Head of research jobs

This is a National Role, Home Based/Hybrid. Travel will be required across England. 

Full time, permanent (part time/condensed hours would be considered). 

This newly created role will lead on exploring new markets, creating strategic connections and identifying opportunities – working to increase the reach of Phoenix Futures. You will champion innovation and demonstrate the measurable impact of our services on people’s lives.

Phoenix Futures and The Role

The Phoenix Futures Group has more than 50 years’ experience delivering pioneering psychosocial treatment services. We believe in being the best, which means constantly learning, innovating, and collaborating with partners who share our vision.

As Head of Strategy and Partnerships, you will be a visible leader across health and social care settings, building influential networks and unlocking new opportunities. This senior leadership role will work cross-functionally to expand our reach across the UK, ensuring our services reach more people who need them.

You will design and deliver strategic growth plans, working closely with operational experts to identify emerging needs, secure new funding streams, and adapt our solutions to new contexts. Your success will be measured by increased reach, new partnerships, and sustainable growth.

About You

Reporting directly to the Director of Strategic Initiatives, you will:

• Be a growth-focused leader with a proven track record of opening new markets and driving expansion.
• Have experience in strategic implementation and scaling services across the UK.
• Demonstrate extensive experience in building networks and creating collaborative partnerships within health and social care.
• Understand psychosocial treatment models and how they can be adapted to diverse needs and settings.
• Be skilled at interpreting research and data to communicate impact and value in compelling ways.

A detailed job description (role profile) and person specification can be found attached.

Benefits

• A salary of £56,500 + 8.5% PRP
• Committed to providing a Real Living Wage for you, through accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation 
• 25 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays (increasing each year to a maximum of 30 days) 
• Benefits including season ticket loan, pension scheme and life assurance 
• Support through occupational sick pay, eye-care vouchers and regular wellbeing talks and activities 
• Continuous training and career development via PXL our dedicated learning management system  
• Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance programme including telephone and online access 
• A rewarding role with the opportunity to help us support people on their journey to recovery and change their lives for the better. 
• We’ll ensure you get all the support you need to thrive and succeed in your role and find your place amongst our incredible and collaborative team. 

We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and believe it is important to include people with lived experience to ensure the needs of the people we support are represented. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is free to be themselves and we ensure equity of opportunity. 

Research Programmes Manager – FTC

We have established a number of high-profile strategic initiatives to help us advance our work towards a cure, such as the Drug Discovery Alliance and Brains for Dementia Research. We now have an exciting opportunity for a Research Programme Manager to support the first year of our newest initiative, the Dementia Frontiers Fund. Launched in partnership with Gates Ventures, this bold, ambitious global initiative is empowering researchers to tackle the most urgent and complex questions in dementia. Where required, the successful candidate will also support the ongoing delivery of our other major initiatives, working collaboratively across the organisation to maximise their impact both internally and externally.

This role sits within the Strategic Programmes team in the Research Directorate, an ambitious, supportive and friendly team that funds the best research to transform the lives of people affected by all forms of dementia. We’re looking for someone with strong programme management experience, a good eye for detail and who is excited by the opportunities in the dementia research landscape.

This is a 12- month Fixed Term Contract.

Key Responsibilities:

Support the delivery of the Dementia Frontiers Fund in close collaboration with another Research Programme Manager: 

· Oversee the establishment of project teams, tracking progress against milestones and KPIs, managing risks and keeping partners updated

· Ensure finances are effectively managed, working with the Research Funding and Finance teams

· Build and maintain strong relationships with partners and stakeholders involved with the initiatives to maximise their success

· Implement robust and proportionate review processes

· Lead the preparation of papers and briefings for meetings

Collaborate across teams to deliver and enhance strategic initiatives:

· Provide programme management support to the wider Strategic Programmes team on other strategic initiatives as required

· Work closely with the Research Funding team to ensure review processes are proportionate and aligned with funding mechanisms

· Support the implementation of strategic initiatives within the new Grant Management System, including the setup of grants and associated review processes

· Work closely with the Research Involvement Manager to embed lived experience into programme delivery and review

Strengthen relationships within the dementia research community

· Work with the Senior Research Manager and Partnerships Manager to identify and support strategic partnerships that complement programme goals, including providing programme information, sharing progress updates, and contributing to setup and ongoing engagement

· Attend meetings and events to build relationships and promote our strategic programmes

· Support the Research Leadership team to enhance ARUK’s external profile through active participation in meetings and collaborations with key stakeholders

What we are looking for:

· First degree (or equivalent) in relevant biomedical science.

· Proven experience managing large programmes of work, preferably in the healthcare, research or charity sector.

· Strong project management skills, with experience managing multiple priorities, overseeing budgets and identifying risks.

· Ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholder groups and third-party suppliers and build strong, effective and productive relationships.

· Experience defining programme requirements and using data and metrics to determine improvements.

· Commitment to ARUK’s vision, mission and values.

· Good analytical skills demonstrated by a structured and methodical approach.

· Excellent eye for detail with a focus on continuous improvement.

· Strong communication skills both oral and written with the ability to convey complex information to diverse audiences.

· Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task, prioritise competing demands.

