Job Title: Assistant Director of Philanthropy & Strategic Partnership
Reporting To: Deputy CEO/Director of Fundraising and Communications
Manages: Head of Trusts and Foundations, Head of Corporate Partnerships
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time (36 hours per week, flexible)
Salary band: £58,000 - £66,000 per annum
N.B. To ensure fairness and consistency across Home-Start UK, new colleagues usually join at the first point of the pay band for their role. This helps us maintain a clear and equitable approach to pay for everyone joining our team.
Location: Remote – with regular travel to meetings with donors, for events and to our central office in Leicester for collaborative meetings and team activities.
About Home-Start UK
Home-Start is a federated charity consisting of a central national office – Home-Start UK - and over 170 geographically dispersed local Home-Start organisations, all working together under the same identity.
We recognise that being a parent has never been easy. Every Home-Start volunteer is trained to work alongside parents to overcome the challenges they are facing. We work with parents to build on their strengths and give them the support that they tell us they need. We offer no judgement – just compassionate, confidential help and expert support. This peer-to-peer support is key to the difference Home-Start makes and often our volunteers have lived experience of the challenges their families are facing themselves.
About The Role
This is an important moment for us and for the families we support. Parents of babies and young children are facing huge pressures, and strong, values-driven partnerships matter more than ever. We’re looking for a senior leader who can help us meet this moment with confidence and ambition.
As Assistant Director of Philanthropy & Strategic Partnerships, you will help shape the future of our national work and support our federation of 170+ local Home-Starts working in communities across the UK. You will lead a talented team, build long-lasting relationships, and help make sure Home-Start has the funding, partnerships, and influence it needs to give every child the best possible start in life. This role will suit someone who is motivated by purpose, who values people and relationships, and who is comfortable working across a large and varied network.
We are looking for someone with a strong track record, someone who has already delivered high-value fundraising and partnerships at a senior level and is ready to take on a role with significant national influence. With responsibility for an annual income portfolio of circa £4 Million – with strong potential to grow this over the next 3-5 years to between £6Million-£8Million plus, you will work with a supportive Leadership Team and Board, who have already engaged external philanthropy expertise to develop a strategy and roadmap that you can build on. You’ll need to be confident working with high-value supporters: able to build trust, communicate clearly, and nurture long-term relationships with people who want to invest in families and early years support. You’ll bring the skills and confidence to grow a portfolio that is already strong and take it further, along with the ability to work well with others in a fast-moving environment.
You will be joining a warm, collaborative organisation that believes in the power of community, the strength of families, and the importance of early help. If you feel excited by the chance to make a national difference, to build partnerships based on trust and shared purpose, and to help shape the next chapter of Home-Start’s impact, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The people at Home-Start are its most important resource. Home-Start UK has been accredited with Investors in People since March 2005, which recognises the commitment we give to developing our staff.
Benefits of working for Home-Start
- Flexible working
- Family friendly policy
- PayCare health cash plan
- Enhanced employer contribution pension
- Learning and development
- DAS Employee Assistance
If it sounds like your type of challenge, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The closing date for applications is Friday 27th March at 4pm.
As part of our recruitment process, shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a full-day assessment centre at our Leicester office on Tuesday 14th April.
The assessment centre will include a mix of individual and group activities designed to understand your strategic thinking, relational approach, and leadership style.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
Home-Start UK is committed to Equality of Opportunity and Diversity. We wish to encourage applications from all parts of the community irrespective of gender, race, colour, age, sexual orientation or disability.
No agencies please.
Role
The Programme Officer will manage day-to-day relationships with Degrees’ research groups based in the Latin America and Caribbean region, ensure smooth grant administration, and support regional events.
Key Responsibilites
Grantees
- Being the first point of contact for our grantees and stakeholders, including volunteer research collaborators.
- Supporting research teams to gain access to, for example, modelling data.
Grant management
- Grant management, including onboarding and ongoing administrative support for the grantees of the various research funds at Degrees.
- Processing payments.
- Supporting the monitoring, evaluation and learning process in relation to programmatic activities.
Events
- Working closely with the Events Manager, other regional Programme Officers and Policy Engagement staff to organise international events, including regional workshops in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Administration
- Support the building and improvement of internal processes.
- Contributing to the monthly call and research seminars.
- Provide ad-hoc support as needed, for example, financial administrative support for grants and programmatic events, note-taking, organising travel, inputs to communications, working with Degrees’ senior management, board, volunteers, and partners.
