Contract Type: Full-time, permanent, 35 hours per week
Location: Hybrid (2-3 days per week in the London office; the remainder working from home)
Reports to: Managing Director
Salary and Benefits: £45-60k depending on experience, plus discretionary annual bonus, 35 days leave per year (inclusive of bank holidays), a 6% employer pension contribution and the right to work from any location for up to 25 working days per year.
Career Progression: We want our people to flourish and grow whilst working for us, helping to contribute towards Future Advocacy’s continued success and impact. This is why we place a big emphasis on learning and development. There are potential future pathways for the right candidate to progress into a “Head of” role and beyond.
Why join us?
Future Advocacy is a global agency, based in London, Brussels and Berlin, that puts cutting-edge advocacy, campaigning and communications tools into the hands of individuals and organisations working to create a better future.
We are highly skilled at:
- Designing winning advocacy and strategic communications strategies
- Mobilising targeted and powerful campaigns for change
- Securing strategically important media coverage
- Digital and creative campaigns
- Research, analysis, policy development and writing
- Training in all aspects of strategy, government relations, campaigning, and media work
We are proud to work for some fantastic clients seeking to make the world a better place. Current and previous clients include the Jamie Oliver Group; Movember; the Elton John AIDS Foundation; Brave Movement; Centre for Democracy and Technology; ECPAT International; Which?; WaterAid; Bite Back 2030; World Food Programme; Islamic Relief; Sarah Brown’s TheirWorld charity; Wellcome Trust, and the World Wide Web Foundation.
Our small but mighty team is made up of people from 8 countries around the world, with experience in government, politics, NGOs, foundations, and the private sector - all motivated to drive positive change. Our Founder/CEO previously was Director of the ONE campaign across Europe for seven years, responsible for all ONE’s policy, campaigns, digital, media, and advocacy work. He was a key architect of the Make Poverty History Campaign; Movement Director for the anti-slavery organisation Walk Free; and an Executive Director of the UK Labour Party.
The Role
Future Advocacy is looking for a Senior Consultant in Strategic Communications and Advocacy. This is a unique opportunity to take a leading role on high-impact projects within a small, dynamic organisation that values creativity, collaboration, and personal growth. We’re looking for a versatile and talented professional, who is excited to lead and contribute to meaningful strategic communications and advocacy initiatives for our brilliant clients.
What we’re looking for
As a Senior Consultant, you will:
- Lead and contribute to client projects
- Design and implement strategic communications strategies
- Drive forward media relations:
- Spot news hooks and craft stories that land and secure media coverage
- Work on high-impact opinion pieces with our champions
- Secure broadcast opportunities for key spokespeople
- Develop and execute UK and global government relations strategies, and meet with decision-makers
- Help to maintain extremely high writing quality across the organisation including on social media
- Line-manage team members, supporting their growth, development, and impact while fostering a positive, collaborative, and empowering team environment
- Oversee our monitoring platform subscriptions and support colleagues who regularly use them
- Contribute to business development, including writing proposals and budgets for new projects
- Contribute to modelling and strengthening our culture
- Undertaking additional tasks as needed
Requirements
We would love to hear from you if you meet the criteria below:
- At least 5 - 10 years of proven success in strategic communications
- A flair for storytelling, with proven excellent media relations skills and connections with UK and/or international media
- A sharp political nose and strong political literacy, with an excellent grasp of key UK political actors, power dynamics and how narratives shift.
- Exceptional writing and verbal communication skills in English
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team, in a fast-paced environment, while also being a generous and collaborative team member
- Enthusiasm, flexibility, and ability to manage competing priorities
- Strong capability to represent the organisation to high-level individuals and clients
- Experience in line managing and nurturing team members
- Experience in effectively managing projects
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent
Nice to Have:
- Experience in designing and delivering government relations and advocacy strategies - including engaging with decision makers
- Experience working in international development
- Experience using media monitoring tools
- Proven experience in managing client relationships, acting as a trusted point of contact and ensuring work is delivered to a consistently high standard
- Experience in, and enthusiasm for, using AI tools ethically for advocacy, campaigns, communications, and research
- Experience in international development
Our Culture
Our culture and values are very important to us, allowing us to thrive in a fast changing world. The key values that drive us at Future Advocacy are:
- Always Learning: We constantly strive to improve the work we do, as a team and as individuals.
- Impactful: We define success in terms of the impact our work has on making the world more equal, sustainable and more prosperous.
- Supportive: We are open, responsive, positive and supportive to each other and to others.
