specialist sector. And we have reached 90,000 adult and 100,000 child survivors through programmes designed and delivered with partners.

In the last 9 years, close to 7,000 perpetrators have been challenged and supported to change through flagship interventions developed by our Drive Partnership and the programme continues to expand year on year.

Together we can end domestic abuse. Forever. For everyone.

Description

You will provide strong and steady leadership for SafeLives’ communications, marketing and public affairs work over the next year, communicating our Whole Picture Strategy, finding what works and helping it happen to end domestic abuse for everyone for good.

You will shape and deliver strategic communications and influencing work to reach decision-makers, strengthen public trust, and support our mission to drive real change in the UK’s domestic abuse response.

You will be able bring to together robust data, the voice of survivors, and the view of practice experts to position SafeLives at the centre of the conversation with professionals, key policy and decision makers and influencers as a credible and trusted voice.

You’ll lead a cross-functional team of comms, marketing and public affairs colleagues to:

• Strengthen core messaging and consistency around our Whole Picture strategy and the WP Framework, to support delivery and impact
• maintain our communications and marketing and our brand
• provide oversight of our influencing through policy and public affairs, working with senior colleagues where escalation is required
• support income generation through targeted marketing, and support for fundraising
• ensure we are sharing evidence, data and research in support of our strategy

You will connect reactive work with long-term strategic priorities, ensuring our external engagement supports our strategic priorities, policy goals, and income generation ambitions. And you will lead high-quality responses to breaking news and emerging issues, providing clear strategic advice to the Senior Leadership Team and acting as a trusted lead on reputational risk.

You will ensure SafeLives is visible, authoritative and survivor-centred in public and policy conversations, with timely responses, briefings and support, ensuring our communications and influencing are clear, consistent and drive impact.

You will work with our training, practice, and fundraising teams to drive our business development and income generation, as well as helping us to understand all our audiences and better meet their needs.

And as part of the Operational Management Team (OMT), you’ll work closely with colleagues to ensure an inclusive and supportive organisational culture, role modelling our values.

Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required.

Responsibilities

1. Leadership

·Provide calm, structured and values-led leadership across the Comms, Marketing and Public Affairs team.

·Ensure reliable systems, processes and workflows for communications, marketing and public affairs.

·Set expectations, priorities and working rhythms that bring stability and clarity to the team.

·Promote a supportive, inclusive and collaborative culture with clear communication channels.

2. Core Narrative, Messaging and Evidence Sharing

·Lead the development of SafeLives’ core messages, ensuring they are used consistently across all teams, and the development of our influencing asks.

·Translate SafeLives’ research, data and evidence into accessible, impactful content for external audiences, including practitioners, policy and decision makers.

·Ensure all outputs are survivor‑centred, values‑aligned and evidence‑led

·Develop our brand to reflect our approach to equity, equality, diversity and inclusion and in line with our values - human, rigorous, brave and inclusive.

·Oversee production of communications, marketing and policy materials that help to amplify our Whole Picture strategy and our related priorities.

3. Communications and Media Leadership

·Lead SafeLives’ overall communications strategy and activity.

·Oversee media relations, with strong focus on clear messaging and reputational resilience.

·Implement rapid-response and crisis‑comms protocols with clear escalation to Directors.

·Lead the development and management of our website, digital channels and content strategy.

·Ensure SafeLives is timely, authoritative and survivor‑centred in its external interventions.

4. Marketing and Audience Engagement

·Lead marketing strategy to support:

·Statutory and voluntary income generation

·Training uptake

·Consultancy and practice development

·Fundraising and supporter engagement

·Strengthen audience insight, segmentation and targeting.

·Oversee campaigns that bring SafeLives’ strategy and evidence to life and drive measurable action.

·Ensure that communication and marketing resources are used effectively to support business development.

5. Public Affairs and Policy

·Provide strategic alignment between SafeLives’ core messaging and evidence sharing and our influencing work

·Ensure public affairs activities and outputs (briefings, consultations, correspondence) are clear, accurate and consistent with SafeLives’ communications approach.

