Social jobs

Job Title: Senior Philanthropy Manager

Reporting To: Head of Philanthropy & Special Events

Salary Range: £45.000 - £50.000

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Hybrid, across London sites. Old Street, Canary Wharf & Poplar.

Working days/hours per week: 35 per week, 9am – 5pm

Requirements: We can only employ applicants who currently have the right to work in the UK. 

Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”. 

The Felix Project and FareShare have recently merged to form the UK's largest food redistribution charity. Its vision is a UK where good food is never wasted, and nobody goes hungry.

The organisation rescues high quality edible surplus food, from across the food industry and gets it to over 8,000 organisations across the UK who are working to strengthen communities and improve lives.

The charity manages seven depots across London, Suffolk, Merseyside and Hampshire and works with 16 network partners who operate a further 26 regional depots across the UK.

Over the next year our ambition is to rescue enough food nationally to provide nearly 200 million meals, turning an environmental problem into social good with measurable impact for people, planet, and the economy.

Purpose of the Job 

Nurturing high-value relationships with major donors to maximise support to drive growth in income targets.

Duties & Responsibilities

•  Build relationships with a portfolio of prospective major donors, understanding philanthropic motivations and tailoring opportunities for engagement to inspire major gifts
• Leading the creation of new product ideas to encourage repeat, sustainable, mid-level gifting
• Foster a deep understanding of the charity work and strategy, including the regional network, to enable value adding support of frontline charity visits and tours
• Develop innovative and personalised stewardship plans to deepen donor relationships
• Develop compelling written communications, including emails, proposals, and reports to showcase the impact of donor support
• Work with colleagues across the Fundraising function to maximise cross over opportunities between income areas
• Staying up to date with trends and data form the charity sector to optimise donor experiences and identify new opportunities
• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions and consistently update cultivation plans
• Actively participate in budget setting and quarterly forecasting
• Ensure compliance with Funding Regulations and GDPR

This role are central to ensuring that the voices of people in the justice system shape the services that affect them. You’ll work directly across our Prison Councils in HMP Altcourse and HMP Forest Bank, as well as a range of community‑based projects regionally, and occasionally national. Some projects will require significant travel, so flexibility is essential.

• Full-time
• Permanent 
• £25k- £30k depending on experience 
• Bank holidays plus 25 days holiday 
• You must be off community order / prison license
• Probationary period: Six months

Project Planning and Delivery
Management of project plan for the delivery of agreed Black Rootz outcomes
based on the agreed business or funder objectives.
Support planning, resourcing and execution of learning experiences, community
engagements or other initiatives delivered through the programme. 

Project Governance
Management of key risk and issues with escalation as appropriate
Manage programme team meetings and progress reports as required
Attendance at CWB Steering or other Ubele Forums as required
Maintain project folder, standards and templates

Project Finance Management
Budget tracking and monitoring (incl. reconciliation)
Provide approvals for budget postings / invoices
Manage programme purchases and revenue recognition as required
Liaison with central Finance as required

Resource Management
Management of core project resources to support the operations of the project
Manage onboarding and engagement of associate workforce 

Data & Reporting
Managing processes for evaluation data collection
Manage configuration and update of data tables e.g. Airtable updates for sign
ups, addition of new events,
Manage or provide inputs for Project and Funder Reporting

Administration and Support
Provide additional administrative support for Community & Learning and Growing
teams as required
Engagement with internal marketing / communication teams to provide
promotional contents for newsletters and social media 
Monitoring of Black Rootz Mailbox

Other 
To attend and participate in internal and external meetings as required. 
To attend relevant training to fulfil the requirements of the job. 
To undertake other duties which may from time to time be required and which
are appropriate to the responsibilities of the post. 

