Design jobs

Join an amazing charity that makes a difference for the 110,000 adults and children in the UK with a muscle-wasting condition. This is a role where you can really make a difference.

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We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with lived experience of conditions we represent. We believe that diversity strengthens our work and helps us better support our beneficiaries.

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As part of our safer recruitment and safeguarding responsibilities, this role requires a DBS check and professional/character references. We are committed to inclusion and will consider each application fairly.

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About you:

This is a terrific opportunity to play a fundamental role as Referral Service Project Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK’s as we pilot a new referral system to ensure timely, holistic, and emotionally supportive care for individuals and families affected by muscle-wasting and weakening conditions. 

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• You'll support the development, delivery, and evaluation of this pilot, working closely with healthcare professionals, internal teams, and colleagues across the charity to embed the system and create a scalable framework for national rollout. 
   
• You will play a dynamic role requiring strong project management skills, stakeholder engagement, and adaptability to evolving priorities.

• You'll work closely with the Head of Regional Support and Outreach/Director of Services and Support

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About us:

Muscular Dystrophy UK is a charity that connects a community of more than 110,000 people living with one of over 60 muscle wasting conditions, and all the people around them. So everyone can get the healthcare, support and treatments needed to feel good, mentally and physically. 

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This is an exciting time to join Muscular Dystrophy UK. We recently launched our new 10 year strategy to transform the lives of people living with muscle wasting conditions. Our vision is clear, a world without limits for people with muscle wasting conditions, and we won’t stop until we achieve it.

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Values and behaviours:

• A positive attitude and approach that reflect the charity’s values.

• Seek opportunities to contribute to the development of the charity.

• A commitment to and an understanding of disability issues, equality, diversity and inclusion.

• Always demonstrate role model behaviour.
  
   

Benefits:

We appreciate the range of skills and experience our staff have to offer. In return for your enthusiasm and commitment we commit to actively developing and supporting you. We believe in supporting our people both professionally and personally.

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Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to promote wellbeing, work–life balance, and career development. Our offerrange of benefits includes great pension contributions, life insurance, cycle scheme, health cash plan, employee assistance programme, instant retail and events discounts, and much more...

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Location: We operate a hybrid model (home and office, London SE1). 

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Closing date: Sunday,15th February 2026

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NB Interview will be on a rolling basis: We will actively interview and reserve the right to close this advert once we find the right candidate

Please download the job description to see full role responsibilities

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We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Premises Officer to join our Putney School of Art and Design team at Enable! 

About Us 

Enable is a charity dedicated to improving people's wellbeing and strengthening local communities. We work with councils, charities and other local organisations to deliver health, leisure, community services and events that enrich people’s lives and strengthen our local community.

At Enable, we value our employees and our culture, focusing on embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive, flexible and fun environment for employees to perform at their best.

Reports to: Operations Manager 

Based: Putney School of Art and Design 

Salary: London Living Wage - £13.85 (£15.52 Inclusive of A/L)

Contract: Casual 
Work Arrangement: 2 Evenings per week minimum, On-site

DBS: Enhanced with Children

Role Overview: 

Reporting to the Operations Manager, The Premises Officer will be responsible for the security of the building and the safety of staff and learners, when on duty. The post is to cover evening shifts at the school, 5-10pm during the term dates and various additional hours to cover annual leave out of term dates, including the weekends. 

The team at PSAD are passionate about connecting the community through culture, art and design, making it affordable and accessible for all. Today, managed by Enable and firmly rooted in the community, the school offers art and design courses, including specialised courses like the Art and Design Diploma, a Family Learning programme where parent and child can learn and work together, and courses for young people.

