Head of advice services jobs

The Vacancy

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is a faith-based humanitarian relief and development organisation working to save and transform the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.  Established in 1984, with an active presence in over 45 countries, we strive to make the world a better and fairer place for those affected by poverty, conflict and natural disasters. 

IRW’s Office of the General Counsel Division is recruiting for the position of ‘Policy Coordinator’ to join its dynamic team. The organisation is currently operating a hybrid working model.

Job purpose:

With increasing accountability to our regulators, partners, institutional and community donors, it is essential that we have robust and effective policies and processes in place that are regularly reviewed and demonstrate the learning and growth of the organisation and holding ourselves to account both internally and externally. Our policies and internal protocols must reflect good practice within the INGO sector, adapt to advances in technology and frequent changes to legislation and regulatory requirements. Our commitment to developing our internal policies, protocols and processes illustrates how our organisation proactively manages and oversees the potential risks and requirements we must address on a daily basis in a structured way.  Our aim is to foster an environment of consistency in our working practices that increases confidence in the way we manage our operations and workforce.

This post will provide leadership for the highest possible quality and consistency of Operational Policy and Guideline Documents meeting rigorous international sector-relevant and ethical standards to help achieve our vision, mission, global strategy and year-to-year objectives.

The role will support the Policy and Compliance Manager by co-ordinating and leading in the development and improvement of our current internal processes to ensure the timely review, development and approval of our policy documents and providing appropriate technical and operational support to internal stakeholders and wider IR family.

The role will provide technical and administrative support to the Policy Review Committee and help maintain internal record keeping and associated resources.

The successful candidate must have:

• A degree or equivalent in English or relevant area
• Experience of writing and communicating effectively to internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of producing written materials for internal and external audience
• Experience and working knowledge within a humanitarian/INGO setting
• Experience in report writing and presentation of data/information
• Experience of working with senior managers and executive to agree effective outcomes
• Research skills
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of policy compliance and implementation
• Ability to work autonomously and use initiative
• Experience of identifying and mitigating risks to the organisation  
• Excellent MS Office skills
• Ability to convey complex and technical information persuasively and with clarity to a diverse audience
• Ability to contribute to the review of policies and processes
• Process mapping
• Strong communication and representation skills
• Ability to manage workload independently and efficiently
• Good eye for detail - proof reading and editing documents
• Excellent organisational and record keeping skills
• Ability to synthesise data and information effectively
• Report writing skills in English
• Strong inter-personal skills
• Ability to establish and maintain strong working relationships
• Excellent analytical skills
• Good oral presentation skills
• Working calmly under pressure and meeting strict deadlines
• Ability to work independently and excellent time management skills
• Innovative thinker, able to develop and translate strategy into tactical action plans and deliverables

For more information, please click on the Documents tab above to view the full Job Description.

If you are talented, reliable, service-minded, resilient and a highly motivated professional looking for a meaningful career, with a strong commitment to IRW’s mission and values of sincerity, excellence, compassion, social justice and custodianship, please apply by completing our online application form.

For more information on the excellent company benefits we offer our employees, please visit our website.

PLEASE NOTE: Interviews are expected to take place on 16th June 2025.

Pre-employment Checks:

Any employment with Islamic Relief will be subject to the following checks:

• Screening clearance
• Proof of eligibility to live and work within the UK
• Receipt of satisfactory references

Please note, for UK-based roles, we are only able to accept applications from candidates who are eligible to work in the UK. We are unable to progress applications which would require sponsorship.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

IRW is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom IRW engages. IRW expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. IRW also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Islamic Relief is an equal opportunities employer

We at the Foundation support the growth and sustainability of the Award around the world through expanding access, extending reach and strengthening impact, and in doing so, ensuring predictable and sustainable income.

The Philanthropy team has huge growth targets over the next 3 years in order to support the ambitious growth of the organisation. We aim to double our network of generous donors, deepen engagement with those who are long standing supporters and broaden our global network of advocates.

The purpose of this role is primarily to support the Philanthropy team with recruitment and stewardship of World Fellows; the delivery of appropriate communications material and donor relationship management. You will manage your portfolio of donors and working with existing supporters, your goal will be to deepen their connection to our cause and inspire transformational gifts that support our work.

This is a truly collaborative role which involves work closely with colleagues across the Foundation, as well as some of our key supporters, to nurture meaningful and beneficial connections.

Key Responsibilities:

• Day to day management and support of the Foundation’s World Fellowship programme and network; research, manage and develop donor relationships with a portfolio of donors.
• Plan and maintain regular contact with donors, through the use of events and relevant communications materials and publications.
• Working with the with the events team for the creation of invitation lists and event follow up.
• Independently account manage a group of donors, creating reports and other stewardship materials, and undertake day to day general relationship management.
• Undertake prospect research and the planning of relevant approaches to individuals; network mapping current donors and seeking introductions from current network where possible.
• Lead on the preparation of publications and relevant materials for all donors and supporters.
• Keep comprehensive records on our CRM, Salesforce.
• Ensure payments are requested and receipted in a timely fashion.
• Undertake any other duties as required to support the successful delivery of Fundraising Department objectives.

