Health policy jobs

About Working Well Trust 

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment. 

We are recruiting an IPS Operations Manager to support the delivery and development of our IPS services across London. The postholder will manage two IPS service sites from the following areas: Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking and Dagenham, and Enfield. The final allocation of sites will be discussed with the successful candidate and agreed based on service needs, experience and working arrangements. 

What you’ll be doing 

If you were working with us, you would provide operational leadership across two of our IPS services. These sites will be agreed with you based on service needs, your experience and working arrangements.

You would support Team Leads and frontline teams to deliver high-quality IPS services that are client-led, evidence-based and aligned with contractual outcomes. You would help ensure services run smoothly day to day, while also supporting service development, quality improvement and strong performance.

You would:

• Provide leadership oversight across two IPS service sites, supporting Team Leads with operational delivery, planning and problem solving.
• Ensure services meet contractual outcomes, delivery timeframes and quality standards.
• Support Team Leads to manage performance, caseloads, attendance, safeguarding, risk and service delivery.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with NHS partners, funders, community organisations and other key stakeholders.
• Lead on IPS fidelity across the services, supporting teams to deliver high-fidelity IPS and develop quality improvement plans.
• Use data, audits, client feedback and service reviews to identify what is working well and where improvements are needed.
• Complete contract monitoring requirements, represent WWT at contract performance meetings and attend quarterly service review meetings with IPS Grow.
• Work with NHS colleagues to support integration, clinical co-location, steering groups, data flow and appropriate escalation of clinical risks or safeguarding concerns.
• Support staff wellbeing by ensuring regular wellbeing check-ins and welfare conversations are embedded in supervision and one-to-one meetings.
• Work with HR and Team Leads to recruit, onboard, train and retain Team Leads, Employment Specialists and support staff.
• Support budget holders and work with the Finance Manager to ensure budgets are managed effectively.
• Work with other Operations Managers, the Operations Director and Head Office colleagues to develop consistent systems, improve services and support wider organisational priorities.

You would also provide direct supervision to project leads and help build a positive learning culture where staff feel supported, clear about expectations and able to develop their skills.

What you’ll need 

We are looking for someone with strong operational leadership experience and a good understanding of IPS, employment support or mental health services.

You will need to bring:

• Experience of IPS or equivalent team leadership.
• Experience of managing teams, performance and service delivery.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage a complex and demanding workload.
• Experience of monitoring, contract reporting and using data to support service planning.
• The ability to build positive relationships with funders, NHS partners, community organisations, clients and staff.
• Confidence supporting Team Leads with performance, quality, safeguarding, risk, wellbeing and day-to-day operational issues.
• Good writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly with a range of audiences.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and online systems.
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Knowledge of legislation relevant to employment, including the Equality Act.
• The ability to work across boroughs and provide leadership in more than one service location.
• Tact, diplomacy, discretion and the ability to build rapport with different people.
• A proactive, collaborative and flexible approach, including willingness to work occasional evenings when needed.

It would also be helpful if you have experience of:

• Managing multiple teams across boroughs.
• IPS Grow systems and fidelity reviews.
• Mental health services.
• Quality standards or accreditation.
• Project and service development.
• Budget management.
• Working with GP practices, NHS teams or other health and community partners.
• A postgraduate degree.

What we offer 

• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays (FTE) 

• Paid company closed days at the end of the year (FTE) 

• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) 

• 6% employer pension contribution 

Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities. 

What’s next 

Before you apply, please note the following: 

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

• If you require any reasonable adjustments at the interview stage, for example due to a disability, learning difficulty or health condition, please let us know in advance so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. Telephone and final interviews will be confirmed. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career. 

Please note, we may close this advert early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage early applications.

The Leeds Mind Youth Panel Network is an exciting new youth-led social action programme funded by The National Lottery Community Fund through the #iwill Fund. The project will establish youth panels in communities across Leeds, creating opportunities for young people aged up to 20 (and up to 25 for those requiring additional support) to develop leadership skills, influence local decisions related to mental health, shape community services, and lead meaningful social action on issues that matter to them. Through partnerships with schools, health services, community organisations and local decision-makers, the programme will empower young people to drive positive change, strengthen their communities, and ensure that youth voices are heard in the places where decisions are made.

As Youth Panel Co-ordinator, you will lead the development and delivery of the Leeds Mind Youth Panel Network, supporting young people to become active changemakers within their communities. This dynamic role combines youth engagement, partnership working, project coordination and facilitation, and volunteer management. Working closely with key local stakeholders, you will create inclusive opportunities for diverse young people to develop confidence and leadership skills, identify local priorities, develop social action projects, and influence services and policy on issues such as mental health, social inclusion and community wellbeing. Supported by volunteers and colleagues across Leeds Mind, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring young people are at the heart of shaping stronger, fairer communities across Leeds.

Participation Manager

Job Description and Person Specification

Job title Participation Manager

Hours 35 hours per week. We are opening to discussing flexible arrangements – please highlight any requests when applying.

Length of contract  Permanent

Location Hybrid work between home and our Vauxhall office. Please read more about our approach to hybrid working in the relevant section below.

Reports to Director of Evidence and Improvement

National Voices

Making what matters to people matter in health and care

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of people: patients, service users, carers, their families, and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our Vision: People shaping their health and care.