· Demonstrated stakeholder management (internal & external), and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to manage a varied workload and prioritise tasks, work under pressure and meet deadlines.

· Ability to use own initiative, with a proactive and problem-solving attitude.

· Willingness to travel, including occasional overnight travel.

Additional Information:

Ways of working:

Agile - As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £44,000 per annum, plus benefits

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 7th December 2025, with interviews being arranged once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

Are you ready to lead transformational growth in public fundraising?

We’re seeking an inspiring and strategic leader to join our senior team as Head of Public Fundraising. This is a pivotal role, reporting to the Director of Income Generation & Engagement, where you’ll shape the future of our fundraising programmes and deliver ambitious income targets through a high-performing team.

You’ll oversee a diverse portfolio—Community Fundraising, Events, Legacies, Individual Giving, Trading—and lead our Supporter Care team. With 27 talented colleagues (including four direct reports), you’ll drive innovation, champion collaboration, and ensure an exceptional supporter experience.

Why join us?

• Be part of a senior leadership team shaping organisational strategy and culture.
• Lead a dynamic team through an exciting period of growth and change.
• Drive investment and innovation across multiple fundraising streams to maximise impact.

About You 

· Proven senior leadership: Extensive experience operating at Head of Department level, successfully leading high-performing public fundraising teams to deliver income exceeding £7 million, while driving organisational growth and innovation.

· Strategic income generation expertise: Demonstrated ability to design and implement sustainable growth strategies across Individual Giving, Legacy, and Events, incorporating innovative approaches to maximise supporter engagement and lifetime value.

· Supporter-centric approach: Skilled in developing strategies that elevate engagement and deliver exceptional supporter experiences, leveraging audience insight and relationship management to increase acquisition, conversion, and retention.

· Financial and operational expertise: Strong track record in setting budgets, forecasting income, and producing performance reports for senior leadership and trustees, ensuring data-driven decision-making and accountability.

If this sounds like you – we’d love to hear from you!

About working for us

This is a fast-paced organisation that is committed to making a difference.

Being a part of our team is being part of a thriving, positive, dynamic, successful, and welcoming community that is making an impact. We will support you and develop you should you wish this, and you get the opportunity to be involved in activities outside the scope of your immediate role. We care about your health and well-being and your work-life balance, and you will feel that your contribution is valued and matters.

About us 

We are Pancreatic Cancer UK. We go above and beyond for everyone affected by this disease.

Right now, half of people with pancreatic cancer die within three months of diagnosis. Families are left with only hope to hold onto. They need more. So we do more.

We bring more break throughs through research, more change through campaigning and more support through our expert nurses.

We make more noise because people have gone unheard. We are relentless because the disease is ruthless. We care more because people feel forgotten.

Because people with pancreatic cancer need more than hope.

Underpinning this vision are our three values:

· Courage

· Compassion

· Community

We cannot achieve our vision without employing people who are committed to our vision, strategy, and values.

At Pancreatic Cancer UK (PCUK) our ambition is to create an inclusive working environment that reflects the communities and audiences that we engage with and where everyone can be their true selves, where they feel respected, championed, heard, and supported.  We want our workforce to achieve their potential, understand their contribution and feel proud of their impact by creating a culture and organisation that is genuinely inclusive by advancing equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging through our policies and practices.

We believe diversity drives great outcomes by encouraging the different points of view that come from a diverse workforce. We want to hear from and engage with people whose experience of dealing with this disease may be very different depending on their individual circumstances and background. We can think of no better way to do this than by making sure this role fully represents our intent; therefore, we are especially keen to consider applications from suitable applicants who consider themselves to be in areas that appear underrepresented within the charity sector.

Safeguarding

PCUK is committed to safe and fair recruitment processes that safeguard and protect those we work with, support and serve. We make sure all our staff are selected, vetted (DBS/Criminal record checks where appropriate), trained, and supervised fairly and to a high standard so that they can provide safe, effective and compassionate care. Where we work with volunteers, we extend the same support in order to ensure that they are working within our ethos and standards.

Hybrid-working:

Our London office is a place to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. We are currently working hybrid with a minimum of 2-3 days in the office. This is an office-based role where you may be required to be in the office more frequently to attend activities and meetings depending on the needs of the role. 

How to apply 

• You can download the Job Description and Person Specification on our website for full details of the role. If you have any questions about this role that we’ve not answered, please get in touch with Julie Roberts (contact details are on our website).
• To apply, please complete the online application form, setting out why you are interested in the role and how you meet the person specification criteria. This information will be used to select candidates for interviews. 
• You will need to have the right to work in the UK as we are not able to provide sponsorship for this role.
• The interviews will be held in our London office, Queen Elizabeth House, 4 St Dunstan’s Hill, London EC3R 8AD.
• The first-round interviews will be on the 9th and 10th December 2025
• The second-round interviews will be on the 16th and 17th December 2025.

No agencies/sales call please – as a charity we work hard to keep our costs down and therefore will not be engaging agencies to support this recruitment. 

The Mental Health Foundation is recruiting for a Head of Research to lead our UK Research team.