BACKGROUND

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve.

IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in the UK a programme that is rapidly growing.

In Europe, the IRC currently operates in the UK, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Poland, Serbia and Ukraine.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The P&C Director manages the HR teams across the IRC UK, Switzerland, Belgium and Sweden, and is accountable for effective HR service delivery, HR compliance and continuous improvement within the scope of the People & Culture department to cultivate the desired culture, talent practices, and investments to deliver on our people strategy. This position plays pivotal role in fostering a positive, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture that aligns with IRC’s values through exceptional communication skills. They are deeply committed to achieving operational excellence and modelling the values of an engaging and respectful workplace where everyone can be at their best.

Reporting into the Regional Director, P&C Europe and collaborating closely with colleagues across Global People & Culture, the role provides insights supporting the implementation of People & Culture priorities across the 300+ IRC colleagues in the UK, Switzerland, Belgium and Sweden as determined by the respective country Executive Directors and the Regional Director P&C Europe.

As a member of the UK Senior Management Team (SMT) the role also supports the delivery of these priorities, and serves as an advisor and coach with a keen focus on building leadership competencies and organizational effectiveness.  The role is also part of the global P&C community to participate and stay informed of global change initiatives and to shape or adapt them to IRC UK’s culture and regulatory environment.

This role supports the UK Executive Director in managing the relationship with the UK Trade Union, Unite, including quarterly meetings with Union Representatives and ensuring smooth consultation and negotiation on matters where relevant including the annual salary review, restructures and complex employee relations matters. The post holder has an excellent understanding of Union relations and rights, working collaborative to ensure compliance and the bets outcomes for IRC UK and employees within the bounds of what is possible in the organisation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. P&C Strategic Leadership and Management (~25%)

· Serve as a strategic advisor to the local HR Managers, Executive Directors, and UK Senior Management Team (SMT) on succession planning, providing key insights to facilitate future leadership transitions.

· Act as a thought partner to the SMT, offering strategic guidance on People & Culture (P&C), and organizational culture/values to align with the mission and goals.

· Supervise and be a supportive leader to approximately 5-7 P&C staff within the UK, Belgium, Swizterland, and Sweden HR Team, ensuring the leadership and management of direct reports are handled with excellence.  Accountable for the overall quality and effectiveness of the P&C team, actively monitoring progress against established goals.

· Take the lead on conducting talent dialogues, recommending development opportunities, and coaching on conducting high-quality conversations during performance reviews.

· Serve as an advocate for Employee Wellbeing, Employee Engagement, and Safeguarding priorities and role model safe, inclusive, and caring leadership standards.

· Provide constructive feedback and guidance on career paths and professional development for the P&C team and IRC staff; establish a culture of continuous learning opportunities.

· Partner with peers to facilitate the workforce planning, including, managing workforce adjustments, such as staff reductions, or scale up, including organizational design work, in partnership with senior management teams, the Regional Director, People & Culture Europe and Global People & Culture Partners, ensuring these actions comply with local legal requirements and IRC's country and Global policies while minimizing risks and supporting affected staff.

· Support management through coaching, development, tools and guidance to build a team of skilled, committed, and motivated staff, ready to advance in their career.

· Manage the UK HR budget with support from colleagues in FP&A for planning, budgeting and reforecasting of expenditure.

· Prepare reporting to the UK Board of Trustees, including presentation to the full Board and People and Culture Committee.

2. Manage HR Service Delivery and Core Operations (~40%)

· Oversee the creation and tracking of P&C objectives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals including but not limited to providing support and contributions to the design and implementation of global shared solutions models that deliver meaningful outcomes and service improvements.

· Actively engage in proposal design and grant review meetings, providing expert advice on organizational structure, position scoping, demographic and staffing analysis to build a robust P&C foundation that supports high program quality.

· Drive informed decision making by using data to support people and culture functions, ensuring all data reporting requirements, including to the UK Board and reporting as required for UK programmes donors are delivered accurately and in a timely manner.

· Oversee end-to-end P&C activities across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding and exits, payroll, benefits, contract management, performance management, workforce reporting, and year-round staff communications to ensure high-quality outcomes aligned with organizational standards and strategic objectives.

· Ensure the development and implementation of high-quality, context-specific improvement plans and practices in areas such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee relations, onboarding, offboarding, contract management, learning and development, performance management, leave management, code of conduct compliance, legal compliance, HR Information Systems, coordination of policy development and implementation, etc.

· Advise supervisors on appropriate disciplinary actions, serve as an impartial mediator in disciplinary proceedings, and oversee follow-up measures to ensure fairness, compliance with employment laws, and adherence to labor regulations.

3. Workplace Culture (~15%)

· Promote initiatives that enhance the employee experience, team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion fostering an environment conducive to continuous learning and honest dialogue.

· Foster a healthy organizational culture. Oversee the integration of IRC’s Values, People Manager Standards, and Employee Success Factors throughout the employee lifecycle.

