Policy and evidence manager jobs

ID 1851 HR Business Partner, Human Resources (up to 2 vacancies)
Permanent contract
Family Action Head Office, London (N1) with hybrid working
37 hours per week (full-time)
£37,211 - £41,518 per annum
Plus £3,866 Inner London Weighting (if London-based) or £480 (if home-based)

We are flexible about both hours and where you work. The role is 37 hours per week full-time, but we welcome applications from people looking for part-time or other flexible working arrangements. We are also open to both office and home-based working; for colleagues based at our London office (N1), we operate a hybrid working model with an expectation of office attendance twice per week.

One of the roles will partner with our London-based services, so being based in or within commuting distance of London would be beneficial. However, we don’t want location to be a barrier and we welcome applications from people based elsewhere in the UK.

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action, we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

In the HR Business Partner role, you will partner with leaders and managers across the organisation, building strong relationships and developing a deep understanding of the services and business areas you support. As their key HR contact, you will provide expert advice and coaching on complex people matters, help managers build their confidence and capability, and support them to plan strategically for their people and align their plans with the wider people strategy.

You will also manage, coach and develop a team of HR Advisers, supporting them to build their expertise and deliver a high-quality HR service.

Alongside this, you will lead on complex change processes, including TUPE transfers and restructures, working collaboratively across HR, Services, and Implementation teams to implement change effectively.
If you have significant HR experience, strong applied knowledge of employee relations and experience supporting complex organisational change, we would like to hear from you. You might come from a generalist HR background or have specialised in employee relations or change, and you don’t need to have worked in the not-for-profit sector or held a formal management role before. The ability to build trusted relationships, provide pragmatic and solution-focused advice, deliver through others and contribute to the continued development of our people practices will make you an ideal candidate.

We are a supportive and inclusive organisation, and we want to break down barriers to people joining us. If you don’t feel confident applying because you don’t meet every single requirement on the Person Specification – please don’t let that stop you; we want to hear from you. We encourage you to use the application to highlight what you can bring to the role – your skills, knowledge, and experience as well as your values. At Family Action our 4 core values are incredibly important to us and underpin all we do. We are a 'people focused', 'can-do' organisation, which strives for 'excellence' in all we do and operates with 'mutual respect'.

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement of 30 working days (pro rata) plus bank holidays
- up to 6% matched-pension contributions
- flexible working arrangements and new starters have the right to make flexible working requests from day one of employment
- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions
- eye care and winter flu jab vouchers
- cycle to work scheme
- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

Closing Date: Monday 31st August 2026 at 23:59 pm

For direct queries, or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or the potential for flexible working arrangements, please email Katie Milne, Head of HR (full email adress located in the advert on our careers page).

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse reasonable travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Please note that we will be reviewing applications as they come in. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found, so we encourage you to submit your application without delay. We are also ideally looking for a candidate who can join us as soon as possible (i.e. on a short notice period), however if that is not your situation please do not hesitate to apply as applications will not be assessed on this basis.

We are looking for a creative, organised and experienced media and communications professional to join our External Affairs team within the Policy and External Affairs Directorate.

The Senior Media & Communications Manager will manage our press office and lead our media engagement activity to support our strategic impact and communications objectives, aligned to our business plan and wider corporate strategy.

You will use your skills and experience to help engage a range of media outlets on our expertise, insights and evidence on youth employment, placing our spokespeople appropriately for a variety of opportunities.

• You will also work closely with wider External Affairs colleagues and teams across the organisation to build our corporate impact narrative.

• At a time when youth employment is a high priority for Government and the news agenda, the post holder must also be able to demonstrate policy and political literacy and high comfort levels when working with policy, research and public affairs colleagues.

• This role is perfect for a proactive and agile professional with strong writing skills, who is excellent at building relationships internally and externally and able to engage external stakeholders and partners.

At a time when the youth employment agenda is so prominent, this role presents an exciting opportunity to be part of Youth Futures’ mission to help every young person achieve good work.

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.

Please download our recruitment pack for more information on this opportunity.

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.

About us:

Are you passionate about financial capability? Join us to develop knowledge, resources and tools that are accessible to all!

At The London Foundation for Banking & Finance (LFBF), our story began in 1879 when a group of visionary bank workers set out to elevate professional standards and leadership in the industry. Over the years, we became a recognised leader in financial services education, offering industry-leading qualifications and setting the gold standard for professional competency.

