Challenge events community fundraising executive jobs

Title:  Head of Campaigns

Salary:        £60,000

Contract:      Temporary

Hours:  37.5 per week (Monday to Friday) 

Holiday:  25 days per year plus bank holidays 

Location:  Home based with regular across the UK

Probationary Period:  3 months

Reports to:  Chief Executive

Benefits:  An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year

Flexitime policy

5% pension contribution

Anticipated contract duration:  9th November 2026 - February 2028 

We are River Action

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

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

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

Who we are looking for

We're looking for an exceptional campaigner to lead an ambitious environmental campaigning  programme for just over a year to cover maternity leave. This is an exciting opportunity for an inspiring leader who can develop bold, strategic campaigns that shift public debate, influence decision-makers and deliver tangible environmental outcomes.

You'll be an experienced campaign strategist who understands that lasting change rarely comes from a single tactic. You'll know how to bring together compelling communications, evidence and investigations, grassroots mobilisation, political engagement, legal interventions and partnerships into integrated campaigns capable of changing policy, behaviour and corporate practice.

We're looking for someone who combines strategic vision with practical delivery. Someone who is comfortable making decisions in a fast-moving environment, spotting opportunities as they emerge and adapting campaigns to maximise impact.

Experience in environmental campaigning would be highly valuable, but above all we're looking for someone with an outstanding track record of leading successful campaigns that have shifted opinion, influenced policy or held powerful institutions to account.

We’re looking for someone who brings energy, creativity and courageous leadership. Someone who is excited by building campaigns that challenge the status quo, comfortable navigating complexity and able to combine bold thinking with sound judgement. You'll know when to disrupt, when to collaborate and how to inspire others to believe that together we can restore the UK’s rivers. 

If you're motivated by creating change, thrive in a dynamic environment and want to lead campaigns that make a genuine difference to one of the UK's greatest environmental challenges, we'd love to hear from you. 

What you’ll be doing:

As Head of Campaigns, you will be developing and delivering bold, integrated campaigns that drive lasting change for the UK's rivers. You'll lead and inspire a talented team of campaigners, helping them to develop innovative, impactful campaigns while fostering a collaborative, ambitious and supportive culture. You'll work closely with colleagues across communications, policy, legal, fundraising and research, ensuring our work is strategically aligned and greater than the sum of its parts.

Leading River Action's Campaigns Team, you will shape the organisation's campaigning strategy, ensuring our work is innovative, evidence-led and designed to influence public opinion, hold polluters to account and secure meaningful political and systemic change. You'll create campaigns that connect compelling storytelling with community mobilisation, strategic communications, political advocacy, legal action and partnerships, ensuring every part of our work contributes towards our mission to rescue the UK’s rivers.

You'll provide strategic leadership across the full campaign lifecycle, overseeing campaign planning, delivery, budgeting, resourcing and evaluation. You'll ensure our campaigns are informed by robust evidence, guided by clear objectives and measured against meaningful outcomes, using insight and learning to continually strengthen our impact.

You will lead River Action's communications and public profile, ensuring our campaigns cut through the national conversation, inspire public action and strengthen our reputation as one of the UK's leading environmental campaigning organisations. You’ll oversee media, messaging and campaign communications that amplify our voice and build public support for change.

Internally, you'll work in close partnership with the Head of Public Affairs to ensure our public campaigns reinforce and accelerate our political influencing work, while ensuring community campaigns and grassroots action inform our national priorities. You'll also work alongside the Head of Legal to develop campaigns involving strategic litigation to achieve change within and outside of court and legal processes, using legal action as a catalyst for wider public awareness, policy change and industry accountability.

As a member of River Action's Senior Management Team, you'll help shape the strategic direction of the organisation and contribute to organisational leadership beyond your own department. You'll work alongside the CEO and fellow Heads of Department to deliver our organisational strategy, embedding collaboration, innovation and impact across all areas of our work.

You'll also play a key role in securing the resources needed to deliver our ambitions. Working with the Head of Development, you'll help develop compelling funding proposals, inspire funders with our vision and demonstrate the impact of our work through robust monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Working with the Finance and Operations Manager, you'll oversee campaign budgets, ensuring resources are managed effectively and strategically.

