International crisis group jobs

Full time (flexible working options available)

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 3rd August

Ref 6995

Save the Children UK has an exciting opportunity for a strategic and collaborative individual with extensive research, policy and advocacy experience to join us as our Senior Policy & Research Manager where you will work in the Northern Ireland team with colleagues across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, and Europe.

The home office for this role is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, but this post can be based anywhere in Ireland or Northern Ireland.

Please note: Salary will be offered in GBP or Euro equivalent, depending on the candidate's location.

About Us

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.  When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave.  We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

In Northern Ireland and Ireland, we work alongside children, families, and partners to influence policy, practice, and systems so they better reflect local needs and priorities. Together with colleagues and partners across Northern Ireland, Ireland, the UK, and Europe, we aim to shift resources closer to national and local partners, ensure the meaningful participation of children and families in decision-making, and strengthen collective impact through strategic partnerships, networks, and coalitions.

About the role

As Senior Policy & Research Manager, you will play a leading role in shaping and delivering our strategy in Northern Ireland and Ireland, turning insight into action, and making sure that the voices and experiences of children and families directly inform policies and practice.

This role is about more than writing reports — it's about influencing decision-makers, leading collaborative strategies, and driving progress with and through others. You will play a key role in helping us to build on our well established position in Northern Ireland, and develop our approach in Ireland, shaping our strategies, partnerships, and our approach to bring about policy change.  You will understand research approaches, how to develop policy proposals, be comfortable building external networks and relationships, and persuading stakeholders of your thinking and arguments — all while staying grounded in the voices and needs of children and families.

In this role, you will: 

• Leading and delivering impactful policy and research strategies focused on tackling child poverty.

• Building strong relationships with community partners, government stakeholders, and peer organisations.

• Turning complex research and evidence into clear, persuasive insights that shape policy and practice.

• Leading working groups and project teams on specific policy agendas.

• Managing high-quality research and evaluation (including participatory methods), commissioning external experts, and conducting your own analysis.

• Representing Save the Children externally and contributing to strategic influencing efforts with politicians, civil servants, funders, and partners.

About you

To be successful, it is important that you have:

• Strong foundations in policy, research, and advocacy, with a track record of turning insight into action.

• Experience working with or within civil society, academia, or public sector settings to influence change.

• Excellent relationship-building skills and the ability to collaborate across diverse teams and communities.

• Ability to understand and interpret complex data, and communicate it clearly to different audiences.

• Understanding of the policy environment in Northern Ireland and/or Ireland — or the curiosity and ability to learn quickly.

• Willingness to travel across Northern Ireland and Ireland.

• Commitment to Save the Children's vision, mission and values.

What we offer you:

Working for a charity provides one of the best benefits there is – a sense of purpose and reward for helping others. However, we understand the importance of giving back to our employees to ensure a happy and healthy working environment and work/life balance.

• We focus on flexibility, inclusion, collaboration, health and wellbeing both in and outside of work.

• We provide a wide range of benefits which will reward your hard work, motivate you, and inspire you to work to improve the lives of children every day. 

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 3rd August

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Ways of Working:

The majority of our roles can be performed remotely in the UK, but there are likely to be times when you will be required to come to your contracted office (up to 2-4 days per month or 6-8 days per quarter).  This will be agreed with your Line Manager and team and is intended to be time spent on collaborating with colleagues and relationship building. 

Please note: travel costs to your contracted office will be at your own expense. 

Flexible Working - We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 

Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be "Free to Be Me". We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think. 

We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences - of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability - help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here. 

**PLEASE NOTE: To apply for this vacancy, please ensure you firstly download a copy of our application form from the documents section on our portal. Click the 'apply' button and fill out your personal details in the relevant sections. Once you have submitted these you will be asked if you would like to attach any documents. At this stage please submit the completed version of the application form.**

JOB PURPOSE
UK for UNHCR (UK4U), the UN Refugee Agency's national charity partner, is looking for a Prospect Research Manager to join its Partnerships and Philanthropy Team (PPH). This role will play a key part in continuing to build our UHNWI, HNWI, Trust and Foundation and Corporate pipelines, by working closely with fundraising colleagues as well as UNHCR internationally.  
 

This role reports to the Head of Philanthropy and manages the Prospect Research Officer. The post holder will identify research, organise and evaluate a prospect’s financial capacity, ability to give, willingness to give, charitable interests, and connection to the organisation, operating within the organisation’s due diligence process. The post holder will work closely with senior stakeholders within PPH to help drive each area’s strategy and the overall team objectives.
 