In 2023 we entered an exciting new chapter as an independent charity, revitalising and refocusing our mission to improve financial capability and empower professionals in the sector. In 2025 we published a new external strategy with our social impact metrics which will lead to our 150 year anniversary in 2029.  We are now seeking a passionate leader in the Financial Capability field to join our senior management team and work alongside our Chief Executive to continue to drive our transformation forward.

Our charitable objective is the advancement of knowledge and education in financial services, and to carry out research and publish useful results for the benefit of the public. In doing so, we seek to improve levels of financial literacy and skills, as well as support those working within or considering a career in the financial services industry.

Our objective is just as relevant, perhaps even more so, today as it has been in our long history. If you're inspired to make a real impact and contribute to the advancement of financial knowledge for the benefit of society, we want to hear from you.

About the role:

In this role, you will be instrumental in implementing our strategic financial capability objectives, which align with our charitable objects and goals. Your responsibilities will include developing partnerships, identifying new markets, expanding our reach, measuring social and commercial impact, and strengthening the organisation’s brand and stakeholder relationships. The role also supports policy, communications, risk management, project delivery and long-term strategic planning in financial capability.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior professional who is looking to apply their expertise in a strategic leadership role while enjoying both the flexibility of hybrid working and flexible part-time hours.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement strategies to promote and broaden the use of the content from existing financial capability educational material to build income streams.
• Develop a business model for the financial capability content which balances the achievement of our charitable object with income streams.
• Identify and develop opportunities to secure widen the reach of our financial capability content.
• Identify new markets, audiences and partnership opportunities and make evidence-based recommendations on where to focus our effort.
• Develop a suite of metrics for Financial Capability to measure success, to include both social and commercial impact
• Lead and support presentations to win commercial commitment from organisations and stakeholders.
• Play a key role in supporting UK policy development and implementation with regard to financial inclusion and capability - acting upon and responding to initiatives proposed by UK and international policy makers, legislative bodies, and regulatory authorities.
• Leverage strong project management skills to drive and sustain financial capability projects.
• Identify and keep under review the risks associated with the financial capability proposition, reporting on any that have emerged and identifying any potential news ones, putting forward strategies to mitigate the impact.

You will have:

• Worked in a senior executive role in financial capability, preferably at Head of or Director level.
• Knowledge of financial capability issues within the UK
• Excellent business development skills including commercial awareness, negotiation and written and verbal communication skills.
• Project management skills to oversee financial capability plans, and expertise in identifying and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders
• Be collaborative and team orientated

What we offer:

• An opportunity to make a significant impact on the success of the strategy of the charity.
• A collaborative, adaptable and supportive work environment where integrity and innovation are valued.
• Competitive compensation based on your experience and the charity sector.
• Hybrid working – work from home and work from our London office based in the City: we need you to be in the office on at least two fixed days a month but otherwise we’re flexible.
• Flexible working days and times: we’re flexible on how this role is worked — it could be three full days, five shorter days, or another arrangement that works for everyone.
• We recognise that physical, mental and financial wellbeing is important:
  • so enjoy our generous annual leave (30 days plus bank holidays for full time hours, pro rata for part time hours).
  • join our Private Medical insurance scheme.
  • provision of generous life insurance cover, to provide financial security to your loved ones should the worst happen.

The opportunity:

This is a senior role with responsibility for the strategic direction, quality and impact of We Belong’s youth development portfolio. Reporting to the CEO and working as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will lead programmes spanning early intervention, educational attainment, further and higher education, employability, skills development, youth leadership and progression into positive opportunities.

You will oversee the Let Us Learn Programme, Emerging Young Leaders Programme, Schools Excellence Programme and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze programme. You will also strengthen young people’s influence within We Belong through the Core Group, ensuring that lived experience informs organisational priorities and programme development.

The Context:

Following the landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Tigere case, which helped secure fairer access to higher education for young migrants, We Belong has continued working to ensure that young people can progress into higher education. This has included successful campaigning to increase scholarship opportunities and building strong relationships with educational institutions across the UK.

However, more work is needed. Young migrants can experience significant barriers to educational attainment, further and higher education, employment and personal development because of their immigration status.