Main Duties 

• Provide strategic leadership as a member of the Senior Management Team, supporting the CEO to deliver River Action's organisational strategy, theory of change and long-term vision.

• Lead the development and delivery of River Action's integrated campaigning strategy, ensuring our public campaigns drive measurable environmental, political and societal change.

• Develop and oversee a portfolio of ambitious national campaigns, identifying opportunities to influence public opinion, policy, regulation and industry practice through innovative and impactful campaigning.

• Lead River Action's communications, media and public engagement strategy, ensuring compelling storytelling, strong brand visibility and effective use of traditional, digital and social media to grow our influence and supporter base.

• Lead the planning and delivery of River Action’s creative interventions and actions, from polling, petitions and shareholder actions to public protests and high-profile actions.

• Serve as a senior public representative and spokesperson for River Action, building the organisation's profile and influence through media engagement, public speaking, stakeholder engagement and high-profile external events.

• Oversee River Action's digital campaigning platforms, including the strategic development of our website and digital engagement tools.

• Work closely with the Head of Public Affairs  to ensure campaigns and political advocacy are fully integrated, maximising opportunities to influence government, regulators and decision-makers.

• Work closely with the Head of Public Affairs to ensure grassroots action informs national campaigns, and national campaigns empower and amplify community action.

• Work with the Head of Legal to identify, develop and deliver strategic legal interventions that strengthen campaigns, increase accountability and drive systemic change beyond the courtroom.

• Build and maintain influential relationships with campaign partners, coalitions, NGOs, academics, community organisations, funders and other key stakeholders to maximise collective impact.

• Lead campaign planning, governance and delivery, ensuring campaigns are effectively resourced, managed and evaluated against agreed objectives, budgets and monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) frameworks.

• Lead, inspire and develop the Campaigns Team, fostering a collaborative, creative and high-performing culture that enables colleagues to thrive and deliver exceptional work.

• Work with the CEO, Head of Development and senior colleagues to secure funding for campaign activities, contributing to funding proposals, donor engagement and impact reporting.

• Work with the Finance and Operations Manager to develop, monitor and manage campaign budgets, ensuring resources are used effectively and strategically.

• Support organisational reporting by contributing to Board papers, quarterly and annual reports, organisational planning and performance monitoring.

Other Duties & Responsibilities 

• Adopt a positive approach to personal and professional development; engaging in one to one meetings and relevant training.

• Be aware of, and act on, relevant health and safety responsibilities as an employee of River Action and adhere to these wherever you are working.

• To maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.

• UK travel will be required. Training & operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case standard River Action procedures apply.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to creating an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace and a positive organisational culture.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our ethos and mission.

What you’ll bring

The position will suit a strategic, well organised, energetic, passionate and dedicated person. The ideal person will be an excellent leader, a people person, and thrive within a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The person will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and hold those responsible for environmental destruction to account.

• Ability to think strategically to deliver campaigns that are positively disruptive and meet River Action values.

• Line management experience of highly experienced professionals, bringing out the best in your team.

• Creative attitude and skills for solving problems and raising awareness of problems and solutions.

• A head for organisation and excellent time management, bringing others along with you in planning and delivering interventions and projects at short notice and under pressure.

• Experience in public and/or political campaigning either within or outside the environmental sector.

• Experience and contacts in communications and PR. 

• An understanding of the issues that are impacting our rivers, and their solutions.

• The ability to establish and maintain effective contacts and relationships with senior and influential external individuals and bodies.

• The ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with a wide range of people both verbally and in writing including the media, community groups, other NGO representatives, government, industry leaders, supporters and followers on social media.

• Exceptional IT literacy and a head for figures and budgeting.

• Ability to work independently and take initiative to solve problems.

• Ability to work flexible hours as necessary.

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

• Ability to think clearly even when working under pressure.

• A passion for River Action’s mission and vision.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

How to apply

To apply, please submit to jobs at riveractionuk dot com with the subject ‘Head of Campaigns’’:

• your CV (2 pages max), 

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

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

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

Written submission

River Action is looking to develop a campaign around water security in the UK to launch in 2027. Please put together a campaign brief setting out the challenges faced, how we would develop and deliver this campaign including campaign asks; campaign outcomes; public, political and legal tactics; routes for funding and resource requirements.