Our Mission: We advocate for more inclusive and person centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:
 

· Understanding and advocating for what matters to people especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities.

· Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support.

· Connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

The Role

At National Voices, our aim is to make what matters to people matter in health and care. Too often, we see decisions made about the design of health and care services which don’t consider the people who use and need those services – especially those with long term conditions and from groups experiencing inequality. While the intentions of decision makers are usually good, they can unwittingly develop services which are difficult to access, stressful to experience and which don’t enable people to live life to its full potential.

We believe that if health and care leaders were better supported to meaningfully involve people living with health conditions, disability, inequality and their carers in decisions about how services are delivered then our NHS and social care services would be more equitable, and person centred.

At National Voices, we believe that this can best be achieved by connecting health and care leaders in health and care to key groups including:

· Leaders within the patient participation movement, who can support and advise health and care leaders on how to share power with people and communities using coaching and quality improvement techniques, and by acting as a critical friend.

· Leaders from voluntary sector organisations and community groups, who can bring insight into the needs, experiences and priorities of the communities they serve. They can identify opportunities to improve how services are designed and delivered, and help connect decision-makers with communities whose voices are often underrepresented.

· People with lived experience of inequality, particular conditions or services, who bring unique expertise based on their direct experience of care. They can provide timely insight into the impact of policies and services, helping decision-makers stay tuned to current needs, experiences and priorities, rather than relying on historical evidence or assumptions.

We are looking for a Participation Manager who can manage our lived experience programme, our membership scheme and our partnership scheme. This role will ensure that where there are opportunities for people and communities to shape health and care, National Voices has the right relationships, processes and support systems in place to connect decision makers with our Lived Experience Partners, members and people with lived experience.

The Participation Manager will:

· Lead National Voices’ Lived Experience Partner programme by strengthening engagement and participation, investing in members’ knowledge, skills and confidence, and ensuring lived experience insights shape our work.

· Lead National Voices’ membership scheme by driving engagement, retention and inclusion, strengthening member relationships, embedding member insights across the organisation, and overseeing satisfaction, records and knowledge management.

· Lead National Voices’ scheme by managing partner engagement, retention and recruitment, overseeing delivery of the partnership offer, and ensuring partners receive high-quality advice, insight, connections and access to relevant people and communities.

· Develop and deliver funded projects, supporting income generation and securing resources to advance National Voices’ strategic priorities.

The Participation Manager will work in collaboration with:

· Policy and communications colleagues who have worked hard to ensure when we capture insights from people and communities, we have established relationships and ways of communicating with key players in health and care so that insights collected lead to impact.

· Research and insight colleagues who have expertise around qualitative research methods and inclusive engagement, who regularly deliver high quality qualitative research on a range of topics and on a range of topics – often focussed on surfacing the experiences of those least well served by health and care services.

· Colleagues across the organisation who lead and contribute to member and partner benefits, including policy forums, networking opportunities, events and other engagement activities.

The Participation Manager will play a central role in ensuring National Voices’ lives its values around meaningful participation so that in both our internal and external work people and communities are engaged in a timely and inclusive way, using methods that ensure their input is heard and acted upon, and their knowledge, priorities, and contributions are recognised and fairly valued.

Responsibilities

Lead our Lived Experience Partner programme

National Voices’ Lived Experience Partners are a group of 15 people who have significant experience of navigating the health and care system, expertise in meaningful participation and who have received training and support to enable constructive and strategic input into improving health and care. The majority of Lived Experience Partners have also accessed learning around coaching and are regularly matched into coaching relationships with senior leaders in health and care. Your role will be to:

· Deliver meetings where our Lived Experience Partners have opportunities for peer learning and opportunities to influence live pieces of work.

· Gather insights from our Lived Experience Partners on how they are experiencing working with National Voices and how they want to grow.

· Ensure our Lived Experience Partners are supported to grow in their knowledge, skills and confidence to influence decision making – through 1:1 catch ups, training and more.

· Lead our work matching Lived Experience Partners in high quality coaching relationships with senior leaders in health and care, ensuring that coaching duos have the support they need to gain value from the relationship.

· Diversify and grow our network of Lived Experience Partners as needed.

Lead our membership programme

National Voices’ members are a group of over 200 not-for-profit organisations who serve a diverse range of communities, including: condition-specific charities - such as Diabetes UK, Allergy UK and Lupus UK; equality charities - such as the Caribbean and African Health Network, Groundswell and National Ugly Mugs; other health, care and community based organisations – such as Compassion in Dying, Pain UK and Patient Information Forum. Our members include some of the biggest and smallest charities in England. They connect us with the experience of millions of people. Your role will be to:

· Direct the activities of our membership working group, taking lead responsibility for member engagement, stewardship, renewals, support and retention.

· Deepen the relationship with our membership, ensuring that we have the structures in place to understand their ambitions, insights, practice and ideas.

· Collaborate with colleagues across the team to ensure our members’ insights become more central to everything that we do.

· Diversify and grow our membership.

· Oversee our annual survey on member satisfaction.

· Oversee improvements in records and knowledge management.

Lead our partnership programme

National Voices’ Partners are a small group of impactful organisations who want to join National Voices in achieving our mission of making what matters to people matter in health and care, including the Nuffield Trust, the Kings Fund, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and others. Your role will be to:

· Take lead responsibility for engagement, stewardship, renewals, support and retention of organisations in our partnership scheme.