These barriers can arise long before a young person reaches the point of applying to university, beginning an apprenticeship or entering employment. We recognise that university is not the only pathway to success and that young people should be supported to explore a range of routes that reflect their ambitions, strengths and circumstances.

Early intervention is therefore essential to ensure that young migrants understand their rights, receive accurate information and appropriate support, and are able to make informed decisions about their education, training, employment and future.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about working with young people, supporting their development and creating pathways for them to achieve their ambitions.

If successful, the applicant will be joining an award-winning youth charity and a staff team dedicated to improving outcomes for young migrants between the ages of 16-25 years old and empowering young people to create change.

Hotel School is an award-winning charity that believes everyone deserves the opportunity to build a career they can be proud of. Through our expert-led hospitality programme and personalised support, we help people facing homelessness and multiple disadvantages gain the skills, confidence and opportunities to secure, sustain and progress in employment.

We're looking for an experienced, compassionate and motivated Employment & Progression Manager to lead our Employment & Progression service. This is an exciting opportunity to shape a service that supports graduates beyond training, helping them overcome barriers, thrive in work and achieve their long-term career goals.

You'll lead a team of Employment & Progression Coaches, oversee safeguarding and graduate support, build strong employer partnerships and use data and insight to continuously improve our service. You'll work closely with our Charity Director to develop new ideas, strengthen employer engagement and ensure every graduate receives high-quality, person-centred support.

This role would suit someone with experience in employability, employment support or career progression who enjoys leading people, building partnerships and making a tangible difference. You'll be values-driven, collaborative and committed to helping people realise their potential.

At Hotel School, you'll join a small, supportive and ambitious team where your ideas are valued and your work has a direct impact. We offer 34 days' annual leave plus Christmas closure, clinical supervision, ongoing professional development, an Employee Assistance Programme and the opportunity to help shape the future of an award-winning charity.

If you're excited by the opportunity to lead a talented team and help people facing homelessness and multiple disadvantages build sustainable careers in hospitality, we'd love to hear from you.

How to apply

Please submit:

• Your CV
• Responses to the five application questions (maximum 350 words per question)

Full details of the role, the application questions and our recruitment process can be found in the Employment & Progression Manager Role Pack attached to this advert.

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know and we'll be happy to support you.

Make a difference through evidence, policy, research and campaigning

Citizens Advice Newcastle is seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Research and Campaigns Manager funded by Millfield House Foundation, to lead our research, policy and campaigning work. The role exists to ensure that the experiences of our clients are used to influence local, regional and national policy and practice, helping tackle poverty, inequality, discrimination and unfair treatment.

Working closely with colleagues, volunteers, clients and external partners, you will gather and analyse evidence, identify emerging issues affecting local people, and develop campaigns that bring about positive change. You will represent Citizens Advice Newcastle within the Citizens Advice network and with stakeholders including local authorities, MPs, universities, NHS organisations and voluntary sector partners.

Hybrid – within commuting distance of one of our campuses in Beckenham, Blackburn, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Doncaster or Redcar

Help shape the voice of a national organisation improving teacher and leader development!

About us

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education and is on a mission to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system.

About the role

We are recruiting for a Communications and PR Manager to join our busy Partnerships team. The team works closely with the NIoT’s regions, founding Multi-Academy Trusts and Associate Colleges as core partners, and supports our national profile, brand, communications, stakeholder engagement and the dissemination of research outputs.

This is a varied role for a confident communications professional who can combine strong campaign instincts with excellent writing, media handling, stakeholder engagement and data-informed improvement. You will help build a clearly distinct NIoT voice, look and feel; manage high-quality internal and external communications; and support positive, purposeful public relations activity across the education sector.

Working closely with colleagues across marketing, policy, research, events, programmes and regions, the Communications and PR Manager will craft compelling messages, support campaign planning, manage channels and relationships, and ensure that NIoT’s work is shared with clarity, credibility and impact.

This is a hybrid role, with an expectation that the postholder will work from the office at least once a fortnight, and more frequently where required to meet business needs. The role also involves national travel, which may include overnight stays.

Key benefits

• Generous annual leave – 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays), rising to 33 days after five years’ service.
• Flexible working – we offer flexible start and end working times, with hybrid working in place for all roles.
• Pension – entry to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Salary sacrifice schemes – we offer salary sacrifice schemes for bikes, cars and tech!
• Lifestyle benefits – we offer discounts on gyms, cinema, retail and much more!
• Parenthood leave – we offer above the statutory minimum for maternity, adoption and paternity leave.
• Working environment – we have a stimulating, supportive and rewarding working environment with a dedicated team of like-minded professionals.
• Support – our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provides confidential support for employees on personal or work-related matters.
• Development – we fully support the development of our staff and ensure that you have a high level of continuous professional development.