Your campaign brief should be no longer than 2 sides of A4. 

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 23:59 on 19th July.

Should your application be shortlisted, the next stage will involve an initial 30 minute interview on 28th July via video conference. You may then be invited to attend a second interview with a panel on 3rd August. 

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

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

The Head of Commercial Partnerships is a pivotal leadership role responsible for developing and delivering Jericho's corporate engagement and partnership strategy.

The postholder will build and maintain relationships with employers, businesses, funders and strategic partners to create employment pathways for participants, generate income for Jericho's social enterprises and unlock wider support through corporate fundraising, social value partnerships, volunteering and advocacy.

Working across multiple areas of the organisation, the role will act as a bridge between Jericho's employability, enterprise and income generation functions, ensuring partnerships deliver meaningful social impact while strengthening the organisation's long-term sustainability.

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of Jericho's corporate engagement strategy and become a key external ambassador for one of Birmingham's leading employment-focused charities.

We would consider 0.8 FTE for the right candidate. The successful applicant must have the Right to Work in the UK as we are unable to offer sponsorship.

What you’ll be doing:

Strategic Leadership

• With support from the Director of Income Generation, develop and deliver Jericho's Commercial Partnerships Strategy.
• Identify opportunities to increase income, employment outcomes and social impact through external partnerships.
• Contribute to organisational strategy, business planning and growth objectives.
• Monitor partnership performance and provide regular reporting on outcomes, income generation and impact.
• Act as a senior ambassador for Jericho across Birmingham and the wider region.

Employer Engagement and Employment Pathways

• Build and maintain relationships with employers across a range of sectors.
• Create opportunities for work placements, work experience, internships and employment pathways for participants.
• Develop employer partnerships that support individuals facing significant barriers to employment.
• Work closely with People Support and Employability teams to understand participant needs and identify suitable opportunities.
• Promote inclusive employment practices and encourage employers to recruit from underrepresented groups.

Corporate Partnerships and Business Development

• Identify and secure new business opportunities for Jericho's social enterprises.
• Develop relationships with procurement teams, HR leaders, CSR teams and senior decision-makers.
• Promote the commercial services offered by Jericho's enterprises and identify opportunities for growth.
• Create strategic partnerships that deliver both commercial value and social impact.
• Support the development of new enterprise opportunities and routes to market.
• Identify opportunities arising from corporate social responsibility and social value commitments.

External Representation

• Represent Jericho at networking events, conferences, business forums and partnership meetings.
• Build Jericho's profile within Birmingham's business community.
• Deliver presentations and pitches to senior stakeholders.
• Develop relationships with key influencers, business leaders and strategic partners.

Who are we looking for?

Essential

• Significant experience in corporate partnerships, business development, employer engagement, relationship management.
• Proven ability to build and maintain high-value strategic relationships.
• Experience developing partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of how businesses operate.
• Excellent communication, networking and presentation skills.
• Experience influencing and engaging senior stakeholders.
• Ability to identify opportunities and convert them into tangible results.
• Strong planning, organisational and project management skills.
• An appreciation of and sympathy with The Jericho Foundation's Christian roots and values, and a commitment to its mission of supporting people facing barriers to employment into sustainable work.

Desirable

• Experience within the charity, social enterprise, employability or recruitment sectors.
• Knowledge of Birmingham's business landscape and key employers.
• Experience securing corporate funding, sponsorship or social value partnerships.
• Understanding of supported employment and employability programmes.
• Experience managing budgets, income targets or commercial contracts.

About JERICHO 

JERICHO is an award-winning Birmingham-based charity and family of six social enterprises. We provide supported work opportunities for people facing extreme challenges in getting a job and have been helping people across Birmingham into employment for over 30 years. We primarily support marginalised young people and survivors of modern slavery. What makes our model so effective is the way we combine work placements with individualised wrap-around support, training and a range of targeted activities. Our approach is focused on helping people address the issues that are affecting their life chances, build skills and confidence and ultimately become more employable.

INTERVIEWS ARE PLANNED IN PERSON ON TUESDAY 11th AUGUST 2026. 