· Safeguarding:  promote best practice through the integration of safeguarding considerations in hiring, recruitment and onboarding practices, ensuring that all IRC employees receive orientation to IRC's Safeguarding Policy and expectations.

· Ensure that the IRC Way and information on reporting channels are sign-posted in all IRC office locations.

· Partner with IRC’s global Ethics, Compliance and Global Employee Relations investigations to promote safe, healthy and respectful workplaces.

· With the support of the  Duty of Care colleagues and Regional Director People & Culture Europe, provide guidance and support for all staff-related duty of care initiatives, and critical incident response is delivered according to organizational standards.

· Ensure strong connectivity and communication among P&C staff to foster a cohesive team environment.

· Actively participate in and support staff meetings to foster a collaborative work environment.

4. Collaborate with the Union (~15%)

· Working with the UK Executive Director, maintain a positive working relationship with the UK Trade Union representatives, Unite.

· Negotiate and consult with the Trade Union, facilitating the quarterly Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) meetings and ensuring a good relationship is maintained and progress is made with key priorities including introduction of new policies, policy updates and salary review negotiations.

· Develop and manage union engagement and communication plans aimed at maintaining a healthy and empowering office environment that promotes open, honest, and productive communication.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Indirect reporting to Europe Regional P&C Director
• Partners with UK Executive Director and the UK SMT
• Manages the UK HR Operations Manager, UK HR staff, and the heads of HR in Switzerland, Belgium and Sweden
• Collaborates with Trade Union Representatives
• Oversees contracts with Employees and External consultants and vendors
• Collaborates with Global P&C team members at all levels
• Collaborates with senior managers across the organisation

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

· CIPD qualified with experience of complex HR processes in the UK including restructures, TUPE and employee relations.**

· Significant experience in an HR leadership role, with broad knowledge and experience across the spectrum of People & Culture responsibilities.**

· Strong teamwork approach with quality interpersonal and analytical skills who can work seamlessly in a global matrix organization.

· Experience working in a complex international matrix organsiation a plus.

· Strong knowledge of UK employment law, with experience of advising and influencing senior leaders.**

· Experience of working with Trade Unions on a range of matters.**

· People management experience.**

· High level of confidentiality and tact.

· High level of service orientation and excellent intercultural communication skills.

· Ability to work under pressure, manage and prioritize competing priorities from different stakeholders.

· Ability to drive manage projects with a high degree of subject matter complexity and a high number of stakeholders independently

· Willingness to take on a high level of responsibility and independence in day-to-day work.

Data and Digital Systems Manager

Impetus

£48,412 per annum plus benefits

Permanent

Full time (37.5 hours per week), part time considered

Flexible hours

Hybrid - 2 days/week in the Charing Cross office, Central London

Impetus is somewhere you can feel included and have the chance to thrive! The collaborative and supportive team is searching for a new Data and Digital Systems Manager to work across all teams and be responsible for how all data is monitored and used throughout the organisation.

Please feel free to be yourself and get in touch, even if you're not sure at first. We welcome interest from anyone with the relevant skills and the diverse team at Impetus will ensure you are set up for success from day 1! Reasonable adjustments to help you work are welcome!

Values are important to the team and you will form a very important connection between the various functions. You will need to enjoy sharing and helping others understand data and technology. You'll need to adhere to the following values.

Evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to

better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

High trust, high challenge

We invest the time, kindness, integrity and honesty needed to build and sustain long term

relationships. We focus on developing high trust, to allow for high challenge,

helping our colleagues, partners and supporters to be our very best selves in pursuit of

our mission.

Diversity enables us to thrive

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect

of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and

challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

Brave and open

We are brave and open; exploring new solutions to long-term problems, asking difficult

questions well; learning from mistakes and challenging the status quo when needed.

Collaboration always

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnership with others to

achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

We are looking for someone who has;

• Advanced knowledge of, and significant experience with, Salesforce development in a professional context

• Experience around ensuring compliance with GDPR and cybersecurity frameworks

• PowerBI or similar visualisation tools

• Significant experience of collaborating closely with varied non-technical stakeholders to determine requirements, evaluate solutions, and plan development

• Excellent team player, willing to work flexibly and collaboratively to respond to changing organisational needs/priorities

• Excellent written and oral communications skills with the ability to communicate effectively in a range of formats to a range of audiences, including training non technical colleagues

• Strong project management skills

• Ability to work independently and use initiative to manage a busy and varied workload

• A commitment to Impetus’ mission

• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

As the role develops, you may be required to use some of the below so any experience would be useful;

» Google Analytics

» Snowflake (or similar data warehouses)

» Fivetran (or similar ETL tools)

» Xero (or similar Finance tools)

» Canto (or similar Digital Asset Management systems)

» T-SQL.

» Experience with cross-system automation tools e.g. Zapier, Power Automate.

If you are interested in being part of the Impetus team, please get in touch with Lucy at Bamboo Fundraising Recruitment for an inital chat.