Health policy jobs

This peer support project is delivered in partnership with South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to support Carers of people with mental health conditions.  This project will work to support Carers through one-to-one support, outreach, training and peer support groups.

About The Role: 

Using your lived experience of caring for someone with a mental health condition, and a strengths-based approach, you will support mental health Carers in their caring role.  You will provide person centred one-to-one- support, information, signposting, and advocacy, develop, and facilitate peer support groups and deliver training and outreach sessions at different locations across the borough. 

Key Requirements of the role Include: 

• Lived experience of Caring for someone with a mental health condition 

• Knowledge and understanding of mental health and the associated challenges and support needs. 

• The ability to work within the principles and values of peer support. 

• Confidence supporting people on a one-to-one basis. 

• Experience of / ability to facilitate peer support groups and training. 

• Clear communication and good interpersonal skills  

• Efficient organisation and time management skills 

• Developed IT skills, with experience using databases and communication platforms. 

Please see the job description and person specification for the full list of requirements and specifications.

Our Charity: 

We are a busy, ambitious charity operating at the heart of the Wandsworth community since 1995, helping thousands of people across the borough in unpaid Caring roles. We give information and advice, organise respite, offer complementary therapies, deliver training, provide peer support, arrange fun events and much more.In short, we are the Carer's friend and advocate, often helping Carers through difficult times.

Benefits of working for Wandsworth Carers’ Centre: 

• Hybrid on completion of the induction period with a minimum 60% office based. 

• Friendly team and working environment 

• Annual leave starts at 31 days increasing to 36 days plus bank holidays

• Contributory company pension, 

• Ongoing training and development opportunities

• Employee assistance program. 

If you're committed to working in the voluntary sector and want to be part of a diverse team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, this role is for you! 

Wandsworth Carers’ Centre is an inclusive employer, committed to the continued development of a diverse workforce. 

We're the UK's specialist blood cancer charity and our vision is clear: we’re here to beat blood cancer. We fund world-class research; provide information and support to patients and their loved ones; and raise awareness of blood cancer.

We’re looking for a Health Content Designer to join our team and create trusted, high-quality information for people affected by blood cancer.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for the creation and continuous improvement of our health information at every stage of the user journey. You’ll design content that’s data driven and responsive to user needs. You’ll work across a range of formats and channels to help us maximise our reach and engagement with the blood cancer community.

You’ll collaborate with users and clinical experts to ensure our information is accurate, relevant, evidence-based and accessible. You’ll use your content design skills to help anyone affected by blood cancer access the information they need.

If you have content design experience within the health sector and can demonstrate strong writing skills across a range of media, we’d love to hear from you.

This role requires travel to London for key in-person activities, including team, departmental and organisational away days. Additional travel may be required for meetings, workshops or collaboration.

We are committed to actively promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity. In line with our strategy we welcome approaches from individuals from underrepresented groups, including minority communities, and applicants with a disability, to better reflect the community we serve and help broaden our perspectives.

At Endometriosis UK, we are passionate about driving political change for the 1 in 10 women and those assigned female at birth living with endometriosis in the UK. This role will play an instrumental role in supporting the campaigns and policy function within the wider Communications Team.

This will be a busy, varied and important role working closely with the Policy and Campaigns Manager and Head of Campaigns and Communications to provide administration and wider support for the charity’s growing policy and campaigns function. This will include contributing to the production of government consultation responses, writing letters to politicians, producing background briefings ahead of parliamentary meetings and taking responsibility for political monitoring and informing the team of any engagement opportunities. A key part of the role will also be providing administration support for the policy function of the charity and the Head of Communications and Campaigns, including administrative support for the All-Party-Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis which Endometriosis UK provides secretariat support for. Tasks will include writing minutes, helping produce briefing papers, and booking events and meeting rooms.

You will also be the first point of call for our campaign supporters and will be aiding our supporters to take campaign actions through the drafting and creation of e-actions using Engaging Networks. You will be an exciting opportunity to help build our campaigning work and work towards the goals of our new 2025 organisational strategy.