Main Duties/Responsibilities 

• Set up studios as required, directed by the Operations Manager or the Curriculum Manager. 
• As directed, maintains the security of the School and the safety applying the closed down procedure at the end of each day , students and staff have safe access, unexpected visitors and contractors show identification and sign a visitor book; reports all incidents e.g. security breaches, threatening behaviour, theft to the Operations Manager or the most senior officer on duty. 
• Ensure all of the facilities, studios and teaching spaces are prepared ready for each class throughout the School's opening hours e.g. putting away equipment, cables, turning off heaters, clearing studios of rubbish, emptying bins, any cleaning as required during operational hours. 
• Assumes full responsibility for the building and the safety of students in the absence of more senior staff, contacting the Key Holder (Operations Manager/Head of School) in the case of an emergency. 
• Assists the Operations Manager with minor repairs as required. 
• Assists with the delivery, unpacking and storing of stock and stores. 
• Operate the school Art Shop and sell a range of art materials to students at designated hours, and refreshments to students in the evenings and at weekends, if required. 
• Handles cash accurately, including use of cash tills and credit card payments, maintaining security of cash and stock at all times. 
• Assist and contribute to key school events including operational tasks related to them such as setting up exhibitions, and technical support for tutors in using IT facilities for teaching and learning equipment. 
• General administrative and operational duties including taking payments from students for fees and materials, using the school MIS system to enrols students, ensuring that all details are inputted correctly to ensure accurate record keeping and check course information on the school website and make necessary updates. 
• To carry out any other reasonable duties and responsibilities within the overall function, as directed by the Head of School. 

The successful candidate will have 

• Competent IT knowledge & skills 
• Experience of working in a school and / or customer care 
• Awareness of the importance of Health and Safety
• Willingness to be flexible to help meet urgent and important business deadlines 
• Strong interpersonal skills 
• Can prioritise own workload with good time management abilities.
• Can work under pressure to meet the needs of the school business. 
• Ability to problem-solve and make decisions when needed. 

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a company that positively impacts the community around them! If you are someone that is motivated by a desire to enrich the lives of others and make a genuine difference, then please Apply Now and follow the prompts. 

We are looking for a dynamic Senior Research & Analysis Officer to manage and deliver information, data, and analysis to help Youth Futures build evidence for impact.

This is an opportunity for a researcher with excellent data analysis, trial design and data skills to work widely across a busy and ambitious directorate, helping us understand and address youth unemployment in England.

Working with two teams in the Impact and Evidence Directorate, you will gain experience and contribute meaningfully across a range of research and evaluation activities.

• You will work with the Head of Evaluation and Principal Economist to support the design, delivery and management of data systems; scope, commission and manage high-quality evaluations; and conduct data analysis and quantitative social and economic research.
• You will also use your analytical expertise to extract insights from data, identify trends, and liaise with policy and communication teams to prepare outputs for external use.
• You will support the work of YFF’s evaluation team in generating new evidence for employment support programmes and Employer Practice through impact evaluations, including Randomised Controlled Trials.
• The role also offers opportunities to work on data visualisations for effective communication of data and research insights.

This role can be based at our Birmingham, Leeds or London hub. We currently operate a hybrid model of two-days per week in the office and three-days from home.

For more information on this role, please download our recruitment pack.

Due to receiving high volumes of interest in our opportunities, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. To ensure your application is considered, please submit it as soon as possible.

Have you got a head for data and a heart for storytelling?

As our Individual Giving and Legacies Manager, you’ll lead the growth of single and regular donations, develop supporter journeys, and strengthen our legacy giving programme.

You’ll be confident using CRM data and analysis to inform strategy, and you’ll enjoy creating compelling fundraising content from email journeys to campaign appeals, that motivates supporters to give.

With significant income growth over the past two years and ambitious plans for the future, this is an exciting time to join Homeless Oxfordshire’s Fundraising and Communications team. Your work will play a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

About The Job:

This is a vital role in delivering our fundraising strategy and goals. The role holder will be responsible for raising income from individuals and legacies and increasing the volume and value of our supporter relationships, engaging new audiences and driving sustainable income growth. We will also trust the role holder to deliver fantastic supporter journeys and supporter experiences and contribute to the overall implementation of the Fundraising Team’s objectives.

Main Areas Of Responsibility:

Income Generation

· Lead on raising income to an agreed target, through acquisition, development and retention of individuals and legacy pledgers, as agreed with the Head of Fundraising and Communications.