We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities.

For more information and to apply, please visit our vacancies page.

Closing date: 31 August 2026.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

As a condition of employment, this post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with a Children’s Barred List Check and an Occupational Health Check.

Thames Rivers Trust (TRT) is part of The Rivers Trust movement. We focus on the promotion and delivery of an ecosystem-based approach to improving the River Thames, working with partners including Thames Water, The Rivers Trust, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and a network of Catchment Partnerships across the Thames Basin, to deliver an integrated approach to managing the river basin for people, biodiversity and the environment.

We are recruiting a Programme Manager to lead day-to-day delivery of the Water Company Partnership: a developing arrangement between TRT, The Rivers Trust, Thames Water and ZSL that works alongside and helps coordinate support for the 27 Catchment Partnerships of the Thames Basin. You will oversee delivery across all five of the Partnership's workstreams and be accountable to the Partnership Board for progress, combining day-to-day programme management with support to the Board's strategic oversight.

In practical terms, this role exists to help integrate Catchment Partnership hosts and partnership members with Thames Water's delivery programme, and to upskill those partnerships so they are equipped to plan, fund and deliver more on the ground themselves, building the same kind of productive relationships with other funders and partners too, not just Thames Water. It is a genuine opportunity to shape how a major water company and its environmental partners work together, and to help turn that partnership into real, measurable improvements for rivers and the wider environment across the Thames Basin.

Your responsibilities will span five workstreams:

● Governance: catchment partnership maturity and tiering, network structure and governance models

● Monitoring and Evaluation: river health scorecards, monitoring standards and evidence for investment decisions and Thames Water's PR29 submission

● Capability and Capacity, including CaPS: TRT's own Catchment Partnerships Support Programme, learning and development, and running the Thames Catchment Forum

● Catchment and Nature-based Solutions: supporting delivery of wetland, river restoration and storm overflow projects

● Blended Finance: developing environmental market mechanisms and diversified funding for Catchment Partnerships

You will also service the Partnership Board, coordinate quarterly reviews with individual catchment hosts, and act as TRT's key liaison with Thames Water, The Rivers Trust, ZSL and Catchment Partnerships across the region.

We're looking for someone with experience delivering environmental, catchment or nature-recovery programmes, strong partnership working and facilitation skills, and the ability to coordinate complex, multi-organisation programmes through influence rather than line management. Knowledge of the water sector, WINEP or AMP planning, nature-based solutions or blended finance would be an advantage, as would a project or programme management qualification.

Please note that we are interested in receiving and considering applications from candidates who may not tick every box. You may be just who we are looking for.

The details

Salary: £40,000–£42,000 per annum, dependent on experience

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Initially funded for one year, with planned funding for a further two years

Location: Thames Basin, home-based, with regular travel across catchments and to partner offices in London

Reports to: Chief Executive, Thames Rivers Trust

How to apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter, explaining why you're interested in the role and how you meet the person specification. More details in the full job description is available.

Closing date: 10pm, Sunday 30th August 2026

Interviews: Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th September 2026

Help us ensure that no amputee needs to cope alone.

Fixed term contract for 2 years starting from the contract start date with the possibility of extending subject to funding.

The Limbless Association is looking for an experienced and passionate Regional Development Manager (one in the North including Northern Ireland and one in the South including Wales) to help expand our reach and strengthen support for amputees and their families across the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing national charity and play a key role in developing partnerships, increasing engagement and ensuring more people can access life-changing support services.

You’ll work with rehabilitation centres, healthcare professionals, service users, volunteers, supports and sponsorship partners to strengthen referral pathways, grow regional outreach and ensure amputees feel informed, connected and supported throughout their journey.

We are looking for someone who:

• Builds strong relationships quickly 
• Is passionate about community engagement and inclusion 
• Understands partnership working 
• Can work strategically whilst remaining hands-on 
• Wants to make a meaningful difference 

In return, we offer flexibility, autonomy, supportive leadership and the opportunity to shape services that have real impact.

