Governance and policy officer jobs

Do you want to work for a charity, that makes a huge impact globally? Are you a passionate and experienced data protection practitioner? Then this could be the ideal role for you!

The King’s Trust International is looking for a passionate Data Protection Lead to join the team as our in-house expert on a part time basis under a 12-month fixed term contract. (this is a 3 day a week role - 21 hours)

You will lead a data compliance review and work with colleagues to ensure the robustness and suitability of the charity’s information governance framework, policies & procedures, deliver training to empower colleagues in data protection matters, handle any subject access requests, manage any data incidents, breaches or complaints, perform a key role in organisational change and the implementation of new technology solutions, provide hands-on advice and help to embed privacy by design.

We are seeking a motivated, organised, and people-focused Operations and Facilities Manager. This role is central to ensuring our services and spaces operate smoothly and in line with our values.

The Operations and Facilities Manager will lead on health and safety, HR processes, service contracts and compliance. They will manage key staff, ensure strong safeguarding practices, and maintain the effective running of our facilities, systems, and procedures. The postholder will also work closely with the Chief Officer to translate our strategic priorities into well-managed action on the ground.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys bringing structure and leadership to a small, passionate team in a community setting.

The Public Affairs Lead at the Food Foundation provides expertise on building relationships with political stakeholders to deliver impact across all areas of our work aimed transforming food systems and shifting diets.

· Do you have knowledge of the UK’s political system and experience of how to influence policy-making?

· Do you care about what we eat and its impact on our health and planet?

· Do you want to work in a small, ambitious organisation and use your influencing skills to deliver real impact?

If the answers to these questions are yes, we would love to hear from you!

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week (willing to consider part time hours, no less than 4 days)

Starting Salary: £39,960 (pro rata and London weighting included)

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: This is a London based role (our office is in London, Brixton) and you will be expected to work at least 2 days per week from the office. Whilst there will be a need to regularly attend in-person meetings in parliament and officer, there is flexible working options.

Job requirements: An enhanced clean DBS check, obtained through The Food Foundation plus two references

Job Purpose

The Public Affairs Lead sits within our Policy and Advocacy Team, working to build support for The Food Foundation’s work amongst Parliamentarians and to influence the government to help deliver policies that will transform the food system.  This is an exciting opportunity to join a small organisation delivering big impact on the political agenda around food. 

The Public Affairs Manager reports to our Head of Policy and Advocacy and will be responsible for planning and delivering our public affairs activity. You will spend considerable time meeting MPs and Peers in parliament and building relationships with their teams with a view to identifying potential new supporters and ensuring that The Food Foundation has a range of contacts that we can call on to support and amplify our policy asks and to raise issues when required. 

While this role is focused on political engagement, you will work closely with policy and research colleagues and with our communications team to share perspectives on which priorities it may be tactical to pursue at any given time and to understand what evidence is available to inform engagement.

You will also work closely with public affairs professionals in other organisations to deliver joint programmes of engagement work which leverage respective organisational strengths.

You will have excellent political instincts and a strong interest in policy developments, monitoring closely what is going on in Parliament and in Government, and keeping abreast of the latest developments in order to identify opportune moments to maximise political attention on the issues we work on and to galvanise support for policy change. 

You will work with our communications team to build compelling narratives targeted at different political stakeholders about the impacts of the food system on our diets, our health and our planet, and the need for evidence-based solutions.   In the current parliamentary term we expect a major focus of activity to be on securing a White Paper and then A Bill on food system change.

You will lead on developing and commissioning a range of briefing materials and reports for policy audiences and formulate responses on behalf of the organisation to policy development processes and Parliamentary inquiries.

You will think creatively about methods and opportunities for engagement in order to ensure that The Food Foundation’s messages and priorities are noticed and heard by policy-makers in a very crowded policy space, including by working closely with our events manager to deliver impactful parliamentary events.

You will bring a learning mindset to the role, assessing the impact of our policy engagement approaches in order to make continuous improvements.

The role will be a fulfilling blend of planning engagement campaigns, developing the materials and monitoring tools to enable delivery, and the practical task of developing personal relationships with key stakeholders.