Deadline: 5pm on Sunday 30th November
Location: Glasgow OR London
Salary: Starting at £52,166 rising to £60,861, plus London weighting of £4,000 where applicable
Hours: Full-time (32 hours per week)
Contract type: Permanent

This is an exciting new role with the UK’s leading public mental health charity. The Head of Research role is a fantastic opportunity to lead our UK research team to achieve social change. We are looking for research and management expertise, strategic thinking, operational delivery, and the ability to collaborate and communicate with a range of stakeholders including media, academics, policymakers and communities. You will be part of an outstanding leadership team committed to delivering change across the UK. The role will deliver our UK-wide research, reporting to the Director of Research & Lived Experience.

What does the role involve?

• Support the Director of Research & Lived Experience to develop and deliver a 5-year research strategy
• Lead our UK research team to deliver and commission studies and reviews to a high standard at pace
• Present research clearly and persuasively to media, governments, academics, funders and communities

What skills, knowledge and experience are we looking for?

• Excellent research skills, experience and credibility in health or social research
• Strategic thinker who can also effectively manage teams and projects
• Proven communication skills to different audiences

Safeguarding is Everyone’s business – Mental Health Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its beneficiaries, those who surround them, its staff, volunteers, and anyone else who comes into contact with its services and expects all trustees, staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to appropriate vetting procedures (proof of eligibility to work in the UK, proof of residency and satisfactory employment screening, including a Disclosure check and two most recent references) along with 3-year renewals of Disclosure checks. We are unable to provide sponsorship for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK.

How to apply

If you think your skills match and you’d like to be part of a dynamic and growing organisation, please complete and submit your application via our website. Please ensure you attach an up-to-date CV and statement of suitability answering all points of the person specification. Applications will close at 5pm on Sunday 30th November and we are unable to accept late applications. Interviews are planned for week commencing 8th December.

We believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. Diversity and inclusion is a strategic priority for us as an employer and mental health charity, and we are proud to be signatories of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter and the Disability Confident Committed Scheme. Applications from under-represented sections of the community are actively encouraged.

If you have a disability, require any additional support or have any questions regarding the role, please contact us. We make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment. Disabled candidates who meet all the essential person specification criteria will be offered an interview. Therefore, please do ensure you tick the relevant box on the application form and clearly indicate in your application/covering letter if you consider yourself to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 / Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

We are currently operating mostly digital recruitment (including interviews via video conferencing). We have moved to a hybrid working model of a minimum of 2 days per week in the office and the rest working from home.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) is the world’s largest alliance of national societies of obstetrics and gynaecology, bringing together professionals from more than 139 countries and territories. For over 70 years, FIGO has collaborated with the world’s top health, rights and donor bodies. We are in official relations with the World Health Organization and consultative status with the United Nations.

FIGO is dedicated to the improvement of the health and rights of women and girls and to the reduction of disparities in health care, as well as to advancing the science and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology. We pursue our mission through education, research implementation, advocacy and capacity building with our member societies.

The Head of Secretariat plays a pivotal role in supporting the governance, strategic coordination, communications, and operational effectiveness of the charity. This position ensures that the FIGO Board, FIGO Council, committees, and the FIGO member societies are well-supported, informed, and engaged, and that the charity’s governance and decision-making processes are transparent, inclusive, and compliant with legal and regulatory requirements.

We are seeking our first Head of Fundraising to join our Senior Leadership Team, build the function and leave a legacy.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, you will lead on developing and delivering our fundraising strategy, with primary focus on trusts and foundations and corporate partnerships, with the potential to grow individual philanthropy in the future.

You will be a key ambassador for the organisation, building and managing strong, long-term relationships with funders who share our mission. You’ll bring vision, strategic clarity and emotional intelligence to developing compelling cases for support, always ensuring alignment with organisational goals and understanding that for us, income is a vehicle to impact.

You’ll manage and develop one Senior Officer initially, with the possibility that we may be able to expand the team as income grows. The Senior Officer post is currently empty, so we hope that you’ll be able to be involved in the recruitment of this post enabling you to shape your own team. You’ll also play a wider role in shaping the organisation’s strategy and culture as part of a collaborative and ambitious leadership team.

Key responsibilities:

Strategy and Leadership

• Lead development and execution of a fundraising strategy focused on trusts,foundations and corporates (with a possible addition of individual philanthropy further down the line).
• Act as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy, planning and culture, and supporting the Chief Executive to report to the board on fundraising.
• Manage, develop and grow the Senior Officer role; build a high-performing team.

Fundraising and Relationship Management

• Create and manage a pipeline of funding opportunities, securing multi-year grants and strategic partnerships that support our research, policy and delivery ambitions, and reflect our values.
• Lead the development of major funding bids - including drafting proposals and coordinating input from SLT colleagues and other relevant team members.
• Cultivate, steward and deepen relationships with existing and prospective funders, acting as a confident and credible ambassador.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues to develop strong proposals, cases for support and pitch materials, including engaging in depth with some of the complex research that we seek to fund.
• Represent the organisation externally — in meetings, networks and events.

Innovation, Growth and Sustainability

• Develop and test models to diversify income to enable impact – building on our current strategy, but bringing an open mind to exploring new activities.
• Embed fundraising monitoring, evaluation and performance reporting into the organisation; ensure transparency with senior leadership and trustees.
• Maintain close alignment between fundraising strategy and organisational strategy, ensuring funder relationships are ethical, values-aligned and sustainable.

