Institutional funding officer jobs

Manchester Central Foodbank is a busy Trussell Trust-affiliated food bank, with centres in Central, North, and East Manchester. We were established in Ardwick in 2013 by students at the Manchester Universities’ Catholic Chaplaincy, making us the first student-led food bank in the country. Since then we have grown significantly, expanding our weekly sessions into Harpurhey and Openshaw.

Our core aims are to deliver the best quality support that we can to the largest number of our neighbours in need, while working with partners and influencing and organising at a neighbourhood and citywide level to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

We currently support 16,000 people per year with nutritionally balanced 3-day food parcels. This is double the number of people we supported in the first year following the Covid-19 pandemic, and four times the number supported in 2019. We also provide financial inclusion support with advice workers in public sessions, access to energy vouchers, SIM cards, and other voucher or material support. We coordinate across a network of 200 active front-line referral agencies with the aim of ensuring everyone who accesses our service has appropriate, specialised, and ongoing support alongside the material provision that we provide.

We are active leaders in anti-poverty organising and community development, as convenors of the citywide Building an Anti-Poverty Community collective and aim to be key shapers and influencers of new strategies and policies, working closely to support and influence local government, NHS, education and research agendas in Manchester and more widely building upon our track record of successful anti-poverty partnership work, social value impact and Parliamentary influencing. Our core values are: care, partnership, dignity, partnership, anti-stigma and rights-based.

Key responsibilities
As Chief Executive Officer you will be the key senior staff leader for the charity. You will lead the team to ensure they have the resources, frameworks, and support to effect smooth day-to-day running of our frontline support service. You will provide a strong business management focus, through supporting the financial process, overall metrics and reporting, day to day HR and input for the external Payroll Team, Health and Safety, appropriate working conditions, and strategic planning and communications. 

As the senior lead you will also facilitate and support the Board of Trustees to develop and lead strategic development objectives and plans for transformation, and ensure the delivery and implementation of the charity’s overall strategy and specific focused strategies. You will develop and manage strategic relationships with stakeholders including Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value funders and partners, and high-value and donors. You will also plan and lead fundraising strategies. 

You will be a key external interface for our community and partners.  You will do this by:

Staff/Board Leadership and Governance:

• Line managing a current team of operations staff, including those supporting the recruitment, training, and management of a large team of volunteers. 

• Building team spirit and employee engagement and offer.

• Leading and delivering regular staff performance and development reviews.

• Developing and delivering robust metrics and reporting to the board and staff team, through consistent monthly and quarterly reporting packs to the board of trustees.

• Ensuring all staff and volunteers are familiar and engaged with the charity’s long-term goals and objectives, and know how their work helps to implement these on the ground. Leading the development of induction packages and ongoing offers for staff and volunteers. You will be responsible for writing, implementation, and update of institutional policies as needed to staff and volunteers.

• Leading targeted volunteer recruitment strategies to maximise core delivery capacity through volunteer roles and prioritise staffing capacity to core charity operations.

• Ensure policies are kept current.

• Ensure recording and management of absence/leave.

• Ensure Health and Safety aspects of all organisational operations are compliant, in collaboration with the Board sponsor.

• Manage day to day financial input, through the Xero app, and ensure accurate and up-to-date financial reporting for the Board/Treasurer. This includes administering monthly payroll requests.

• Oversee training and personal development plans for staff and volunteers, as appropriate.

• Working with the Chair of Trustees to implement the charity’s strategic plan and structural development objectives.

• Develop and implement ongoing plans and actions to ensure operationally-appropriate and safe office, warehouse, and working spaces.

• Lead on development, modelling, and maintenance of service delivery standards, quality control, and ensuring frontline teams have the appropriate resources, support, and frameworks to deliver high quality and consistent support offers.

Foodbank Management:

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to deliver the smooth running of food bank sessions across multiple centres, ensuring an excellent standard of service across all centres, and seeking to continually develop our service in line with our goals to support the largest number of people with the best support we can while working to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

• Develop and build a new Delivery Strategy with the Chair of Trustees and Operations and Project Lead.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead and Warehouse and Logistics Coordinator to safely store and maintain optimal stock levels, maximise food donation levels and reduce food spend, develop and maintain relationships with community donors, and record incoming and outgoing stock, with the aim of ensuring that all centres are well stocked to provide as many varied, balanced, and nutritious and culturally-appropriate food parcels as necessary.