Strategy

· Work closely with the Head of Fundraising and Communications to build and deliver a highly effective, sustainable, audience-centred public fundraising and supporter experience plan.

· Engage in market and supporter insight to inform decision-making and development of new activity/products.

· Develop a good understanding of our supporter base, their motivations and behaviours. Use our CRM database (Raisers’ Edge NXT) and data analysis and insights to inform the development of new fundraising campaigns and products.

· Take the lead role in the development of effective supporter journeys, working with the Community Fundraising Team to convert community fundraisers and events participants into regular donors.

· Lead the design and delivery of individual giving campaigns (including the Christmas campaign), using direct mail, digital marketing and advertisements to drive supporter acquisition and retention.

· Develop and design our legacy programme, working with Farewill and local law firms to encourage supporters to include Homeless Oxfordshire in their will.

· Work with the Head of Fundraising and Communications to develop and deliver a mid-level giving programme, driving the major donor pipeline and effectively stewarding donors giving at the £300-£1,000 level.

Operational Delivery

· Be responsible for the setting and managing of budgets, targets and KPIs. Report on progress, trends and take action when required. Analyse results and evaluate activity to inform future plans.

· Act as the lead-user for Raisers’ Edge, supervise the Data Administrator to ensure accurate data entry and reconciliation, and support the team with reporting and data analysis.

· Work collaboratively to ensure that all income generation activity is integrated and opportunities for cross-team working are maximised.

· Develop processes that enhance the team’s capacity, efficiency, and ensure effective fundraising.

· Manage external partners and agencies involved in fundraising delivery, ensuring due diligence, high quality and effectiveness.

· Ensure the highest standard of supporter experience in order to make the most of every interaction.

· Ensure legal and regulatory compliance across all areas of the public fundraising portfolio, including the Fundraising Code of Practice, Data Protection and Gift Aid. Model best practice and coach team member as required.

Leadership

· Line manage the Data Administrator, supporting them on reconciliation, data entry and gift processing.

· Provide management information for SMT and the Board of Trustees as requested and attending meetings when required.

· Build positive working relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.

· Represent the charity at external meetings as and when required.

· Engage with the wider charity sector, learning from peers and sharing best practice.

General Duties:

· Compliance with Homeless Oxfordshire’s policies and procedures.

· Contribute to a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are valued and staff are enabled to do their best.

· Contribute to the work of the broader team.

· Responsible for the effective use of financial and other resources.

· Be prepared to work evenings and weekends, as the job reasonably demands.

About Us:

We are an open door for people experiencing homelessness whose lives have been shaped by trauma and disadvantage; providing safety, stability and support when it is needed most. We deliver this support across Oxfordshire by providing a range of accommodation with access to high quality support, offering a safe and welcoming space for people to take control of their own lives. We are an accredited Oxford Living Wage employer, and benefits to the role include: annual leave starting at 26 days (excluding bank holidays), flexible working, enhanced benefits with qualifying service, retail discounts with our Homeless Oxfordshire Benefits Hub, and life assurance up to four times your salary and a £250 bonus if you successfully refer a someone as a new colleague through our Employee Referral Scheme as a thanks from us!

What’s Next: Have a look at the job description to find out more about the role and apply on Indeed or our website. Please be aware that this role is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure check and will be undertaken for the successful candidate. Interviews will be conducted week commencing 16th February 2026.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we identify a suitable candidate before the advertised closing date.

Salary: £30,000 pro rata
Contract: 20 months, fixed term, starting March 2026
Hours: 2.5 days per week
Location: Home-based with regular travel across Bristol. Shared office space available in Bristol.

About the role

Every community deserves a park they can be proud of. Not just one that exists on a map, but one that feels safe, welcoming and cared for.

This new role sits at the heart of Bristol’s Nature Together project and is all about redefining what park quality really means. Not from behind a desk, but by working directly with communities to understand what matters most to them and turning that into practical, achievable change.

You will work alongside residents, community groups and Bristol City Council to co-create a way to define clear quality measures for local parks and translate them into realistic management plans. These plans will shape improvements on the ground and feed into the development of a Bristol-wide Quality Park Standard that can be used across the city and beyond.