· Oversee the delivery of the partnership offer – co-ordinating requests which come from partners and collaborating with colleagues, members and Lived Experience Partners to ensure partners receive high-quality advice, insight, connections and access to relevant people and communities.

Develop and deliver funded projects

· Identify opportunities for collaboration, partnership and income generation that support our strategic priorities – leading on selected funding bids and supporting others as required.

· Develop ideas into clear, fundable proposals and secured projects. This may include designing and delivering activity such as workshops, coordinating advisory or lived experience groups, undertaking qualitative research, facilitation and engagement work.

· Plan confidently and realistically across lived experience workstreams, taking accountability for delivery, spend, and completion of agreed outcomes.

· Manage projects, programmes and budgets in partnership with colleagues and stakeholders, putting in place effective systems to ensure timely, high-quality delivery and reporting.

General

• Provide line management one Project Officer within the team, quality assuring outputs, holding regular 1-2-1s as well as setting annual objectives and completing appraisals.
• Provide matrix management for other National Voices colleagues as and when required.
• Work in sync with other managers across National Voices, contributing to a joined-up, supportive team culture.
• Deputise for the Director of Evidence and Improvement, or other senior colleagues, when required.

· Follow organisational processes to measure, monitor and communicate the impact of our work

· Support good project, financial and data management

Person Specification

Values, attitudes and behaviours

· Passionate about National Voices’ mission and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience

· Strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and reducing health inequalities

· Proactive, flexible, and responsive, with a willingness to work in complexity

· Comfortable working both collaboratively and independently, taking ownership of delivery

· Calm under pressure and able to manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines without compromising quality

· Confident engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including constructively challenging where appropriate

· Entrepreneurial - able to spot opportunities for growth, collaboration, and impact

· Energised by variety, able to work across diverse themes while identifying connections and opportunities

Skills and abilities

· Strong project and/or programme management skills, with demonstrable experience delivering complex, multi-stakeholder work

· Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise, plan, manage risk, and maintain high-quality delivery

· Strong communication skills, including the ability to translate complex insight and evidence into clear, accessible outputs

· Confident relationship and stakeholder management skills, including working with partners, subcontractors, and commissioned work

· Excellent facilitation and presentation skills, including delivering workshops and events to diverse audiences

Experience, knowledge and understanding

· Demonstrable experience of leading or delivering participation work with people with lived experience, ideally addressing inequality

· Strong experience of designing and delivering insight generation projects (qualitative and/or quantitative) that have led to real-world impact and improvement

· Experience of working meaningfully with people experiencing inequalities in safe and inclusive ways

· Experience of managing projects, budgets, and multiple stakeholders, working with a high degree of autonomy

· Experience of managing partnerships, funders, or commissioned work, including contributing to income generation

· Experience of facilitating workshops, events, or participatory sessions

· Understanding of the health and care landscape

· Good understanding of the participation landscape, with the ability to act as a credible contributor in the field (desirable)

· Experience of managing or contributing to coalitions or networks of VCSE or membership organisations (desirable)

· Understanding of mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) approaches to evidence generation and analysis (desirable)

· Coaching and/or quality improvement qualifications (desirable)

· Lived experience of disability, caring responsibilities and/or inequality (desirable)

Our approach to hybrid working

We recognise the importance of coming together regularly, in-person, as a team, so we can share learnings and spend social time with each other. We also recognise that people need flexibility, and that homeworking enables focused work and can fit well in people’s lives.

We ask all staff to take part in pre-arranged team meetings which take place every six weeks in our office space. We also might ask you to meet in-person with members of your team from time to time, or to be available for face-to- face meetings with clients and partners where this enhances the work.

We assume that this would usually not amount to more than one day per fortnight for people who work full time. We are happy to discuss how this sits in your life. This can be agreed by your line manager.

Please note that our offices are fully wheelchair accessible and that we are committed to making our workplace fully inclusive.

Application guidance

Please submit a CV and cover letter to apply. We are also recruiting a 12 month fixed term Participation Manager role at the same time. If you would like your application to be for both roles, please make this clear when applying. 

Applications should be addressed to our Director Evidence and Improvement, Sarah Sweeney, and submitted through CharityJob.

You're welcome to use AI tools to help you prepare your application. However, we encourage you to make sure your application reflects your own voice and experiences. We often see similar AI-generated writing styles, which can make applications less distinctive. As a charity, we're particularly interested in hearing why our mission matters to you and how your values align with ours.

Please specify any access or other requirements of which we need to be aware for the online interview.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Thursday 30th July.  

The interviews will take place in early August on Microsoft Teams. Details of an interview task and interview questions will be emailed to you in advance.

We are committed to diversifying our team in order to broaden the insight and experiences we can draw on, and to do our work more credibly. In particular, we would welcome applications from older people, disabled people and people who have experienced socioeconomic inequality. Our offices are fully accessible and we are a Disability Confident and an LGBT+ friendly employer.

This is a leadership role within User Voice’s Midlands team, managing our new flagship Leadership Academy, in partnership with Unlock, and our Lived Experience insights programme with NHS England (East & West Midlands).

The Leadership Academy is designed to create credible, recognised leadership pathways for people in prison and on release, and aims to develop resilient, confident, socially aware, and practically skilled leaders who can positively influence their environments, progress into employment, and contribute to systemic change. The Academy will run its first pilot at Peterborough Prison.

