Policy and impact officer jobs

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy levels amongst people in prison?

Shannon Trust are delighted to be working with His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) to provide peer-led learning programmes at HMP Bullingdon. Working closely with the prison and their staff, people in prison, Shannon Trust volunteers and mentors, this post will lead the delivery and development of our prison-based reading and numeracy programme, maximising opportunities for people in prison to learn to read.  

Ideally you will have some experience of prison settings underpinned by the ability to build relationships and personal qualities that include resilience, determination and a problem-solving approach. 

This role is a fixed term role until May 2027 with the opportunity to be made permanent subject to contract renewal.

The role will be prison-based. Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

?We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. These roles do require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.
?Interviews will be held on a rolling basis.

REF-227 635

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy levels amongst people in prison?

Shannon Trust are delighted to be working with His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) to provide peer-led learning programmes at HMP Leeds. Working closely with the prison and their staff, people in prison, Shannon Trust volunteers and mentors, this post will lead the delivery and development of our prison-based reading and numeracy programme, maximising opportunities for people in prison to learn to read.  

Ideally you will have some experience of prison settings underpinned by the ability to build relationships and personal qualities that include resilience, determination and a problem-solving approach. 

This role is a fixed term role until 31/03/2027 with the opportunity to be made permanent subject to contract renewal.

The role will be prison-based. Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

?We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. These roles do require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.

Please note this role is subject to contract award.

We reserve the right to withdraw this role early if a suitable candidate is found  

?Interviews are planned for week commencing 27th April 2026.

REF-227 633

At Community Connections Lewisham we are passionate about helping Lewisham residents (aged 18+) improve their health and wellbeing through discovering what exists in their own community, and becoming more able to access it. We aim to tackle the problems of social isolation and loneliness by using a person-centred approach. This means we recognise that each person we support has their own unique story, with their own particular challenges, needs, and personal goals.

Partnership Coordinators are the face of the Community Connections Lewisham team. They provide valuable support to both clients and professionals by running the phoneline, giving guidance and advice on a wide range of topics by referring or signposting to relevant services that are available in the community. They play a crucial role in the triaging, coordination and effective administration of the entire Community Connections project and acting as a front door service to the rest of the voluntary sector.

Samaritans Training School - or STS for short - is our dedicated central training team who deliver high quality Samaritans training on behalf of branches and hubs. Our busy team delivers training to new and existing volunteers and staff members, throughout the year.​

We’re looking for an experienced Training School Manager to lead our STS function. You’ll oversee high-quality training delivery and facilitation, leading on quality assurance, continuous improvement and the ongoing development of training practice.​

As an experienced leader, you’ll manage and develop our high-performing STS team, striving to ensure excellence in our training provision. You’ll also be responsible for rota management and scheduling of training courses, balancing organisational priorities along with the performance and wellbeing of your team.​

You’ll work closely with stakeholders across the organisation, including staff and volunteers, through building strong working relationships. You’ll work to understand training and development needs, ensuing joined up learning design and delivery.​

If you’re a strong leader with clear and positive communication skills, an aptitude for problem solving and experience in the operational delivery of training, this may be the role for you.​

Contract terms:

• £47,000 - £51,000 per annum, plus benefits
• Permanent
• Full time hours are 35 hours per week, but we are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences.
• Homebased contract
• In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. We work in person around 2 days or more per month
• This role requires regular out of hours working to oversee evening training delivery. Travel to our office in Ewell (Surrey) for in-person meetings is also required.

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​What you'll do:

• Lead the operational delivery of the Samaritans Training School, ensuring a high-quality virtual training provision
• Set and uphold standards of training delivery and facilitation across the Samaritans Training School
• Manage a high-preforming training team
• Support, coach and develop trainers to address skills gaps and drive continuous improvement
• Schedule training courses balancing trainer availability and resource
• Monitor and quality assess service delivery of training courses, using performance data and insight
• Ensure training delivery is in line with best practice
• Build strong relationships with staff, volunteers and other stakeholders

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What you’ll bring:

• ​Proven experience leading the operational delivery of learning or onboarding training programmes
• Experience of leading the delivery of virtual training
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in written form
• Ability to write clear and concise reports and presentations
• Ability to manage multiple systems
• Experience in building rotas and scheduling
• Experience in managing, leading and developing a high performing team
• Strong customer service and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships
• A training or facilitation qualification (desirable)
• Experience working with or managing volunteers, or within the charity sector (desirable)​

Please see Job Description and Person Specification 

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Why Samaritans?