A week in the job will look like: meeting with a Peer that is new to our work to brief them on evidence we have published and our current political priorities, completing a political stakeholder mapping exercise for a new campaign on sustainable diets to identify a shortlist of MPs to engage with, spending an afternoon in parliament to engage informally with passing MPs, pitching a new idea for a parliamentary inquiry to parliamentary staff from the Health and Social Care Committee, drafting an MP briefing for an upcoming debate on the Government’s obesity prevention priorities, reviewing next week’s parliamentary calendar to spot opportunities for engagement, attending a roundtable to share intelligence and discuss priorities for political party manifestos with other NGOs working on food issues, ringing round parliamentary offices to confirm attendance for an upcoming parliamentary reception, meeting with an MP that is closely involved with The Food Foundation’s work to refine messaging for an upcoming campaign.

Bristol has a range of diverse services spanning mental health, participation, identity-based support, and therapeutic interventions, some currently more developed than others. The Team Manager (Bristol) plays a vital role in identifying local need and then coordinating and integrating services across a complex and fast-paced urban environment, ensuring young people have seamless access to the right support.

This role is key in driving collaboration between teams within OTR, embedding consistency in service delivery, and fostering partnerships with local organisations, schools, and statutory services. By providing strong leadership, operational oversight, and strategic direction, the Team Manager (Bristol) ensures that OTR’s presence in the city remains dynamic, accessible, and responsive to young people’s evolving needs.

The Bristol manager is a newly created role which sits within a supportive management team. The role reports to the Head of Youth Services and will be supported by an enthusiastic and passionate Senior Leadership Team. We want our team members to grow and there will be opportunity to develop the services and people you will lead.

To find out more about the role please download the Job Pack below or from our careers page

If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact the email listed in our Job Pack

To apply for this role click 'Redirect to recruiter' and then the 'Apply now' on our careers page

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a team that reflects the diversity of the people we work with

Safeguarding: 

OTR is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff, trustees, and volunteers to share this commitment.

As part of our Safer Recruitment practices, all roles involving contact with young people will be subject to robust pre-employment checks, including references, a full employment history, and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Where applicable, overseas criminal record checks will also be required.

We are dedicated to creating a culture of vigilance, transparency, and accountability. Our safeguarding procedures are guided by the principle that the welfare of the child is paramount, and all staff are required to adhere to OTR’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. 

OTR & Benefits:

OTR is a mental health social movement by and for young people. The charity is at an exciting stage of its 59-year history and is proud to be reaching more young people than ever before (over 20,000) across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset with creative and diverse mental health and wellbeing info and support.

Our approach to mental health is grounded in a set of beliefs and assumptions that underpins all of our work. We believe in celebrating diversity, empowering and mobilising young people to make change, and that catering to the unique strengths, interests and circumstances surrounding young people is key. Our approach centres on collaboration and partnership, building relationships between individuals, peers and communities.

Each day is as engaging and fulfilling as the last, and with a network of supportive, community minded people, we hope you’ll feel welcome here. As a thank you, we like to compensate our employees for the important work they do with a range of benefits including a flexible leave policy (38 days), healthcare cost assistance with HealthShield, flexible and hybrid working arrangements, enhanced sick pay, parental leave, continual training and development, free yoga and reiki, and more (subject to contractual terms and conditions).

A Willingness to Work with Difference

At OTR, whatever your role or professional background, you will be expected to work in a way that is anti-oppressive and inclusive. A key focus for OTR is to develop an organisation that is inclusive for all but we do not claim to be experts in this. We are committed to continuous learning and improvement in these areas and invite you to join us on this journey.

OTR recognises the benefits to individual practice and organisational credibility of having a diverse community of staff and volunteers and to this end is continually working towards building and maintaining an environment which values and pursues diversity accordingly.

We recognise that tackling systemic inequality, prejudice, racism and oppressive practice requires each of us to actively engage, self-examine and make changes where necessary, in order to improve access and equitable experience for all in society and all of those who come through our doors at OTR.

About GNDR

We are the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), the largest global network of organisations committed to working together to improve the lives of people affected by disasters worldwide. Since being established in 2007, we have grown into a network of 2,010 member organisations across 132 countries, representing millions of people on the frontlines of hazards, climate change and mass displacement. Through transformative, evidence-led programming and powerful advocacy, we are driving climate action and disaster resilience alongside our members across the globe.

About the role

GNDR is seeking a motivated and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) as Head of Fundraising, Impact and Communications on a full-time basis for a fixed-term maternity cover of one year.

In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for driving forward GNDR’s fundraising and communications strategy, increasing our reach, impact, and income in alignment with the organisation’s strategic priorities.

You will lead a fully integrated function spanning fundraising, monitoring and evaluation, and communications. This includes ensuring a joined-up and collaborative approach to consistent, distinctive messaging and engagement activities. These efforts underpin successful fundraising outcomes and support GNDR’s wider organisational goals – particularly our work in influencing policy and engaging external decision-makers.