We are recruiting a Service Delivery Manager – Projects to join our growing advice team and make a difference. Every week we help hundreds of people providing advice and specialist casework on housing, debt, benefits and more.

About the role

Our Service Delivery Managers are responsible for a portfolio of advice and casework projects through a range of funded programmes.   This role focuses on local projects delivering financial inclusion support like debt and benefits.  You will give line management and ensure ensuring teams are delivering funding and quality targets.  You will work closely with the funders and manage stakeholder relationships.  There will be the opportunity to develop those relationships and support with bid writing as well as over see social policy work and support wider teams through your leadership skills.

Advisors work from different locations including outreaches, so you will get the chance to travel and see some of the amazing areas across West Sussex from the coast to rural, Towns and Villages too. Working in local charities can be busy, no one day is the same as the next.  However it is very rewarding and can make a big impact as well as being an excellent opportunity to build on your leadership and management skills.

About us

Every year we help thousands of people move forward with the problems they face.  Working to reduce health inequalities and support communities our communities to thrive by empowering people through high quality information, advice and advocacy.   As a local charity, we work in partnerships and with volunteers who are at the heart of what we do, reaching communities across the County.  We work across 6 sites and provide projects in outreach locations and have doubled in size in the last two years due to growing demand for our services.

Staff access high quality  training resources available online as well as external courses, including local leadership programmes.  We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our Values, People and Work and believe in making a difference.  Striving to making our communities a better place, using our teams expertise and the evidence gathered through casework, research and campaigns work to change the system.

How to be a success

To be a success in this role you will ideally have had some previous experience of delivering advice and casework as well as some management experience of projects and/or people.  However we will be able to provide training to fill gaps and support you to be a success in your role.   Having excellent team values, able to manage competing priorities and show leadership skills in a busy environment are essential.  Able to see the big picture and whilst having attention to detail and able to follow processes is important.  You will be creating plans for new projects or improve existing ones and work to targets so analytical and IT skills will help.

We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all our values, people and work.  We recognise that skills and values are important and will provide training where needed to candidates who can demonstrate the attributes needed.

How to apply

You will need to fill in an application form, addressing the person specification.   We reserve the right to close the advert early so don’t wait, apply now so you become part of our growing team.

Purpose of the Role

The Director of External Affairs and Growth is an SLT role responsible for leveraging the voice and power of the eoa's network to influence and accelerate the growth of the employee owned sector.

The role leads the eoa’s external affairs, policy and insights, marcomms and events, shaping the external environment for employee ownership and securing the funding and commercial income needed to support sustainable sector growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead external affairs strategy, building the relationships and influence needed to shape policy, remove barriers and expand EO.
• Build strategic relationships and secure grant funding and commercial partnerships, generating income to support advocacy, events and sector growth initiatives, including the UK EO Growth Strategy.
• Oversee our policy and insights work, engaging key stakeholders to co-produce content that influences EO practice and policy and strengthens the eoa’s voice in public affairs.
• Oversee the delivery of a mar-comms strategy that delivers commercial objectives and positions the eoa as the leading authority on EO.
• Oversee our events programmes, ensuring they drive knowledge-sharing, sector development
• and commercial sustainability.
• Represent the eoa at industry forums, policy roundtables and public affairs events,
• championing the employee ownership model.
• Collaborate with the Director of Membership and Operations to align advocacy and external
• engagement with member needs and priorities.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams, fostering innovation and delivering measurable impact across income generation, advocacy, policy, events and mar-comms activities

Knowledge, Experience, and Attributes

• Proven expertise in external affairs, advocacy, or policy leadership, ideally within a business, trade body, or membership association.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience influencing government, media, and corporate partners.
• Demonstrated ability to drive sectoral or policy change, leading successful advocacy initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience in sponsorship acquisition, revenue generation, grant funding and developing financially sustainable initiatives.
• Exceptional strategic communication and storytelling skills, able to engage and mobilise diverse audiences.
• Experience in event programming, ensuring high engagement and sector impact.
• Passion for employee ownership and economic models that promote shared prosperity.
• Innovative, creative, and proactive in problem-solving and strategy execution.
• A confident and transparent leader who fosters collaboration and inclusivity.
• Self-aware with emotional intelligence, resilience, and integrity.

What Constitutes Success in This Role?