At Samaritans, you’ll be part of a people-first organisation deeply committed to inclusion, compassion and learning. You’ll contribute to a team where your voice matters, your expertise makes a difference, and your work helps save lives.​

We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience and encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to creating an environment where all our people feel seen, heard and supported.​

You’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission and a collaborative culture. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland.​

For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure available here. You can also visit our careers website to access this.​

We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.

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Apply now

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please apply. You will be asked to answer some short application questions and to upload your CV. 

Applications close: ​Sunday 12th April 2026.

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At Samaritans, human connection is at the heart of everything we do.​

We do not use AI at any stage during the selection process. Your application will always be carefully reviewed by the recruiting manager or a member of the Talent Attraction Team.​

We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to generate your application or interview answers. We want to hear your own ideas, insights, and writing style so your unique strengths can shine through.

BACKGROUND

Church of England Birmingham (CofEB) is on a journey of growing churches at the heart of every community. Through this we are seeing growth in many exciting ways. Financially we are at a challenging point. We have had an operational deficit for a number of years and this cannot continue. The National Church has agreed to partner with us around this through their Diocesan Investment Programme enabling us to have the time, and resource, to tackle this head on. One key aspect of this is for us to increase our Common Fund returns (the giving from our parishes that supports the costs of our life together). We are taking a radical new approach to our finances which includes intentional reallocation of income to support the costs in our most economically deprived parishes and deeper relationships with each parish around finance through conversation rather than correspondence. Over the next five years we are hoping to be able to move to a financially sustainable platform which will enable us to better serve our communities in the future.

We have recently recruited a new Head of Generosity, who is also Bishops Advisor for Common Fund, to lead on this work and we are now looking to recruit the team to work with them. The focus of the team is to develop long term relationships with all of our parishes leading to:

• Greater support for our parishes.
• Increased generosity by, and within, our parishes.
• Increased Common Fund.

The current plan is to recruit two Giving & Generosity Advisor roles and one Giving & Generosity Support Officer role. Together this team will work with all of our parishes to roll out our financial approach, through in person meetings, and the support that is on offer as part of this. 

JOB DESCRIPTION

The primary focus of this role is to work with parishes to:

• Understand their current financial situation and how this links to the wider Church of England Birmingham situation.
• Understand our model and how support is on offer for parishes who are economically deprived.
• Assess with them the support needed to increase generosity and giving at a local level and create an action plan around this that is bespoke and contextual.
• Create a long-term plan for their participation in the common fund.

We have 146 parishes and the Head of Generosity will manage the team so that all parishes can be engaged as quickly as possible. It is the Head of Generosity and two Giving & Generosity Advisors who will be carrying out the in-person meetings with each parish. These roles will work closely with a range of people and teams across Church of England Birmingham so that this work is integrated within our wider strategy and parishes are not confused by multiple disjointed initiatives. This will mean working with Archdeacons and Area Deans, Mission Support Team, Ministry Team, Property Team, Finance Team, Community Regeneration Team and Communications Team as well as others.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Develop strong relationships with parishes that will enable this project to flourish and also help increase the connection between parishes and the DBF. Signposting to other teams and projects will be important.
• Inspiring and encouraging parishes in their Christian approach to giving and generosity
• Creating bespoke multiyear plans for Common Fund with parishes with the support of a Steering Group that includes the Archdeacons and other key stakeholders.
• Provide consultancy, resources, and hands-on support to parishes to grow regular giving, legacies, and other forms of financial support. This work will be able to draw on the resources developed by the national church as well as the data held on their Cornerstone Grants Platform. The post-holder will be expected to engage in the work of the National Giving Team as part of the development of these wider resources.
• Develop and deliver training for clergy, lay leaders and PCCs on the theology and Christian practice of giving and generosity and also practical financial management (in conjunction with the Finance Team).
• Work closely with the Finance Team in matters of technical accounting, governance and financial management identified as needed by parishes.
• Encourage and assist parishes in the implementation of the Parish Giving Scheme, introduction of contactless giving mechanisms and related diocesan resources.
• Source, develop and curate practical resources (digital and print) to support local stewardship campaigns and initiatives.