About you: 

We’re seeking someone who is ambitious, driven and emotionally intelligent — a relationship-builder ready to step into a senior leadership role and leave a legacy.

Essential

• A proven track record of securing significant income from trusts, foundations and/or corporate partners.
• Experience in managing complex relationships with funders, with excellent stewardship and retention skills.
• Experience of running reliable due diligence processes to assess funding opportunities.
• Able to translate research, policy or innovation-led programmes into compelling funding propositions.
• Excellent project management skills, including the capacity to coordinate colleagues in developing complex fundraising bids.
• Some experience of line management, team development or mentoring.
• Excellent written, verbal and influencing skills, able to engage funders, senior leaders and colleagues.
• Strategic mindset, with capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• A genuine passion for the mission of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, and the empathy to engage with lived experience perspectives.
• Alignment with our collaborative and flexible working culture — able to work in a high-trust environment, collaborate openly with colleagues across multiple teams and contribute positively to team wellbeing and culture.

Desirable

• Experience of major donor fundraising, or exploring new income streams.
• Experience of reporting to a board, including of producing high level board papers and working with high profile stakeholders.
• Knowledge or networks within the essential services, health, research, policy or grant-giving sectors.

Terms:

• Reporting to: Chief Executive
• Staff supervised: One team member, who we hope you will be able to be involved in recruiting
• Annual Gross Salary: £64,800 (employees who are not London-based receive the same salary, including London weighting, but cover their own travel costs to the office, typically twice a month)
• Location: Either London-based, with two days per week in Money and Mental Health’s East London office, or home-based with the ability to travel to London at least twice per month. The role will also require some travel for meetings.
• Hours: Both full-time and part-time applicants considered, at a minimum of four days per week. Job shares, consolidated hours and other flexible working arrangements will be considered. Please indicate your preferred working hours on application.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Holidays: 28 days per year (including 3 days between Christmas and New Year when the office is closed), plus bank holidays
• Pension: Opportunity to be enrolled in the workplace pension scheme (subject to meeting standard auto-enrolment qualifying criteria). After enrolment, the charity contributes the equivalent of 5.5% of monthly gross salary, subject to an employee contribution of at least 2.5%.
• Other benefits:
  • Every team member has a personal training budget, with many internal training opportunities.
  • Cycle to Work and season ticket loan schemes.
  • Enhanced maternity/paternity/parental leave terms, offered at an equal rate: employees eligible for statutory maternity/paternity/shared parental pay receive 90% of earnings for up to 12 weeks.
  • Rental deposit loan scheme.
  • A flexible working culture: core working hours are 10am–3pm, with flexibility outside these times (agreed with management) for employees to distribute working hours across the week.

Research Coordinator

Location: London. Hybrid

Hours: Full time/ 35 hours per week

Contract type: Fixed term – 6 months

Salary: £27,000 - £30,000 per annum

Annual leave: 25 days per year + bank holidays

Tommy’s Research Team is small but has a big impact on the delivery of the charity’s strategic ambitions. We need a highly organised and proactive individual to support the administrative functions of our team.

The Research Coordinator will pay a key role in ensuring the smooth running of our research funding activities, through maintaining accurate records, coordinating meetings and communications, supporting the expert peer review process, and assisting with governance and reporting requirements. The post holder will have strong organisational, time management and interpersonal skills, and confidence in managing multiple priorities and multi-tasking.

If you have experience providing administrative support in a fast-paced professional environment and would like to play a key role in the funding of groundbreaking research in the field of pregnancy and maternal health, apply now.

Candidates should apply via Charity Job and include a CV and cover letter (max 2 sides) explaining your motivations for applying to the role and skills that you would bring to it.

Closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 7th December and interviews will be held online w/c 15 December.

Transform STEM Education for Africa's Brightest Young Women

The African Gifted Foundation (AGF) exists to develop Africa's future STEM leaders by supporting gifted young women to access world-class education. Our flagship project, the African Science Academy (ASA) in Ghana, is a fully-scholarshipped boarding school focused on mathematics and physics, with students drawn from across Africa.

We're at a pivotal moment. Having grown to circa £1 million in annual income, we're ready to scale our impact. We are embarking on an exciting new initiative to build a new campus and double the size of our school over the next couple of years. We need an exceptional fundraising leader to help us get there.

The Opportunity

As Head of Fundraising, you'll be a key member of our senior leadership team, shaping strategy and driving income growth to transform opportunities for hundreds more young African women in STEM.