The role manages UK for UNHCR’s due diligence process from renewing due diligence on existing pipelines, to completing new due diligence profiles utilising key due diligence tools and platforms, working with the PPH team, SMT and UNHCR’s global due diligence team.
 

Passionate about the refugee cause and UNHCR’s contribution, you will have demonstrable experience of successfully identifying prospects as well as preparing and presenting in depth prospect briefs for across the high value fundraising pipeline from UHNW and HNW individuals, Trusts & Foundations and corporates.  You will be familiar with using a variety of information sources, of complying with GDPR and other regulations and working with a CRM database.  Donor focussed and a problem solver, you will with have excellent written and verbal communication skills and be someone who enjoys working as part of a team.   
 

We are interested in hearing from candidates with a range of professional experience: charity or private sector. If you think you have the relevant skills and crucially, the passion to support the refugee cause, please apply.
 

 WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO  

United Kingdom for UNHCR is the United Nations Refugee Agency’s national charity partner for the United Kingdom. We generate public awareness of the plight of refugees and raise funds to help protect them through UNHCR’s humanitarian operations across the world.

Our supporters include UK private individuals, communities, corporate partners, trusts and foundations. The funds we raise help UNHCR deliver emergency relief such as shelter, medical care and basic supplies to people fleeing conflict and persecution, as well as healthcare, education and livelihoods opportunities for those who remain displaced over the long term.

Nobody chooses to be a refugee, but we can all play a part in their protection, and we want those who work with us to share our values and passion for the cause.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING 

We strongly value diversity and recognise that it is critical to our success and the cause that we serve. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all who work with us and strongly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience of being a refugee, asylum seeker, internally displaced person, or a stateless person.  
 

UK for UNHCR is proud to have Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. The Diversity & Inclusion Working Group is a group of colleagues focusing on tasks that drive action in the implementation of our D&I Approach.  The group also works to create safe spaces that brings colleagues together for events, discussions and learning experiences that celebrate and support diversity and tackle barriers to inclusion. 

We are also open to flexibility in many ways, including an element of working from home and flexible hours. Please don’t be afraid to speak to us about this at the interview stage, so we can explore what’s possible.

Role Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with the Head of Philanthropy and Senior Stakeholders within PPH, to build upon the overarching strategy for the prospect research function, to deliver a strong and sustainable prospect pipeline
• Using a broad spectrum of sources, identify, research, organise and evaluate a prospect’s financial capacity, ability to give, willingness to give, charitable interests, and connection to the organisation. Support fundraising staff in prioritising prospects and building pipelines.
• Lead meetings with senior stakeholders (CEO and Fundraising Heads) to discuss new prospects and the current HNWI portfolio and Corporate pipeline.
• Keep up to date on research and due diligence trends including identifying ways to improve risk research, due diligence and market insight.
• Work within UK4U’s due diligence policy and processes, maintaining a system to enable the organisation to track due diligence carried out, ensuring compliance with all regulatory best practice standards.
• Track and manage prospect research KPIS using power BI.
• Produce in-depth, well-written reports on prospects based on a combination of data from the donor database, open access records and other markers of high-quality donors.
• Managing and coaching an officer level prospect research role, overseeing their work on key projects and developing their skills.
• Embed best practice use of the database within the team, developing tools to analyse and review our prospect pool and how prospects are moved through the pipeline.
• Implement new research techniques as they arise, striving to design a high quality and efficient prospect research methodology.
• Carry regular pipeline reviews to ensure pipelines remain dynamic and fit for purpose.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to perform duties that are not detailed above.
 

Personal Attributes and Experience

Essential Experience

• Experience of providing strategically aligned research to help identify and prioritise prospects capable of offering significant financial and/or other support. 
• Experience of profiling, network mapping, prospect qualification and other intelligence gathering activities.
• Experience of working with colleagues in Individual Giving as well as with major donor and corporate fundraisers to optimise use of a CRM database to identify potential prospects.
• Experience managing, coaching, motivating and supporting more junior members of the team.
• Experience carrying out due diligence.
• Strong understanding of GDPR and working within GDPR policies.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders (CEO and Trustees and fundraising board members) to identify key prospects within their networks and offering recommendations on next steps and areas of UNHCR’s work that may be of interest to prospects.
• Experience of working on fundraising databases.