• Evaluate the impact of stewardship and generosity initiatives and adapt strategies accordingly to achieve the project outcomes.
• Working with our Communications Team, create compelling communication tools that articulate the impact of generosity.

As we are looking to recruit two people into these roles there is flexibility to appoint people with complementary skill sets who may have greater expertise in certain elements of the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Qualifications & Experience:

• Strong understanding of church governance structures and financial operations and requirements.
• Knowledge of generosity principles and Christian financial stewardship.
• A prayerful Christian with a deep commitment to the Church’s mission (Genuine Occupational Requirement).
• Experience of working in a sensitive environment and handling confidential matters with tact and diplomacy.

Essential Skills & Attributes:

• Resilient and adaptable, able to handle challenges and maintain momentum in a demanding role.
• Strong people skills, able to engage effectively with parishes and church communities.
• Good communicator being able to engage a wide range of stakeholders and hold their attention.
• Trustworthy and credible, able to build and maintain confidence with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Empathetic towards parishes and deeply committed to supporting the local church.
• Excellent conflict resolution skills, capable of handling difficult conversations with care and professionalism.
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities and keep track of numerous ongoing responsibilities.
• Capable implementer, ensuring initiatives are successfully delivered, both at a local and diocese wide level.
• Financially literate, with a good understanding of budgets, stewardship, and sustainability within the Church.
• As the role involves visiting parishes across the diocese, including some locations not accessible by public transport, candidates must be able to travel independently. This requires holding a valid driving licence and access to a suitably insured vehicle.
• Be a person of integrity. 

Other Considerations:

• The role requires significant evening and weekend work, demanding flexibility and commitment.
• Local presence is essential—the role must be delivered in an incarnational way, engaging directly with communities.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The post-holder will be employed by the Diocesan Board of Finance for a fixed term ending on 2nd November 2030, subject to funding.

Salary and Pension: Salary of £35,000 plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution. We are open to discussion especially if you are ordained and are moving out of parish ministry. 

Hours: Full-time 35 hours (5 days) per week. Weekend and evening work will be required, for which the equivalent time may be taken back from standard working hours. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working and candidates seeking part-time hours. Please do mention in your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours.

Holidays: 5 weeks per year plus Bank Holidays and 3 Discretionary Days between Christmas and New Year

Employer: Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance

Responsible To: Head of Generosity

CLOSING DATE: 12th April 2026

INTERVIEWS: 23rd April 2026 in central Birmingham

For an informal conversation or further information about the role, contact Dawn Baker, Head of Generosity. 

The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work. 

 

We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under-represented in or staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+.

 

We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams.

 

The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.

 

Team Leader - Carer Peer Support (Adult Mental Health)

£34,101 FTE, pro rata 28 hours per week, great benefits!

We are looking for someone to join our local, independent Carer-led charity, someone who has their own personal story of caring, able to use that lived experience as well as their professional skills and knowledge to help others. The postholder will collaborate extensively with our funding partner, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, as well as other charity delivery partners to improve the identification of, and support for, unpaid family and friend Carers of adults with mental health needs. The work may also involve identifying children and young people in caring roles and brokering access to our Young Carers Support team.

As well as leading a small, part-time team of Carer Peer Support Workers, you will work alongside them, providing front-line, individual and group dedicated support (practical, social and clinical interventions). As well as coordinating services to assist Carers with their own wellbeing needs, you will enable Carers to provide well-informed care for their friends and family. You also will be our representative for the MH Trusts’ Triangle of Care Steering Group.