In your first year, you'll:

• Take ownership of our £1m fundraising portfolio and develop a clear growth strategy
• Deepen relationships with our existing major donors, trusts and corporate partners
• Identify and secure at least 3-5 significant new funding partnerships
• Build robust systems for pipeline management, donor stewardship and impact reporting
• Work closely with our Executive Director and Board to align fundraising with our ambitious expansion plans

Your long-term impact:

• Lead AGF toward £2m+ annual income over 3 years
• Diversify our funding base to ensure sustainability
• Establish AGF as the go-to partner for funders passionate about African girls' STEM education
• Build a culture of excellence in donor relationships and stewardship

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and deliver a compelling fundraising strategy aligned with AGF's growth ambitions
• Set ambitious but achievable income targets and manage performance against them
• Provide clear metrics, insights and recommendations to the Executive Director and Board
• Identify opportunities for income diversification and risk mitigation

Major Donor & Partnership Management

• Manage and grow our portfolio of major donors, trusts, foundations and corporate partners
• Personally cultivate and steward high-value relationships
• Identify and pursue new funding prospects through research and networking
• Develop compelling cases for support tailored to different donor segments

Operational Excellence

• Establish and maintain effective systems for pipeline management, CRM and donor tracking
• Ensure excellent donor stewardship, reporting and compliance with all funder requirements
• Create compelling donor materials and impact reports, working collaboratively with communications, programmes and finance teams 
• Take responsibility for collecting compelling impact data, including through liaising with alumni
• Build efficient processes that support both immediate delivery and long-term growth

Representation & Advocacy

• Represent AGF at donor meetings, events and in philanthropic networks (UK and occasionally international)
• Act as an ambassador for our mission and impact
• Build AGF's profile within the UK and international education funding community

Who You Are

Essential Experience & Skills

✓ Proven track record of strategic fundraising in the UK charity sector, with demonstrable success in securing five-figure+ gifts from trusts, foundations and major donors

✓ Relationship builder with excellent ability to engage, persuade and steward high-value donors at senior levels (trustees, HNWIs, corporate decision-makers)

✓ Strategic thinker who can develop compelling fundraising strategies and turn them into practical action plans with measurable results

✓ Portfolio manager experienced in managing multiple major donor relationships simultaneously and building a robust pipeline

✓ Excellent communicator in writing and speaking - confident presenting to trustees, corporates and philanthropic audiences

✓ Organized & commercially aware with ability to manage budgets, set targets and deliver against KPIs

✓ Self-starter comfortable working in a lean organization, building processes, and collaborating across teams

✓ Mission-driven with genuine commitment to expanding STEM opportunities for African young women and cultural awareness of the international context

Highly Desirable

• Experience with international education or development fundraising, especially Africa-focused projects
• Track record with philanthropic individuals and/or corporate CSR/partnership teams
• Existing network in UK philanthropic, trust/foundation or corporate giving sectors
• Experience of USA fundraising
• Knowledge of fundraising CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce)
• Willingness to travel occasionally (UK and internationally) to meet donors and visit programmes

Why Join AGF?

Impact That Matters
Help open doors to world-class STEM education for brilliant young African women who will become tomorrow's scientists, engineers and innovators. Every pound you raise directly transforms lives.

Strategic Influence
You'll be a key member of the senior team during a crucial growth phase, with genuine influence over strategy and direction.

Mission-Driven Culture
Join a passionate, committed team and Board who truly believe in our mission and support bold, innovative thinking.

Professional Growth
Shape and lead a function, develop your strategic fundraising skills, and build lasting relationships in the UK philanthropic sector.

Flexibility & Support
Hybrid working, supportive leadership, and investment in your professional development.

What We Offer

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary: £55,000-£60,000 (depending on experience)
• Generous pension scheme with 7% employer contribution
• Group life insurance and income protection
• 25 days annual leave plus UK public holidays
• Additional day off for your birthday

Professional Development

• £2,000 annual professional development budget for relevant training, conferences and qualifications
• Chartered Institute of Fundraising membership paid
• 3 professional development days per year

Working Arrangements

• Hybrid working
• Flexible hours to support work-life balance
• Occasional travel within the UK and international travel (fully covered)
• Standard 37.5 hours per week
• Open to 4-day week option at pro-rata for the right candidate

Contract Details

• Permanent, full-time position
• 6-month probation period
• 3-month notice period after probation

Head of External Engagement

Clergy Support Trust is an organisation which “punches above its weight”, in terms both of the help provided to hardworking clergy households, and the influence we seek to have on Church culture. We are looking for an experienced communications professional, able to lead a broad function encompassing all aspects of our external engagement: media engagement, strategic communications, events and fundraising, so we are looking for someone with strong experience across these areas.

As member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Head of External Engagement will be joining the leading Anglican wellbeing charity, supporting thousands of households each year, as we embark on a new strategic period (2026-30) and at a pivotal point in our mission.

Key responsibilities include:

• To lead, manage and report on the work of the External Engagement team.

• To design and deliver communications relating to the charity’s 2026-28 Strategy, ensuring appropriate, informative content for colleagues, applicants, supporters, partners and stakeholders.

• To oversee delivery of our first ever Fundraising Strategy.

• To be the charity’s principal Press Officer, and to support the Chief Executive

• as the charity’s principal spokesperson.

• To oversee the charity’s growing programme of events.

If you have significant experience in a comparable role, with exceptional writing skills and an excellent understanding of strategic communications together with previous team and budget management experience, we would love to hear from you!

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Communications and External Engagement to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping Martingale’s external profile, strategic partnerships, and policy influence.