Person Specification 

Experience 
Having previously created/managed project plans and tracked and reported on
their progress 
Demonstrable experience in the end to end project cycle 
Having previously taken responsibility for governance and risk activities
Responsibility for a budget and a familiarity with budget processes, tracking,
approvals and invoicing, procurement and anti fraud activities 
Onboarding new team members (staff or associates) and maintaining
engagement with them
Experienced in the gathering and reporting of monitoring and evaluation data
including using data tables for event management 
Managing inputs for reporting 
Previously having experience drafting content for newsletters, social media or
other external content. 

Knowledge 
Project cycles and project management tools 
Governance requirements for funded projects 
Finance management processes and anti fraud and bribery processes and
reporting 
Data collection processes and GRPR requirements and reporting norms 

Skills 
Working within diverse groups, appreciating different experiences people bring to
the table 
Ability to work quickly, with autonomy at times, and with a high attention to
detail. 
Juggling a varied and fast paced workload 
A delivery focused individual who supports others to do the same

Are you passionate about education? Do you want to make a positive difference to young people’s lives? 

We’re seeking someone with a strong commitment to social impact, who thrives in a small, high-performing team and brings a proven ability to deliver, build trusted relationships, and grow engaged communities of education leaders.

In this role, you will lead on building strong relationships with senior leaders in schools and Multi-Academy Trusts, supporting them to deliver HPF education resources, including Game Plan, helping them to embed our content in their curriculum and across their schools. You will work closely with the Head of Programmes to build and implement growth and engagement strategies, as well as being the first point of contact for educators and schools. 

If you have worked in education, or have experience building relationships to scale programmes across the UK and beyond then we want to hear from you.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Build trusted relationships with teachers, school leaders, and education partners.

• Act as the main point of contact for schools and Multi-Academy Trusts participating in HPF education programmes.

• Support schools with onboarding, induction, and ongoing engagement in programmes.

• Help develop our ongoing strategy for building a community of educators across the UK.

• Manage community metrics

• Support the wider Education team to gather, analyse, manage and report data

• Support our educators with course delivery, access to materials and resources, ensuring they are making the most of the course materials and feel confident to deliver our programmes.

• Monitor participation and engagement levels, following up where needed.

• Gather insights from educators to help improve programme design and delivery.

• Create and schedule regular communications for the education community (emails, newsletters, updates).

• Work with marketing or fundraising colleagues to amplify educator voices and stories

Essential experience: 

• Proven experience of senior stakeholder management (preferably within education)

• Passion for social impact and the High Performance Foundation’s mission

• Understanding of the wider education sector

• Confidence networking and engaging with stakeholders and education partners at all levels 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, with the ability to work across the team

• Willingness to undertake school visits across the UK. 

• Effective time management

Desirable experience:

• Experience delivering and scaling education programmes for young people within education settings

• Stakeholder management within education, building trusted relationships with schools and Multi-Academy Trusts

• Monitoring, evaluation and learning, including collecting impact data and tracking metrics

• Experience of working collaboratively within a small charity, start-up or similarly agile organisation

What’s on Offer:

• Hybrid working - mix of home and central Norwich office days

• The opportunity to work within the High Performance Foundation and alongside the award winning,High Performance Podcast.

• Competitive rate and 25 days holiday (FTE) for the successful candidate.

• An immediate start in a fantastic organisation that is impacting the lives of thousands of young people across the UK.

• A hybrid working pattern.

About Us

The MacRobert Trust is rooted in the enduring vision of Lady Rachel MacRobert. Guided by our three MacRobert Pillars and our bold 10-year strategy, we invest in initiatives that deliver lasting social, environmental and economic benefit.

From managing our estate and charitable activities to operating our country house hotel, Douneside House, we are a dynamic and evolving organisation with a strong heritage and a forward-looking ambition.

The Opportunity

This is a pivotal senior leadership role, working closely with the CEO, Board and Senior Management Team to ensure the Trust remains financially robust, strategically focused and operationally effective.