Our two NHS England programmes embed lived-experience insights directly into Health and Justice commissioning, procurement, and service evaluation. and supports a Lived Experience Panel who provide structured input to ensure services are informed by real experiences across the care pathway

The Project Manager will lead the planning, delivery, and evaluation of these initiatives, ensuring they meet strategic objectives and deliver meaningful impact for participants and stakeholders.

This role is ideal for someone experienced in leading complex projects and managing teams and partnerships.

Terms  & Conditions 

• Full-time
• Permanent
• Up to £40K dependant on experience
• Bank holidays plus 25 days holiday pro-rata.
• Probationary period: Six months
• You must be off community order / prison license

About The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an independent membership organisation dedicated to the education, training and advancement of surgeons, dental surgeons, doctors, and various individuals throughout healthcare who are involved in the surgical care of patients. The College has a current membership approaching 32,000 and growing, with members spanning over 100 countries around the world.

From our founding in 1505, the College has been committed to the advancement of surgery and driving patient safety standards worldwide. In our 515-year history, there has never been a better time to join the College than now.

Working with us

At the College we aim to embrace views from across the organisation, sharing common goals and values for the betterment of healthcare through the advancement of surgical and dental professionals. We aim to develop teams that are reflective of the needs of our members and maximise the potential of every employee.

To reflect the varying needs across the organisation, we offer a range of policies and benefits for our workforce including a generous 42 days annual leave, flexible working practices, enhanced employer pensions contribution and various discounts throughout the College including the Ten Hill Place Hotel, 1505 Café and free entry to Surgeons’ Hall Museums.

About the Role

The Policy and Public Affairs Officer is a strategic role that offers an exciting opportunity to make an impact on healthcare policy on a national scale.

Reporting to the Head of Policy and Public Affairs, the post holder will develop and communicate the College’s core policy messages and engage with governments, NHS organisations and other healthcare bodies across all four nations. They will also oversee responses to policy consultations and prepare policy reports, statements and conduct research that helps the College understand and influence the shape of the surgical and dental workforce.

This role can be based in either our Edinburgh or Birmingham offices, with candidates expected to be on site two days per week. There may be requirement for the role holder to work outside of normal working hours and travel for work occasionally. 

Experience/Qualifications/Key Skills

This is a superb opportunity for an individual who is confident, methodical, organised and conscientious.

Educated to a minimum level of degree level you will have proven policy and analytical experience as well as excellent communication and strong team working skills. A self-starter, you will have the ability to manage your workload with minimum supervision and develop your own strategies and campaigns. 

A high level of professionalism and diplomacy is required for the role as is a willingness to take on new challenges and be receptive to change.

Please note that we do not accept CV’s and agencies need not apply.

Are you motivated, and do you feel you have the skills to network and develop relationships with employers, helping to match people into employment?  

If so, we would like to hear from you!  

South East London Mind’s IPS Employment Service helps people with mental health needs back into work. We aim to increase the number of people moving into paid employment from Community Mental Health Teams. 

We are currently seeking five permanent IPS Employment Specialists in Greenwich, and one based in Bromley, to work as part of the Community Mental Health Teams and Mental Health Hub. You will deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach (for which training will be given). 

We welcome applications from all experience levels and backgrounds. You will need the ability to motivate and build relationships with participants, strong organisational skills, the confidence to communicate and engage with a range of employers, and a fundamental belief that anyone with a mental health condition can work.  

What we’re looking for: 

• Employer Engagement and Relationship Building: Ability to initiate and develop relationships with a variety of individuals and be able to engage employers using a variety of methods such as via telephone, online platforms or face-to-face in the community. 
• Accuracy and Record Management: Strong attention to detail, ensuring accurate and timely recording of case notes and data, essential for monitoring progress and achieving targets. 
• Collaboration: The ability to work seamlessly within a multidisciplinary team, forging connections and enhancing the overall care experience for participants. 
• Resilience and Advocacy: The determination to overcome setbacks, find solutions, and continue advocating for participants’, even in the face of challenges. 
• Innovation: Bringing fresh ideas to the table, exploring creative ways to break down employment barriers, and promoting inclusive practices within the workplace. 

The successful candidates will work in line with the 25-point fidelity scale. Please be aware this is not a mental health support role

Successful applicants will be expected to undergo an Enhanced Level Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Closing date: Thursday 16th July (11:59pm)

Likely interview date: Thursday 6th and Friday 7th August

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.

About Us

SEL Mind supports people with mental health problems and dementia in the boroughs of Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. We are proud of our diverse workforce and know that our organisation is made stronger by the variety of backgrounds, experience, and ideas within it. We promote a culture of inclusion and representation, and are working hard to build a workforce that even better reflects the communities we support.

SEL Mind is somewhere that you can be your authentic self without fear of discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, gender, age, lived experience of mental health problems or anything else that’s part of who you are.

Read more about staff benefits and why staff love working here on our website.

Support those who Care

This is an exciting opportunity to join our service supporting Carers across City of London to improve their health and wellbeing, and access support that meets their needs. We are working with Carers from a range of cultures, and it would be an advantage to speak Bengali.