• Ensure compliance with the procedures set out in Manchester Central Foodbank’s policies, the Trussell Trust’s Operating Manual, and relevant statutory requirements at all times.

• Ensure our food bank centres provide a safe and dignified environment for clients, free from discrimination, judgement, and stigma.

Strategy and External Relationships:

• Working with the Chair of Trustees on development, monitoring, and implementation of the core charity strategy and sub-strategies. Ensuring the involvement and participation of the food bank’s staff, volunteers, external partners, and service users in all strategic planning and decision making, where appropriate.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to work build strong relationships with referral partners and wider community and statutory networks of collaborators and support to ensure that our service users are able to access the maximum amount of support before, during, and after accessing our service to minimise the length and severity of financial crisis, maximise their incomes, and provide pathways to ongoing and longer-term support.

• Play an active role in strategic and convening spaces around our city and neighbourhoods to present the foodbank’s approach, bring more partners into our network, and influence policy and funding frameworks.

• Develop and manage a Corporate Relationships and Social Value strategy, including communications, networking, and relationship management.

• Lead on directing the charity’s external communications, including social media, in person, newsletters, company visits, and other content.

• Manage internal communications, including developing and delivering two-way team briefings with the board and staff/volunteers, biannual town halls or away days with board members and staff/volunteers, newsletters, and an open and collaborative, person-focused, and developmental culture within the organisation.

About you

Essential Experience and Knowledge:

• 5 years’ experience of leading a similar profiled charity or organisation and successful Board interaction.

• Experience of leading successful transformation and change for a charity and a strong developmental mindset and focus.

• Have led a team of 5 or more staff members to successful performance, demonstrating experience of coaching and individual development skills.

• Experience in developing and leading successful and engaged volunteering programmes and support.

• Full valid driving licence. 

• Proven experience of leading the development and delivery of strategy and sub-strategies to successful conclusion and fashioning evidenced business cases for current and new development projects.

• Leading multiple complex projects or services, balancing the needs and interests of a range of stakeholders.

• Experience of implementing rigorous reporting and evaluation practices on operations.

• Experience of managing day-to-day financial administration and reporting.

• Evidence of delivering clear metric dashboards and reports.

• Experience of high-quality implementation of Health and Safety and Safeguarding policies and a leadership practice that centres care for staff, volunteers, and service users. Safeguarding lead qualification is desirable but will provide training if not.

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in HR processes and management.

• Experience in building and delivering strategic plans.

• Proven experience of effective problem solving and responding to crisis situations.

• A good working knowledge of the social welfare and political landscape in Manchester – or demonstrable experience in similar expertise and networking and an openness to learn and develop sector-specific knowledge.

• A nuanced and sensitive understanding of the complex reasons people attend food banks.

Desirable Experience and Knowledge:

• Partnering with and building relationships with Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value partners and funders, high net worth donors, and fundraising through grant applications and individual/community donors.

• Experience of working collaboratively with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and views. 

• Experience of handling safeguarding incidents, follow-ups, and debriefs with staff, volunteers, and service users.

• Demonstrated success in delivering communications strategies for internal and external stakeholders, including social media and press content and campaigns.

Personal Skills and Attributes:

• An individual who embodies the values of Manchester Central Foodbank in their core professional practice and personal approach to their work.

• An empathetic and care-centred approach and the ability to centre the experience and outcomes of people from marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds in core decision-making and prioritisation.

• A leader who takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility to drive an organisation and team forward with a developmental mindset.

• A highly self-motivated and proactive person who centres collaboration and consensus with the staff team, volunteers and Board of Trustees in their approach.

• Able to develop strategy and plans and translate strategy to actionable delivery and developmental projects.

• A high level of literacy and communication.

• A high level of numeracy and ability to analyse data.

• Strong leadership attributes to build engagement and performance with the team.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate, persuade, and coach staff and volunteers.

• Excellent personal organisation skills and the ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities and deadlines.

Play a leading role in shaping the future of Saferworld’s philanthropic partnerships and help drive funding that supports peacebuilding around the world. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced relationship builder to grow a high potential income stream with real global impact.