The Head of Programming & Creative Producing is a new senior role, working with the Chief Executive to shape and deliver the artistic output of the Philharmonia.

The postholder works hand-in-hand with the Head of Artistic Planning, and members of the Executive team to programme and artistically shape traditional concert programmes at various scales and in various contexts, as well as learning and digital projects and pre- or post-concert activities. The postholder also leads on the development and producing of new performance formats for own-promoted concerts.

A first-rate creative thinker, you will be passionate about working with conductors, artists and agents to create world-class concert programmes, residencies and series, and will be able to draw on your deep knowledge and understanding of orchestral repertoire, artists, and the wider cultural context, as well as an established network of industry relationships to turn your ideas into reality.

Your artistic interests, however, will range beyond the traditional core, and you will be driven by a personal mission to engage different and new audiences with orchestral music, whether that is through music for films or games, cross-artform and cross-genre collaborations, pre-performance debates, schools performances, VR installations, or different performance formats. You will take a producing approach to new performance formats, keenly appreciative of the importance of staging, narrative and flow for contemporary audiences. 

You know the importance of equality and diversity on stage in building a future for classical music, and are an active champion of creative projects which demonstrate this. Discovering new artists and musical voices will be second nature to you, just as you will be sensitive to the needs of established artists and composers in shaping a project. While your focus is on the quality of the artistic output, you will maintain in-the-round awareness of the complex jigsaw of sometimes competing priorities and restrictions into which any project has to be delivered, including box office and audience development targets.

An important member of the HODs Team with a close relationship to the Philharmonia Orchestra Artistic Committee, this role suits a collaborative and inclusive emerging leader who acts with integrity, and who can manage complex systems and personalities in line with the Philharmonia’s mission to create the orchestral experience of the future.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Research and identify future featured artists, composers and guest conductors proactively

• Research and develop ideas and concepts for season themes and series

• Create mainstage programmes in line with the artistic strategy of the Philharmonia Orchestra in close consultation with the Chief Executive and conductors

Leadership and Management

• Lead on chamber music programming, including liaison with players over proposals

• Lead on the development of wrap-around activity on concert days

• Lead on opportunities for commissioning and co-commissioning of new works, negotiating commission fees and contracts. Liaison with publishers.

• Lead on programming Philharmonia Residency venues, taking both box office and logistical considerations into account

• Lead on Philharmonia Records, developing and overseeing the recordings strategy and identifying and planning recording projects for own-label release

• Initiate and develop non-standard orchestral projects for own promotions, such as film or games music formats, formats using visuals, cross-artform or cross-genre collaborations, and performances in non-traditional venues

• Artistically and operationally produce all non-standard orchestral projects, including shaping narrative, stage presentation, and close working with the venue technical staff, supported by relevant project managers

Key tasks

• Develop repertoire ideas and ensure timely registration on clash-diary, with support from Co-ordinator 

• Collaborate with Director of Tours and Project Development and partners to develop programmes for foreign touring and commercial projects, while considering market and budget limitations

• Collaborate with the Learning and Engagement Department on programming for education and learning performance formats, including Artist in Residence Programme and Orchestra Unwrapped, leading as required

• Collaborate with the Development Department on funding approaches to support programming, and work with them on programming fundraising performances and events

• Collaborate with Head of Digital Product and Experience on repertoire and project development for PO Virtual Orchestra

• Join the Artistic Committee discussions re future plans as required

• Listen to recordings to assess suitability for release, and discussing in-house recordings with Artistic Committee.

Other

• Work as part of the HODs team on developing future business plan and strategies built around the Orchestra’s mission, vision and values 

• Be in regular contact with Marketing colleagues to help shape season narrative and proof-read key documents.

• Act as artistic liaison with external promoters and project partners as required

• Attend rehearsals and performances at Southbank Centre and at venues out of London and overseas as required, in order to meet artists and monitor artistic performance and quality

Skills and Qualifications

• Excellent track record of working in artistic planning or artist management (min 5-7 years)

• First-class knowledge of orchestral repertoire and artists, as well as the work of the Philharmonia Orchestra

• Demonstrable creative programming experience at an advanced level

• Demonstrable entrepreneurial mindset with a successful history of creating new projects

• Current experience of development of UK and international markets for orchestras

• First class communications, influencing, and negotiation skills – and the ability to make the case effectively and enthusiastically

• A collaborative team player able to develop excellent working relationships across the organisation 

• Flexible and positive attitude, as well as the ability to think laterally and creatively to overcome obstacles 

• High level of professionalism, self-motivation and organisation, and an ability to manage complex issues effectively. 