The team work holistically with Carers to understand their individual circumstances and level of need. You’ll carry out home visits and community-based meetings, co-produce support plans, and develop effective relationships with Carers, families, and professionals. You will also support Carers to complete written forms and applications, draft letters, and advocate with third parties.

You’ll build on your local knowledge to signpost and facilitate access for Carers to support services, including financial and benefit advice, housing, health and safety home systems, and leisure and social activities. The role also requires you to support the development of escalation plans so that Carers are prepared for unforeseen circumstances that would impact negatively on ability to care.

Together with colleagues, you will plan and deliver the service’s activity package, including coffee mornings, drop-in sessions, activities, online and face to face groups, and peer support forums. There will also be opportunities to promote the service by attending meetings and forums, and to deliver training sessions to professionals and community organisations so that they have the skills to identify Carers.

Applicants should have relevant personal or professional experience of working with Carers and/or vulnerable adults or children in a social care, health, education or voluntary and community sector.

This is a full-time position, and you should be an excellent communicator and able to motivate and empower others. You’ll need a practical understanding of barriers faced by Carers, and an awareness of cultural differences and access to services.

Do a job where you make a difference.

We offer our employees:

· Inclusive values-based environment

· Competitive remuneration package

· Workplace pension scheme

· Generous 31 days annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays

· Opportunities for hybrid working

· Benenden Health Care

· Death in Service Benefit

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Employee Supported Volunteering scheme

· Development opportunities

· and more

Imago is committed to Safer Recruitment practices, and the post is subject to references and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Please either submit your CV with a short covering note or visit our website for full details.

Imago recognises that many people in our society experience discrimination or lack of opportunity for reasons that are not fair. We aim to create a culture that respects and values each other’s differences, and see these differences as an asset, as they improve our ability to meet the needs of the organisations and people we work with. We proactively seek to increase opportunities for inclusion and celebrate diversity across our organisation and within communities.

Imago recognises its duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children, young people and adults at risk who access its services or with whom it comes into contact.

Title:  Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager

Salary:  From £45,000 - £55,000 per annum 

Contract:  Permanent

Hours:  37.5 per week (Monday to Friday) 

Holiday:     25 days per year plus bank holidays 

Location:  Home based with regular travel within / to London and across the UK

Probationary Period:  3 months

Reports to:  Head of Department 

Benefits:  An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year, Flexitime policy, 5% pension contribution

Title and salary to be commensurate with experience.

We are River Action

We are a small and agile campaigning organisation on a mission to rescue UK rivers from a toxic cocktail of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution and water shortages. We support community action, galvanise and mobilise public opinion, influence government policy, take legal actions and call out destructive industrial practices to incentivise changes that end river pollution and secure freshwater. 

We are building a talented team of positive disrupters and stakeholder mobilisers to deliver our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of communities, rivers and wildlife.

Britain’s rivers are our life support system and they are dying. We need urgent action to bring them back to life.

Who we are looking for

We are expanding our political influence by introducing this new position, which will work closely with our existing Policy and Advocacy Manager to bolster our strategic reach particularly in the areas of water scarcity, security and justice, sewage and chemical pollution, and water sector reform.

We are seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual who shares our passion for protecting rivers and securing our nation’s water, food, health, jobs and economy to join our team to drive forward our policy and advocacy work. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong policy insights capable of blending analytical problem-solving with intelligent advocacy to drive meaningful change. This role requires someone to have excellent writing skills and the ability to draft complex policy documents as well as top line arguments for wider communication. 

The ideal person will bring a combination of expertise, energy and ideas to amplify our impact, holding decision-makers and polluters accountable with a professional and diplomatic approach. They will engage with influential people across the sector, government, industry and media. 

If you thrive in fast-paced environments and want to be at the forefront of environmental policy and advocacy across multiple campaigns, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

As a Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager, you  will lead the development and drafting of River Action’s overall policy strategy as well as leading on specific policy areas. You will play a leading role in shaping and advancing River Action’s political and policy influence, working closely with the Senior Management Team, Chief Executive and wider organisation to develop and execute an impactful policy and advocacy strategy.

River Action is the Co-Secretariat for the APPG on Water Pollution, offering our Policy and Advocacy Manager a unique opportunity to shape the policy direction for River Action and also to influence policy development across Parliament. 

You will also work closely with our public affairs agency who manage our daily Westminster activities. 

You will:

• Lead River Action’s development and delivery of our policy and advocacy strategy on sewage, industrial water pollution, and water scarcity 

• Collaborate with River Action’s team and external partners to ensure our collective work is underpinned by robust and forward-thinking policy analysis and evidence.

• Develop policy analysis to support campaign, communications and policy strategies, based on a strong evidence base and a sound understanding of the relevant legal and policy frameworks.

• Translate complex policy and evidence into concise documents with clear messages and compelling campaigns to engage political and policy stakeholders.

• Monitor and analyse political and policy developments, interpreting their implications and opportunities for River Action and its supporters.

• Generate analysis to enable participation in public consultation processes, including drafting high-quality and persuasive consultation responses and briefings for Westminster and Whitehall audiences.

• Increase our political influence with exciting policy interventions, ensuring River Action’s voice is heard at the highest levels of decision-making.

• Build and maintain relationships with key policymakers, civil servants, industry experts and partner organisations.

• Support grassroots community groups and third-sector partners in engaging with their local representatives for effective advocacy.