Apply for this Job
Please apply below, with a CV and cover letter.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 8 February.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a short online assessment, and if successful, first round interviews will be held (online) the week beginning 23rd February.
If we’re both excited to proceed, second interviews will be held in person, where we will ask you to complete a written task.
Future Advocacy is committed to equal opportunities. We welcome applications from individuals regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, or disability. We particularly encourage applications from members of groups that are currently under-represented in our organisation, including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
We are happy to discuss flexible working and other adjustments on a case by case basis.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Benefits: 39 days annual leave (including bank holidays), company pension
Lead. Inspire. Serve. Transform Lives.
Are you a Christian leader with a heart for young people and a passion for community transformation?
Do you believe in the God-given value and potential of every person?
Are you ready to guide one of the country’s oldest and most trusted Christian youth movements into its next chapter?
YMCA North Staffordshire is seeking an exceptional Christian Chief Executive Officer to lead our mission, embody our values, and continue shaping a movement that is transforming the lives of thousands of young people and families.
With a proud 160-year history and an award-winning campus at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, this is a rare opportunity to lead a charity that is deeply rooted in Christian faith, committed to radical inclusion, and driven by a vision where all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.
Our Christian Vision and Values
YMCA North Staffordshire is an inclusive Christian movement.
Our mission flows directly from our faith and is grounded in four core values:
PROTECT
We provide sanctuary and safety, ensuring every young person feels seen, valued, and respected.
HOPE
We see young people not through the lens of their past, but their God-given potential.
PERSEVERE
We walk with young people through challenges, setbacks, and breakthroughs.
TRUST
We act with integrity, accountability, and belief in the dignity of every human being.
Because these values are Christian in origin and practice, and because the CEO is the guardian of our mission, this role has a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) for the postholder to be a practising Christian.
About the Role
Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead an organisation of 130 staff, a £5m+ budget, and a £35m estate, helping strengthen community through youth development, education, housing, healthy living, and social responsibility.
The next CEO will:
- Provide strategic leadership to deliver the 2026–2029 Business Plan
- Champion youth voice and empowerment in all areas of work
- Sustain and grow financial strength, partnerships, and social enterprise
- Uphold and deepen our Christian identity, ensuring values-led practice
- Drive innovation, digital transformation, and organisational development
- Represent YMCA NS locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally
- Be a visible advocate for young people in Stoke-on-Trent
- Strengthen our “village” culture: welcoming, relational, rooted in Ubuntu and Asset-Based Community Development principles (ABCD).
Purpose of the Role
To lead YMCA North Staffordshire in fulfilling its Christian mission, as described in the Associations charitable objectives
We develop young people; they develop their world.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic leadership in alignment with Board governance
- Upholding Christian ethos, values, and culture across the organisation
- Financial stewardship, compliance, and sustainability
- Community development and partnership building
- Youth advocacy and empowerment
- Oversight of housing, programmes, and impact measurement
- Staff leadership, pastoral care, and organisational culture
- External representation and communications
Person Specification – Summary
Knowledge
- Housing, youth services, and community development
- Charity law, governance, safeguarding
- Understanding of Christian ministry, mission, and values
- Organisational development and change leadership
Experience
- Senior leadership in values-led or Christian settings
- Track record of strategic development and organisational growth
- Experience working with young people, housing, or community sectors
- Experience nurturing Christian ethos across a diverse organisation
Skills & Abilities
- Inspirational leadership and people development
- Strategic planning and delivery
- Excellent communicator and ambassador
- Partnership building and stakeholder engagement
- Ability to articulate and embody Christian faith
- Deep commitment to Christian values and the Aims & Purposes of the YMCA
The Leader We Are Looking For
The landscape for young people is changing — and so must we.
We need a CEO who is:
- Faith-filled and prayerful
- Values-driven and courageous
- Relational, compassionate, and community-minded
- A champion of excellence, innovation, and good governance
- Grounded in Christian mission and committed to radical inclusion
- Able to inspire hope, build trust, and persevere through challenge
As George Williams, YMCA’s founder, said:
“You are not alone, and you can be more.”
Our next CEO must believe this not only for themselves — but for every young person we serve.
How to apply
An application pack can be found at the YMCA North Staffordshire website. This role is subject to enhanced DBS and reference checks.
Key Recruitment Dates
- Closing Date: 18th January 2026
- Interviews: Week commencing 9th February 2026
We are a safe recruitment Organisation and an Equal Opportunities Employer, we run the disability confident guaranteed interview scheme.
We are an organisation with Christian values, committed to Equality and Diversity in the Workplace. YMCA is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.