This maternity cover role comes at an exciting moment in GNDR’s journey. We are currently evaluating our existing strategy and designing a new five-year organisational strategy that will unlock fresh opportunities to deepen our impact, extend our reach and amplify our global voice. 

The successful candidate will play an essential role in ensuring our fundraising, MEAL and communications operations remain strategically aligned and fully responsive to this evolving context.

Overall scope of the role

The remit of this post will cover the following core responsibilities:

• Sustainability and income growth
• Effective donor relations
• Funding proposals
• Impact measurement
• External communications
• Training and capacity building
• Leadership and governance
• Line management and team development

Candidate requirements

We are ideally looking for candidates who have the following core skills and experience:

• Fundraising & Communications: Proven success securing funding from donors, trusts and foundations, with strategic experience in NGO fundraising and communications
• Leadership & Strategy: Strong team leadership, capacity building, and strategic planning skills within humanitarian or development contexts
• Interpersonal & Cultural Agility: Excellent communicator, culturally sensitive, adaptable, and able to thrive in fast-paced, diverse environments
• Project & Proposal Delivery: Skilled in developing proposals, and producing high-quality reports and budgets
• Technical & Analytical Skills: A sharp analytical mindset and strong decision-making capabilities
• A strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and alignment to GNDR’s core values

Eligibility

We are accepting applications from candidates eligible to work in the UK. Candidates will need to be able to travel internationally when necessary. 

This role will be predominantly remote. However, we are currently piloting a revised hybrid working model for our UK-based team, which includes monthly in-person meetups at a flexible workspace in London. This arrangement remains subject to the outcome of the ongoing consultation, with the trial period scheduled to conclude at the end of October.

Please note that all offers of employment at GNDR are conditional and subject to satisfactory background checks.

We welcome applications from candidates who meet most of the essential criteria outlined in the job specification below.

A full Job description is attached, or please visit our website.

Salary

The gross annual salary for this role is £56,098 per annum based on working full-time.

This is a one year, fixed-term full time contract.

Start date

We are ideally looking for candidates who are available to start in November 2025. However, we recognise that availability may vary due to individual notice periods, and we are happy to accommodate some flexibility where possible.

How to apply

Please submit an up to date copy of your CV (max. two A4 pages) and a Cover Letter (max. one A4 page) outlining skills and experience relevant to the role by email to HR.  Please include in the subject of the email, the following: “Application for the Head of FRIMCO role”.

Please note: we are unable to accept incomplete applications.

If you have any questions or need to discuss any adjustments to the recruitment process, please contact our recruitment team. Full contact details are availble on our website, please follow the link below.

Interview

Week commencing 13 October

Please note: The interview process usually consists of two online stages which may include a role-specific task. Interviews are typically conducted by a panel of two to three members, including the Hiring Manager. Applicants are encouraged to advise us of any adjustments required to ensure the whole recruitment process is accessible and equitable.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We are dedicated to creating a team that embodies the rich diversity of the society and communities we serve. Our commitment lies in cultivating an inclusive environment, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented ethnicities, nationalities, socioeconomic circumstances, LGBTQIA+ and individuals with disabilities. We celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives that every candidate brings and are dedicated to ensuring fair and equitable opportunities for all.

We’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible for individuals of all needs and abilities. If you require any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us. Contact information are available on our website.

Find out more about our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion by visiting our website.

Our benefits and wellbeing

At GNDR, we are committed to cultivating a happy and healthy working environment for all our staff.

We provide a competitive salary and benefits package across all of our locations. 

Find out more about our approach to wellbeing and our benefits by visiting our website.

Flexible working

In order to support and encourage a healthy work-life balance for our staff, we are happy to consider flexible working requests as part of our recruitment process. As a global organisation, most staff work remotely depending on their role and location. 

If you have any questions on any of the above information or if you have any specific requirements that would enable you to participate more fully in the recruitment process,  please contact our recruitment team. All contact information are available on our website.

We are looking for an experienced finance professional wanting a new challenge that offers flexibility and purpose. CHASE Africa is a growing international NGO seeking a dedicated and qualified Part-Time Finance Manager to join our small, friendly team in Somerset.

This is a unique opportunity for someone with extensive financial expertise, who is seeking a part-time position where they can apply their skills to a meaningful mission.