Closing date for applications is Monday 25th May at 5pm. Interview date will be Tuesday 2nd June 2026 at our offices in London Bridge.

Please note that for capacity reasons, we are only able to get back to successful candidates on the status of their application.

Location

Hybrid (most ASH staff go into our Vauxhall office 1-2 days per week. However, we are open to fully remote working for the right candidate). This is a UK-based role; applicants must have the right to work in the UK for at least two years to be considered. ASH is unable to sponsor working visas.

About ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a leading public health charity working to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco. We work with government, parliamentarians, the NHS, researchers and civil society to deliver policies that reduce smoking and support people to quit, with the ultimate aim of ending smoking in the UK.

A key part of ASH’s work is supporting and convening professional networks that bring together organisations and experts working to reduce smoking harms across different sectors.

Purpose of the Role

The Stakeholder Engagement and Network Co-ordinator will support and strengthen several of ASH’s key professional networks, ensuring they operate effectively and maximise their impact on policy and practice. The post holder will maintain strong engagement with network members, facilitate collaboration across sectors, and ensure insights from networks inform ASH’s policy and communications work.

The role will also lead on the development of a new Lived Experience Network, enabling people with current or past experience of smoking to inform ASH’s policy work.

In addition, the post holder will support organisations to sign up to and engage with the newly launched Pledge for a Smokefree UK, helping to build a broad coalition of support for ending smoking.

Over the coming year it is anticipated that there will be a high volume of government consultations on tobacco as government prepares to implement the powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act. The input of our professional networks into these consultations will be an additional priority. 

What We Offer

• The opportunity to contribute to major public health progress by helping to end smoking.
• A supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience coordinating networks, coalitions, partnerships or stakeholder groups
• Excellent interpersonal skills with any ability to manage challenging relationships, ensure compromise and rally stakeholders around a unified message
• Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders across health, policy and voluntary sectors.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously whilst delivering to deadlines.
• Good attention to detail, in particular in written communications.
• Interest in public health policy and health inequalities.
• Ability to take complex or controversial topics and communicate them in a clear, easy to understand way with clear actions to take.
• Ability to work independently and drive projects from concept to completion.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a small team.

Desirable

• Experience working in public health, health policy or the voluntary sector.
• Experience supporting events, meetings or stakeholder engagement activities.
• Experience involving people with lived experience in policy or advocacy work.
• Understanding of tobacco control policy in the UK.

Application process and interviews

Please submit your CV and cover letter via Charity Jobs by 11:30pm Monday 18th May.

Successful applicants will be asked to complete a timed written task the week commencing 25th May and a final shortlist will be invited to interview at the ASH office in Vauxhall on Tuesday 9th June, with a start date as soon as possible.

We apologise that due to the expected high levels of applications we may not be able to reply to all candidates. If you have not heard from us by 25th May please assume you have not been shortlisted.

If cost is a barrier to attending a London-based interview, please let us know and we can help with booking your travel. Please let us know if you require any additional support or reasonable adjustments for the application or interview. We really want our process to feel accessible.

At ASH we are committed to ensuring our staff are representative of the diverse world around us and therefore we encourage candidates with a range of lived and professional experiences to apply. We particularly welcome applications from people of colour, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people. We will use positive action under the Equality Act 2010 to appoint from these underrepresented groups if two candidates are equally qualified.

We are looking for an experienced and connected Policy and Public Affairs Adviser to lead the development of this function within the organisation. Reporting Directly to the CEO you will engage with teams and partners to design both an on-going influencing strategy and the future shape of this work in coming years.

Key Responsibilities:

· Undertake internal opportunities review to identify key work strands.

· Undertake external opportunities review to identify both short term and long-term areas for influence.

· Develop long term policy and influencing strategy in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

· Review and recommend future staffing structure and reporting lines as part of the above.