 Essential Skills/Knowledge

• Ability to investigate, analyse, and synthesize large quantities of data into a user-friendly and concise format for the use by fundraisers and key volunteers (e.g., Trustees). 
• Ability to act proactively to identify new prospects.
• Knowledge of due diligence platforms and how to carry out due diligence effectively.
• Ability to lead meetings with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to juggle and prioritise multiple tasks and meet deadlines.  
• Able to demonstrate flexibility, with a willingness to respond quickly, particularly at times of humanitarian crisis.
• Ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations well.
• Demonstrable strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to be discreet with valuable and personal donor details that are often confidential.
• Ability to problem-solve effectively.
• Ability to take a tactful and ethical approach to fundraising tasks/projects.
• Demonstrable understanding of GDPR and other regulatory compliance issues. 
• Ability to work proficiently with CRM databases (knowledge of Salesforce helpful). 
• Ability to work proficiently in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong understanding of the UK philanthropic environment across UHNWs/ Major donors/ Trusts and Foundations and Corporates.

Desirable Skills/Experience (not compulsory)
·  Demonstrable interest in or higher education on/or similar study on international development/humanitarian issues.
·  Line management experience.
 

WHY JOIN UNITED KINGDOM FOR UNHCR? 

You will be part of a high performing agile team of talented people, all committed to build solidarity and raise funds for refugees and displaced people worldwide. You will be working in a flexible, supportive, and inclusive environment, where your work will be recognised and appraised. 
 

What else?
Wellbeing
28 days’ leave per annum plus bank holidays.

• Employee Assistance programme providing 24/7 access to online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing. 
• Access to 100s of perks with discounts on everyday purchases.
• Office wellness perks.
• Discount on gym memberships. 
• Hybrid and Flexible Working.
• Staff socials.

Financial 

• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8%.
• Non-contributory group life assurance scheme
• Non-contributory Income protection scheme.
• One-off contribution towards homeworking set up.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
• Enhanced sick pay scheme. 

Development

• Comprehensive training and continuing development opportunities.
• Individual training budget.

HOW TO APPLY
If you have the relevant skills and the passion to use them to support refugees, please apply by completing our application form which is available in the documents section.   

We are actively reviewing applications for this positions and interviews will be held on a rolling basis. To avoid disappointment, submit your application now.

If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to the application or hiring process that may better facilitate your participation, please contact us using the email address provided when you click through to our online portal. We will make every effort to respond to your request for assistance as soon as possible.

United Kingdom for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is registered with the Charity Commission (England & Wales), charity no. 1183415. It is the UK national partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency.

Job Title: Senior Communications Officer

Reports to: Communications Manager

Line reports: None

Contract terms: Full time

Salary: £39,629

Location: London-based, with hybrid working

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is a membership organisation and the voice of the profession, with 4,500 members in the UK and overseas. Our role is to champion the specialty, set standards of training and practice, and influence change to make a difference to the lives of patients with eye conditions.

Job purpose

Part of the Policy & Engagement department, the Senior Communications Officer is responsible for devising and supporting strategic communication initiatives that elevate the College’s visibility, advocate for the importance of sustainable ophthalmology services, spotlight our work and values, and promote membership. Working with colleagues, members and external partners, you will craft, execute and evaluate multichannel campaigns, secure profile-raising media coverage, and create engaging content for all our communications channels.

Main responsibilities

Strategic communication planning

• Plan, deliver and evaluate multichannel communications campaigns and plans – working with colleagues across the College to identify objectives, target audiences and key messaging.
• Contribute to developing and implementing communications strategies to increase the College’s profile, promote its work and the importance of ophthalmology, and support membership recruitment and retention.

Content development and management

• Contribute to developing, delivering and evaluating the performance of our content strategy and organisation-wide annual content plan.
• Work with all College departments to develop promotional materials, and to identify and gather content, stories and information for sharing across College media.
• Produce engaging, and accessible content for the College’s member magazine, social media accounts, website and e-newsletters.
• Copyedit, proofread and format publications, and manage the production of printed materials, including liaising with printers, designers, and other external suppliers.
• Help keep the College’s photo library up-to-date, and work with colleagues to commission photographs.

Media relations

• Identify new and nurture existing relationships with editors, journalists, commentators and producers, expanding and updating our contact list.
• Develop and implement a schedule of strategic media engagement, identifying new opportunities upon which the College should capitalise.
• Handle day-to-day proactive and reactive media relations, including acting as the first point of contact for media enquiries; writing and pitching comments, press releases, quotes, and op-eds; arranging interviews; and working with international, national and local media.
• Record, monitor and report on the College’s media activities, coverage and performance.
• Work with the Communications Manager to brief and commission training for College spokespeople.
• Work with colleagues to keep our media lines on priority policy issues up to date.