• Ability to regularly work out of hours and travel, as required. 

• Diplomatic and capable of being an excellent ambassador for the Philharmonia Orchestra 

Lead the operations, governance and compliance that enable Solving Kids' Cancer UK to deliver its mission and impact for children and families affected by neuroblastoma. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will play a critical role in ensuring the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably.

This broad and varied leadership role spans governance, risk, HR, IT, data protection and organisational operations, supporting delivery of the charity's strategy through robust systems, policies and processes. Acting as Company Secretary, you will work closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, providing advice on governance, regulatory requirements and best practice. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will oversee key operational functions, lead cross-organisational projects and deputise for the CEO where required.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a strategic, highly organised and values-driven leader with strong experience in charity operations, governance and compliance. You will have a track record of ensuring organisations are well run, compliant and effectively managed, with the ability to oversee multiple operational areas and support strong governance and decision-making at Board level.

You will be comfortable working across a broad remit, including governance, risk, HR, IT and data protection, and confident providing clear, practical advice to senior leaders and trustees.

Person specification

Key requirements include:

• Significant senior-level experience in operations, governance or compliance within a charity or similar environment. 
• Strong understanding of charity governance and regulation, with experience supporting boards and senior leadership. 
• Experience overseeing organisational functions such as HR, IT, data protection or risk. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-organisational work effectively. 
• Strong judgement, integrity and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion. 

See our Recruitment Pack for the full role description and specification and for information about Solving Kids' Cancer UK. 

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution at the heart of a small, ambitious charity where strong operations are a vital enabler of impact for children and families.

Location: Home-based, within easy reach of London, with regular travel to the London office and occasional UK-wide travel.

First-stage interview: Thursday 6 August 

Second-stage interview: Thursday 13 August

Ely Foodbank is seeking a Foodbank Operations Manager to play a key role in the day to day leadership and development of our services across East Cambridgeshire and Fenland. This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You will work closely with volunteers, referral partners, community organisations, and the wider team to ensure people facing hardship receive a welcoming, professional, and effective service.

As a growing organisation, we are looking for someone who combines excellent organisational skills with a practical and solutions focused approach. You will be comfortable managing multiple priorities, building productive partnerships, supporting volunteers, and using systems and technology to improve the way we work. Whether your experience comes from the charity sector, public services, community organisations, or another operational environment, we are looking for someone who can bring energy, initiative, and strong operational leadership to the role.

This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference in your local community while helping shape and strengthen an organisation that supports thousands of people each year.

Location: The role is national, managing teams in Northern Ireland, Wales and across England. You will need to be able to work at one of our BookTrust offices in London, Leeds, Belfast or Cardiff for an average of 8 days per month whilst some of these collaboration days may be worked in partner locations, at events or stakeholder meetings in any part of the country. The position will require regular travel to BookTrust office bases and to visit and engage as needed.

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. We know that children who read are happier, healthier, more empathetic, and more creative. They also do better at school.

Working with every local authority and across every region in the country, and supported by Arts Council funding, we reach over 3 million families a year via partners in schools, children’s centres, health visitors and libraries. This incredible network helps us to get children reading across the country.

This is a new role within the organisation and the new role holder will have a chance to shape and build the role over time.  You will be a strong leader with great people skills -experience of working with and leading teams working in geographically dispersed locations is advantageous. 

You will have a clear experience the public sector landscape with a track record of relationships building, and an understanding of the local government policy landscape. With a collaborative approach to working across interconnecting complex work areas, you will be comfortable working within a matrix style of management for your won direct reports and those of other teams. 

You may have charity or statutory setting experience, and will have the ability to set out a strategic direction for partnerships team members as well as being hands on in developing new relationships to support our work as well as being able to produce high quality written materials, analyse complex data and respond dynamically to a changing external landscape.