· Act as lead for existing activity in this area including attending meetings with MPs, Peers and civil servant, working with internal teams to provide accurate briefing information and supporting other appropriate spokespeople across the organisation.

· Identify and Lead on the formulation of appropriate evidence-based policy positions and responses.

· Work with staff and our growing Public and Patient Network (PPN) to ensure those with lived experience have a meaningful voice in the above activity.

Key requirements:

Required:

• Experience of developing and delivering campaigns that include influencing and engaging with policy makers, MPs, Peers and other relevant stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the legislative process in England (Scotland and Wales desirable).
• Ability to quickly develop effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrable ability of analysis of information that can be communicated to a variety of audiences.
• Experience of developing policy positions and briefings, along with responding to consultations.
• Ability to effectively manage competing interests and views to achieve the aims of the organisation.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Depending on location, this role will require regular travel to the Leeds Office and Westminster.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a charity.

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic thinker
• Passionate about our cause and mission.
• Organised and reliable with a collaborative mindset.
• Open to feedback and committed to continuous improvement.

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to contribute to a respected national charity.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Professional development and learning opportunities.
• Flexible or hybrid working options (where applicable).
• Generous holiday allowance and staff benefits package.

Amref Health Africa is the largest Africa-based international health development organisation. We work to bring about lasting health change in Africa.  

Our UK office is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Senior Data & Insights Officer to lead on the day-to-day maintenance and utilisation of our data management platform, Microsoft Dynamics 365, with a particular focus on the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module. This role is pivotal to supporting a culture of data-driven decision-making across Amref UK, ensuring the integrity and strategic use of our data to enable strategic growth in supporter engagement, retention and income generation.

The Senior Data & Insights Officer will be a key point of contact for colleagues across the organisation, playing an instrumental role in supporting how we gather, manage and utilise data at Amref UK. They will be critical in providing expertise and establishing new ways of working across key Amref UK teams, including Supporter Engagement, Programmes & Strategic Partnerships, Finance, Operations and Senior Management.  The postholder will be the organisational expert in Microsoft Dynamics working with senior leaders, Amref HQ ICT, Amref’s global Fundraising Development team (F&D) and third-party vendors to develop, implement and integrate processes and reporting tools that aid analysis and insight.  They will work with HQ ICT to deliver improved functionality and system upgrades while maintaining data integrity and compliance requirements.  Experience in relational database design and familiarity with marketing tools such as Google Analytics would also be an advantage.

To be successful in this role, the post holder will need to be a team player who brings a combination of technical expertise, communication skills and business change experience.

About the role:

At Single Homeless Project, we believe everyone deserves access to the care they need to live well - and that’s where you come in. We’re offering an exciting new opportunity to shape how health support is delivered within our innovative Camden Housing First service. As Health Lead, you won’t just be part of a team - you’ll be pioneering a vital, human-centred approach to health within homelessness services. It’s a chance to make a deep and lasting impact, not only on individual lives but on how we work with health systems across the borough. 

This is a role for someone who wants to grow a meaningful career while helping others to rebuild their lives. You'll work directly with people who are often overlooked by traditional systems, taking the time to build trust, understand their needs and walk alongside them on their journey to better health. From completing health assessments and designing personal health support plans, to leading multidisciplinary meetings and opening doors to essential services - you'll be the link between individuals and the support they deserve. Your insight will also help us map local services, influence partnerships and drive forward more inclusive healthcare approaches. 

You’ll be part of a psychologically informed environment, where trauma-informed care and understanding complex needs are part of everyday practice. At SHP, we’re committed to developing our people - this role offers a strong foundation for a career with real purpose, backed by expert training, team support and opportunities to grow with us. 

About you:

• You bring knowledge (or a real willingness to learn) about common health issues and the barriers to care faced by people experiencing homelessness
• You know how to build trust and connect with clients who may feel wary of services, finding ways to engage that genuinely work for them
• You understand local health systems and services, and can navigate them confidently to open up the right support for clients
• You bring experience or awareness of working with survivors of domestic abuse, with a sensitive, informed and person-centred approach
• You’re confident working independently and as part of a team, with strong skills in support planning, safeguarding, record keeping, data and reporting, and advocating for clients facing multiple disadvantage

About us:

We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.