This is a genuinely new role.You will help build the approach, test it, learn as you go and bring people with you.

If you enjoy working with people, navigating complexity and turning big ideas into practical action, you will feel very at home here.

What you will do

• Work with diverse communities to define what “quality” means for their local parks, making sure voices that are often excluded are actively included
• Design and facilitate workshops, surveys and conversations that help communities set priorities for their parks
• Work with Bristol City Council and local partners to turn those priorities into clear, deliverable management plans
• Build strong partnerships with council officers, community groups, volunteers and project partners
• Learn from similar work elsewhere and apply those insights locally
• Track progress against community-defined quality measures and share learning in accessible ways
• Support communities to build the skills, confidence and tools they need to keep shaping their parks beyond the life of the project

About you

You do not need to tick every box, but you should recognise yourself in most of these.

You are someone who:

• Has experience working with communities and partners in a collaborative, respectful way
• Is confident facilitating conversations with people from different backgrounds
• Understands co-design and co-production and has used these approaches in practice
• Can develop practical plans and keep projects moving forward
• Is organised, adaptable and comfortable working with some uncertainty
• Cares deeply about equality, accessibility and inclusion
• Believes parks matter and that communities should have real influence over them

Experience of monitoring, evaluation or reporting to funders is helpful but not essential.

Why work with us

You will be part of a small, ambitious charity that is rethinking the role parks play in people’s lives. We work collaboratively, value flexibility and trust people to get on with their work.

This role offers real autonomy and the chance to shape a pioneering approach to park quality that could be scaled nationally. You will be supported, listened to and given space to do meaningful, values-led work.

Evaluation and Research Officer

STEM Learning is committed to understanding and improving the impact of its work. The Evaluation & Research Officer plays a key role in supporting this by designing and delivering high-quality evaluation and research activity that helps teams learn, improve and demonstrate impact across our programmes.

The Role

We are looking for an Evaluation & Research Officer to join our Data and Impact team at STEM Learning. This role plays a key part in ensuring that our programmes and projects are evaluated effectively, realistically, and in line with best practice, enabling us to demonstrate impact and continuously improve our offer.

Working closely with programme management colleagues, you will design and implement evaluations, ensuring relevant data is collected, analysed and interpreted. You will produce clear, high-quality outputs for both internal and external audiences, supporting learning, accountability, and impact reporting.

You will also contribute to external evaluations, liaising with external evaluators where required, and help embed evidence-informed practice across the organisation. A key part of the role is sourcing, reviewing and synthesising external research and sector evidence to strengthen STEM Learning’s evaluation approaches, findings and impact claims.

Our Ideal Candidate

Candidates will be able to demonstrate our values: Sustainable – Innovative – Proactive

• Demonstrable experience in programme and project evaluation and/or social research, using a range of quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Experience of designing and delivering evaluations, from planning through to analysis and reporting.
• Experience of conducting literature reviews and evidence synthesis and translating research findings into practical insights for programme teams.
• Good knowledge of mixed methods approaches and experience of analysing and interpreting complex datasets.
• Experience of producing clear, well-structured written reports for a range of audiences.
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including contributing to externally commissioned research or evaluation.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• An understanding of, or strong interest in, STEM education, social impact, and evidence-informed practice.
• A commitment to ethical research practice and data protection standards.
• Willingness to engage in ongoing professional learning and development.

We welcome applicants who bring equivalent experience gained through different routes, and who can demonstrate the skills and behaviours needed for the role.

 About Us

At STEM Learning, we work to improve lives through STEM education. We are a purpose-driven organisation, supporting teachers through high-impact professional development, inspiring young people to build confidence and curiosity in STEM, and connecting schools with employers to grow the UK’s future talent. Guided by our values, we focus our effort where it can make the greatest difference - helping all young people, whatever their background, to see themselves in STEM.

The Evaluation & Research Officer plays an important role in helping STEM Learning understand, evidence and strengthen the impact of this work, ensuring we meet the expectations of funders, partners and the communities we serve.