• Organise and attend key political meetings and events, including the Water Pollution APPG, stakeholder roundtables and parliamentary events.

• Manage strategic policy partnerships, including our relationship with Wildlife and Countryside Link and other third-sector organisations.

• Ensure River Action’s policy and advocacy efforts align with our creative campaigns, by making sure colleagues and spokespeople are well-briefed and communications content is well-informed to maximise reach and impact.

You will also:

• Actively engage in professional development and training.

• Adhere to health and safety policies while working in different locations.

• Maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our mission while being true to our values. 

UK travel will be required and regular trips to London. Training and operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case costs will be covered and standard River Action procedures will apply.

What you’ll bring

The position will suit a self-motivated, strategic and determined person. You will be an excellent communicator, with exceptional writing skills and comfortable representing River Action and engaging with diverse stakeholders in positions of responsibility. You will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and to hold decision-makers and polluters to account.

Essential knowledge, skills and experience:

• Experience in a senior policy and advocacy role, ideally within the environmental sector and including experience of water policy. 

• Policy and/or legislative experience, with a good understanding of the workings of the UK government and Parliamentary procedure.

• A good understanding of the UK water industry, the key UK water-related policies and the issues that are impacting our rivers, land and wildlife.

• Knowledge of the challenge of water scarcity.

• Excellent communication and writing skills with close attention to detail and the ability to produce concise and persuasive briefings, reports and consultation responses.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to working creatively and at a fast pace with colleagues, stakeholders and partners. 

• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to proactively plan and prioritise work and to report your progress and impact.

• Ability to work flexible hours and travel as necessary.

• A good and supportive team player with a willingness to muck in as and when required.

Why join us?

• Be part of a mission-driven organisation working to restore and protect the UK’s rivers.

• Work at the heart of political and environmental change, influencing decision-makers at the highest levels.

• Work in an agile, supportive and happy work environment where your ideas and expertise will have real impact.

• Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organisation.

Diversity and inclusion

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. So if you like the look of this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with everything in the job description, we’d still love to hear from you. You may be just the right person for this role.

How to apply

To apply, please submit to jobs at riveractionuk dot com with the subject Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager’:

• your CV (2 pages), 

• a cover letter (2 pages) explaining why you want to work for River Action and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, and 

• a written submission (2 pages) as described below. 

Only applications including all three documents will be accepted. Please provide your documents in pdf format. 

Written submission

Please prepare a 2 page policy briefing for Parliamentarians on the issue of water scarcity and water justice and how it affects UK rivers and our security.  Your briefing should be written in a clear, persuasive style suitable for a Parliamentary and government audience and:

• Identify causes of water scarcity and injustice.

• Provide a concise analysis of the impact on rivers, biodiversity and our economy.

• Summarise and assess gaps in relevant UK Government policies, legislation and plans.

• Propose two or three practical policy recommendations for decision-makers.

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 5pm on Wednesday 15th July.

Should your application be selected during sift, the next stage will involve an initial 15-minute interview. You may then be invited to attend a second interview with a panel. 

Interviews will be held in the weeks commencing 19th July and 26th July via video conference. 

Please indicate in your covering letter or in a covering email your availability for interviews.

If you have any questions about the role or your application, please contact us on jobs at riveractionuk dot com.

About Adolescent Health Study

The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants’ health, education and other administrative records. There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.

Purpose of the post

The administrative coordinator will play a key role in providing administrative, coordination and financial support across AHS. The role focuses on managing core systems, inboxes and documents, ensuring information is accurate, accessible and compliant. Acting as a central point for organisation, the postholder will coordinate meetings, support teams with routine administrative tasks, and contribute to smooth financial processes. They will help maintain effective workflows in a virtual environment, escalating issues as needed to keep daily operations running efficiently.

Main responsibilities

 Administration and systems management

• Manage AHS central inbox(es) and escalate matters to the business administrator and business operations team as appropriate
• Provide day-to-day administrative support including preparing, filing, archiving and retrieving documents
• Manage and update shared digital platforms, databases and documents to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Manage administrative functions such as task tracking in a fully virtual environment

Team coordination and support

• Coordinate in-person, hybrid and virtual meetings and workshops, including scheduling and logistics, for AHS team members and external parties as required
• Provide key administrative support during meetings, including business and study meeting minutes as required

Finance delivery and support

• Support invoice processing, including maintaining accurate records
• Prepare payment requests and documentation in line with internal processes
• Maintain up-to-date financial administration files across shared systems

Operational delivery and implementation

• Provide hands-on support to teams and managers in rolling out new tools, systems and operational processes that are critical for the success of the longitudinal study
• Support the smooth, day-to-day running of business operations, ensuring tasks and processes are completed efficiently
• Identify operational issues or bottlenecks, propose practical solutions where appropriate, and escalate matters to the relevant members of the AHS team

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential criteria

• Qualified to A level or vocational qualifications, or equivalent, plus some experience in a relevant role
• Experience of working in an administrative role for a hybrid or virtual organisation, preferably a charity or small-to-medium (SME) organisation
• Experience of planning and delivering the logistics to in-person, hybrid and virtual meetings for 10+ team members across the UK
• Experience of financial administration
• Able to manage information electronically through databases and spreadsheets
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the proven ability to prioritise, at times under pressure, produce accurate work to deadlines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to take ownership of problems and find solutions
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite of software

 Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a health and/or data research environment
• Understanding and experience of using project management tools and techniques

Dimensions

• This is expected to be a full-time post
• AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK
• Primarily home working, with flexibility to travel across several geographical locations in the UK

Application Process

All candidates are required to complete the application form which can be found when clicking 'Apply Now' via Charity Job. 