About CHASE Africa

We are a UK-based international NGO with ambitious plans for growth. We work through local partners in East Africa to improve health and wellbeing in marginalised communities, focusing on reproductive health, and a one-health approach that also incorporates environmental protection.

We are a small but dedicated team, committed to a collaborative approach to partnership. We're currently going through an exciting period of transition and growth, with a new CEO in 2022, a new charitable structure in 2023, and registering of a new entity in Kenya in 2025. Our income is forecast to exceed £1 million in 2025. Your role will be vital in helping us achieve our future goals.

The Role

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will oversee all financial aspects of our UK and international operations. This is a critical role that ensures our financial stewardship is sound and our systems are effective.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.

• Ensuring timely and accurate bookkeeping and preparing monthly management accounts.

• Preparing statutory accounts and managing the annual audit process.

• Managing donor grants, including producing budgets for applications and preparing financial reports.

• Ensuring compliance with UK charity financial regulations (Charity SORP).

• Providing financial capacity-building support to our in-country partners.

About You

You are a qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA) with at least five years of experience in financial management, including some in the charity or NGO sector. You have a strong working knowledge of UK charity financial regulations and are proficient with accounting software, especially SAGE, and Microsoft Excel.

You are a proactive self-starter with excellent analytical and communication skills, able to work both independently and as part of a small, dynamic team. Most importantly, you are committed to CHASE Africa’s mission to improve health and wellbeing in East Africa.

What We Offer

• An opportunity to shape a growing organisation during a critical period of transition.

• A flexible, hybrid working arrangement with the potential for occasional travel to our programme countries.

• The chance to contribute your skills to a mission-driven organisation that is making a real difference.

• Pro-rata benefits including 28 days of paid holiday (plus bank holidays), a contributory pension scheme, and enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption benefits after one year of service.

The role of Personal Assistant (PA) is a key opportunity to work alongside and support the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) as they lead Church Army forward. The SLT comprises the CEO and three Executive Directors with multiple demands on their time and multiple responsibilities so a PA who can help them work efficiently and effectively is really important. The PA is a trusted and valued colleague who can assist the SLT maximise the impact of their time.

To perform well in this role, you need to be someone who has excellent interpersonal skills and able to engage confidently and effectively with a range of people. The PA works closely with the SLT and will be handling confidential information, so the role requires someone who understands the importance of confidentiality, works with discretion, and always acts professionally. You will need excellent organisation skills and consider what information the SLT need to make the best use of each meeting and event. You should be able to manage busy diaries and multiple projects and tasks have a flexible approach prioritising and responding to requests as they present.

This role sits within our Co.Lab team which refers to the team of people whose roles have an operational focus on facilitating the work of CA across the UK and Ireland. The team come together at regular times over the year to develop connection, collaboration and community to help us better serve the wider Church Army community. Therefore, you will get to be part of a team that works hard and is passionate about making a difference.

At Ambitious about Autism we're currently looking for a Senior Prospect Researcher to join our team.

You will be critical in strategically driving our growth, improving practices and increasing efficiency, through guiding and supporting colleagues across the fundraising department. You will work particularly closely with the Major Donor, Trusts and Foundations and Corporate Teams to help grow pipelines and bring to the forefront the most exciting opportunities.

You'll develop processes and tools relating to prospect research, such as pipeline management and prospect propensity evaluations. You'll also lead regular pipeline review meetings to support, guide and motivate fundraisers to drive movement through pipelines.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Proven experience of identifying and qualifying potential new major donors, trusts, senior volunteers and corporates, resulting in further income for the organisation
• Proven experience in communicating effectively and presenting data, information, trends and recommendations effectively with a wide range of audiences
• Experience of forming, maintaining and growing working relationships and ability to influence and persuade
• An understanding of trends and developments across the high value fundraising sector, as well as prospect research

In return, we offer great benefits including a generous holiday allowance and commitment to continued professional development (CPD), flexible, hybrid working and more!

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who would like to work for a forward-thinking, open and honest organisation and make a real impact to the young people we work with. Please find our full recruitment pack on the link below.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to have a confidential chat, please contact James Axford, Recruitment Officer.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Job title: Head of Finance and Data
Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer
Key relationships: Trustee Treasurer and Bookkeeper
Hours of work: 22.5 per week - schedule flexible, upon discussion

Salary: £45,0000 pro-rata (subject to skills and experience)

Location: Stowmarket, Suffolk

Contract term: Permanent (with a probationary review at 3 months)

We are seeking an experienced finance professional to join a new Chief Executive Officer and an ambitious team of staff and volunteers. 