Saferworld works to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. As our Philanthropy Manager, you’ll join a committed, values‑driven team working in solidarity with people affected by conflict. You’ll lead on a portfolio of established philanthropic partners while also identifying and cultivating new opportunities that align with our mission and principles.

This is a role with genuine scope for creativity and innovation. You will shape cultivation strategies, co‑create funding opportunities with colleagues and partners, and represent Saferworld externally to deepen relationships and secure high‑value, multi‑year support. You will also help position the organisation to engage high net‑worth individuals, foundations and donor‑advised funds as we diversify our income.

Working closely with programme, policy, communications and finance teams, you will ensure our proposals, reports and donor care reflect the quality, impact and integrity of our work. A smaller part of your role will involve overseeing individual giving and gifts in wills, supported by the Funding Officer.

If you are motivated by building meaningful partnerships, influencing change, and contributing to a more peaceful world, this role offers the chance to make a tangible difference while shaping a growing area of work at Saferworld.

Advocates for International Development (A4ID) is seeking to appoint a Project Officer to join the Legal Services Team at a pivotal moment in our organisation’s journey.

About A4ID

Advocates for International Development (A4ID) is a charity with a vision to shape a just and sustainable future through the power of law. A4ID partners with world’s top legal professionals and development organisations to facilitate high-quality, free legal and technical support to advance the SDGs and improve the Rule of Law. A4ID is currently working hard to make its vision and mission a reality through its innovative pro bono broker service and bespoke pro bono projects; its acclaimed thought leadership and policy work; its Rule of Law Expertise UK Programme; and its international project work.

Purpose of the Role

The role of the Project Officer – Legal Services (POLS) is to support the PBLS team’s mission to advance the UN SDGs by brokering pro bono legal assistance from legal experts in support of international NGOs globally. The POLS will do this by coordinating the internal processes for project sourcing, scoping and allocating, and utilising legal expertise within these processes and when providing external training and communications.

A key focus of this role is to source and scope out the weekly pro bono projects and forms. The POLS will also engage law firms and other legal stakeholders, conduct due diligence, allocate projects, maintain project records, gather feedback, prepare internal reports and external communications and undertake other administrative tasks as necessary (e.g. updating software and implementing process changes). Other key responsibilities include assisting the Pro Bono Services Lead (PBSL) with any bespoke projects, assisting with training events for Development Partners on relevant legal topics, and engaging key Legal or Development Partners on any specific areas of legal interest or need.Key Responsibilities

Broker Service And Operational Responsibilities

The POLS is responsible for supporting PBLS and undertaking relevant responsibilities and duties, including:

• Sourcing, scoping and allocating pro bono legal projects between international development partners and legal partners efficiently and in required timescales.
• Quality assurance of projects and deliverables to ensure stakeholder needs are met. This includes establishing and delivering on internal reporting protocols, narrative reports, high-quality data gathering, and any other required external documentation.
• Managing feedback and progress reviews in relation to A4ID project stakeholders.
• Coordinating learning, thought leadership and training outputs and activities bilaterally between legal and development experts, including briefings, publications, training and learning events, particularly those with a legal focus.
• Working with the CSO Officer on direct outreach for building new partnerships with Development Organisations (NGOs and CSOs).
• Supporting PBSL in managing A4ID’s existing network of legal experts, and expanding the network by engaging with new legal experts.
• Assisting with trialing online pro bono platforms, such as Paladin and Justice Connect.
• Coordinating recruitment, line management and training of volunteers.
• Supporting PBSL with other internal processes to advance the mission of A4ID, as needed.

Marketing & Events

The POLS will support relevant marketing activities related to PBLS. This includes:

• Representing A4ID and increasing visibility of PBLS services at events related to legal pro bono at UK, regional and international levels.  
• Developing relevant external communications and material for social media and newsletters, particularly those with a legal focus.
• Drafting case studies and develop-related external communications (e.g. presentations, website articles and social media posts).

