Grade: 2
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week (flexible working considered)
Position type: Permanent
Responsible to: Head of Global Communications & PR
Direct reports: Communications & PR Officer
Location: Truro, Cornwall (Hybrid) or Remote (UK based) with some travel to Truro
ROLE PURPOSE:
This role works to raise awareness of the issues faced by people around the world who have lost their homes to disaster. It generates positive media coverage for ShelterBox, positioning us as experts in emergency shelter, as well as supporting fundraising with media engagement and PR activities. The role also works to ensure colleagues across the organisation can talk about our work accurately and consistently by producing key messaging about our international programmes.
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
ShelterBox is seeking an experienced, motivated and proactive communications professional with excellent attention to detail and line-management experience.
You will be skilled in writing a variety of materials - including press releases, statements, and Q&As, and in simplifying complex information. You will also understand the nuance of language, ensuring messaging reflects dignity, avoids harmful narratives and upholds humanitarian neutrality in sensitive contexts.
You will enjoy finding strong stories and ensuring they are told ethically. You will be experienced in creating news, working with the media and contributing to multiple projects at pace.
We are looking for someone with experience in crisis communications who can help protect and enhance our reputation by identifying potential issues early. You will also have experience delivering media interview training, building confidence in spokespeople, and supporting them through briefings and interviews.
You will have experience of line management. You will have experience of working with a direct report to develop their abilities and support them to be motivated and produce great work.
This is a great opportunity to be part of a dynamic fundraising and communications department, working together to achieve our mission of no one without shelter after disaster.
The role requires someone who can pivot priorities quickly when needed. When major disasters happen, our teams need to be able to flex very quickly to that focus.
MAIN ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This role works as part of a small and dynamic Communications & Digital team and has direct line management of our Comms & PR Officer. You will focus on gaining media coverage for our international programmes, understanding the issues and opportunities of our work and securing impactful media interviews. You will support our fundraising campaigns and events with media engagement.
You will work closely with the Head of Global Communications & Digital and colleagues across the Fundraising & Communications department to develop and deliver communications and media engagement activities supporting campaigns and driving awareness.
The role line-manages a Communications & PR Officer. You will work with them to extend the output and reach of our comms and media work and support them to feel motivated and produce high-quality work.
This role also supports wider departments by producing centralised messaging to ensure colleagues talk about our work consistently and are aligned with our brand.
You'll work with the wider communications and fundraising teams on integrated campaigns, ensuring key messaging is aligned and PR angles and risks are considered.
There may be occasional opportunities to travel to countries where ShelterBox works for media purposes. This travel is not mandatory. There will be regular travel to the Truro head office to support media interviews, deliver training, and participate in organisational collaboration days.
Flexibility with working hours sometimes required, especially during sudden-onset emergencies (TOIL available for additional hours).
DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
PR & Comms Lead
- Manage a variety of communications and PR activities to raise awareness of the needs of people who have lost their homes to disaster.
- Produce a range of high-quality written materials for different audiences.
- Develop strong working relationships with people across the organisation, including in our international programmes and fundraising teams.
- Take a proactive approach to media engagement and communications as our PR and communications subject-matter expert.
- Line manage the Comms & PR Officer, supporting them to prioritise their workload, ensuring they have clear goals, and are performing well.
Media Engagement
- Maximise media opportunities for ShelterBox across national and regional, print, digital, and broadcast media.
- Maintain a strong understanding of the media landscape and keep across relevant stories and trends.
- Work with colleagues to identify strong stories and create news angles.
- Prepare and use a variety of effective PR tools, including press releases, quotes, features, blogs and photo opportunities.
- Sell-in stories, respond to media enquiries, and secure interviews.
- Deliver interview training for colleagues.
- Prepare messaging and briefings for spokespeople for interviews and events.
- Ensure plans are ready to roll-out when major disasters happen - including comms plans, media lists, trained spokespeople, quotes and other resources.
- Identify, develop and maintain great relationships with external stakeholders, including journalists, PR agencies, and freelancers.
Communications
- Produce high-quality written materials, including messaging, Q&As, and reports, ensuring consistency with brand and tone of voice.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across social media, website, celebrity, brand, content, and fundraising) to deliver integrated campaigns.
- Support reputation management, lead crisis communications activities, and play an active role in the Crisis Management Team.
- Offer creative ideas and planning for communications campaigns.
- Coordinate and, when required, manage external agencies and consultants.