Job purpose

To lead on financial strategy and planning, budgeting, reporting, and analysis for The Mix and its trading subsidiary, 127 Trading Ltd.

To lead on data strategy and management, (financial and non-financial), across the whole organisation ensuring data quality, and promoting data-driven decision-making.

We are looking for a experienced finance professional to join a new CEO and an ambitious team of staff and volunteers and to lead and manage our finance and data activities, enabling exciting, impactful projects and supporting the community to thrive.

Background

The Mix Stowmarket Ltd. is an established youth charity working with young people across Mid Suffolk. Through mentoring, youth work, education programmes and social enterprise, we support young people young people aged 9–25 across Mid Suffolk. The Mix has a committed team, a flagship youth centre, and a trading arm, 127 Trading Ltd, which operates two cafés. We are rooted in community impact and innovation.

Our vibrant and ambitious youth charity serves. We exist to inspire, empower, and support young people to build resilience, thrive, and unlock their full potential. Working from our centre in Stowmarket and a second base in Needham Market, we deliver a diverse range of programmes including youth mentoring, alternative education, school-based support, and open-access youth sessions. Our work is shaped by strong values, a solution-focused approach, and a deep belief in the potential of every young person.

Alongside our charitable work, we operate a social enterprise trading arm, 127 Trading Ltd, which runs two cafés that provide training and employment opportunities for young people, while generating vital income for our work. With a committed team of staff and volunteers and a passion for partnership, The Mix is a trusted and innovative force for positive youth development in Suffolk.

We have recently appointed our new CEO, who takes up post in October 2025.  We now seek an experienced Head of Finance and Data to support the senior team as they lead The Mix into its next chapter, with prime responsibility to provide sound and rigorous financial and data leadership across The Mix and 127 Trading Ltd.

Overview of the role

As the organisation’s Head of Finance and Data, you will be an experienced, and trusted professional, who can bring strong financial and data disciplines to the organisation.

Working closely with our new CEO and committed trustees and staff, you will develop and implement The Mix’s financial and data strategies that are aligned to our vision to expand the reach of our crucial support of young people in Suffolk.

You will have a thorough understanding of financial accounting and planning relevant to the charity and social-enterprise sectors, with a strong attention to detail.

You will be passionate about the use of financial and non-financial data to inform business decisions and be an effective analyst and communicator of business performance.
 
You may come from the youth, charity, health, education, or social enterprise sectors — but above all we welcome candidates who can bring the vision, leadership and heart to shape the future of fundraising and marketing at The Mix.

Main Responsibilities

1. Financial leadership

· Develop and implement financial strategies, policies, and practices.

· Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.

· Lead the Finance sub-committee

· Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting and relevant analysis of performance, at a project, site, and business level.

· Manage financial risk and ensure regulatory compliance.

· Provide strategic financial advice to senior management and the board.

· Monitor financial performance and identify areas for improvement.
 

2. Data Strategy and Management
 

· Develop and implement a comprehensive data strategy.

· Ensure data quality, security, and governance.

· Drive data-driven decision-making across the organisation.

· Chair the Data, Impact and Evidence Action Group.

· Oversee data analysis, reporting, and visualization.

· Collaborate with other departments on data-related initiatives.
 

3. Stakeholder Engagement
 

· Communicate financial and data insights to senior management, the CEO, the Board, and stakeholders.

· Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

· Function as a point of contact for audit and regulatory inquiries.
 

4. Team leadership and development
 

· Lead and mentor the finance and data team.

· Foster a collaborative and high-performing work environment.

·Ensure effective communication and knowledge sharing within the team.

For further details please also refer to the job description.

The Mix Stowmarket Ltd. is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Any job offers are subject to the completion of satisfactory pre-employment checks and role-specific DBS (criminal records) checks

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all recruitment decisions are based on merit. We do not discriminate against individuals based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race (ethnicity) including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Location: Hybrid
Department: Member Services
Salary: circa.£60,000
Hours: 37.5
Contract Type: Permanent

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Association of Colleges (AoC) as an Area Director for Yorkshire and The Humber region AoC is the national voice for further education colleges in England, representing almost 95% of the sector and supporting over 2.2 million students every year. As a not-for-profit organisation established by colleges, for colleges, we are committed to transforming lives through education, skills and opportunity.

In this role, the Area Director is our senior representative and primary contact for member colleges across the Yorkshire and The Humber region. This is an influential role, working closely with college Boards, CEOs/principals and senior teams to understand and meet their needs. You will champion and represent colleges with key stakeholders, including devolved authorities, and engage members in AoC’s policy and public affairs work.