Fundraising and Income Generation

The PBLO will support relevant business development activities related to PBLS including:

• Draft and scope relevant applications and proposals (identified trusts, foundation or institutions).
• Support and provide input into income generation activities/proposal development for existing and new  pro bono products, services, and projects.
• Maintain and develop relationships with contributing legal partners, including participating in regular account management meetings to manage relationships.
• As needed, work across departments/teams support and contribute to overall fundraising and proposals, in line with the organisational strategy.
• Support assessments and mapping of potential funding sources, e.g. trusts, foundations or institutional funding.
• Conduct due diligence and onboarding of any potential new Legal Partners.
• Support and deliver other tasks as required by PBSL.

 Person Specification

• Law degree (in any jurisdiction).
• Four years of experience working in a legal setting, including law firms or legal charities.
• Strong experience of working independently and delivering tasks in a timely manner.
• Previous brokerage experience (ideally in a legal environment).
• Excellent outreach and engagement skills.
• Excellent relevant IT skills, such as a working knowledge of project management systems, CRMs and cloud-based systems (such as MS Office 365, Salesforce, Asana).
• Experience engaging with external stakeholders (such as clients, funders or service users) including at external events.
• Confident and self-motivated.
• Excellent communication skills, with a friendly, positive attitude.
• Ability to work flexibly and manage a varied workload.
• Ability to work as part of a team, and take initiative and work independently.
• Strong organisation and time management skills, and good attention to detail.
• Proven ability to work to tight deadlines and within agreed frameworks.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; ability to produce written material targeting different audiences
• Willingness to take on high level as well as everyday tasks and perform both with excellence.
• Understanding of  international development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button.

Closing date: 12 July 2026.

Salary: £35,159 to £36,935 (starting salary range)

Working pattern: Full-time, Permanent (35 hours per week)

Pension: USS

Annual leave: 25 days plus 8 bank holidays, 3 well-being days, and a Christmas office closure

Location: Hybrid, flexible working model with an office located in central London. Occasional UK-wide travel for GHE and relevant events.

Reports to: Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International)

Purpose

GuildHE is seeking an ambitious Policy Officer to play a pivotal role in the next phase of our organisation’s growth. Working directly with the Head of Research Policy and the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International), you will help monitor, analyse, and respond to policy initiatives within the research and innovation space.  You will support a range of member-focused events and activities to ensure staff in our member institutions are well-informed and supported. This includes supporting the management of the GuildHE Research Consortium and leading on the organising and delivery of our flagship annual PGR Doctoral Festival, helping our members develop, share best practices, and maximise their research impact.

Key Responsibilities 

Policy Analysis & Communication

1. Horizon Scanning: Monitor government departments (e.g., DSIT, DfE), funding and regulatory bodies (UKRI, Research England, OfS, Innovate UK), and other stakeholders for policy updates, funding calls, and consultation launches in relation to Research and Innovation policy.

2. Briefings: Produce concise policy briefings, data summaries, and position papers for GuildHE members and leadership on key Research and Innovation issues (e.g., REF, knowledge exchange, KEF, commercialisation, research culture, open research). Develop high-quality external reports, consultations, blogs and other materials articulating member challenges and opportunities.

3. Consultation Drafts: Assist senior policy colleagues in gathering evidence, analysing member feedback, collaborating with sector stakeholders, and drafting compelling arguments that articulate the unique perspectives of GuildHE institutions.

4. Share Best Practice: Identify case studies across the GHE membership to share best practice internally and externally and drive national conversations about new ways of working and operating in the sector.

5. Policy issues: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national and institutional research and innovation policies indicated by the Head of Research Policy or Policy Manager (Research, Innovation, International).

Member Support & Consortium Coordination

1. Member Engagement: Maintain regular, positive communication with research and innovation leads across member institutions, fostering a collaborative network.  Support relevant GuildHE member networks, including the Knowledge Exchange, Innovation and Place network, promoting communication, collaboration, and best practice exchange to inform evidence-based policy development.

2. Member development: Provide support for timely implementation of good practice guidelines and associated resources, within agreed budgets. This includes assisting with members' business development initiatives, such as Research Degree Awarding Powers.

3. Event Delivery: Develop and deliver content for events including the GuildHE Research Consortium meetings, the Research and Knowledge Exchange Symposium, PGR Doctoral Festival, the PGR Network for global majority students and sandpits/match events, workshops and roundtables. 