In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up. 

We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own. 

Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable. 

We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.

Important info:

Applications will be reviewed and suitable candidates invited to interview as they are received. We reserve the right to close the advert as soon as a suitable candidate is identified, therefore please submit your application as soon as possible to be considered. 

Please note first stage interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams, suitable candidates will be invited to a second stage interview in Kings Cross.

This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.

Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications with insufficient right to work or requiring sponsorship will not be accepted for this role. 

Wellbeing of Women is looking for a Senior Health Information Officer to turn complex health information into compelling accessible content for diverse audiences. You’ll lead the delivery of our health information from website content and monthly education webinars to social media copy. This is a full time, permanent role at a salary of circa £33,000 per annum. Location: Hybrid - Remote and London Office (with occasional UK travel for meetings and events).

We are looking to recruit Self-Employed Mental Health Advocates to work in the following areas:

Warrington - WA2 8TR

Atherton - M46 9NT

Luton - LU4 0LU

This is a self-employed position and you will be paid a sessional rate. 

Our Service

NYAS provides mental health advocacy to individuals within mental health settings throughout the UK.

Our service provides independent advocacy to people within mental health hospitals and community-based settings. We support individuals to ensure their voice is heard regarding their care and treatment and that they are aware of their rights.

This also includes representing them during various meetings such as ward rounds and at multi-disciplinary team meetings.  This role requires you to produce written reports to ensure that the views of patients are fully represented.

We work with adults and children and young people:

Warrington - WA2 8TR - Adults

Atherton - M46 9NT - Adults

Luton - LU4 0LU – Young People

DO YOU HAVE:

Direct experience of working with children/young people or vulnerable adults in a social care or mental health setting.
Experience and understanding of child protection/vulnerable adult safeguarding procedures
Ability to maintain professionalism at all times
An understanding of the importance of listening to children/young people and vulnerable adults without bias or prejudice.
Ability to communicate in an effective way.
Ability to record concise case notes and produce good quality reports

You will need to evidence your skills using specific examples in your application meeting the criteria in the person specification.

Safeguarding and Training

You will be required to complete annual safeguarding and compliance training including, Personal Safety, Data Protection, Information Security, Safeguarding and Equality and Diversity.

You will be able to subscribe to an e-learning platform provided by NYAS. The platform will provide you with the opportunity to undertake a number of other professional courses that you can complete in your own time to maintain your own CPD.

In accordance with UK immigration law, NYAS is required to ensure that all prospective candidates have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Therefore, proof of eligibility to work in the UK will be required as part of the recruitment process.

NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYAS’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references and a Digital Risk Assessment.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we receive a high number of applications.

About NYAS

As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.

We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.

NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer, and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Work with us to help change lives.

Leeds Mind promotes positive mental health and wellbeing and provides help and support to anyone who needs it in and around Leeds.  We have faith and optimism in our clients and so the services we deliver are built around their needs. We support the people of Leeds to discover their own resources to ‘recover’ from periods of poor mental health, and to live life independently with their mental health condition. 

Our values of Being Open, Supportive, Brave, Connected, and Resourceful are pivotal to the work we do.

Belonging at Leeds Mind

Leeds Mind is committed to creating an inclusive environment – equity, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of everything that we do.

We are committed to ensuring that our colleagues, volunteers and people who access our services feel a sense of belonging at Leeds Mind that gives them the confidence to share their unique perspectives and experience.

By creating an inclusive environment that fosters belonging, we aspire to attract colleagues and volunteers who offer diversity of experience and thought. We believe this will ultimately improve the service we provide as well as the employee and volunteer experience.

To find out more about how we are developing this you can visit our website.
 