·Maintain awareness of political and policy developments relevant to SafeLives’ mission, advising Directors on risks and opportunities for influencing, working with colleagues across the organisation to develop policy.

·Senior level engagement will be led by Directors, as needed, with this role and the public affairs team leading stakeholder engagement and supporting preparation, messaging and follow‑up.

6. Planning, Governance and Performance

·Lead forward planning for all communications, marketing and public affairs activity.

·Set realistic, measurable KPIs that support the delivery of our comms and influencing strategy and our income generation.

·Embed continuous improvement processes and ensure compliance with GDPR and data protection.

·Oversee budgets for communications, marketing and public affairs, ensuring value for money and resource prioritisation.

7. Authentic Voice

·Ensure that the voices, experiences and priorities of survivors remain at the heart of all external communications.

·Support colleagues and Pioneers who use lived experience in SafeLives’ work in a trauma‑informed and respectful way.

Person Specification

Experience

·Strategic communications, including influencing, brand/profile raising, media relations and reputation management in complex, high profile environments (E)

·Media relations, including securing high quality coverage and rapid-response experience (E)

·Developing and delivering effective communications and marketing cmapaigns, including support for fundraising and income generation (E)

·Digital communications across owned, earned and paid media (E)

·Experience using data, research and evidence to inform communications, influencing and storytelling (E)

·Understanding of public affairs or policy environments within the social sector (D/E)

·Leadership and people development, ideally across multi-disciplinary teams (E)

·Influencing professional and policy audiences through clear, impactful communications, information and guidance (E)

·Working with people affected by domestic abuse to support storytelling and influence change (D)

Skills

·Confident in providing strategic communications advice aligned with organisational strategy and policy priorities (E)

·Exceptional written, oral and influencing skills, including excellent writing and editing ability (E)

·Strong political and media awareness

·Excellent judgement under pressure, making sound, values‑led decisions at pace (E)

·Ability to turn complex and fast‑moving information into clear messaging for different audiences, particularly professional and policy maker audiences (E)

·Strong issue and risk management in sensitive public contexts (E)

·Excellent digital and social media skills (E)

·Strong analytical skills to design and deliver campaigns (E)

·Numerate, with experience preparing and managing budgets (E)

·Strong planning, prioritisation and ability to meet multiple deadlines (E)

·Able to identify problems early and propose solutions (E)

·Commitment to equity, equality, diversity and inclusion (E)

·Commitment to ending domestic abuse (E)

Competencies

Leadership, organisational and strategic awareness 

·Inspires trust and confidence in others 

·Commitment to SafeLives’ values – Human, Rigorous, Inclusive and Brave - underpins all actions and decisions 

·Remains calm, decisive and collaborative in fast-moving situations, while maintaining message clarity, survivor focus and organisational credibility

·Demonstrates an understanding of how your own role contributes to achieving SafeLives’ goals 

·Is responsive to change which helps achieve goals

·Pursues tasks/goals with energy, drive and need for completion 

Teamwork & collaboration 

·Fosters an inclusive working environment so that others can contribute effectively 

·Supports colleagues in demanding situations, recognises the importance of well-being in self and others, accepts help and support from other team members 

·Listens to the views of others and shows flexibility in working with collective decisions 

People management and decision making 

·Ability to lead and manage effective teams and create an inventive, responsible and generous team culture 

·Strong focus on quality, performance and impact 

·Coaches staff to reach their full potential 

·Makes effective decisions on a timely basis 

·Judgement and problem solving is based on identifying outcomes and victim focus 

Communications and relationship management 

·Communicate with energy and direction 

·Ability to build strong and effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders 

·Promote and contribute to cross team working 

·Speaks and writes clearly and effectively and in a timely manner, tailoring communication to suit the audience 

·Maintains confidentiality 

Delivering quality 

·Self-starter with the ability to use initiative and judgement to identify problems and propose solutions 

·Excellent organisational skills including the ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines 