 Our Benefits

• 30 days holidays plus bank holidays
• An additional day off on your birthday
• Access to an attractive pension scheme
• Our full-time hours are 37 hours per week
• Up to 3 days paid volunteering leave per year
• A comprehensive employee assistance programme

Next Steps

Closing date: Friday 20th February 2026

First Stage Interviews (online): Week commencing Monday 2nd March

Second Stage Interviews (in person): Week commencing Monday 9th March

To Apply

Please provide us with:

• Your up-to-date CV including the contact details of two referees (please note, references will not be approached without your permission and will not be taken up until the offer stage)
• A covering letter (no more than the equivalent of 2 sides of A4) explaining your interest in the role and why you think you would be the ideal candidate.

STEM Learning strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to employing teams with diverse abilities, skills, and experiences.

We foster a culture where every employee’s voice is respected and valued.

We’re looking for a Creative Communications Lead to help shape how St Stephen’s communicates, both internally and externally. You’ll combine strategic oversight with hands-on delivery, creating high-quality design, social media, and film content that brings our vision and ministry to life.

This role is ideal for someone with a passion for creative communication, strong practical skills, and the ability to turn ideas into engaging, impactful content

What You will be doing

The role is responsible for managing social media channels, delivering impactful digital campaigns, coordinating external advertising across print and digital platforms, and producing high-quality marketing materials. By creating consistent, compelling communications and supporting the promotion of key initiatives, the postholder will help strengthen awareness, broaden reach, and support the charities’ aims.

Social Media (both charities)

• Plan, create, and schedule content across social media platforms for both charities.
• Ensure content aligns with campaigns, awareness events, and strategic priorities.
• Monitor performance, engage with audiences, and track analytics to inform growth.
• Work with colleagues across the charity to source stories, visuals, and updates for posts.

We are recruiting for three fixed-term User Research Officer roles for our Digital Team. Two 23-month contracts and one 12-month contract.

This is an exciting opportunity to join The National Lottery Community Fund, and develop your skills as a User Research Officer within a multi-disciplinary team.

You’ll conduct user research to help us understand the needs of both the people who apply for our funding, and our colleagues who manage that funding. Your insights will inform the design of new systems and improvement of existing ones, ensuring that we make changes based on real user needs.

Working within our Digital Team, you’ll also have opportunities to collaborate with and learn from a thriving group of designers and researchers who love sharing knowledge and experience. We’ll offer you support to develop your research and design skills, and opportunities to take part in training and communities of practice.

You’ll need some practical experience of qualitative research methods, and of designing and running research. This could be from working in user research or user experience design. But we’d also welcome applications from people with similar experience from professional work, academic work, or study in fields like:

• human-computer interaction
• user-centred design
• psychology
• ethnography
• social research

The responsibilities of the job include:

• Designing and running user research to help us improve our existing digital services and design new ones.
• Recruiting participants for research.
• Analysing qualitative research data.
• Presenting findings to Digital team colleagues, and stakeholders from the wider organisation.
• Collaborating in a multidisciplinary team, and supporting colleagues’ design work by helping them understand what users need.
• Contributing to our user research and design community – taking part in team meetings and providing feedback on prototypes and other design work working in a collaborative and inclusive way.

Interview Details:

Interview Date: Virtual interview – 23rd or 24th February

Location: Hybrid working, anywhere in the UK. Choice of home or office working (offices in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, or Newtown). Some in person meetings, including quarterly away days across UK locations.

We’ll talk to you about where you are based and your working pattern if you get the job.

We will be hosting a briefing session on: Tuesday 27th January 2026,  from 11am to 11:45am. To register or ask any questions please email us.

How to apply

Upload your CV in Word format and write a supporting statement of up to 1000 words. We'll use the following criteria to score your application – so you should show how you meet them in your supporting statement.