Our Service

Employment is a key part of mental health recovery. Our employment services are delivered in line with the IPS model, supporting people with mental health challenges to retain paid employment in line with their aspirations. IPS is delivered in close partnership with NHS mental health services, employers, commissioners and the wider system.

Due to receiving new funding we are excited to expand our WorkPlace Leeds service to develop our existing support in the community.

The Role

The IPS Team Leader has operational responsibility for the delivery, quality, performance and sustainability of Leeds Mind’s IPS (Individual Placement and Support) teams. The role ensures high-quality IPS delivery, excellent outcomes for people accessing support, and strong partnerships with NHS mental health teams, commissioners and system partners.

The post holder will provide day‑to‑day leadership to a team of IPS Employment Specialists, ensuring high‑quality delivery through effective supervision, coaching, performance management and quality assurance. The Team Leader is accountable for embedding IPS fidelity, supporting staff development and ensuring consistent, person‑centred and recovery‑focused practice across the service.

Essential Skills and Experience:

· Experience providing operational leadership and supervising staff within employment, supported employment or mental health services

· A strong understanding of IPS, SEQF and recovery‑focused employment approaches, with the ability to embed quality and fidelity in day‑to‑day practice

· Experience supporting people with mental health needs, neurodiversity and/or learning disabilities

· Confidence using quality frameworks, performance data and evaluation to drive improvement and accountability

· Proven ability to contribute to service planning, resource management and performance‑led delivery

· A values‑led, inclusive and trauma‑informed leadership style, living our core values every day

· A genuine belief in people’s strengths, potential and right to work

Successful candidates will be required to undertake a right to work in the UK check as well as an enhanced DBS check. 

At Leeds Mind, we've made significant progress in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in recent years, resulting in a genuinely diverse team. We are committed to maintaining strong representation in our workforce and always encourage applications from LGBTQIA+, culturally diverse, neurodivergent, and disabled individuals.   

 

We’re Parkinson’s UK, the charity that’s here to support every Parkinson’s journey. Every step of the way.

We don’t wait for change, we make it happen. Campaigning for better health and care. Funding research into groundbreaking new treatments. Running life-changing support services.

We’re a powerful community united by one mission: improving life with Parkinson’s.

We’ve made real progress in improving NHS services for people with Parkinson’s over the past 3 years. Our pump priming grant scheme, providing seed funding for nurse and allied health professional posts across the UK has enabled thousands of people with Parkinson’s to access the care they need. We’re especially proud that we’ve reduced the Parkinson’s nurse gap by 25%, through seed funding new posts and relentlessly pushing local NHS organisations to invest in Parkinson’s services. 

About the role 

We are looking for a leader who will lead, inspire and challenge the Policy and Health Strategy teams to push for significant improvements in services for people with Parkinson’s across the UK. You’ll work closely with people affected by Parkinson’s, health care professionals and others to influence decision makers across Whitehall, Westminster and local health systems. 

As an experienced health, research and public policy leader, you will lead our policy, campaigning and NHS improvement professionals, both within their teams and across the devolved nations teams to build Parkinson’s UK’s reputation as a trusted, expert and determined partner and advocate for people affected by Parkinson’s.

You’ll oversee an annual budget of around £4 million, and a team of 45 people.

What you’ll do:

• Lead and inspire the policy and health strategy teams, developing our staff to their full potential.

• Carve out new areas of influence over decision makers, nationally and locally, to improve services for people with Parkinson’s.

• Create an environment in which the Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network flourishes, driving up standards of care for people with Parkinson’s. 

• Position Parkinson’s UK as sector leading with key decision makers in health and research, and embed the charity as a key partner in service improvement. 

• Build Parkinson’s UK’s reputation as a trusted source of insight and analysis around health and social care services, benefits and employment

What you’ll bring:

The ideal candidate will be an authentic and inspirational leader with an in-depth understanding of the health and social care landscape and be able to demonstrate:

• Substantial leadership experience in health and social care or public policy 

• Strategic thinking with proven experience of translating concepts into practice

• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to position themselves as an opinion leader

• Substantial experience in developing professional networks and partnerships to support improvements

• Understanding of digital health innovation as a lever change

This is an exciting time for Parkinson’s UK and we would love you to join us!