You will be an excellent communicator who manages up effectively and who is comfortable working across a matrixed managed team. You will have the ability to work closely with the Director of Partnerships in building relationships, and developing and delivering on strategies that support impact in our early years programmes by guiding the work of our partnerships team.  You will be working closely with key role holders such as but not confined to the Head of Partnerships Delivery, and Head of Programme for Vulnerable Children.

The Head of Partnerships Development will ensure increasingly effective pathways to families by setting out ways of working that ensure delivery teams can access these routes, influence decision makers and develop and build the right relationships for greatest impact. Along with the Director of partnerships the role holder will aim to both influence and respond to central, local and regional policy initiatives in the sector to support BookTrust’s mission to get all children reading, especially those from low income and vulnerable family backgrounds.
The role holder will ensure internal stakeholders are briefed on the local government landscape and that risks and opportunities are clearly articulated.

This work spans the organisation – from within our partnerships team to our research and impact, communications and external affairs, design and innovation, growth planning, communications, profile-raising and income generation – and requires strong collaborative working to draw on skills and capacity in all these areas. 

The role will work internally and externally to ensure the right inputs to ensure success for our scaled programmes, supporting everything from design to upskilling our team and relationship building across the local government and regional and country landscape.

To apply, please complete the application along with a copy of your CV.

Want to join us? To find out more about who we are please go to our website. 

We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and welcome candidates from all backgrounds and communities,

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

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

We aim to provide an inclusive recruitment process and actively welcome applications from diverse talent pools: minority ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities and long-term conditions and candidates from underrepresented communities.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and want to ensure we have an accessible application process for all candidates. If you need any reasonable adjustments or would like us to do anything differently during the application process, please contact our HR team (contact details are available on our website).

BookTrust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The recruitment and selection process reflect our commitment to safeguarding therefore, the suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment, and pre-employment checks.

Bowel Research UK is looking for a permanent Research and Grants Manager to coordinate and evaluate the management of the charity’s research activities. This role covers all aspects of pre- and post-award research management, impact reporting, grant finance management and governance, co-ordination of the Charity’s scientific committees and shaping external scientific communications to supporters and other stakeholders. Additionally, you will foster and maintain strong relationships with researchers, serving as the primary point of contact for engaging with the research community. 

Bowel Research UK are bringing this permanent role following time spent with an interim postholder in position to create a solid foundation and understanding of what the role needs.

This is an opportunity to work with the UK’s leading specialist bowel cancer and bowel disease research charity. Bowel Research UK believe that a cure for bowel cancer and effective treatments to mitigate, or entirely eradicate, other bowel diseases is possible – but only if vital research is funded and investment made into the scientific and medical communities today, to see the benefits tomorrow. 

Bowel Research UK are a flexible employer, for this post they are looking for someone to be comfortable with joining the team in the London office once a month. If the post holder would prefer to work more regularly from an office base, the charity has office space at Royal College of Surgeons in central London. Most team members work from here on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

For further information and to apply please follow the guidance in the Candidate Pack to arrange a conversation about your suitability for the role and next steps.

Closing date: midnight Wednesday 22nd July

The selection process will involve a two-stage interview process.

Charity People is delighted to be partnering once again with Maudsley Charity to recruit an External Affairs and Influencing Manager.

A hugely exciting new role within the Communications team at the charity, the postholder will work across media, external affairs and influencing to engage with key stakeholders, boost the charity's profile, and promote learning and adoption of the solutions the organisation funds. You will be responsible for sharing evidence and learning in order to influence the people who fund, adopt and commission mental health care and services, and will work closely with the CEO to increase engagement with policy work which the Maudsley Charity undertakes through it's work in coalitions.

External Affairs and Influencing Manager
Contract: Full time, permanent role
Salary: £48,000 per annum
Location: Hybrid role between home and London office, with two days per week in the Denmark Hill office
Closing date for applications: 9am on Tuesday 28th July

First round interviews will be held remotely on: Thursday 13th August
Second round interviews will be held in person on: Thursday 20th and Friday 21st August

About Maudsley Charity

Maudsley Charity funds and supports clinical, academic, and community partners to ensure that everyone experiencing mental illness can access the right care, while using insights from their work to drive wider improvements across the UK.