Essential Criteria:

• Passionate and knowledgeable about user-centred design, and digital ways of working.
• Experience of designing and running user research or other qualitative research studies, and a good understanding of when and how to use different research methods.
• Experience of analysing qualitative research, and turning it into clear insights that others can understand and use.
• Confident in explaining research findings to others, verbally or in writing.
• Good at collaborating, involving colleagues in research activities and contributing to shared planning.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of standing up for the needs and perspectives of users.
• A good understanding of inclusion and accessibility for digital services.
• Knowledge of agile working and the roles in a multidisciplinary digital team.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Managing the delivery of up to 10 intergenerational projects in Greater London, and supporting the Senior Programme Manager and Partnerships Lead with the design of our intergenerational projects through training, resources and events.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leading intergenerational Community and Social Action projects based in London

You will be leading all elements of the design, delivery and evaluation of up to 10 intergenerational projects, for our in person workshops. You’ll bring energy and confidence into the room whilst sensitively considering and accommodating the different needs of the participants, both younger (age groups spanning 7-17 years) and older.

Taking ownership of programme design and development

Liaising with the Senior Programme Manager, you will own specific elements of our programme development, working with participants to generate innovative ideas that enhance social inclusion. You will independently analyse feedback and proactively propose adaptations to ensure our programmes remain fresh, accessible and impactful for all age groups. You will make confident recommendations on programme improvements that advance InCommon’s charitable objects.

Designing activities to be used by different projects across the UK 

You’ll be responsible for designing and sharing high quality activities and resources that can be used by other intergenerational projects in different parts of the country. You’ll involve younger and older people through co-design approaches, and draw these ideas together into beautiful, accessible resources to share.

Developing the InCommon events programme

Collaborating with the communications team, you’ll use your excellent facilitation and presentation skills to design and manage our events programme, specifically our annual Age Friendly Awards and other fundraising and awareness raising events.

Building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders and programme participants.  

You’ll lead on all of our communications, and drive engagement with key project stakeholders and participants, curating a wide variety of audiences with warmth, clarity and enthusiasm. Your efficient, thoughtful, professional approach will build trust and lead to close working relationships.

Contributing to the long term development of the our programmes 

You will work closely with our Strategic Management Team and the Senior Programme Manager to grow our work, proactively looking for development opportunities and ways to increase our impact and meet our charitable objectives.

Benefits:

• £32,000 (pro rata of 4 days), depending on experience

• Working in a warm, friendly team based in Brixton with some remote working

• 3% employer contribution to your pension

• Open to flexible working; 20 hours a week maximum

• 22.5 days paid annual leave per year (pro rata) plus public holidays

• A strong commitment to personal and professional development with a training budget available

Ready to turn passion into action? Jesuit Missions is seeking a bold, creative campaigner to lead our advocacy and campaigns for global justice. You’ll design inspiring, people-powered campaigns rooted in the lived experience of communities in the global South, motivating people across Britain to act for real change. Working with schools, parishes, and young adult networks, you’ll spark meaningful engagement and deliver dynamic events. You’ll build strong partnerships and amplify voices from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By mobilising faith-based and public support, you’ll challenge injustice and tackle the root causes of poverty. If you’re imaginative, driven, and ready to empower others, join us and help change the world.

Main Duties

Strategy

• Working with senior leaders, lead on developing an organisational wide and joined up People & Volunteering Strategy aligned to organisational goals and workforce plans.

Oranisational Design and Culture

• Use engagement and feedback data to identify cultural risks and drive improvement.
• Lead strengthened leadership, coaching and management capability through clear expectations, advice and development frameworks.

Management

• Lead, coach and manage the People Services team to provide proactive support to the organisation, with a clear focus on the team’s development.

• Provide expert advice and guidance to managers and SLT on disciplinary and staff performance issues.
• Liaise with the external employment lawyers to make robust risk assessments on disciplinary and staff performance issues.

Volunteering and Resourcing

• Establish annual capacity and skills plans (headcount, volunteer hours, peak demand cover, succession planning).
• Review and implement a volunteering journey to support our volunteers.

Quality Framework

• Continue to develop and implement specific projects as part of The Passage’s internal quality framework ‘Excellence For All’.
• Lead a review to ensure there are clear and transparent salary ranges, job descriptions, aligned terms and conditions across the organisation.
• Ensure that People Services policies are up to date to reflect current legal and HR compliance and best practice.