Please refer to the ‘How to Apply’ section of the downloadable application form.

Please note that only applications submitted directly to Gravitate HR will be accepted for this position.

The closing date for this position is 11pm Sunday 26 July 2026.  

Interviews are currently expected to be held during the week commencing 24 August 2026.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Beyond these protected characteristics, we acknowledge the importance of socio-economic background, childcare and caring responsibilities, educational background, neurodiversity, and any other factors that shape an individual’s identity and opportunities. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to contribute fully.

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team in 2025. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.

About FIGO

Every year, hundreds of thousands of women die from causes that are preventable. FIGO, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, brings together expertise globally to address this. We are the world's largest alliance of professional societies of obstetricians and gynecologists, working across more than 142 countries to improve the health, rights and lives of women and girls globally. We work through obstetricians and gynecologists and their professional societies, supporting them to advance high-quality reproductive and maternal healthcare by strengthening health systems, influencing policy and raising the standards of practice in their countries. At global level, we harness clinical knowledge to produce global evidence and standards on women’s health. 

The role

This role is within the Programmes and Partnerships team, which secures and manages funding from institutional funders. As a Programme Manager, you will lead day-to-day delivery and management of FIGO projects across the full project cycle. This will include the Advocating for Safe Abortion (ASA) programme, a multi-country initiative now in its seventh year, working with national professional societies of obstetricians and gynecologists across Francophone West Africa to drive change in policy, clinical practice and societal attitudes on abortion care. This is complex, multi-partner work in a politically sensitive area. It requires judgement, strong relationships, and the ability to hold both the detail and the bigger picture. We’re looking for someone with:

• Proven experience of managing institutionally funded projects in global health or international development, across the full project lifecycle.
• Experience managing advocacy-focused projects and working with a diverse range of partners across multiple countries.
• Strong skills in financial management, donor reporting and partner coordination.
• Experience developing and implementing monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks on projects.
• Fluency in both English and French (written and spoken) — essential for this role.
• Familiarity with sexual and reproductive health and rights, or experience working in West Africa, is a strong advantage.
• Travel to West Africa will be essential.

This is a part-time role at 3 days per week, initially contracted until January 2029. FIGO's Programmes and Partnerships portfolio is growing, and we anticipate opportunities to extend or expand the role beyond that.

Job purpose:

 The postholder will provide public affairs and policy support for the Association’s Advocacy and Campaigns programme as key elements in the Association’s strategic plan.

This role is based at our head office in 21 Portland Place, London. We offer a hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of 2 days in the office per week.

Key responsibilities:

•  Assist the organisation with developing its external voice by responding to policy developments and parliamentary opportunities, bringing together members’ views, evidence and information.
• Monitor relevant parliamentary business and produce short summaries of events where appropriate.
• Track the progress of relevant legislation, committee inquiries and consultations.
• Develop briefings and position statements setting out the Association’s views on issues relevant to membership, that support the advocacy and campaigns work and topical issues.
• Prepare briefings in advance of, and attend, where appropriate, meetings with key stakeholders and organise meetings when required.
• Assist with the developing and updating of stakeholder maps and spreadsheets.
• Assist with the development of campaigns by carrying out research and producing supporting briefings.
• Support the Head of Public Affairs and Policy with producing responses to consultations and policy developments, following up on finalised responses and taking forward related actions.
• Produce statements, latest news updates and contributions to the Association’s publications that promote the policy, advocacy and campaigns work.
• Encourage member engagement on relevant policy issues and campaigns via the Association’s website and other online and offline communication tools.
• Build strategic relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external, to facilitate collaborative working on priority campaign areas.
• Work with the Digital Content Team to make sure the website and social media are kept up to date with current policy developments and announcements

Operational management

• To work on individual projects, reports, events and publications within the Association as directed by the Head of Public Affairs and Policy.
• Maintain and improve your own competencies through continuous professional development.
• Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practice as described in the Staff Handbook.
• Support and promote the Association’s commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace.

This job description is intended to reflect the main duties and responsibilities of the post and is not an exhaustive list of duties. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties which are commensurate with the role.

Person specification

Skills, knowledge and experience

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent (e.g. relevant professional qualifications and/or vocational training).

Excellent oral communication skills and written communications skills, with particular emphasis on attention to detail (spelling and grammar).

Experience of writing policy statements and briefings and articulating these clearly to decision-makers and stakeholders.

Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of people including staff, Board, Council, members, stakeholders from other organisations.

Strong time management skills including an ability to manage competing requests and an ability to prioritise.

Well-developed IT skills, including the Microsoft Office suite of products.

Demonstrable experience in parliamentary affairs and an excellent knowledge of the UK political landscape.

Desirable

An understanding of current policy issues affecting the health sector.

Experience of working in a membership organisation.

Experience of working in a political environment.

Strategic thinking and interest in contributing to innovation and change.

Experience of engaging with political monitoring organisations and database management.