4. Shared Services: Collaborate with other GHE teammates to maintain and deliver our shared services (i.e. research outputs repository, shared postgraduate online training, research impact tracking and researcher development tools) and explore new services in response to members’ needs

5. PGR Students: Develop and deliver initiatives for postgraduate students and early career researchers (e.g., our PGR Support Programme and associated student networks), working closely with the Policy Manager (Student Experience) to ensure postgraduate students are reflected in broader student support policies.

The postholder will also be expected to:

1. Actively support the delivery of the GuildHE strategy.

2. To contribute positively to a small, professional team focused on delivering excellence in their members’ interests.

3. Support GuildHE events and communication activities as appropriate - including campaigns, writing articles, blogs and press releases.

4. Build strong relationships with key stakeholders at HE institutions and sector agencies, including senior leaders, academics, and policy staff.

5. Gather feedback from HE institutions and use this to inform the continuous improvement of our services.

6. Demonstrate a proactive approach to embedding EDI principles within all policy development and advocacy efforts.

7. Represent GuildHE externally on a range of HE sector groups and projects and deputise for the Head of Research Policy or the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation and International) as appropriate.

8. Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required.

Person Specification

Core Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships

• Clear, concise writing skills for drafting policy responses, reports, and emails to senior stakeholders with excellent attention to detail.

• Problem-solving, Influencing and advocacy skills 

• Ability to digest complex, lengthy policy documents and extract key themes relevant to GuildHE members.

• Confident digital skills and highly proficient user of computer packages including MS Office and G Suite

• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively, adhere deadlines, and maintain project momentum. This includes the capacity to monitor progress, identify and mitigate potential risks, and proactively address challenges.

• Experience in using data and evidence to enhance and impact assess activities. 

• Facilitation and convening skills would be advantageous 

Core Attributes

• Ability to build professional relationships quickly and sustainably with members and a wide range of stakeholders

• Able to meet deadlines, to prioritise work and to anticipate issues and problems with strong attention to detail

• A collaborative, communicative and flexible team player who is also comfortable working independently.

• An individual who shares our values of equity and inclusion and can translate these values into day to day work and impactful outcomes.

• An understanding of, or a keen interest in, the UK higher education sector, research funding landscape, or public policy.

• To be willing to travel across the UK for meetings with members, stakeholders and events and to work flexibly, when and where necessary.

Ideal Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of higher education policy, working in research and innovation and/or supporting a research environment. 

• Experience of developing policy positions and responses

• Experience in synthesising complex data and/or ideas

• Experience in supporting training and development

Job Advert

GuildHE is a formal representative body, representing diversity in the higher education sector and the widest variety of institution types across the UK.  We are undergoing an exciting period of transformation, evolving our policy approach and member-focused services to significantly increase our impact within the sector and ensure we’re providing timely, proactive support to our members as they address emerging 21st century challenges.  

GuildHE is seeking an ambitious Policy Officer to play a pivotal role in the next phase of our organisation’s growth. Working directly with the Head of Research Policy and the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International), you will help monitor, analyse, and respond to policy initiatives within the research and innovation space.  You will support a range of member-focused events and activities to ensure staff in our member institutions are well-informed and supported. This includes supporting the management of the GuildHE Research Consortium and leading on the organising and delivery of our flagship annual PGR Doctoral Festival, helping our members develop, share best practices, and maximise their research impact.

If you think you can bring bold, creative and proactive energy to our small-and-mighty team to help take us to the next level, we want to hear from you!

Application closing date: Monday 12th July

Interviews: Tuesday 21st July 

Please submit your cv and a cover letter via the jobs portal

Curious about the role? Please contact Dana Gamble, Policy Manager for more information

About Global Health Partnerships
Global Health Partnerships is a UK-registered charity with nearly four decades of experience connecting NHS institutions, diaspora health workers, Royal Colleges, and government partners with counterparts across Africa, Asia, and beyond. We strengthen health systems, build the evidence base for UK investment in global health, and work at the interface of domestic and international health policy. Our network includes 256 confirmed MCH health workers across 32 institutions, established relationships with RCOG, RCM, RCN, and NHS England, and a track record of supporting the APPG on Global Health and Security. We are a trusted, non-partisan intermediary between UK clinical communities and policymakers.