- Evaluate PR and communications activity to measure success and improve future performance.
- Manage subscriptions and licences for communications tools, including media monitoring platforms, and liaise with procurement on tender processes when required.
Other Responsibilities
- Work as a member of our EDI team, ensuring EDI principles are included within our comms and media work.
- Undertake any other duties that are commensurate with the post.
- Carry out the duties of post in accordance with the ShelterBox's policies and procedures on Health and Safety and take responsibility for ensuring personal health and safety.
- Work flexibility, prioritise workload and work effectively as part of a team.
Please note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.
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Registered Charity 
101 - 500
Thank you!
Head of Policy and Public Affairs
Bring your energy, creativity and expertise - and help us impact young people positively.
Location: Sherborne House, London (hybrid)
Salary: £52,535 per annum
Closing Date: 29 March, 2026
Employment Type: Permanent
Hours per week: 37.5
About the Role
Step into a role where your policy expertise drives real change. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs, you’ll lead an ambitious strategy to influence national decision‑makers, shape legislation and ensure the voices of people affected by homelessness are impossible to ignore. You’ll turn insight into impact, championing our values while strengthening our political presence and public profile
You’ll build powerful relationships across Westminster, Whitehall and the wider sector, producing sharp briefings, commissioning research and delivering high‑profile events that elevate Depaul’s influence. Confident in the media and skilled at simplifying complex issues, you’ll work across teams to anticipate policy change, spark innovation and help drive forward our mission to end homelessness. If you’re driven, strategic and ready to make national change happen, this is your platform.
Key deliverables:
• Develop organisational policy positions on key strategic issues for Depaul UK, focusing on policy areas that matter for our client group including homelessness, housing, welfare, health and care leavers.
• Working with the Director of Development and External Affairs to deliver a multi-year policy and public affairs strategy, you will own its delivery, having demonstrable impact on policy through influencing legislation, as well as securing funding and commitments from the government .
• Work with the Executive Director of Fundraising and Communications and their team to improve Depaul’s public profile by giving us a louder political voice.
• Work with the Executive Director of Operations and their team to ensure Depaul is well positioned to respond to changes in policy and regulation.
• Work in partnership with Depaul UK’s Head of Data and Insights on research projects designed to influence policy.
• Monitor, analyse and report on policy developments which may impact on the work of Depaul UK.
• Provide high quality written and verbal briefings, reports and submissions to consultations.
• Work with senior colleagues to develop positive relationships for Depaul UK with ministers, senior officials, elected Mayors, Parliamentarians and with other policy influencers including our peers in the homeless sector.
• Ensure that the voices and experiences of clients are heard and understood to improve and change services delivered by Depaul, commissioners and policy makers.
• Give interviews to the media.
• Organise and coordinate events and meetings.
• Strengthen Depaul’s links with other voluntary sector organisations in the homelessness, youth and faith sectors.
• Contribute to Depaul International’s global influencing work.
What we are looking for from you (Person Specification)
When completing your application form please address all the areas below. Try to provide clear examples in your supporting statement that clarify how and when you gained the experience or knowledge as well as your level of capability.
To carry out this role we are looking for the following from you in terms of qualifications, experience, skills and competencies:
Knowledge
• Strong knowledge of the homelessness sector and policy context is desirable but not essential, it is essential that you have developed strong, specialist knowledge of a UK policy area or areas.
Experience and skills
• Having had demonstrable impact on government policy.
• Developing and maintaining positive relationships with Parliamentarians and officials
• Organising or helping to organise events, it is desirable but not essential that you have organised events in Parliament
• Leading projects with colleagues from different internal or external teams
• Delivering high quality verbal and written policy briefings and presentations to senior stakeholders
• Working with colleagues to secure media coverage
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work on own initiative and with low levels of supervision
• Ability to prioritise key tasks and manage conflicting priorities
• Ability to deliver to deadlines, sometimes at short notice
• Desirable - drafting and delivering policy and/or public affairs plans/strategies
• Desirable - representing organisations in the media and at events
You will need to be able to travel throughout the UK and on occasions work out of hours.
You believe in people — their strengths, their rights and their potential. You bring empathy, energy and a solution‑focused mindset to your work. You communicate clearly, stay organised and adapt well in a fast‑moving environment. You’re committed to inclusion, fairness and continuous learning, and you turn values into meaningful action, whatever your role.