 Digital communications

• Co-plan, produce and distribute targeted and segmented e-newsletters.
• Develop and implement a social media schedule that is aligned with organisational and departmental objectives, capitalises on external opportunities, reflects the latest trends and best practice, and delivers regular, timely and targeted posts.
• Manage the College’s social media channels day-to-day, producing topical and relevant content, and monitoring and responding to comments and messages.
• Support the Communications Manager in maintaining and managing the College website, including inputting to reviews and our ongoing redevelopment project and content audit.
• Support and train colleagues in using our content management system (CMS).
• Monitor and report on the College’s digital performance monthly.

Brand management

• Uphold the College’s brand identity and messaging across all materials and platforms.
• Help champion and ensure compliance with the College’s brand and style guidelines.
• Support the department in averting and handling communications crises as needed.

 Other

• Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the College
•  Working outside normal hours and/or overnight stays may be necessary to support the delivery of key organisational events.

Inclusion and diversity statement 

The College is committed to encouraging inclusion, equity and diversity among our staff, and eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation by complying with the Equality Act 2010. We want a working environment where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued. To do this, we will proactively tackle discrimination and disadvantage and ensure that no individual or group is directly or indirectly discriminated against for any reason. We expect all employees to champion and live our values through their work at every opportunity.  

Our values 

Inclusion

• actively welcoming a diversity of experiences and perspectives
• everyone being respected and encouraged to participate regardless of their background or role

Integrity

• being open and honest, demonstrating accountability in all its work
• evidenced-based and transparent decision-making, utilising a range of data, information, expertise and experience

Innovation

• creating novel opportunities to advance and deliver on its aims, anticipating changing circumstances
• actively welcoming fresh ideas and approaches
• fostering a climate of ambition and excellence drawing on expertise from across the College’s communities

Improvement

• being a learning organisation, reflecting on both successes and mistakes
• continuous and sustainable development across all its activities

Person specification

Knowledge, qualifications and experience

• Demonstrable expertise in strategic/corporate communications, with a professional qualification or evidence of learning in communications, public relations, journalism or marketing
• At least three years’ experience of working in a busy communications team, press office or newsroom
• Experience of devising, implementing and evaluating multichannel communications strategies and/or campaigns
• Experience of writing materials for a range of audiences, including blogs, magazine/news articles, newsletters, social media posts and website copy
• Experience of commissioning, editing, and proof-reading copy, ensuring adherence to brand and style guidelines
• Working knowledge of the media and experience of fielding enquiries, and developing briefings and press releases
• Experience of using CMS, website analytics, social media monitoring and scheduling tools, and e-newsletter software
• Knowledge of best practice and emerging trends in digital and social media
• Working knowledge of IT systems – including Microsoft Office, CRMs, and digital asset management tools

Skills and abilities

• Strong strategic planning, prioritisation and organisational skills
• Excellent communications and editorial skills, with an outstanding command of written English and an exceptional attention to detail
• Strong analytical skills to evaluate impact and identify opportunities for improvement
• Search engine optimisation writing and editing skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including the media
• Ability to generate new ideas, take initiative and problem solve
• Adaptability and an ability to work well under pressure and manage often conflicting demands within tight timeframes

Personal qualities (attributes)

• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understanding of how this applies to own area of work
• Commitment to own continuing professional development
• Demonstrates a positive ‘can do’ attitude

Staff benefits

We offer a friendly and supportive working environment and make sure our employees are well looked after with a great benefits package, which includes:

Work life balance and family friendly benefits

• Hybrid working
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with length of service (plus bank holidays and office closure between Xmas and New Year)
• One day of paid leave to move house
• Enhanced parental leave

Planning for your future

• Employer pension contributions up to a maximum of 12%.

Career development

• All staff are offered opportunities for learning and development, in addition to a comprehensive e-learning package
• Study loans

Travel

• Season ticket loan
• Cycle to work scheme

Wellbeing

• Health cash plan
• Summer Fridays (staff can finish 90 minutes early from mid July to the end of August)
• Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme (with access to free counselling sessions)

Please submit your CV (maximum two pages) and a covering letter (maximum one page). 

The cover letter must explain what makes you suitable for the role. Please use the job description for reference.

Interviews will be held at our office in Euston, the week commencing 18 August 2025. Please indicate if you are likely to need any reasonable adjustments to successfully complete this interview.

Applicants must already have the right to work within the UK without restriction. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The closing date for applications is 11 August 2025.