We are seeking a strong leader with excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, gained from working in a complex stakeholder environment. You will need a deep understanding of colleges and the further education policy and political environment, ideally supported by experience in the FE sector. Strong local knowledge of the region’s social and economic context will also be essential.

We are a values-led organisation with a culture of high performance and commitment. In return for your expertise, we offer a great package of rewards and a flexible working environment based on mutual trust.

If you’re a confident, strategic and collaborative professional looking to make a difference in an influential role, we’d love to hear from you!

At AoC, we value trust, flexibility and professional growth. You’ll join a high-performing, mission-led organisation that offers generous benefits, flexible working, and opportunities to develop your career while making a positive impact on the FE community.

Hours: Full Time, 37.5 Hours per week

How to Apply

If you think you have the skills, experience, and attributes to hit the ground running in this position, we would welcome your application. Click 'apply now' below.

To be considered for this role, your application must be submitted and received by 12pm on 29 September 2025.

Interviews Date: 8 October 2025

Location: Onsite, Sheffield College

AoC is committed to providing equal opportunities and embracing diversity. We encourage applications from everyone and will not discriminate against any applicants on the basis of age, disability, sex, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Thank you for your interest in this opportunity to join the AoC team.

Benefits: 30 days’ annual leave 8 bank holidays paid Christmas closure, Car Allowance, Bank Holiday Swap, Work remotely whilst abroad, Employee Assistance Programme, Enhanced family leave, Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme, Cycle to Work, Paid volunteering leave, Regular team socials, Eye-care contributions

REF-223 852

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Philanthropy Manager to work as part of our Fundraising Team.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The Fundraising team is a dynamic group of fundraisers who are passionately committed to raising money for our life-changing work in the mental health and mental illness space. We have a diverse portfolio of income streams spanning Events, Community, Individual Giving, Legacies, In-Memoriam, Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Partnerships.

As a newly established programme, Philanthropy demonstrates exciting potential for both Rethink and MHUK, with initiatives spanning major donor and mid-value engagement. Trusts & Grants have a strong track record at Rethink Mental Illness and a growing portfolio of supporters at Mental Health UK. The team is well-positioned to develop innovative funding propositions that support the future ambitions of both charities, working to achieve both in-year cornerstone grants and long-term, transformational funding. Corporate Partnerships have launched several exciting partnerships across both charities and the portfolio and team continues to grow.

How you will make a difference

Are you an excellent relationship manager looking for a new and exciting challenge? We are looking for an ambitious individual, who is passionate about making a difference to the lives of people affected by mental illness to join our small, growing Philanthropy team.

Philanthropy is developing income stream for Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK. This role will support the Interim Head Trusts and Philanthropy to lay the foundations for the future of high value giving for both charities, helping carve out relationships and ideas that form the basis of our transformational giving. It’s an exciting opportunity for an experienced relationship builder who is inspired by the prospect of building a high impact philanthropy programme.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

The Youth Endowment Fund

Assistant Director of Public Affairs and Partnerships

Reports to: Director of Change, with significant engagement with Director of Public Affairs and Comms and CEO

Salary: £75,500 per annum

Location:  Central London or Hybrid

Contract: 2-year fixed term – potential to extend. Open to 0.8 FTE for the right candidate

Closing date: Friday 26th September by 12pm

About the Youth Endowment Fund

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.

Last year, 244 people in England and Wales tragically died after being assaulted with a knife. Of these, 32 were children. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. Even when violence doesn’t strike directly, we know that the fear of violence has a terrible effect on children’s lives.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives.

We can’t do this alone, we have to build and maintain brilliant partnerships across government, with other funders and with wider society. We are looking for an exceptional individual to lead on this work. We also need to have an eye for the future. Our present endowment must be spent down by April 2029. We need someone who can lead on planning for the future.

Key responsibilities

You ensure that we:

· Are ready for the future: Born with a ten-year endowment, the YEF has become the leading authoritative voice on how to reduce violence affecting children. We must spend down this endowment by April 2029, so need to start thinking about after this date. You will lead on ensuring we have a great plan for post 2029. You will spot the best opportunities, assess them and, over time, take them. This includes both building great external relationships and also ensuring there’s a clearly articulated, inspiring narrative – filled with facts, examples and case studies - of what has been delivered to date and what needs to happen between 2029 and 2039 to double down on our mission. To do this, you will orchestrate the expertise and knowledge of colleagues across the organisation – ensuring that what you need comes together perfectly.

