Head of food policy jobs in reading, berkshire
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Do you want to work with a vibrant, dynamic and youth driven organisation that is committed to creating healthy futures for British children by improving the food system?
Be part of the creative, agile and growing team behind Bite Back 2030’s exceptional teenage activists. Join us as our Senior Programmes & Policy Manager, Scotland and contribute to our journey to help make the food system healthier and fairer.
About the Role
This exciting and varied role will kick-start Bite Back's work in Scotland. Please note this is a remote role but the postholder must be based in Scotland. Suiting a self-starter, this new role will lead our schools and local authority programme work in Scotland, whilst also seeking opportunities for young people to influence national food system policy in Scotland.
Responsibilities
The Senior Programmes & Policy Manager is responsible for:
Programme Development and Delivery
● Launching our two popular, fully funded, social action programmes in Scotland: Bite Back in Schools and Shape Your Streets; working with and visiting schools and local authorities across Scotland
● Supporting school pupils and communities to drive improvements to their local food environments and school food environments
● Helping facilitate youth-led events, workshops, and campaigns focused on food system change
● Working with our Scottish partners and building strong working relationships with participating schools, local authorities and other stakeholders
● Supporting with the monitoring, reporting and evaluation of these two programmes Youth Engagement and Voice
● Seeking out meaningful opportunities for young people to engage with and influence decision-makers in Scotland
● Ensuring youth voice is embedded across all programmes and policy work
Policy and Advocacy
● Actively seeking out opportunities to champion Scottish policy developments in health, education, and food systems
● Working closely with other organisations via established coalitions and more informal coordination around key issues, working collaboratively with values-aligned organisations to achieve our goals
● Developing briefings, consultation responses, and policy proposals, ensuring they are evidence-based and amplify youth perspectives
● Translating young people’s insights into campaign messaging for policymakers and distil policy detail into key points for young people to engage with and campaign on
● Working with the Senior Public Affairs Manager to conduct stakeholder mapping and build a network of supportive Scottish MPs and MSPs
● Ensuring the Bite Back staff team is kept up to date on the Scottish policy and public affairs context
Skills and Experience
We recognise that the list below is broad and we realise that the “ideal candidate” doesn’t really exist. What we will be looking for as we evaluate applications is demonstrable experience in at least some of these, and evidence of capacity to build skills in other areas. Please don’t be put off applying for one of our jobs because you can’t demonstrate every skill.
If you're passionate and excited about working for us, and possess the main skills and experience we are looking for, go ahead and apply. You could be just what we are looking for!
The ideal candidate would have the following:
Essential
● Proven experience in policy development or influencing, ideally within the Scottish context
● Track record of delivering youth voice, community or school-based programmes
● Experience working with schools or local authority settings in Scotland
● Facilitation and youth engagement skills, with experience in co-creating with young people
● Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to engage policymakers and partners with confidence
● Deep motivation to create a fairer food system and improve outcomes for children and young people
● Knowledge of Scotland’s political and public sector landscape, ideally in health or education
● A self-starter with the ability to work independently and drive new initiatives from the ground up
● A commitment to Bite Back’s values: Fresh, Resilient, Respectful, Energetic, Real
Desirable
● Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting in programme or policy contexts
Approach to Work
You will be able to show the following qualities:
● A bold and open mind - you will be prepared to think differently about issues.
● A level head - you will be comfortable working both reactively and proactively.
● A sense of humour - we believe work should be fun and that we all perform at our very best when we enjoy what we do.
● Creativity - you will come at issues from new and surprising angles
Please apply with a CV and covering statement (maximum two sides of A4) explaining why you are a good candidate for this position. The covering statement is your opportunity to tell us why you’re a good fit for this role. We know it’s a big job so we don’t expect you to have everything we are asking for on day one and we are committed to providing support and training. Do look at each point under Skills and Experience and Approach to Work to give clear, specific examples of how you meet them through your personal or professional experience (volunteering counts too!) Don’t forget to tell us why you want the job!
Registered Charity
21 - 50
OUR MISSION IS TO CHANGE THE WAY UNHEALTHY FOOD IS MADE, MARKETED AND SOLD, ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Head of Institutional Relations and Governance
About Charity Right
At Charity Right, we are a focused and passionate international food charity on a mission to free people from the devastating effects of hunger. Since our founding, we have provided over 40 million meals across 7 countries, serving those who need it most with dignity and care.
Our Mission
We believe that no child should go to school hungry. Our single-cause focus allows us to be exceptionally effective at what we do best: providing nutritious school meals that keep children in classrooms and give them the opportunity to break free from poverty through education.