Success in this role means having a positive impact on the growth of the employee-owned sector, strengthening the eoa’s influence and increasing the adoption of “great EO”. Stronger stakeholder relationships, greater advocacy impact and improved commercial sustainability through a diverse mix of grant funding, sponsorships and strategic partnerships will also be key indicators of success.

Key outcomes for the role 

• Outcome - Growth of the employee ownership sector
  • Measure - Increased number of EO businesses, heightened sector awareness

• Outcome - Strengthened corporate engagement
  • Measure - Growth in strategic partnerships, corporate and government engagement

• Outcome - Strong Commercial Sustainability
  • Measure - Increased sponsorship revenue, secured long-term commercial partnerships

• Outcome -Increased policy influence
  • Measure - Policy recommendations adopted, increased government engagement

• Outcome - Enhanced sector insight and intelligence
  • Measure - Utilisation of high quality data and insights for regular sector related content outputs

• Outcome - Development and adoption of best practice
  • Measure - Creation, adoption and promotion of best practice across the EO network.

• Outcome - Successful events programmes
  • Measure - Increased participation, sponsorship growth, positive feedback.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit:

• A two-page CV
• And one of either:
  • Cover letter setting out your motivation, approach, and what you will bring to the role
  • Video (maximum 10 minutes) setting out your motivation, approach, and what you will bring to the role

Applications should be submitted before 9:00am 17 August 2026. We will close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. If you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interviews will be in two stages. The first stage will be a virtual interview via teams on
26 August. For those who successfully move to stage 2 there will be an in-person
discussion w.c. 31 August.

The eoa welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those
who are under-represented. We recruit based on values, skills, and contribution to our
purpose.

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced and driven policy professional to lead Asylum Aid's external policy and advocacy work at a pivotal moment for refugee protection in the UK. 

The UK asylum and immigration systems are under sustained pressure.  Successive waves of hostile legislation and increasingly difficult political environment have cause serious harm to people seeking international protection and made already complex systems even harder to navigate.  At this time there is an urgent need for effective, well-evidenced voices in Parliament, Whitehall and the courts that keeps human experiences at its centre. 

Our proactive and prioritised policy advocacy is evidence-led, based on the experiences of survivors, collective expertise and/or the HBF group’s research findings. Asylum Aid, as part of the Helen Bamber Foundation group, uses its legal expertise and evidence to secure ongoing policy and systems change by:  

·Providing evidence and recommendations to central government through reports, briefings, consultation responses, oral and written evidence to parliamentary select committees and parliamentary lobbying. 

·Ongoing direct engagement on improvements to policy and practice with civil servants in the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and other relevant departments.  

·Working collaboratively with others in the asylum, trafficking and children’s sectors to highlight issues in the asylum and trafficking systems, and push for recognition and respect for international asylum, trafficking and human rights obligations.  

·Undertaking strategic litigation to secure change that cannot be achieved through policy advocacy. 

As Policy  Specialist, you will be Asylum Aid's policy and advocacy lead - responsible for shaping our policy positions; driving our advocacy strategy; building and managing coalitions across the sector; and ensuring that the voices and experiences of our clients directly inform our external work. You will be managed by the HBF Group Director of Policy, Evidence and Communications, and work closely with AA’s Executive Director and legal team. As well as coordinating and undertaking joint policy work with HBF, you will ensure close working relationships with partner organisations and coalitions and be a visible and credible presence in the wider refugee and human rights sector.

HOW TO APPLY

The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 9am on 26th August 2026.

The website form will ask you to:

• Upload a short covering letter. Please tell us why the position appeals to you, and how your relevant skills and experience, including any voluntary experience and lived experience, matches the listed responsibilities and person specification. Please also state in your covering letter when you would be available to start the role. This information can be shared in one of four different ways: 

1. Written A4 (No more than 2 sides of A4)
2. PowerPoint (No more than 3 slides)
3. Audio recording (No more than 5 mins) *
4. Video Recording (No more than 5 mins) *

* if you send in your cover letter in one these formats, please do not upload this to our website but email us.

• Upload your current CV
• Complete an online Equal Opportunities monitoring form – completion of this form will help us ensure that our recruitment procedures operate in such a way as to provide genuine equality of opportunity. The questions are entirely optional and this information will not be available to members of the selection panel.