Recognising the profound impact of mental illness and the inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes - particularly those linked to social deprivation and racism - the organisation focusses on addressing gaps in care.

With an approach that combines evidence, lived experience, and a commitment to equity, the organisation backs impactful, evidence-based solutions, ensuring services are shaped by real-world insight, and prioritising support for those most underserved to drive improvements that benefit all.

About the role

This is a core role within the organisation's influencing strategy, and your primary responsibilities will include:

External Affairs & Influencing:

• Develop and deliver influencing plans to promote adoption of effective mental health care initiatives being funded by the charity
• Develop productive relationships with key stakeholders (journalists, NHS trust leaders, ICBs, ICSs, VCSE orgs) to gather intelligence and shape strategy to inform the charity's positioning
• Lead the charity's thought leadership development providing strategic advice to senior leadership on political, NHS and mental health policy developments
• Strengthen the charity's role in mental health policy and advocacy coalitions, by contributing to collaborative advocacy, media and communications outputs
• Lead the charity's response to government mental health care consultations and calls for evidence
• Monitor funder sector trends and conversations, and actively seek out opportunities for the charity to strategically engage and influence by sharing learning from its grant making practice

Media management

• Develop and implement integrated external affairs campaigns that support the charity's influencing work
• Create persuasive materials, including press releases, op-eds, spokespeople briefings, comment pieces, and digital content and pitch to relevant outlets
• Maintain and grow relationships with journalists, broadcasters and sector media to secure relevant high-quality coverage of the charity's activities, grant holders and their projects
• Act as first point of contact for media enquiries, managing proactive and reactive press activity
• This role is expected to grow and develop and the postholder will be fully supported from across the organisation as the position evolves, within an organisation that offers a friendly, values led culture.

We would love to hear from individuals with the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrable track record of developing and implementing successful influencing strategies in the mental health sector
• Experience of stakeholder management within mental health care, including NHS Trust leaders, Integrated Care Boards, commissioners and senior clinicians, and with academics and researchers
• Strong experience in media relations, including briefing senior spokespeople, drafting press releases, media handling, and securing media coverage with a good understanding of the needs and expectations of different outlets and publications
• Keen understanding of the NHS, mental health policy landscape, and the related environment, key stakeholders and sector drivers
• Understanding of the key components and considerations of successful external affairs media and influencing
• Understanding of the sensitivities around mental illness, including working in an empathetic manner with people with lived experience
• Understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles and a commitment to apply them in your work and as an organisation
• Influencing skills including confidence and credibility in working with stakeholders,
• Communication skills and the ability to produce clear and effective communications and the ability to confidently and accurately represent the organisation externally
• Written and editorial skills including the ability to craft narratives for different external audiences and communicate the charity's work in press releases, articles, policy briefs

How to apply

Maudsley Charity is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented backgrounds. We welcome applications from non-graduates.

Applications are managed via Charity People and involve a structured, anonymised process focusing on your experience and potential. Please send your CV to Alice at Charity People in the first instance.

Please see full job pack and job description attached.

There is also an optional 'Ask Us Anything' Webinar via Zoom on Thursday 16th July at 12.30pm where the Maudsley staff will answer questions. Please get in touch with Reception at Charity People if you'd like to register for this and they will send you the link. Please submit questions in advance to reception at Charity People before 9am on Wednesday 15th July 2026 in order that we can ensure all of your queries are answered.

Equal Opportunities monitoring

We ask that applicants complete our DEI monitoring form when submitting their CV for this role.

Maudsley Charity is an equal opportunities employer, and makes no discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sex. Specifically, we will also oppose unfair discrimination of those with mental health issues.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

You will provide appropriate emotional and practical 1-to-1 support to (those who identify as) women and non-binary people involved in sex work and those who are sexually exploited, who often experience stigma and face barriers to accessing services. This role will specifically focus on those who are experiencing DV, support will include addressing housing needs. You will be enabling people to access support and navigate services, You will be working in partnership with other agencies and making appropriate referrals for people to access other services to support their wider needs. You will contribute to wider team responsibilities including outreach, drop in and duty.