Analytics and Systems

• Develop digital systems that add value to HR management with the organisation.
• Develop systems that give managers and staff ownership over their HR journey.
• Make use of workforce data and analytics to inform SMG of the development of improvements and interventions that can lead to enhanced HR and business outcomes.

Training

• Develop a learning and development strategy/plan for all staff to receive Continuous Professional Development.
• Develop a learning and training strategy for volunteers so that they are supported to fulfil their volunteering roles.

Reporting/Governance

• Responsible for the Peoples Services annual budget.
• Attend Senior Management Group (SMG) monthly meetings.
• Report to the People, Performance and Culture (PPC) Committee meeting.

Strategy

• Working with senior leaders, lead on developing an organisational wide and joined up People & Volunteering Strategy aligned to organisational goals and workforce plans.

Oranisational Design and Culture

• Use engagement and feedback data to identify cultural risks and drive improvement.
• Lead strengthened leadership, coaching and management capability through clear expectations, advice and development frameworks.

Management

• Lead, coach and manage the People Services team to provide proactive support to the organisation, with a clear focus on the team’s development.
• Design and lead implementation of frameworks to support those with responsibility for managing staff to demonstrate a consistent and high standard of line management and development across the organisation.
• To oversee a comprehensive training programme , including by developing a strategic training needs assessment to support the organisational values and aims.
• Provide expert advice and guidance to managers and SLT on disciplinary and staff performance issues.

Volunteering and Resourcing

• Establish annual capacity and skills plans (headcount, volunteer hours, peak demand cover, succession planning).
• Review and implement a volunteering journey to support our volunteers.

Quality Framework

• Continue to develop and implement specific projects as part of The Passage’s internal quality framework ‘Excellence For All’.
• Lead a review to ensure there are clear and transparent salary ranges, job descriptions, aligned terms and conditions across the organisation.
• Ensure that People Services policies are up to date to reflect current legal and HR compliance and best practice.

Analytics and Systems

• Develop digital systems that add value to HR management with the organisation.
• Develop systems that give managers and staff ownership over their HR journey.
• Make use of workforce data and analytics to inform SMG of the development of improvements and interventions that can lead to enhanced HR and business outcomes.

Training

• Develop a learning and development strategy/plan for all staff to receive Continuous Professional Development.
• Develop a learning and training strategy for volunteers so that they are supported to fulfil their volunteering roles.

Reporting/Governance

• Responsible for the Peoples Services annual budget.
• Attend Senior Management Group (SMG) monthly meetings.
• Report to the People, Performance and Culture (PPC) Committee meeting.

General Responsibilities

• In conjunction with your Line Manager to continuously develop the role to ensure that all tasks are being undertaken in an effective and appropriate manner which meets the strategic aims and objectives of The Passage.
• To ensure that all The Passage policies and procedures are being adhered to, particularly those relating to Health and Safety, Code of Practice and Confidentiality.
• To contribute to the effective implementation of The Passage’s Diversity and Equality Policy as it affects both The Passage and its work with vulnerable adults.
• To at all times undertake your role in a professional manner maintaining a high quality standard of work, and to always work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of The Passage.
• Undertake any other duties that may be required which are commensurate with the role.

Desired Experience

Experience

• E1: Proven experience in leading strategic HR initiatives that support organisational goals and culture.
• E2: Experience of working with senior leadership teams to influence organisational design and workforce planning.
• E3: Track record of managing complex employee relations and advising on disciplinary and performance issues.
• E4: Experience in developing and implementing learning and development strategies for staff and volunteers.
• E5: Experience of reporting to governance committees and contributing to organisational risk management.

Knowledge and Skills

• K1: Strong understanding of UK employment law, HR compliance, and best practice.
• K2: Knowledge of organisational design, performance management frameworks, and cultural development.
• K3: Ability to use HR data and analytics to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• K4: Skilled in developing inclusive policies and embedding equality, diversity, and wellbeing into organisational practice.
• K5: Proficiency in HR systems and digital tools to enhance efficiency and user experience.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent professional qualification (Level 7 desirable).