Please apply by sending us your CV, together with a detailed supporting statement which will fully demonstrate how you meet all the criteria of the role, as stated in the "What you'll bring" section of the job description.

Interviews for this role will be held on 2 June at our London Offices.

The successful candidate will be required to: 

• attend the UK London office 2 days per week

• provide their own broadband service with a minimum download speed of 2Mb

• have a confidential space in which to work

Anyone can get Parkinson’s. It’s vital that the people who work for Parkinson’s UK are representative of our diverse community. We actively encourage people from all sections of the community to apply, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, or religion.

SMART is hiring!

SMART is a warm and welcoming mental health charity that provides a holistic programme of support to the people we serve.

We have a vacancy for a full time Mental Health Community Navigator. The Navigators support people with serious mental illness, with a range of issues including: housing, benefits, finance and social isolation. Please refer to the attachments below for the full job description and person specification. 

We offer a friendly, collaborative, hybrid and integrated work environment in partnership with the NHS and other voluntary sector services, We have a strong focus on staff well-being including a 35 hour working week, 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays, a wellbeing hour, regular clinical supervision, an Employee Asisstance Programme and an annual schedule of training and events designed to support personal and professional progression

Ideally you will have experience of working within mental health/vulnerable adult services, working within multi-disciplinary teams, knowledge of the issues people face with housing/benefits etc and liaising with other services and professionals on service users behalf.

Mental Health Navigators make a real difference to people's lives.

Application Deadline: 12th May at 23:30. PLEASE NOTE: We may interview before the closing date if we receive enough suitable applications

Feedback: Unfortunately, we are not able to give feedback to candidates not shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within a week of the closing date, please assume your application has not been shortlisted at this time.

About Us:
Richmond Borough Mind is dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our local communities. We provide innovative, person-centred services that reduce stigma, improve access to care, and empower individuals to live well.

The Role:
We are looking for a compassionate and proactive Mental Health Outreach Worker to join our team. You will deliver community-based crisis prevention and mental health support, with a focus on underrepresented groups, particularly racialised communities and LGBTQI+. 

This role combines crisis intervention, peer support, and holistic outreach to individuals with complex mental health needs, including co-occurring conditions, substance use, trauma, and suicidal ideation. This role serves as the link between our services and the local community.

We are seeking a person who is dedicated, able to form professional relationships in challenging situations, understands crisis intervention and can lone work with confidence and with the support of the wider team. You will have an understanding of crisis and risk planning, developing trusting professional relationships and have the ability to work proactively with the support of the wider team.

Key Responsibilities:

· Provide timely, community-based crisis prevention and support, including outreach to individuals leaving inpatient care.

· Engage marginalised communities to improve access to mental health services and reduce stigma.

· Build relationships with LGBTQ+ and BAME individuals and organisations, co-producing peer-led support initiatives.

· Deliver culturally appropriate engagement and awareness activities in partnership with local services.

· Provide holistic, person-centred support for individuals facing complex mental health challenges, addressing co-occurring issues such as substance use, trauma, and housing instability.

· Collaborate with statutory and voluntary sector partners to remove barriers to care, promote recovery, and improve wellbeing outcomes.

· Act as a peer and advocate, creating inclusive and safe spaces for individuals at risk of crisis.

About You:

· Experience in mental health, crisis intervention, or community outreach.

· Strong understanding of the needs of underrepresented communities, including LGBTQ+ and racialised groups.

· Ability to provide trauma-informed, person-centred support.

· Excellent communication and partnership-building skills.

· Passion for reducing mental health stigma and improving access to support.

Why Join Us:
This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible difference in your community, supporting individuals to live well and promoting inclusive, accessible mental health services across Richmond and Kingston.