·Takes responsibility for own workload, acts on own initiative, seeks feedback from others, evaluates own performance and then acts upon it 

·Tries out new ideas and ways of working and identifies and shares learning 

Influence 

·Inspires confidence and trust– demonstrating high standards of integrity, honesty and fairness 

·Actively engages the knowledge, ideas and contributions of others 

·Uses appropriate techniques to influence others 

London Landmarks Half Marathon Communications & Engagement Officer

The London Landmarks Half Marathon is looking for a creative, highly organised Communications & Engagement Officer to help shape how we connect with participants, communities and partners. It’s an exciting time to join the team as we look ahead to our 10th anniversary in 2027.

This role is ideal for a strong storyteller who enjoys creating clear, compelling content across multiple channels. You’ll turn ideas into high-quality communications, manage multiple workstreams at pace, and ensure everything is accurate, consistent and on brand. You’ll be confident working with stakeholders, managing approvals and keeping projects moving in a fast-paced environment.

Storytelling is central. You’ll bring participant and charity stories to life with authenticity and care, capturing the real impact of mass participation events on individuals and communities.

Working across social media, email and web, you’ll use insight to continually improve communications.

This is a great opportunity for someone collaborative, detail-focused and purpose-driven, who wants to help deliver a high-profile event that raises vital funds for charity.

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter (max. 2 pages) outlining your suitability for the role and how your experience matches the job description and role profile. Applications close at 9am on 25 May.

External Communications Manager

Overview
The Talent Set is pleased to present an exciting opportunity for an External Communications Manager on a 6-month fixed-term contract for a London university. The successful candidate will lead strategic external communications, enhancing organisational reputation through media relations, content creation, and stakeholder engagement, supporting the organisation’s broader objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and assess communications and media strategies aligned with institutional goals.
• Manage the organisation’s written brand voice across all external channels, ensuring consistency.
• Create high-quality content including publications, press releases, blogs, and social media updates.
• Support marketing efforts by producing course and organisational information for website and print materials.
• Draft speeches and scripts for senior leadership; assist with crisis communications plans and messaging, including managing crisis situations to mitigate reputational risks.
• Build and sustain relationships with media professionals, journalists, and external stakeholders to secure positive coverage and build an active press desk.
• Support and develop the External Communications Officer, providing guidance and mentorship.
• Collaborate with marketing, digital, and content teams to ensure message alignment.
• Evaluate communication activities’ effectiveness using data analytics to inform future strategies.
• Represent the organisation at open days and recruitment events domestically and internationally.

Person Specification

• Proven experience managing external communications within a strategic context.
• Skilled in content creation, including press releases, speeches, and digital content.
• Excellent relationship-building skills with media contacts and external stakeholders.
• Experience building and maintaining a press desk, managing media relations proactively.
• Strong project management and organisational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and organisational values.
• Ability to lead, support, and develop colleagues in a collaborative environment.
• Adaptability and professionalism with a strategic mindset.
• Previous experience working in a higher education setting 

What’s on Offer
Salary: £53,744
Length: 6 month contract with an immediate start 
Hybrid Working: 2 days a week in their London office with 3 days working from home 

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

About Smile Train 

Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft focused organization. Our goal is to transform the lives of every person impacted by a cleft lip or palate. We train and support doctors and medical professionals to provide our patients with free, life-changing, comprehensive cleft treatment. Our sustainable model has allowed us to reach more than 2 million children in 75+ countries in the past 25 years, and we still feel like we’ve just started. We are truly changing the world one smile at a time!

Role Summary:

We are looking for a highly skilled Communications Manager to lead and execute communications efforts for Smile Trian UK. Working in close collaboration with Smile Train’s Communications Team in HQ, you will support executing the global communications strategy at the local-level for Smile Train UK to elevate the organization’s global voice and inspire philanthropic engagement.

Through communications excellence and effective management of Smile Train UK’s PR and organic social media, you will amplify the many powerful stories of our cleft treatment and care programs partners, and patients in ways that strengthen connection, elevate understanding, and expand global impact.