As Head of Communications and External Engagement, you will join our growing senior management team, overseeing several critical aspects of Martingale’s work: communications and recruitment; partnerships and fundraising; and policy and advocacy. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspect of Martingale’s external communications and engagement to ensure Martingale’s success.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s external positioning, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that our communications, partnerships and policy activity is aligned and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s messaging is consistent, with a bold brand presence and strong collaboration with various external stakeholders including funders, universities, media, and government.

We are looking for a strong communicator with extensive leadership experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Communications and External Engagement will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and deliver a clear, bold strategy for communications, policy, and partnerships aligned with Martingale’s vision and growth.
• Lead the development of Martingale’s voice, ensuring consistency across all external channels and stakeholder interactions.
• Act as a senior leader within the organisation, contributing to overall strategic planning.

Communications & Brand

• Oversee all external communications, campaigns and media engagement, strengthening Martingale’s profile and influence.
• Manage content strategy, digital channels, storytelling and brand evolution.
• Ensure high-quality and accessible communications across print, digital, and in-person events.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain and grow relationships with Martingale’s university, philanthropic, and other partners.
• Collaborate with the CEO on fundraising engagement strategies and impact storytelling.
• Oversee ambassador engagement and support Martingale’s national and regional events.

Policy & Advocacy

• Lead Martingale’s policy and advocacy work to shape the future of postgraduate access and equity.
• Along with the CEO, represent Martingale in external forums, responding to consultations and influencing key stakeholders in research and education policy.
• Collaborate with researchers and partners to generate evidence and drive systems change.

Team Leadership & Management

• Line manage team leads across communications and partnerships, with oversight of a team of four.
• Support the professional development of the team, ensuring alignment with Martingale’s values and goals.
• Foster a collaborative, agile, and inclusive culture within and across teams.
• The post holder will carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit, and purpose of the role as requested by the line manager. 

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences including senior stakeholders.
• Significant senior-level experience in communications, policy, or external relations within a mission-driven organisation.
• Proven experience line managing a multi-person team, including managing people who manage others.
• Strong track record of developing and delivering high-impact external engagement strategies.
• Excellent communication skills — strategic thinking combined with hands-on content expertise.
• Experience managing and cultivating high-value partnerships or donor relationships.
• Understanding of UK education, social mobility, or research funding landscapes.
• Proven experience in account management, managing multiple external stakeholder relationships and partnerships successfully.
• Advanced IT proficiency: Spreadsheet, Word Processing, CRM or Databases, Email, Web-based applications.

Desirable

• Experience working with or within higher education or research organisations.
• Familiarity with charity fundraising or philanthropic communications.
• Experience delivering communications in a startup or scale-up environment.
• Experience in working with governance boards and/or trustees.
• Experience delivering / overseeing ambitious recruitment campaigns.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.

Benefits:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 29 days after two years of service and to 30 days after three years of service. This entitlement is pro rata for part-time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays.
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work-life balance and personal commitments.
• As a Purposeful Ventures employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme, where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to.
• Access to Charlie Perks, offering discounts and rewards at over 30,000 brands and retailers.

Contract start date: 1 March 2026

At Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex we have an exciting opportunity for a creative and experienced learning and public engagement specialist to join our Senior Leadership Team to lead a newly structured department. Reporting to the Director of Wakehurst, this role will help to deliver our mission by leading formal and informal learning, participation and events, delivering inspiring and informative experiences and content and connecting people to nature through Wakehurst’s designed and wilder landscapes, conservation, and research programmes.

Our ideal candidate is a dynamic leader with a passion for connecting people to nature. You’ll bring a proven track record of creating inspiring visitor experiences and events that drive attendance and income, alongside confidence in leading multi-disciplinary teams and collaborating internally and externally. With strong strategic thinking and hands-on delivery skills, you’ll manage complex projects, budgets, and KPIs while championing accessibility, safeguarding, and EDI best practice.

Experience in fundraising, ticketing strategy, and audience engagement is essential and we’re looking for someone with excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills. A background in botanic science, conservation, or biodiversity is a bonus.

First interviews w/c 8 December. Second round interviews if required w/c 15 December.

This role is based at Wakehurst with the option of regular home working, subject to operational requirements.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a leading plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major visitor attraction. Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth.

We are working to end the unprecedented extinction crisis and to help create a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. We will achieve these goals by drawing on our leading scientific research, unrivalled collections of plants and fungi, global network of partners, inspirational gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, and our 260 years of history.

Join us on our journey as protectors of the world’s plants and fungi. 

Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.

If you are interested in this position, please find out more by clicking “Apply”.

We are dedicated to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to interview disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

No agencies please.

Head of Interpretation & Programming - Maternity Cover
Location: Slimbridge - Hybrid
Salary: £42,580 per annum
Vacancy Type: 12-month Fixed Term contract
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week
Function: Engaging visitors and communities with wetlands

About The Role

Do you have a track record of developing and delivering experiences for visitors in the natural environment, arts, culture or attraction sector? Do you want to enable WWT to captivate our audiences as Head of Interpretation & Programming? If so, we would love to hear from you.

Reporting to the Director of Operations you will work alongside the Head of Experience Development, Head of Living Collections and Head of Learning to support sites to develop and deliver inspiring experiences for our visitors which connect them with our cause.