TIMELINE

• Closing date: 26th August 2026
• Preliminary interviews (online): 2nd September 2026
• Final panel interviews (in person): 10th September 2026

At Asylum Aid we want to be transparent about what kind of qualities we are looking for and build trust from the very beginning of your journey with us. The first step is your interview, and we mean ‘your’ interview so we will provide you with your interview questions ahead of the interview. This will allow you time to prepare, and ensure you have your best examples in mind. We will also ask you some questions which you will not have prepared.

SELECTION PROCESS

We will invite candidates to an initial 30-minute online screening meeting week on 2nd September 2026 followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interview on 10th September 2026. We will also ask you to complete a short exercise on the day.

We offer a guaranteed interview for refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration, provided that they meet at least 50% of the essential criteria, where practical.

EXPERTS BY EXPERIENCE SUPPORT

We are also proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network , which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector.

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network and access other information and resources at their website.

Role Description

Working closely with colleagues and project partners, the Volunteer Manager will lead the recruitment, training, development and management of volunteers across the Cathedral and Abbey site as part of the Abbey of St Edmund Reborn project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The postholder will develop and implement a comprehensive volunteering strategy, ensuring volunteers are recruited safely, supported effectively and equipped with the skills to deliver a wide range of roles. The role will promote an inclusive volunteering culture, strengthen partnerships and ensure volunteers make a meaningful contribution to the Cathedral, the Abbey site and the wider heritage project.

About Our Volunteers

Volunteers are at the heart of Cathedral life and make an invaluable contribution to worship, welcome, learning, heritage, visitor engagement and events. Current volunteer opportunities are wide and varied, including Bell Ringers, Guides, Flower Arrangers, Shop Volunteers, Learning Volunteers, Sunday Morning Coffee Volunteers, St Ed's Singers, Gardeners, Young Families Volunteers, Servers, Events Volunteers, Vergers and Welcome and Information Volunteers. The Volunteer Manager will support these established teams while developing new opportunities as the Abbey of St Edmund Reborn project progresses.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Strategy and Leadership

• Develop, implement and review the Cathedral's Volunteering Strategy.
• Lead the development of a sustainable volunteer programme.
• Ensure volunteering reflects sector best practice and supports the Cathedral's strategic objectives.
• Build strong working relationships with volunteer team leaders and provide ongoing support and guidance.
• Act as the primary point of contact for volunteers.

Recruitment, Induction and Volunteer Management

• Lead the recruitment, induction and ongoing management of volunteers across a wide range of roles.
• Ensure all volunteer recruitment complies with Church of England Safer Recruitment principles, including references and DBS checks where required.
• Develop and maintain volunteer role descriptions in partnership with volunteer team leaders.
• Maintain an accurate volunteer database, matching volunteers' skills and interests with organisational needs.
• Produce, maintain and regularly review the Volunteer Handbook.
• Receive volunteer feedback, concerns and ideas, escalating issues where appropriate.

Training and Development

• Design, coordinate and deliver volunteer induction, training and ongoing development programmes.
• Identify opportunities for volunteers to develop new skills.
• Ensure safeguarding and mandatory training remains current and accurately recorded.
• Regularly review volunteer practices to maintain high standards of service and visitor experience.

Inclusion, Engagement and Communications

• Promote equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility throughout the volunteer programme.
• Develop recruitment approaches that encourage applications from underrepresented communities and remove barriers to participation.
• Implement an effective volunteer communications plan to keep volunteers informed, engaged and recognised.
• Work closely with the Marketing and Communications Manager to promote volunteering opportunities and celebrate volunteer achievements. Key Responsibilities

Partnership Working

• Work collaboratively with partners including English Heritage, Historic England, West Suffolk Council and local organisations to ensure a consistent and positive volunteer experience across the Cathedral, Abbey and wider heritage site.
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with community organisations across the region.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Budget Management

• Collect, monitor and analyse volunteer data, including volunteer numbers, hours and feedback.
• Support project evaluation and reporting requirements for the Abbey of St Edmund Reborn project.
• Produce regular reports identifying trends, achievements and future opportunities.
• Prepare and manage the volunteer budget, monitoring expenditure and reporting against forecasts.

Visitor Experience

• Ensure volunteers contribute to an outstanding visitor experience for all users of the Cathedral, including worshippers, pilgrims, tourists and event attendees.
• Support volunteers in presenting a welcoming, professional and inclusive image of the Cathedral in all interactions with visitors and stakeholders.