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

Leading national policy strategy

As Head of Policy you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan.  Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall. 

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services

• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits

• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups

• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people

• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level

• Professional development standards for school inclusion

Developing implementation expertise in the middle tier

In your first six months, you will advise on the internal development of a new programme for middle tier policy actors: multi-academy trust and local authority leaders.  You will support the Programme team in its design, to plan strategically for the recruitment of trusts and local authorities, and you will plan the research and influencing work which will seek to share their success nationally.

Building the evidence base

In your second six months, you will work with the CEO to build out our research function. Your influencing plan will include how The Difference can learn from the work across our multi-academy trust, local authority and internal AP pioneer partners over the next four years, to develop influential publications. Research work ahead will include publishing sector-facing publications of The Difference’s own research, carried out by our research lead and associates; alongside managing external contractors and internal colleagues to bid for and deliver aligned research disseminating our ideas.

Raising your voice

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to inclusive policy change. The Difference has always punched above our weight in national and sector press reach. In post,  you will publish blogs and comment pieces, disseminating our shared ideas.  You will be a prominent voice on inclusion.

The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being highly autonomous, reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 
 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:
 

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 

We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.

The RSA is the home of ideas, turning possibility into progress since 1754. From pioneering invention and design to shaping social change, we are a place for action and connection, where people drive real change. And today this matters more than ever. 

This is a chance to lead and define the RSA’s digital presence and purpose: growing reach, deepening engagement, and helping to connect more people with “the home of ideas”. You’ll be a key member of the RSA leadership team at an exciting and crucial moment; you’ll grow and inspire a diverse global Fellowship community, and the RSA brand itself. 

You’ll lead a team spearheading all things digital, developing a fantastic website and brilliant digital activity that raises the RSA’s profile and influence, shows its vision, and brings more Fellows (members) into the fold.

If you’re someone who loves combining creativity with strategy, someone who can think big with the skills for getting hands-on, we’d love to hear from you. 

What you’ll do 

• Develop and deliver a digital strategy that supports our goals and values, including the customer journey of potential Fellows. 
• Deliver digital activity to grow awareness, engagement, and ultimately increase Fellowship. 
• Lead, inspire, and develop a cross-functional digital team, setting clear goals and fostering innovation. 
• Oversee continuous improvement of the website (including design and build done by the team). 
• Manage creation of inspiring content, from blogs and videos to social media. 
• Lead digital marketing across paid, organic, and email channels. 
• Champion accessibility and innovation in everything we do online. 
• Act as a thought leader, keeping the company ahead of emerging digital trends, technologies, and consumer behaviours. 
• Collaborate closely with creative, events and Fellowship teams, to ensure consistency of messaging and audience engagement. 
• Use data and insight to continuously analyse and evolve our digital activity – amplifying reach, impact, and relevance. 
• Define performance targets and KPIs for digital activity: including engagement, growth and Fellowship (membership) sign-ups. 

Who you are 

• A creative, strategic thinker who is comfortable balancing the big picture with hands-on delivery, from planning campaigns to creative social media. 
• Collaborative and supportive, intellectually curious. 
• Data-driven but people-focused. Cares about impact, storytelling, and results in equal measure. 

Your key experience 

• Proven experience leading digital marketing, content, and websites.
• Track record of running digital campaigns and overseeing social media channels. 
• Strong understanding of website management, UX, and digital design (you don’t need to code, but you can brief and oversee developers confidently). 
• Experience using analytics tools to track and report on digital performance. 
• Excellent communication, writing, and stakeholder management skills. 
• Experience managing budgets, agencies, or freelancers. 
• Experience with a charity or purpose-led organisation preferable. 

Early applications are encouraged – apply now! 

Inclusion at the RSA 

As a social change organisation, we believe everyone, regardless of visible or invisible difference should feel welcomed and able to contribute to creating a better future. You can read our full inclusion statement on our website.