You will be the lead specialist advisor for interpretation and programming, and along with your team, play a critical role in supporting the development of excellent visitor experiences across all our sites, creating opportunities for people to experience nature in ways that inspire and move them and embedding nature connectedness in our programmed approach.

About You

We are seeking an individual with:

• Extensive experience in the development and delivery of events, visitor experiences and engagement in the natural environment, arts and culture or attractions sectors.
• Ability to think strategically and identify areas where experiences can support the delivery of organisational strategy.
• Experience of building partnerships with external creatives and organisations.
• Ability to lead, inspire and motivate teams, both in a direct and matrix management capacity.
• Strong experience of managing annual budgets and projects up to £500k
• Strong experience of writing creative briefs, managing creative consultants and designers.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiating skills including internally at a senior level and externally with partners.

While this post is based in Slimbridge Wetland Centre with the opportunity for hybrid working, it is expected that the role would work from site twice a week and as required for key meetings.

About Us

We’re WWT, and we’re on a mission to restore the super-powered ecosystems we call wetlands. There’s never been a more important moment for our work, and we’ve got some phenomenal people on the case.

Whether they’re taking a new visitor under their wing, or conducting ground-breaking research further afield, our team are second to none. And there’s nothing we love more than watching them soar.

Whatever you do here, you’ll be helping to restore wetlands and unlock their power. So, the only question left is, what role will you play?

 Why you’ll love working at WWT

• Wake up every day knowing your work is helping to restore wetlands, and our world
• Be surrounded and inspired by our team of passionate, dedicated people
• 33 days annual leave (which goes up to 38 days after 5 years of service) – this includes bank holidays and you have flexibility to take those days whenever you want
• Free entry to all our wetland centres, including your family
• Free car parking and secure bike storage areas
• Colleague discount on shopping and memberships
• Cycle to work scheme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life Assurance of three times your salary, for peace of mind for your loved ones
• Independent personal, workplace and financial advice from Care first

Closing Date: 16/12/2025

We reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a sufficient number of applications from candidates who meet the required skills and experience. We therefore encourage early applications.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

WWT is an equal opportunities employer and all applications will be considered solely on merit.

At WWT, we're committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where diversity is celebrated and everyone can thrive as their full selves.  We actively welcome applications from individuals under-represented in the environmental and charity sectors.

No agencies please.

The Clinical Portfolio Manager will work closely with the Head of Clinical Research to pioneer and advance our new clinical research programme. This role is vital in advancing Alzheimer’s Research UK’s research objectives and organisational strategy and will be key to delivering impact for people affected by dementia. The Clinical Portfolio Manager will manage the development and monitoring of our clinical research portfolio working collaboratively as appropriate with external stakeholders and various departments across the organisation, including the wider Research, Fundraising and Policy, Communications and Involvement Teams.

This role sits within the Clinical Research team in the Research Directorate, an ambitious, proactive and growing team that is driving forward initiatives to bring more clinical trials to the UK for people living with dementia. With the first generation of disease modifying treatments recently approved, this is an exceptional opportunity for an individual with strong research programme management experience who understands the clinical research environment in the UK, to contribute to groundbreaking work in dementia research, aligning with and advancing on the Government's investment initiatives in the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical Research Portfolio Development

· Manage the development of ARUK’s clinical research portfolio, including funded trials, sub-studies, and Clinical Fellowships

· Act as the key point of contact for potential clinical research applicants, liaising with our clinical advisors to provide advice regarding strategic alignment and pre-application feedback on potential proposals

· Work closely with the Research Involvement Manager and Clinical Research Manager to integrate best practices in patient involvement and co-production to ensure ARUK funded clinical research is relevant for and supported by people affected by dementia

· Support the Research Funding team with the grant review process for clinical proposals to ensure appropriate Clinical Committee reviewer allocations, meeting logistics, paperwork, minutes, and committee feedback

· Contribute to the ongoing development of the Clinical Committee, supporting the Research Funding team with identifying appropriate members, facilitating committee discussions and implement advised strategies to ensure expert insight and support for the clinical research programme

· Maintain up-to-date knowledge of global developments in dementia clinical research and collaborate in mapping the clinical research ecosystem, identifying gaps in funding to support the development of potential clinical research funding opportunities aligned with ARUK’s strategy

Clinical Research Portfolio Oversight

· Oversee the progress monitoring of key clinical research projects, tracking milestones, managing potential risks, and keeping partners updated where applicable, working with the Research Funding team to ensure invoices are managed accordingly

· Work with the Senior Clinical Programmes Operations Officer to maintain the programme tracker and Salesforce records, ensuring conversations and updates are captured

· Support internal reporting mechanisms, providing timely updates to the Senior Leadership Team and preparation of papers and briefings for relevant meetings, including the Clinical Committee and Scientific Advisory Board

· Work with the Evidence Manager to monitor the clinical research portfolio against key performance indicators and evaluate the impact of ARUK clinical research funding to inform future clinical grant calls

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

· Play a pivotal role in fostering and nurturing relationships with clinical leaders and research funders in the UK to build the profile of ARUK’s clinical research programme and help us to accelerate research towards a cure

· Work closely with our Research Partnerships manager to maintain and build partnerships that further the clinical research programme’s objectives

· Support the Head of Clinical Research in enhancing ARUK’s external profile through active participation in meetings and collaborations with key stakeholders

· Ensure appropriate information-sharing between internal stakeholders including Research, Fundraising, Finance, Policy, Communications, and Involvement teams

What we are looking for:

· Degree (or equivalent) in relevant biomedical science

· Proven experience managing large programmes of work, preferably in the healthcare, research or charity sector

· Strong project management skills, with experience managing multiple priorities, overseeing budgets and identifying risks

· Ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholder groups and build strong, effective and productive relationships

· Experience defining programme requirements and using data and metrics to determine improvements

· Understanding of drug development and clinical research

· Demonstrable commitment to collaborative and inclusive working.