If you are passionate about leveraging your communications skills to advocate for Smile Train’s purpose — to empower local medical professionals and create sustainable, long-term solutions for children and families affected by clefts around the world – then this is the right role for you!

This is a full-time, hybrid opportunity starting as soon as possible. You will be based in our London Bridge Office on Wednesdays and Thursdays and there will be periodic travel on a needs basis.

Reports To: UK Fundraising Director
Key Responsibilities:

• Execute Smile Train UK communications efforts in alignment with global communications plans and standards to increase awareness of cleft lip and palate and Smile Train.
• Align local Smile Train UK public relations plans and media vendor partnerships with the global PR strategy, ensuring agencies align with Smile Train’s goals, brand voice, and strategic priorities.
• Manage Smile Train UK media outreach to the press to generate awareness and publish timely news through press release development, media pitches, media alerts, op-eds, etc. in alignment with global standards and priorities
• In collaboration with Smile Train headquarters, develop and execute Smile Train UK’s organic social media content and campaigns to enhance engagement, grow reach, and strengthen Smile Train UK’s brand presence across all platforms.
• Effectively manage external Smile Train UK PR and organic social media agencies and ensure all activities are completed on time and within budget 
• Collaborate with the Smile Train HQ Communications Team to develop global communications campaigns and execute localization for Smile Train UK
• Collaborate with the Smile Train HQ Website Team to align UK specific content pages on the Smile Train UK website as required
• Collaborate with the Smile Train UK Fundraising Team as needed for communications and content support, including event support (e.g. invites, event materials, speeches, videos) and impact and annual report development.
• Support implementation of global brand standards through local alignment of assets, toolkits and messaging with global brand guidelines
• Report to senior stakeholders on performance of Smile Train UK’s PR and organic social media
• Build and manage Smile Train UK’s PR and organic social media budgets, handle invoice processing, and ensure expenses remain within budget 
• Other duties as appropriate for this role.

Supervisory responsibilities: No permanent staff supervisory responsibilities

Required Education and Experience:

• 5+ years of experience working in a Communications role, with a proven track record of driving PR and organic social media; in the non-profit sector or comparable commercial environment.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or related field, although an equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for this required level of education.
• Strong understanding of major social media platforms and tools.
• Passion for communications and public relations with the ability to connect the dots to drive awareness across the UK.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages to varied audiences.
• Able to take ownership of a process and to use problem solving skills to resolve issues.
• Strong team player with excellent professional and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate across a global team.
• Effective project manager who is detail-oriented with strong organisational and time management skills.
• Experience managing external agencies. 
• Able to function both independently and as part of a global team.
• Familiar with the Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends when necessary to ensure all external communications are handled efficiently and appropriately.
• Passion for Smile Train’s purpose and values.

Accountability Expectations: 

• Ownership of Outcomes: Take full responsibility for one’s own performance, ensuring alignment with Smile Train’s mission and objectives.

• Transparent Communication: Communicate openly and effectively with team members, fostering trust and a shared understanding of expectations and priorities. 

• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrate empathy, understanding, and cultural sensitivity to contribute to an inclusive and supportive team environment.

• Empowerment: Effectively communicate with supervisors to ensure you are equipped with the resources, guidance, and autonomy you need to excel in your role 

• Team Cohesion: Contribute to a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared accountability, helping the team to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment 

Compensation Range: £40-50   

Travel: Ability to travel, when necessary, for agency partner meetings, organizational events, and periodically as required

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, obligations, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.

Application Information:

Smile Train is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply. To apply, please complete the application online. Include your CV, and a cover letter that describes why you believe you would be a good fit for Smile Train and this role. We encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Work with us at NCT

For pregnancy, parents and progress.

At NCT, what we do every day has a real impact on people’s lives.

We’re the UK’s charity for pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. For nearly 70 years, we’ve been alongside women and parents, offering trusted information, practical support and building communities.