Why this is an exceptional opportunity
This is a rare and timely role for a senior external affairs and communications professional who wants to make a direct, measurable difference to global health. You will be joining Global Health Partnerships at a pivotal moment, as we launch an ambitious advocacy programme, with the backing of a major foundation and a network of frontline NHS clinicians and health institutions.  
 

This is not a general communications role. It is a specialist advocacy and policy influence position, focused on translating evidence and health worker experience into parliamentary and media impact. If you want to shape how UK politicians and the public think about global health and see that shift lead to real changes in funding and policy, this is the role for you.

Job purpose
Reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive, you will lead GHP’s external affairs and communications function across the full range of the organisation’s strategic priorities. This includes designing and executing GHP’s advocacy strategy for priority programmes — with the Every Mother, Everywhere MCH programme as the flagship — while also building GHP’s broader profile as the leading UK voice on NHS institutional partnerships, health workforce policy, and the mutual benefit case for UK investment in global health. You will manage GHP’s relationships with key stakeholders in parliament, government, and the media, and ensure that GHP’s full portfolio of work is visible, compelling, and connected to the policy arguments that matter most to funders and decision-makers.
 

You will oversee GHP’s secretariat relationship with the APPG on Global Health and Security, develop and support networks of health worker and diaspora advocates, lead media and parliamentary engagement, and coordinate a coalition of civil society, clinical, and community organisations around shared advocacy priorities. With the communications team, you will also work closely with the fundraising and programmes teams to ensure GHP’s communications and public profile actively support income diversification and donor engagement across institutional, trust, and corporate funding streams.
 

While the immediate priority is our Maternal and Child Health Advocacy programme and its parliamentary and media objectives, this role carries wider organisational responsibility for GHP’s positioning, reputation, and voice in public discourse on global health. The postholder will line manage the Communications Manager and be accountable for the coherence of GHP’s external communications across all channels and programmes. 
 

For full details on the role, including the Person Specification please look at our job pack.

What we offer:

As well as your salary which is paid monthly, you'll also get:

• Flexible and hybrid working
• 25 days annual leave plus three days off between Christmas and New Year
• Annual learning and development allowance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 5% employer pension contribution when an employee contributes 3%

How to apply: 
 

Please apply with a CV and a covering letter of no more than two pages by 10th July 2026.
 

Your covering letter should address the following: why you are interested in this role at this moment; how your experience of external affairs is relevant to GHP’s organisational priorities; what you understand to be the strongest argument for UK investment in global health and how you would build political and public support for it. 
 

GHP is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in our recruitment. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the communities and health systems our work engages with.

About us

Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) is a values-driven organisation working with Indigenous Peoples and local communities to protect the world’s rainforests and uphold their human rights. Since 1989, RFUK has partnered with forest peoples and grassroots organisations to secure land rights, challenge destructive industries, and influence laws and policies that safeguard forests and the people who depend on them.

Our mission is clear: to combine human rights and environmental protection to tackle deforestation. From the Congo Basin to the Amazon, our work has helped communities protect millions of hectares of rainforest. With a growing team of passionate advocates for social and environmental justice, we are committed to scaling up our impact to confront the accelerating climate and biodiversity crises.

About the role

The Head of External Relations is a key senior leadership role at Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) responsible for overseeing effective fundraising and communications strategies to support the organisation's work protecting rainforests and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role is responsible for building RFUK’s external profile and support for its ambitious 2033 vision to scale up community-led protection of tropical forests. The position combines strategic communications, outreach, targeted campaigns, and media engagement to connect RFUK’s impactful programmes to its growing audience, supporters and funders.

This a key role in the organisation, managing a small team, working closely with the Programmes team to craft compelling narratives that drive engagement and action, with the Operations team to ensure financial sustainability, and with the Executive Director to create and implement targeted fundraising strategies.

About you

This role requires a strong commitment to social and environmental justice, the ability to form and cultivate relationships with a range of different groups, and the ability to communicate complex issues persuasively.

You’re an experienced leader with a proven track record in both strategic communications and fundraising. You’re a creative communicator who can turn complex issues into persuasive, accessible messages that drive change and support for our mission. You know how to secure significant income from foundations, corporates, individuals and major donors, and you’re confident in building long-term relationships with diverse stakeholders. You thrive on collaboration, motivate teams to achieve ambitious goals, and bring resilience and cultural sensitivity to everything you do.