We offer:

· 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays per year, increasing by 1 day per full year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days) [pro rata]

· Contributory pension

· Bonus 1 day of annual leave per year over the festive period (pro rata)

· Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which includes free counselling sessions

· Training and personal development opportunities

· Paid time off for medical appointments

· Staff away days and socials

The successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure & Barring (DBS) check.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on the frontline of policy advocacy and development in child health. As Head of Policy and Research you'll be responsible for overseeing the development of our policy positions and all related outputs, as well as the research that underpins our campaigns and advocacy, across England, Scotland and abroad. You will be an integral thought partner to the Director of Strategy & Delivery and wider leadership team on the development of pioneering research concepts that will drive the child health agenda forward. You will be our internal technical expert on food policy, ensuring all of our work is evidence-based and impactful, as well as being our external representative, liaising with leading policy and research experts across academia, civil society, and government agencies. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research

• Work with the Director of Strategy & Delivery and Research Manager to plan research projects and support their delivery, ensuring they support policy calls and reflect young peoples’ experiences.

• Lead the translation of  Bite Back’s research into high quality outputs including reports, briefings and submissions.

• Work with campaigns, communications and content teams to turn research findings into high impact creative communications for a range of audiences.

• Serve as a primary spokesperson for our research including in media placements, speaking slots and government evidence sessions. 

Policy development

• Lead on the development of Bite Back’s policy positions in key and emerging areas, ensuring young peoples’ views and experiences are fed in at every stage.

• Lead the development of all policy outputs including submissions, consultation responses and briefings, ensuring they are evidence-based and reflect young peoples’ voices. 

• Lead the technical policy liaison with stakeholders and experts in the field to gather evidence and critically assess the Bite Back’s positions. 

Evidence

• Keep abreast of new evidence on key areas relating to nutrition, climate and health and consider the implications for Bite Back’s policy and relevant activity.

• Collaborate internally to provide knowledge and advice on policy and evidence issues with colleagues and the youth board.

• Review and sign off key outputs to ensure they reflect the latest evidence and data.

Stakeholder engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with a range of external stakeholders to support Bite Back’s influencing agenda, including with senior government policymakers, academia, WHO and other charities in England, Scotland, and abroad.

• Represent Bite Back on a range of alliances, coalitions and partnerships.

• Deputise for the Director of Strategy & Delivery when needed.

Leadership

• Line management of Research Manager and Impact & Evaluation manager, with a dotted line to the Policy & Engagement Executive and Senior Programmes & Policy Manager for Scotland.

• Operate as a member of the extended leadership team, collaborating with other Heads and the Directors to ensure research and policy considerations are embedded seamlessly into campaigns, communications and programmes.

• Lead the policy and research strategy development for Bite Back in new geographies, providing visionary technical leadership in how we expand to new countries across the UK and abroad.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We will be looking for applications that demonstrate experience in at least some of these areas, and evidence of capacity to build skills in others. 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!

Required: 

• Significant experience  of managing food policy work, which has informed and influenced national and local food policy in England. 

• In depth knowledge of the breadth of the food, nutrition and obesity public health landscape and the key challenges faced in the policy environment.

• Deep technical expertise in food policy research, development, and communication - with a strong focus on commercial determinants of health.

• Strong analytical skills, including a good understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including creative implementation research techniques. and experience with commissioning external research.

• Ability to synthesise and utilise evidence to support policy development and influencing. 

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate complex issues.

• Calmness under pressure, with ability to prioritise multiple projects to agreed objectives and deadlines. 

• Line management experience.

• A passion for our mission and a commitment to our values: Fresh, Resilient, Respectful, Energetic, Real.

Desired: 

• Strong policy and research networks in the UK across academic, civil society, and government agencies. A trusted technical voice.

• Post graduate experience in public health or nutrition and/or evidence of continuing professional development of relevant knowledge and skills in the field. 

• Experience in working with young people.

• Experience with designing creative, outside the box research with fresh ways of influencing food policy change.

• Understanding and some experiencing working on food policy across devolved nations (Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland), and within other global contexts.