Today, we reach hundreds of thousands of new and expectant parents every year. We provide antenatal and postnatal education, local and national support for infant feeding and mental health, and we campaign for fairer, safer maternity care. We listen to parents’ experiences and act on them - tackling health inequalities, challenging systems that don’t work, and pressing for progress.

Join our passionate team and contribute to the meaningful work that transforms the lives of parents and families.

Your role will include:​

• Raise awareness of who we are – what we do and the difference we make and encourage people to use our services, support our charity and advocate on behalf of new parents.
• Drive impactful campaigns – Engage parents, policymakers, pregnancy and birth stakeholders and organisations with compelling advocacy and messaging.
• Lead the press office – Develop and implement PR strategies to enhance NCT’s visibility and credibility through powerful and creative storytelling.
• Lead our responsive external communications work – developing thought leadership, reactive comment pieces and content in response to external developments affecting new and expectant parents.

Why work at NCT?

Whether you’re supporting services, shaping policy, delivering programmes, raising funds, running operations or telling our story, you’ll be contributing to something bigger:
a society where everyone who becomes a parent feels confident, connected and safe.

People join NCT because they want to make a difference - and stay because they believe in how we do it.

How we work

We’re guided by a simple principle: no judgement, no exception. That shows up in how we support parents - and how we work with each other.

At NCT we are:

• Welcoming: We are always welcoming, creating connections and building communities.
• Collaborative: We achieve better outcomes by working together.
• Inclusive: We ensure equity and inclusion are core to who we are and what we do.
• Bold: We are bold, brave, and progressive
• Trusted: We provide trusted, high-quality, evidence-based information, support, and services.

We deal with complex issues, make tough decisions, and work in environments that can be challenging. But we do it with honesty, care and a shared sense of purpose.

When you work at NCT you’ll get fantastic benefits to support your well-being and professional growth:

• 30 days annual leave (excluding Bank Holidays)
• Pension matched up to 5%
• Flexible working options to suite your lifestyle
• Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 GP access, personalised counselling, legal advice and more
• Cycle to work scheme to support sustainable commuting
• Life Assurance for peace of mind
• Free eye test for all staff, with further discounts
• Blue Light discount card

Join us

At NCT, we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or within your role, please let us know - we’re here to support you. If you want your work to contribute to lasting change - for generations of parents to come - we’d love to hear from you.

Together, we are NCT.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

At NCT, we believe everyone should be able to shape their own journey - as parents, and as colleagues.

We are taking positive action to increase diversity across our organisation, at all levels, and to nurture a culture of inclusion and belonging for all our people and for the parents and families we support. You can read more about our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion action.

We are committed to zero discrimination, both internally and externally. This commitment applies regardless of visible or invisible difference, including (but not limited to): sex, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, disability, impairment, learning difference or long‑term condition, religion or belief, gender identity, economic class, marital or civil partnership status, family status (including single parents), socio‑economic background, pregnancy and maternity.

We actively welcome applications from people from communities who are under‑represented in our organisation and the charity sector more widely.

Location(s)   

This position is open to candidates currently based in Scotland, in line with the role’s operational requirements. The role is home-based with in person attendance to our ‘All Staff Days’ in London (5 per year), team meetings (roughly 6 meetings per year) and occasional travel to other meetings and Westminster as required. Where possible, these are combined with an overnight stay. 

London office: AdviceUK, 83 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0HW 

Job Title:  Policy and External Affairs Manager (Scotland) 

Employment Type:  Part-time 

Reporting to:  Head of Policy, Programmes and Media 

Pay scale: £40,000 - £42,500 Full time equivalent  (Actual salary £32,000-34,000)

Interview: In person interviews will take place on Friday 22nd May at our London office

Working hours: 28 hours per week (4 days/0.8) within normal operating hours. Flexible working arrangements will be considered. (Normal operating hours are 8.00am - 6.30pm, Monday – Friday.) Lunch & other breaks are unpaid. 

Special conditions: Some evening and weekend work may be required for which time off in lieu (TOIL) will be granted. Some travel will be required which may entail some overnight stays.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds, particularly encouraging those from underrepresented groups. 