· Build and maintain great relationships across government: We have an increasingly large number of relationships across government – providing advice and support on what works to prevent violence. You will be ready to offer advice to colleagues on those relationships where needed. You will build new relationships and maintain them where they are needed so we are ready for the future. You will be really well organised too ensuring that internal colleagues know which relationships they own and making sure that key regular meetings are in place. We have a simple process that tracks these relationships; you will make this process work well for us – with minimum bureaucracy and maximum effectiveness. You will also provide help and advice and coaching as YEF colleagues think through how best to get system changes to happen that will ultimately reduce violence.

· Build great relationships with other organisations that will be key to the future: As the lead organisation on reducing violence affecting young people, we increasingly receive and see a host of opportunities to partner with other organisations including funders on projects, co-funding and research. You will support this work – leading on relationships that are essential in making us ready for the future. You will spot the opportunity, build relationships, bring in other YEF colleagues, pull together key information, write brilliant documents where needed, win others over. In short, you will make great things happen.

As a senior member of staff in the organisation you also:

• Lead on culture: Build and maintain a culture where it is natural to perform well and support colleagues brilliantly.
• Deliver on strategy: Contribute to setting the strategy, delivering results, and building and modelling the culture that we need to succeed.

About you

You are this sort of person:

· You make things happen. You’re organised, delivery-focused, and produce high-quality work, even under pressure. You work independently and to a high standard. You are quick at really understanding something so you can make good decisions quite fast. You put plans together and make them happen. Wherever you work, people think of you as someone who makes things happen. You do it in a generous, kind way that means people are feel delighted to see you succeeding, never trampled upon.

· You like bringing order and clarity to a big project that involves lots of people. You are at home bringing order to a big project: working out who is going to do what by when, having a regular steering group to ensure progress, keeping everyone on side and delivering a great result at the end.

· You understand how government works – as in really understand. You understand the nuance of how decisions are made within government. You understand that there is no such thing as ‘the department’s position’ (instead there are different views competing) and that while some decisions are very rational, some are more about personalities and politics. You find the process of how decisions get made within government departments, and with Number 10 and the Treasury, fascinating.

· You are fantastic at spotting how to get something done in Whitehall or Westminster. You are really good at thinking about how to make change happen. To some, Westminster and Whitehall can seem like a blob but you are brilliant at spotting how to make change happen there. You can think through the intricacies of who to get onside, who to get advice from, who to persuade and how to get the job done. You have a track record of doing this.

· You write really well. The idea of writing one or two pivotally important longer documents (30-40 pages) for the organisation that makes the case for something and pulls in content from lots of colleagues, synthesising and making it all fit together sounds interesting. You know – from experience – that you would be good at it.

· You win people over. People tend to warm to you and respect you. You easily build good relationships with both very senior and very junior people. You can be at ease talking to a senior politician or a 15 year old. It is important to you to be humble. You acknowledge how much you don't know as well as how much you do.

· You are great at building lasting partnerships with other organisations. You have experience of building partnerships or collaborations with other organisations, winning them over, doing conflict well when you need to, communicating clearly so that the work gets done and people feel as good as possible about it.

· You are a team player. You work brilliantly in a team. You are not motivated by being the individual winner. You want the team as a whole to succeed. You enjoy coaching other people so that they perform excellently in a meeting. You are not possessive of your contacts. You don’t care who gets the credit as long as things get done. You like the idea of being part of a small, well-motivated team and are ok with the downside of this – that we don’t have a lot of junior admin staff to do the jobs we like less.

· You think and communicate really well from the big picture to practical reality. You’re a strategic thinker who can see the big picture without losing sight of the detail.  You find it quite easy to summarise in a few sentences, a few pages or a few words a complex argument or case. Whether speaking or writing, you break down complicated concepts in ways that make sense to different audiences – without oversimplifying. You bring clarity where others bring jargon.

· You care about our mission. You can be easily motivated to do work to prevent violence. This is something that matters to you. You believe in getting people to do things that are most likely to save lives, rather than just things that sound good.

· You’re committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Not just in theory – but in how you work, who you listen to, and what you prioritise.

While it’s not a criterion, we are especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of violence affecting young people.

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. 

Secondments

We are open to candidates that would prefer to join us on a 2-year secondment or career break. Secondment candidate should ensure that their current organisation is in support of this in principle, all candidates will go through the full interview process. Candidates should state clearly in their covering letter if they would like to join us as secondee.

Hybrid Working Details

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage.