· Commitment to ARUK’s vision, mission and values

· Good analytical skills demonstrated by a structured and methodical approach

· Excellent eye for detail with a focus on continuous improvement

· Strong communication skills both oral and written with the ability to convey complex information to diverse audiences

· Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task, prioritise competing demands

· Collaborative approach with ability to build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders

· Ability to manage a varied workload and prioritise tasks, work under pressure and meet deadlines

· Ability to use own initiative, with a proactive and problem-solving attitude

· Willingness to travel, including occasional overnight travel

· Good IT skills.

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £44,000 per annum, plus benefits

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 30th November 2025, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest 

Head of strategic research development
 

Location: Contracted to our Peterborough office with the flexibility for hybrid working
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 depending on experience
Benefits: We want all our employees to feel valued and engaged and are committed to offering a positive working culture along with a good work-life balance. As well as ensuring we pay our employees fairly, we offer the following benefits: Flexible working, Generous annual leave, Private Medical Insurance, including dental and optical, Pension Scheme, Sick Pay, Death in Service, Employee Assistance Programme, Bike Loan Scheme, Cycle2Work Scheme, Eyecare, Discount Portal
 
Closing date: Wednesday 3 December 2025

Telephone interviews will be held week commencing 8 December 2025

Interviews will be held week commencing 15 December 2025

No agencies please
 
Be a part of an energetic and vibrant team who are driven by the desire to improve the lives of people living with kidney disease. Our vision is the day when everyone lives free from kidney disease.

Reporting into the director of research development and partnerships, the head of strategic research development leads the development and delivery of Kidney Research UK’s research strategy in our priority and emerging research areas, working closely with our research and health system-facing teams.

The role is responsible for horizon scanning and translating strategic priorities into deliverable research funding initiatives, mobilising multi-partner collaborations that accelerate progress from concept to delivery.

The post-holder will also provide line management for the research programme managers, offering direction, guidance and professional development to ensure coherent delivery across research themes and initiatives.

As a senior member of the team, the post-holder will deputise for the director of research development and partnerships as required, representing the charity with senior stakeholders, making timely decisions, and ensuring strategic continuity across portfolios.

You will have experience in research strategy, development, funding or portfolio management within the health, biomedical or life sciences sector. You’ll combine strategic insight into how research is funded and evaluated with the ability to lead and inspire others, fostering professional growth and wellbeing.

You will be a strategic thinker, confident and assertive, able to make sound decisions, delegate effectively and keep processes moving at pace. Strong communication skills (written, verbal and interpersonal) will enable you to work well across teams, build productive relationships with colleagues, and to influence and liaise effectively with external stakeholders.

If you are interested in the position, please complete the online application form and submit together with your CV.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone and encourage applications from all sections of the community.

About Kidney Research UK:

Kidney Research UK is the leading charity in the UK focused on funding research into the prevention, treatment and management of kidney disease. Our vision is the day when everyone lives free from kidney disease and for more than 60 years the research, we fund has been making an impact. But kidney disease is increasing as are the factors contributing to it, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, making our work more essential than ever.

At Kidney Research UK we work with clinicians and scientists across the UK, funding and facilitating research into all areas of kidney disease. We collaborate with partners across the public, private and third sectors to prevent kidney disease and drive innovation to transform treatments.

Over the last ten years we have invested more than £71 million into research. We lobby governments and decision makers to change policy and practice to ensure that the estimated 7.2 million people living with all stages of kidney disease in the UK have access to the most effective care and treatment, and to make kidney disease a priority.

Most importantly, we also work closely with patients, ensuring their voice is heard and is at the centre of everything we do, from deciding which research to invest in to how we plan our priorities and our work across the charity.

Those patient contributions are vital, always helping us and our partners to understand what life is like with kidney disease, always ensuring we see the patient behind the treatment and always reminding us that behind every statistic and every number is a person – the patients and the carers who inspire our mission and push us forward to make a difference and change the future of kidney disease.

You may also have experience in the following: Strategic Research Development, Research Strategy Lead, Health Research Leadership, Biomedical Research, Life Sciences Research, Research Portfolio Management, Research Funding Initiatives, Research Strategy Development, Multi-partner Collaboration, Project/Programme Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Decision-making & Strategic Planning, Funding Evaluation, Policy & Research Translation, Line Management, Team Leadership, Senior Stakeholder Liaison, Charity, Charities, Third Sector, Not for Profit, NFP, etc.
 
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