CHARITY OVERVIEW 

Since 1979, AdviceUK has been supporting advice organisations by helping them to be efficient, competent and effective, and by campaigning for a policy environment that supports advice agencies and people needing advice.

We are both a membership body and charity. We support our 700+ members (109 of which are located in Scotland) to provide advice to around 2 million people every year. We are working towards a world in which every individual, regardless of means, is able to access the advice they need to exercise their rights and deal with any legal and social welfare challenges they may face. 

JOB PURPOSE  

To set up and manage our policy and public affairs activities in Scotland ensuring AdviceUK has a strong voice, so we can secure policy change to benefit organisations delivering advice and the communities they serve. The post holder will be responsible for establishing AdviceUK’s first policy and influencing strategy for Scotland, including through developing policy solutions informed by strong evidence and rooted in member experience, and leading effective political and stakeholder engagement which will influence change. They will work closely with colleagues across the UK to join up policy, influencing and communications work. 

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES  

1.Strategy 

1.1 Develop AdviceUK’s first policy and influencing strategy for Scotland, through consultation with members and stakeholders and analysis of the landscape and opportunities in Scottish policy making. 

1.2 Put plans in place to roll out a specific programme of proactive and reactive policy work to further AdviceUK’s strategic aims in Scotland and represent the voices of Scottish members. 

1.3 Devise measures to monitor the impact of our policy and influencing work in Scotland and report back to staff, trustees, members and stakeholders about the difference we are making. 

2.Policy development 

2.1 Collaborate with AdviceUK members, partners, sector stakeholders and 

beneficiaries to develop clear, concise and authoritative policy positions on key issues. 

2.2 Produce high-quality, well-argued policy materials based on data and evidence, including reports, select committee responses, evidence statements, briefings and responses to Scottish Government consultations. 

2.3 Provide policy input for media statements, press releases and social media posts relating to Scotland, which are managed by the Press Officer and Digital Marketing Officer.

2.4 Develop an expert knowledge of policy issues affecting Advice UK members, keep up to date on the political and legislative environment and identify opportunities to use these to further Advice UK’s strategic objectives. 

2.5 Represent AdviceUK at policy and/or sector meetings and events.

3. Public affairs 

3.1 Roll out a programme of public affairs work including Scottish parliamentary engagement to promote AdviceUK’s strategic priorities. 

3.2 Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders across the Scottish Government and parliament, local and decision makers, non-governmental bodies and other relevant stakeholders. 

3.3 Champion an evidence based approach to all Advice UK’s advocacy and external relations work, drawing on research and member insight to inform our campaign messages. 

3.4 Ensure regular opportunities for Advice UK members in Scotland to feed into our public affairs and advocacy work, and regular communications on our impact, to demonstrate how we amplify their voice. 

3.5 Monitor and evaluate public affairs work, including collecting relevant metrics, to report back on our success and inform future campaigns. 

4. Research and data 

4.1 Work with Policy, Programme and Media (PPM) colleagues as well as the wider AdviceUK team to develop the evidence base needed to inform our policy and campaigns work in Scotland. 

4.2 Work with the Research and Policy Analyst to carry out analysis that identifies emerging trends in the Scottish advice world and use this to provide evidence-based policy briefings and specific policy solutions. 

5. General duties 

5.1 Ensure you effectively communicate Advice UK’s vision, mission and objectives to staff, members and external stakeholders.

5.2 Ensure you demonstrate Advice UK’s values and behaviours in all aspects of your work

5.3 Build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders including staff trustees; members, partners and suppliers 

5.4 With support from your manager, deliver your agreed personal objectives and undertake any agreed development or training

5.5 Maintain a strong understanding of our members and the advice sector more generally, by reading internal reports; accessing relevant data reports; following our social media channels and, where possible, attending member and other relevant events. With the agreement of you line manager, ensure you make time to speak to members and visit their services.

5.6 Adhere at all times to Advice UK’s policies and procedures

5.7 Carry out any reasonable duties compatible with the post assigned by your line manager