General Responsibilities

• Demonstrate commitment to the Cathedral's values, mission and inclusive culture.
• Work collaboratively with clergy, staff, volunteers and the wider congregation.
• Comply with all organisational policies relating to safeguarding, health and safety, equality, data protection and other statutory requirements.
• Work flexibly, including occasional evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays. Time off in lieu will normally be provided, with overtime payable for agreed external events where applicable.
• Undertake any other duties reasonably required by the Chief Operating Officer.

Person Specification

Essential Qualities

• Managing volunteers across a range of roles using recognised best practice.
• Developing and implementing volunteer strategies, policies and procedures.
• Recruiting, inducting, training and supporting volunteers.
• Working successfully with paid staff and volunteers. Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on projects or programmes.
• Developing partnerships with community organisations, charities or public bodies.
• Leading teams within a visitor-focused environment.
• Line management, partnership working and stakeholder engagement.
• Working with diverse communities and promoting inclusive participation.

Knowledge and skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands.
• Ability to influence, motivate and build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively within a heritage, commercial and place of worship environment.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Personal Attributes

• Understanding of the Cathedral's role as a place of worship, welcome, heritage and community engagement.
• Flexible approach to working hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Collaborative, approachable and committed to excellent visitor and volunteer experiences.
• High Emotional Intelligence

Desirable Qualities

• Experience within a cathedral, church or heritage organisation.
• Background in heritage, tourism, hospitality or the cultural sector.
• Degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Awareness of the ministry, mission and civic role of the Church of England and its cathedrals

ID: 1826 Service Manager

Service: Wigan Crisis Space

Salary: Starting at £37,211 and rising to £41,518 FTE per annum

Location: Wigan Crisis Space

Hours: 37 hours per week (full-time) – flexible across the week, hours will include some weekend and evening work

We offer flexible working arrangements - please see below for more details.

Contract: Permanent

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the service delivery our Wigan Crisis Space that operates in Wigan town centre. The service operates from 3pm – 10pm , 7 days per week. There is an expectation that the post holder will work flexibly to meet the needs of the service. Please see Job Description for additional information.

The Wigan Crisis Space forms part of the Greater Manchester VCSE crisis pathway, we are non- clinical alternative to A&E. The focus of our work is to offer timely support to adults who are experiencing mental and emotional distress and suicide ideation. The Crisis Space is an out of hours service that creates a safe space for adults to access timely compassionate support from trained recovery workers.

The Service Manager will have responsibility to line manage two Team Leaders, and overall leadership for the staff team working within the service. We are looking for a values driven leader who can work closely with the Operational Manager to support and develop the service to increase our reach to adults who are experiencing a MH crisis.

Main Responsibilities:

· working within the Wigan Crisis Space to provide leadership and management to the staff team to ensure the delivery of a safe, effective and appropriate service to adults living within the Borough of Wigan

· ensuring that the service is integrated, comprehensive and makes a difference to people using it, with clear focus on improving mental and emotional health and wellbeing and social outcomes meaning that people will be healthier, safer, happier, more resilient, more independent and better able to enjoy life opportunities.

· Facilitating opportunities for staff, volunteers and people who use the service to contribute to the ongoing development of the Crisis Space by sharing learning, listening and sharing and responding to feedback and by using the feedback from this to create and implement a continuous development plan

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):

· Experience of managing and leading teams within health, social care, voluntary sector or community-based services, including supervision, performance management and staff development.

· Experience of working with adults experiencing mental health challenges, including safeguarding, risk management, partnership working and achieving positive service outcomes

· Strong interpersonal skills, with the confidence and ability to present and communicate information effectively both in person and using a range of mediums to internal and external stakeholders, adults, children, young people and funders.

·Appointments are subject to Family Action receiving a satisfactory disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service – Enhanced

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement that commences at 25 working days, rising each April by one day, subject to a maximum of 30 working days plus bank holidays / of 30 working days plus bank holiday pro rata

- up to 6% matched-pension contributions

- flexible working arrangements and new starters have the right to make flexible working requests from day one of employment

- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions

- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers

- cycle to work scheme

- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

· Click the “Redirect to Recruiter” link above and fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: 7th August 2026 at 5pm

For direct queries or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or flexible working requests, please email Rita Croome.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community / particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role. 

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person. 

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.