What You’ll Receive
• Tailored training and development
• Flexible working options where suitable
• 26 days annual leave, rising with service
• Family‑friendly leave policies
• Pension scheme with employer contributions up to 7%
• Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 GP access
• Discounts across retail, travel, food, fitness and more
• Cash health plan for you and your family
• Death‑in‑service benefit
• Access to legal and practical support
Safer Recruitment
Depaul UK is committed to fair and inclusive recruitment, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If a role requires it under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, we will carry out the appropriate Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. We only look at information that is relevant to the role, and a criminal record will never be treated as an automatic barrier to employment. All DBS information is handled sensitively, confidentially and in line with the DBS Code of Practice, and we encourage applicants to discuss any concerns with us openly.
About Depaul UK
In the 1980s, high unemployment and steep inflation was contributing to a shocking rise in youth homelessness across London. Thousands of young people were sleeping rough every night, with many areas notoriously dubbed “cardboard cities” due to the visible rise in street homelessness. Appalled by the scenes playing out across the capital, a group of people came together to tackle the challenge head on. Led by Cardinal Basil Hume and Mark McGreevy OBE, in 1989 Depaul UK was born.
What began as a single housing project in North London soon expanded across London, Greater Manchester and the North East of England. Today, Depaul UK provides accommodation, prevention and support services to thousands of marginalised young people across the UK each year.
As our name suggests, the work of Depaul UK has been inspired by St. Vincent de Paul – a man who devoted his life to helping vast numbers of people throughout the 17th century. St. Vincent de Paul’s belief in the intrinsic worth of all people and his commitment to taking bold action remain central to our values today. Depaul UK now forms part of a family of Depaul charities around the world. We each focus on the specific challenges in our own countries, but we’re united by our shared values and mission to end homelessness.
Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client – Not For Profit People.
Thank you!
Purpose and responsibilities of the post
Reporting to the DARE UK Director, the Deputy Director is a senior strategic leader responsible for shaping and delivering the programme’s next phase of impact.
The post-holder will provide intellectual and operational leadership across the programme, translating strategic ambition into executable plans while ensuring delivery at pace and scale. They will work across research communities, funders, infrastructure providers, technology partners and senior stakeholders across UKRI and government to embed community voice into the design of a UK-wide secure data research ecosystem.
This is a high-profile role requiring visible sector leadership, strong partnership-building capability and confidence operating at Board and executive level. The Deputy Director will deputise for the Director as required and play a central role in positioning DARE UK nationally and internationally.
Main Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
· Co-develop and evolve the DARE UK strategy, roadmap and future phases in response to emerging opportunities, policy developments and sector needs.
· Shape the long-term vision for a federated UK sensitive data research ecosystem, including shared standards for governance, ethics, metadata and interoperability.
· Identify strategic partnerships and funding opportunities to secure programme sustainability beyond the current phase.
· Represent DARE UK at senior forums, influencing policy, research and infrastructure agendas.
Programme Delivery and Oversight
· Lead end-to-end delivery of the programme, ensuring alignment between strategic objectives, commissioned work and measurable outcomes.
· Oversee commissioning, governance and performance management of programme activities and working groups.
· Ensure robust financial oversight, risk management and reporting in collaboration with HDR UK and UKRI partners.
· Maintain effective systems, governance structures and delivery frameworks across partner organisations.
Stakeholder and Community Leadership
· Build and sustain trusted relationships across UKRI councils, academia, government departments, devolved administrations, technical suppliers and public contributors.
· Convene and align diverse stakeholders to co-design standards, services and technical-social specifications.
· Lead strategic engagement and communications activity to secure sector-wide buy-in and adoption.
People and Organisational Leadership
· Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team spanning programme management, communications, public involvement and engagement, and community engagement.
· Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture aligned with HDR UK values.
· Provide clarity, direction and stability in a complex and evolving landscape.
Knowledge, skills and experience
Essential
· Senior leadership experience in complex, multi-stakeholder environments spanning research, government, infrastructure and/or technology.
· Proven track record of delivering large-scale, strategically significant programmes in fast-paced and ambiguous contexts.
· Experience working with executive teams, Boards and senior stakeholders, demonstrating sound judgement and political awareness.
· Strong strategic thinking capability, with the ability to translate vision into structured delivery plans.
· Demonstrable experience influencing, negotiating and building consensus across diverse communities.
· Strong programme governance, risk management and financial oversight experience.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent programmes at national level.
· Effective line management experience, leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-impact outcomes.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.