Key relationships
- Within the Programmes team forge close working relations with Programmes Director, Programmes Manager, other Programme Officers, Events Manager, Staff Scientist and Scientific Writing and Publishing Lead.
- Develop strong working relations with colleagues from the following teams i) Operations, ii) Policy & Engagement and iii) Communications.
- Provide ongoing support for Degrees funded scientists based in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Qualifications
We are seeking a dynamic self-starter based in the UK, with experience in planning and running international events as well as academic workshops. As Degrees is still operating as a relatively small but growing team, the successful candidate will be flexible and motivated – prepared to turn their hand to whatever needs doing to deliver Degrees’ programme of work.
Essential
- A university degree in a relevant subject such as international development, international relations, public policy or earth sciences.
- At least two years’ experience.
- An understanding of climate change science and associated development challenges.
- Fluent in English and Spanish.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Good analytical skills with an ability to distil key messages from complex information.
- Strong digital skills.
- An ability to multitask, to set and deliver on priorities, and to work under pressure.
- Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work with people of all levels and backgrounds.
- Comfortable working in a dynamic, remote start-up environment.
- Ability to travel overseas for up to a week per visit as required.
- A commitment to the mission and values of the Degrees Initiative.
- Legal right to work in the UK.
Desirable
- A master’s degree in a relevant subject.
- A degree in environmental science or international development.
- Five to ten years of post-university professional experience
- Proficiency in Portuguese.
- Advanced digital skills, such as proficiency with advanced spreadsheet functions.
- Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications, with strong proficiency in Excel.
- Experience working in or with developing countries.
- Experience in event organisation, workshop facilitation, grant administration, impact monitoring and evaluation, and/or budgeting and financial management.
A dynamic charity working on climate change and global development



We are looking for a passionate and creative Head of Brand, Communications & Marketing to lead the next stage of our journey.
This is an exciting, strategic and hands‑on leadership role for someone who can confidently amplify our brand in the public sphere, drive meaningful engagement, and increase both supporter and beneficiary acquisition.
What You’ll Do
Reporting to the Director of Income Generation & Marketing and leading a small, high‑performing team, you will:
Brand, Communications & PR
- Lead and evolve Life’s brand strategy, ensuring clarity and consistency across all channels.
- Raise Life’s visibility with powerful campaigns that engage beneficiaries, supporters, volunteers and the public.
- Oversee media relations, PR activity, reputation management and crisis communications.
- Support and strengthen internal communications across the organisation.
Marketing Leadership
- Develop innovative marketing strategies that grow reach, impact and sustainability.
- Drive supporter and beneficiary acquisition through targeted, insight‑led campaigns.
- Use data, analytics and performance metrics to continuously improve marketing effectiveness.
- Provide inspiring leadership and development to the Marketing & Comms Team.
Digital Strategy
- Lead Life’s digital marketing approach, including SEO, paid social, PPC, email, content and inbound marketing.
- Create effective user journeys and optimise conversion rates through testing and analytics.
- Oversee engaging social media content and paid advertising campaigns.
- Ensure high‑quality digital design, content, and brand guardianship.
Website & Content
- Support the development of Life’s website, focusing on optimisation, content quality and user experience.
- Oversee high‑quality storytelling that reflects Life’s values and mission.
About You
You’ll be a confident, creative and strategic leader who brings:
- At least 5 years’ experience in digital marketing, communications or brand roles (charity sector experience desirable).
- Proven experience developing and delivering brand, digital and communications strategies.
- Strong understanding of digital marketing trends, analytics and audience insight.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience managing budgets and leading a team.
- A warm, values‑driven approach aligned with Life’s mission of humanity, solidarity, community and compassion.
About Life:
Life is a national pregnancy support charity that helps over 60,000 people a year. Through our services, we help people – whoever they are – to meet pregnancy or pregnancy loss with courage and dignity so they can flourish.
Our services include:
- Supported housing and community support
- Counselling and skilled listening
- Free pregnancy tests and baby supplies
Our values :
All our work is underpinned by the following universal human values:
- Humanity – All people are special and equal
- Solidarity – We’re with you and for you
- Community – We’re better together
- Charity – Doing good for one another
- Common good – Building a better world
Information about the role:
For further information, please see the attached job description.
Salary: £40,000 – £44,000 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week (part time considered)
Location: Remote
Benefits:
At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:
- Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours)
- Birthday Leave (applicable after 1 years service)
- Additional annual leave for long term service
- Company Pension Scheme
- Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge
Safeguarding and Equality:
Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.
We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.