Job description and benefits

Please download the full job description from our website. We offer 30 days annual leave, 4% pension contributions, Employee Assistance Programme, learning and development allowance, and four weeks of work-from-anywhere flexibility.

Location

This role is offered as a hybrid role based in our Bethnal Green, London office. The postholder will be required to work in the office 2 days per week during their 6-month probation period. This can be reviewed with their Line Manager thereafter.

Application Process

To submit your application, kindly complete the online application form by 9AM, Friday 10 July. Please be aware that the form will be anonymised for review by the panel.

Please note that CVs will not be considered.

We strongly encourage all candidates to read the Recruitment FAQs page on our website before submitting their application.

Regrettably, due to the large number of applications we usually receive, it is not possible to write to you should you not be shortlisted for an interview. If you have not heard from us within 10 working days of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion. 

Initial interviews with shortlisted candidates will be held online on Thursday 16 July. Please let us know in your application if you are available to attend an interview.

Job Title: Interim Director of Finance (12-18 months) 

Location: London/United Kingdom - Candidates can work remotely with occasional travel to the office

Contract: 12 months Fixed Term contract with the possibility of extension  

Salary: UK £120,000 to £135,000 

Working pattern: Full-Time initially, with the option to go to 4 days after 3 months if required

About FILE
 The Foundation for International Law for the Environment (FILE) is a not-for-profit philanthropic organisation working to accelerate legal action on climate change.
 

Through grant-making and in-house legal expertise, we empower our partners to deliver strategic, innovative legal interventions and we support lawyers in their own countries to bring their own cases.

Legal action can unlock the systemic changes in finance, policy and social systems needed to protect all of us from climate change. The power of the law is both direct (changing policy and practice) and indirect (signalling the wider shifts taking place across these systems).  

FILE is a ‘regrantor’ - this means we do not bring legal action in our own name. We receive grants from our philanthropic donors and make onwards grants to partners who align with FILE’s charitable aims and purposes. We do not seek to make any profit from our activities either in a relevant financial year or in the longer term.  

The Role

We are looking for an exceptional interim finance leader to join FILE during a period of organisational transition, as we shape our strategy for the next three years and review our long-term leadership structure. 

This is a strictly interim appointment, created to provide visible senior leadership across our Finance function while FILE undertakes a wider review of its long-term organisational design and permanent leadership arrangements. 

As Interim Director of Finance, you will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, partnering closely with the Executive Director, Supervisory Board, and senior leaders to ensure strong financial stewardship and sharp strategic insight. You will lead a talented finance team and help build the foundations for our future operating model. 

This is an opportunity for a senior finance leader who enjoys combining financial rigour with strategic influence, is energised by complexity, and is motivated by helping an ambitious organisation maximise its impact on climate justice and environmental law. 

The role spans across four core areas: strategic and team leadership, financial strategy planning and analysis, finance operations and systems, and risk and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Team Leadership (20%) 
As an interim Senior Leadership Team member during a period of organisational change, you will ensure the development, delivery and assessment of FILE's Strategic Plan, supporting collective SLT decision-making and accountability. You will advise the Executive Director and boards on financial governance, lead a high-performing finance team, provide independent challenge to strategic decisions, and represent FILE with auditors, banks, donors and other external stakeholders. 

Financial Strategy, Planning and Analysis (30%) 
You will hold overall accountability for FILE's long-term financial planning, budgeting, scenario modelling and reporting, ensuring financial sustainability and acting as a thought partner to senior leadership and boards. This includes supporting fundraising and grantmaking with high-quality financial insight, stewarding donor funds effectively, and maintaining a reserves strategy aligned to FILE's mission and risk appetite. 

Finance Operations and Systems (20%) 
You will hold overall accountability for finance operations including compliance, taxation, audit and treasury management, with day-to-day execution delegated to the Head of Finance. Responsibilities include cashflow forecasting, foreign exchange and banking relationships, and supporting the development of a finance systems roadmap to harmonise platforms across the FILE network. 

Risk and Compliance (30%) 
You will lead financial risk identification, assessment and mitigation across the organisation, overseeing the development, implementation and evaluation of finance policies and procedures to ensure consistent compliance with relevant local laws, tax regulations and donor requirements, underpinned by strong internal and external assurance including statutory and donor audits. 

