At the heart of the 2027 programme is a paid, 12-month role within a leading foundation, trust, or social investment organisation. You’ll be employed full-time in a grant-making or related position with one of our dynamic host organisations across the UK. In this role, you’ll contribute directly to improving the communities your host serves while earning a salary of at least £25,000 (or £25,642 if based in London).
Alongside your placement, you’ll take part in an acclaimed development programme designed to build the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for a successful career in the funding sector. Through this, you’ll explore the challenges within grant-making and social investment, develop your leadership potential, and work alongside peers to imagine and create a more equitable and effective funding system. The programme supports you not only to thrive in your new role but also to grow into a future changemaker in the sector.
This unique blend of training, professional experience, and network-building will equip you to take the next step toward a decision-making role in a foundation, trust, or social investment organisation—helping to shape how resources are used to create lasting change in communities.
Why 2027 exists
Launched in 2017, 2027 was born out of a desire to shift power in the grant-making sector. It aims to bridge the gap between funders and the communities they serve—particularly by addressing the lack of people with lived experience of working-class communities in decision-making roles. 2027 helps change who is involved in making funding decisions and how those decisions are made.
The Job
In your placement, you could be:
- Managing parts of a grant portfolio
- Building relationships with community partners
- Making funding recommendations
- Preparing reports and updates for trustees
- Engaging with the funder’s broader organisation to inspire interest in community work
- Ensuring legal and compliance obligations are met
- Representing your host externally and bringing in outside learning
Each role will vary slightly depending on your host organisation. We’ll work with you to ensure a placement that aligns with your goals and development.
Who You’ll Work For
You’ll be matched with a respected host organisation—one of the UK’s leading foundations, trusts, or social investment organisations—based on your location preferences and interests. Previous hosts have included:
- BBC Children in Need
- National Lottery Community Fund
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Sport England
- Better Society Capital
- City Bridge Trust
- NHS Charities Together
The Development Programme
As part of your role, you’ll participate in a comprehensive professional development programme led by sector experts. It includes:
- Residentials: Two in-person events for deep learning and peer connection.
- Masterclasses: Online, expert-led sessions exploring key sector topics.
- Peer Support Sessions: Monthly confidential spaces to reflect and share learning.
- Mentoring: Each Associate is paired with an experienced sector mentor.
- Self-Directed Learning: Curated content for reflection and growth between sessions.
- Peer Coaching: Training and monthly sessions to build coaching skills and mutual support.
- 360 Review + 1:1 Coaching: Holistic feedback and personalised coaching to support your development.
- 2027 Connect: A mix of events to connect with the wider 2027 community, including alumni, hosts, and mentors.
Career Progression
By the end of the programme, you’ll have built the experience, confidence, and insight to take on more senior or decision-making roles in the funding sector—playing a meaningful part in shaping how money is invested for social good.
Job description
- Job Title: 2027 Associate
- Salary: Minimum of £25,000 (£25,642 if based in London)
- Employer: One of our host foundations, trusts, or social investment organisations
- Location: Opportunities across England and Scotland (you’ll share your preferences)
- Hours: Typically 9am–5pm, with some flexibility
- Contract: 12-month fixed term, starting October 2025
*Foundations and trusts are grant-making charities that fund individuals, groups or organisations to run projects that benefit communities. Social investment organisations provide repayable finance to charities and enterprises working to create long-term social change.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Marie Curie is the UK's leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they're likely to die from.
Are you passionate about supporting impactful research that makes a real difference in people's lives? Join Marie Curie's Research Management and Impact team - a dynamic group dedicated to advancing palliative and end of life care through strategic research funding and partnerships. We manage a diverse portfolio of research grants, collaborate with leading institutions, and champion research that drives meaningful change.
As a Research Officer, you'll play a pivotal role in the administration and financial management of Marie Curie's research grants. Your work to manage and monitor Marie Curie's research grants will directly support the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based research that informs policy and practice in end of life care. This is a fantastic opportunity for a detail-oriented and proactive individual to contribute to a mission-driven organisation and help shape the future of palliative care research.
Main responsibilities:
- Lead on financial management of Marie Curie's research grants, including monitoring expenditure and processing invoices.
- Provide day-to-day administrative support for the research grant portfolio, including reporting and compliance.
- Maintain and update grant management, research reporting and finance systems.
- Manage pre-award processes for the Research Impact Fund and support other grant schemes.
- Track and report on research outputs and impact, supporting internal and external communications.
- Liaise with grant holders, research partners, and internal teams to ensure smooth delivery of research grant activities.
Key Criteria:
- Previous experience in financial and administrative management in a research, charity, or academic setting.
- Proven ability to self-manage workload and effectively prioritise multiple tasks to meet tight deadlines.
- Proactiveness and willingness to take the initiative.
- Experience in health-related research and/or interest in palliative and end of life care research will be an advantage.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to work successfully with a wide range of colleagues.
- Excellent written English skills and strong attention to detail.
Please see the full job description .
Application & Interview Process
- As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV and Cover Letter. Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.
- Closeing date for applications: June 30th, 2025
Salary: £26,370-29,297 per annum (+ £3,500 London Weighting Allowance, if applicable[LM2] )
Contract: Permanent, full-time (35 hours per week)
Based: Hybrid. Home-based and at least 2 days a week in our Embassy Gardens office in London[LM3] .
Benefits you'll LOVE:
- Flexible working. We're happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage.
- 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
- Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
- Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
- Continuous professional development opportunities.
- Industry-leading training programmes
- Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
- Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
- Access to Blue Light Card membership
- Subsidised Eye Care
Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work. We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.
We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.