Digital copywriting skills and experience of writing for web or social media, and content management systems.

Applications close on 31 July and interviews will take place on 11 August.

We are looking for Group Workers to support and enable clients to manage their own health and wellbeing; promoting healthier lifestyles and raising the awareness of the concept of ‘wellbeing’ and good mental health within an integrated care pathway.

The role involves delivering community-based activities and interventions, including skills-based groups and wellbeing activities, which are complementary to and reduce the need for services offered by the statutory sector. The groups and activities will aim to help clients to become more confident, enhance their wellbeing, and to develop their self-esteem and coping strategies.

Location: Woking, with travel across Northwest Surrey, Surrey Heath & Farnham, and Guildford & Waverley
Salary: £26,040 (pro rata if part time)
Hours: 28 hours/week or 35 hours/week, including some evenings and weekends
Contract type: Permanent

About the organisation:

Through Community, Specialist and Outreach services, we support recovery, mental health, and wellbeing—together, every step of the way.

Key responsibilities:

• To deliver physical, social and wellbeing activities, using both online digital platforms and face-to-face settings
• To empower, motivate and actively support clients to participate in the group activities
• To work collaboratively with Link Workers on the progress of clients
• To foster a safe and non-judgemental environment for the groups
• To maintain Health and Safety in the groups
• To work collaboratively with the Senior Group Worker to develop new groups for the timetable and communicate these with existing and prospective clients
• To ensure records are maintained promptly both electronically and on paper where appropriate, in line with Catalyst policies
• To signpost or refer clients to other services as appropriate
• To maintain confidentiality and respect the individual needs of the clients
• To provide ad hoc one-to-one support to clients where required
• To carry out risk assessments as appropriate
• To complete recovery stars with clients on a quarterly basis
• To act as an ambassador for the client group and for Catalyst

About you:

• Experience of delivering activities or groups, digitally and/or face to face
• A minimum of 1 year community experience of mental health, wellbeing, behaviour change work with adults
• An understanding of confidentiality, consent, information sharing, including GDPR
• An understanding of Safeguarding policy and practice
• Excellent presentation and written skills
• Commitment to accurate and confidential record keeping
• Ability to interact effectively with the clients, colleagues and other professionals whilst retaining clear boundaries
• Ability to be non-judgemental, empathetic, compassionate and patient
• Ability to work to all the policies, procedures and standards of the service and joint working arrangements with statutory and voluntary sector partners
• Knowledge and understanding of mental health issues
• Knowledge and skills of engagement, motivational, and behaviour change approaches
• Knowledge and understanding of community working, lone working, and ability to maintain safety whilst working in the community
• Ability to use supervision effectively
• A good understanding of personal limitations, ability to identify when to seek advice and support, and deal with issues in a professional manner
• Ability to manage any challenging behaviour from clients and group dynamics
• Excellent organisation and planning skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel
• Ability to enter data onto a database as required by the Service and Commissioners
• Have authentic attributes of Kindness, Commitment and Integrity
• Adaptable to change
• Dynamic and self-motivated
• Proactive, motivated and energetic
• Ability to work calmly in a challenging environment
• Capacity to innovate; work on your own initiative as well as part of a team
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle with insurance for business use
• Ability to work flexibly across operational hours and evenings and weekends, where required

Benefits

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Pension scheme and access to Simply Health (including optical, dental, counselling sessions)
• Birthday leave, employee discounts, and flexible working where possible
• Supportive probation, sick pay after probation, and wellbeing/EAP resources

Safeguarding & Checks

• This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
• A past history of drug/alcohol issues or criminality will not necessarily exclude you from this role; we encourage applications from people with lived experience where appropriate.
• All applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK.

Catalyst Support is an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate difference and are committed to fairness, accessibility, and inclusion throughout recruitment and employment.

We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process.

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Wellbeing Practitioners are part of an integrated team at our Wellbeing Centres, providing personalised, person-centred support to individuals experiencing mental health challenges, long-term conditions, and other barriers affecting their wellbeing and quality of life.

This role delivers Work Well outcomes through a recovery-focused wellbeing model, ensuring people are supported holistically to achieve sustainable employment alongside improved mental health. This role includes a specific focus on supporting individuals to sustain employment, return to work, or move closer to the labour market, recognising the strong relationship between health, wellbeing and good work.

The postholder will work collaboratively with individuals to identify their personal wellbeing goals and aspirations, including where appropriate employment-related outcomes, and support them to build confidence, resilience, and practical pathways forward.

This role combines Bluesci’s recovery-focused, social prescribing approach with the key elements of the Work Well model, providing holistic support that addresses both wellbeing and work-related barriers.

• The Handyperson Job booker is a pivotal and busy role in the team receiving incoming referrals from a range of sources and scheduling these daily tasks to team members according to the needs of the service. We receive referrals from our four Hospital to Home services across East London (Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest), as well as self-referrals for smaller jobs for from Tower Hamlets residents.

• We also deliver projects in Havering in partnership with Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, currently these are:

• Energy Doctors: delivering advice and installing small items to reduce energy usage and improve heating and wellbeing in the property.

• Ageing Well: installing grab rails and stair rails referred by NHS and Havering voluntary sector partners.

• Within the next 12 months, we will also be introducing a paid-for handyperson service which be available across our 3 core boroughs and the scheduling of work coordinated by this post.