Key Outcomes

• FILE's finance function enables the delivery of the Strategic Plan, delivering prompt, high quality insights, business partnering and innovative financial modelling.  

• FILE's Senior Leadership Team, Board and donors receive accurate, timely and insightful financial reporting that supports strong decision making.  

• An effective compliance and controls environment is maintained across all financial management, donor funds and statutory requirements, with all obligations met on time.  

• FILE's long term financial planning and annual budgeting processes are robust, well governed and aligned to strategic priorities.  

• Finance policies and procedures are efficient, consistently applied and compliant with relevant legislation across all jurisdictions in which FILE operates.  

• The Finance team is high performing, collaborative and viewed as a valued partner across FILE functions.  

• FILE's Senior Leadership Team is viewed as effective, collaborative and thought leading, with the Director of Finance contributing meaningfully to collective SLT accountability and decision making.  

• JEDI principles are championed and embedded across FILE, with the Director of Finance modelling and advancing these values in all aspects of their leadership  

About you

We know that long lists of criteria can be discouraging and that some candidates will not apply for a role unless they feel they are 100% qualified. If you feel you meet at least some of the essential criteria, we still encourage you to apply. 

We also recognise that skills and experience can be gained in unexpected places, so we welcome applications from candidates who feel they have relevant skills for the role, gained from a wide range of professional, lived and learned experiences. 

Essential criteria 

Technical Skills 

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), or qualified by experience at an equivalent level. 

• Significant experience leading finance functions within an international organisation of comparable scale and complexity (£60m+ annual income/expenditure). 

• Proven strategic and operational leadership of finance, spanning financial planning and analysis, operations and systems, and risk and compliance. 

• Strong working knowledge of statutory and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions, treasury management, and donor financial compliance across private philanthropy and institutional funders. 

• Exceptional long-term financial planning, modelling and budgeting skills, with a track record of translating complex financial data into clear strategic insight. 

Power Skills  

• A visible, values-driven leader who leads through change with confidence, coaches and enables their team, and fosters a culture of collaboration and transparency. 

• Communicates with clarity and confidence at all levels, including Board and executive level, adapting style and language to the audience. 

• Strategic thinker who connects financial insight to organisational decision-making and applies sharp analytical thinking to complex problems. 

• Highly collaborative and adaptable, building trusted relationships across functions and remaining effective during periods of ambiguity and change. 

• Acts with integrity, exercises strong professional judgement, and actively champions JEDI principles across all aspects of their leadership. 

Working for FILE

FILE is a collaborative community of individuals who share a passion for climate, nature, and justice. We bring together knowledge and experience to support our mission.  

Our people are empowered to lead their work both individually and as part of a wider team in order to make impactful change. As a relatively young organisation with the ambitious mission to change global systems, our roles are ideally suited to those who are strategic, innovative and collaborative, and open to growing in line with the Foundation.  

FILE is committed to challenging systemic injustice. Our ability to do so is strengthened by the diversity of our partners and staff. Our mission, work and impact is global, with staff and partners from across the world and a range of lived experiences. We are actively working to create a culture where colleagues feel welcomed, heard and supported to succeed and thrive.  

How FILE supports its staff

FILE is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. FILE offers a generous annual leave policy and additional time-off work to support wellbeing. Amongst other benefits, FILE offers private healthcare, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave, enhanced sick leave, flexibility working remotely and also abroad and a matching contribution to a pension scheme.  

Applications

Please apply on our website and upload your CV and Cover Letter. This role is open for applications immediately and we accept applications on a rolling basis but we will not accept any applications after 01 July 2026. If you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. 

Representation and Culture

FILE recognises the under-representation of historically marginalised communities and individuals in climate, nature and philanthropy spaces. We are committed to developing an organisation that represents the world we are looking to protect, and building a culture that supports this.

We are keen to hear from people belonging to communities that are often under-represented in climate justice and philanthropy, including those from the Global Majority, LGBTQIA+ communities, and Disabled communities, as well as others with experience of marginalisation and those belonging to more than one of these communities.

FILE is committed to building policies and practices that ensure no current or prospective employee is discriminated against on the basis of disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.