About the Role
This is a newly created leadership role responsible for developing and embedding the governance infrastructure and strategic partnerships that will position Charity Right as a credible and competitive organisation for institutional funding. The Head of Governance and Institutional Relations will be responsible for cultivating relationships with institutional funders, multilateral agencies, and foundations, while also leading internal governance and capacity-building efforts to ensure Charity Right is fully prepared to secure and deliver such partnerships.
The role will build and oversee the development of international branch offices where appropriate, ensuring alignment with partner eligibility requirements and regulatory frameworks. This role is cross-functional and high-impact, sitting at the intersection of compliance, strategy, fundraising, and programme delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Institutional Fundraising & Relationship Management
- Identify and engage potential institutional funders and foundations both in the UK and internationally.
- Lead the full lifecycle of institutional donor relationships—from prospecting and due diligence through to application, stewardship, and renewal.
- Build a comprehensive pipeline of funding opportunities aligned with Charity Right’s mission and delivery capacity.
- Work closely with Programmes, Finance, and Fundraising teams to coordinate compelling funding proposals and aligned delivery models.
Organisational Governance & Capacity Building
- Lead the development and continuous improvement of Charity Right’s governance framework to meet international standards for institutional funders.
- Identify and implement structural, policy, and procedural enhancements that elevate Charity Right’s readiness to enter and sustain institutional partnerships.
- Conduct periodic organisational assessments and produce recommendations to close capacity gaps identified by funders or prospective partners.
International Presence & Localisation Strategy
- Design and oversee the establishment of Charity Right branch offices in key geographies.
- Ensure all international branches are compliant with local laws, reporting requirements, and brand/mission alignment.
- Collaborate with legal and operational advisors to manage entity registration, governance structures, and oversight models in each country.
Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
- Develop and implement a formal institutional partnering strategy.
- Identify and vet strategic implementation partners that complement Charity Right’s delivery capabilities.
- Negotiate, draft, and manage partnership agreements ensuring alignment with Charity Right’s values and strategic objectives.
Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation
- Develop and implement a framework to monitor the performance and outcomes of institutional partnerships and funded projects.
- Ensure robust reporting mechanisms, including narrative and financial reporting, are in place.
- Regularly brief the CEO and Board on the status of funder relationships, branch development, and institutional readiness.
Essential Skills and Experience
- Significant senior-level experience in institutional fundraising, partnership management, or international development.
- Strong understanding of governance frameworks, compliance standards, and operational due diligence requirements for international NGOs.
- Demonstrated success in securing and managing funding from institutional donors.
- Experience in establishing and managing international offices, branches, or subsidiaries.
- Proven leadership skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across departments.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strategic thinker with strong project management and execution capability.
- Values-driven, with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusion.
- Familiarity with safeguarding frameworks, donor audits, and risk registers.
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Experience working in humanitarian or faith-inspired development contexts.
- Legal, compliance, or public policy background.
- Existing network within institutional funding or global development sectors.
Success Indicators
- Institutional Fundraising & Relationship Development
- Number of institutional funder relationships established (UK and international)
- Number of funding applications submitted per quarter
- Total value (£) of secured institutional or foundation grants annually
- Application success rate (%) across funding proposals submitted
- Donor retention and re-engagement rate (%)
Governance & Organisational Capacity
- Completion and implementation of key governance policies
- Improvement in organisational assessments conducted by external funders or partners
- Internal audit readiness and compliance rate
- Number of governance or compliance gaps resolved each quarter
- Staff training or briefings delivered on governance-related improvements
International Branch Development
- Number of international entities registered or formalised in target geographies
- Time taken from initiation to legal establishment of each branch
- Compliance rate with local registration, reporting, and governance requirements
- Annual cost-to-benefit ratio of each registered branch (qualitative + financial assessment)
Strategic Partnerships
- Number of partnership MOUs or contracts formalised
- Partner performance satisfaction score
- Number of co-designed or co-delivered proposals with partners submitted per year
- Strategic alignment index – measured via internal SLT reviews
Reporting & Monitoring
- Reporting compliance rate (%) with donor reporting deadlines and formats
- Timeliness and quality score of narrative and financial reports submitted
- Quarterly internal partnership performance reports delivered to SLT/CEO
- Monitoring framework adoption rate across new institutional projects
Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Location: Remote Working
Salary: £48,000 – 54,000 per annum, depending on experience
Reports to: CEO
Registered Charity
11 - 20
We are on a mission to end child hunger - one school meal at a time. Hunger doesn’t just mean an empty stomach. It keeps children out of school.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.