To Apply

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" button by Friday 26th September 2025.

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words (there is no need to be this long though) the following questions:

1. Tell us in two paragraphs about something you made happen. We are keen to find someone who is good at be a self-starter, organised and finding the way to make something happen. Tell us what you were trying to get done, how you organised the task and how you made it happen.

2. Summarise in one or two paragraphs your experience of working with or in central government. We are keen to find someone who knows how decisions are made in government and has seen them being made.

3. Tell in two paragraphs about someone or an organisation you won over or built a good relationship with.Tell us how you went about it. We are keen to find someone who quite easily builds good relationships with other organisations.

Interview Process

This will be a two-stage interview process. The first stage interviews will take place in the week commencing 13th October 2025. Second stage interviews are currently scheduled for the week commencing 20th October 2025

PLEASE NOTE: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Benefits Include

· £1,000 professional development budget annually

· 28 days holiday – 3 of which are taken between Christmas and New Years - plus Bank Holidays

· Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support

· Volunteering days - 4 half days per year

· Death in service - 4 times annual salary

· Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

· Financial support including travel and hardship loans

· Employer contributed pension of 5%.

Personal Data 

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.   

We are looking for an autonomous, inspiring, confident and organised leader. A transformer, capable of leading change and of developing services systematically and robustly. Someone who is inspired by the work we are doing now, and the opportunity to continue to lead growth and development. 

Joining at an exciting time as we prepare a three-year strategy, you will have experience of charity sector, be able to evidence service leadership, change management, service design / transformation. You will have a strong understanding of governance, quality and safety in service design, as well as lived experience impact.

You will have had experience of working in or alongside the NHS. You will be an empowering leader, supportive and coaching in style, bringing people with you through development and change work.

You will be collaborative in your approach and credible in your leadership. You will have worked with other senior leaders and be comfortable presenting to boards and to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. 

Please refer to the attached recruitment pack for the full Job Specification.

Please upload your CV and supporting cover letter, outlining why you’re interested in the role. Please take your time to explain how your experience is relevant to this post and how you meet the criteria.

Closing date: Midnight Sunday 21st September 2025 

First stage virtual interviews: Monday 29th September 2025 

Second stage in-person interviews: Wednesday 15th October 2025 

Location: Hybrid
Department: Member Services
Salary: circa.£36,000 (FTE £60,000)
Hours: 22.5
Job Type: Part time
Contract Type: Permanent

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Association of Colleges (AoC) as an Area Director for the North East region. AoC is the national voice for further education colleges in England, representing almost 95% of the sector and supporting over 2.2 million students every year. As a not-for-profit organisation established by colleges, for colleges, we are committed to transforming lives through education, skills and opportunity.

In this role, the Area Director is our senior representative and primary contact for member colleges across the North East region. This is an influential role, working closely with college Boards, CEOs/principals and senior teams to understand and meet their needs. You will champion and represent colleges with key stakeholders, including devolved authorities, and engage members in AoC’s policy and public affairs work.

We are seeking a strong leader with excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, gained from working in a complex stakeholder environment. You will need a deep understanding of colleges and the further education policy and political environment, ideally supported by experience in the FE sector. Strong local knowledge of the region’s social and economic context will also be essential.

We are a values-led organisation with a culture of high performance and commitment. In return for your expertise, we offer a great package of rewards and a flexible working environment based on mutual trust.

If you’re a confident, strategic and collaborative professional looking to make a difference in an influential role, we’d love to hear from you!

At AoC, we value trust, flexibility and professional growth. You’ll join a high-performing, mission-led organisation that offers generous benefits, flexible working, and opportunities to develop your career while making a positive impact on the FE community.

Hours:Part Time, 22.5 Hours per week (3 days)

How to Apply

If you think you have the skills, experience, and attributes to hit the ground running in this position, we would welcome your application. Click 'apply now' below.

To be considered for this role, your application must be submitted and received by 12pm on 29 September 2025.

Interviews Date: 10 October 2025

Location: Onsite, New College Durham

AoC is committed to providing equal opportunities and embracing diversity. We encourage applications from everyone and will not discriminate against any applicants on the basis of age, disability, sex, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Thank you for your interest in this opportunity to join the AoC team.

Benefits: 30 days’ annual leave 8 bank holidays paid Christmas closure, Car Allowance, Bank Holiday Swap, Work remotely whilst abroad, Employee Assistance Programme, Enhanced family leave, Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme, Cycle to Work, Paid volunteering leave, Regular team socials, Eye-care contributions

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