You will:

• Provide strong financial leadership, governance and assurance
• Lead and mentor a high-performing finance team
• Deliver insightful reporting, planning and long-term financial strategy
• Partner across the organisation to strengthen business performance
• Oversee governance, risk and (when required) company secretarial duties
• Lead strategic oversight of IT and Marketing systems and external partners
• Support commercial performance, including our hotel trading subsidiary
• Drive continuous improvement across systems, processes and reporting

This is a broad, hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys operating both strategically and operationally in a small, collaborative organisation.

About You

We are seeking an experienced finance professional with strong leadership abilities, exceptional business partnering skills, and advanced analytical expertise. The ideal candidate is commercially minded, demonstrates logical thinking, and is comfortable looking beyond the numbers to gain a deeper understanding of both the business and the people shaping it.

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience

• Professionally qualified accountant (CA, CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent).
• Operated at senior management level; demonstrable cross-organisational management beyond one function.
• Proven experience leading or co-leading change/transformations.
• Strong systems background/interest, with proven experience in delivering systems changes or improvements.
• Experience in governance accountability.

Desirable

• Understanding of wider organisational systems (risk, H&S, payroll).
• Previous experience in wider business activities such as IT and marketing.

Experience across governance, IT, marketing or wider operational oversight would be advantageous.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to influence strategy and deliver meaningful impact within a values-led organisation.

We offer:

• Competitive salary
• 30 days’ annual leave rising to 38 days
• 9% employer pension contribution
• Income protection and life insurance
• Enhanced family and sick pay
• Paid volunteer leave
• Professional membership support
• Complimentary access to our on-site health club and swimming pool

The role is primarily based at our Estate Office in Tarland, Aberdeenshire — ideal for someone who values access to the countryside and a unique working environment.

How to Apply

Please read our full candidate pack. It includes full details on how to apply.

Closing date: 22 March 2026

Interviews: From week commencing 23 March 2026

Our client is the UK's only theatre company and participatory arts charity focused on addiction. This charity develops, nurtures and produces new writing and performances connected to substance misuse, touring to off-West End venues, festivals, treatment facilities and other civic spaces. Alongside its productions, they run weekly participatory workshops and delivers drama, dance and creative writing taster sessions in treatment facilities, using creativity to support confidence, self-esteem and lasting positive change in people's lives. Our client is recruiting a Senior Development Manager, and Prospectus is leading the search.

Senior Development Manager

Full time, 40 hours per week (open to part time, flexible working and job share)

Hybrid working (at least 50% office based in E1 5HU)

£40,000–£45,000 per annum

This is a newly created role, which will help take the charity's fundraising to the next level. The new Senior Development Manager will grow existing income (trusts, foundations and statutory) and develop newer income streams (individual giving and corporate partnerships). Supported by the charity's Artistic Director/CEO and an expert Development Subcommittee, the Senior Development Manager will lead on the development and delivery of the fundraising strategy, securing five- and six-figure gifts and working towards an ambition to raise around £300,000 per year within the first two years. The role also includes oversight of regular supporter communications (including a monthly newsletter) and the use of tools such as Salesforce and Mailchimp, while keeping up to date with fundraising compliance, policy and sector trends.

To be successful, you will bring substantial experience of delivering significant fundraising targets, ideally in the arts or cultural, or social welfare sectors, and a strong track record of generating income from a mix of the income streams mentioned above. Applications are welcomed from fundraisers ready to step into their first senior leadership role; however, you will have the confidence to design and implement an ambitious fundraising strategy. Crucially, you will be an excellent communicator and relationship-builder, organised and detail-focused, comfortable managing pipelines and budgets, and motivated by the power of the arts with social inclusion at its core. Our client is also keen to hear from candidates who are willing to support marketing and promotional activity (experience welcome but not essential).

How to Apply

At Prospectus, we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments to any part of the process, please contact Femke Vorstman at Prospectus.

If you feel you meet some of the criteria but not all, we really hope you'll enquire and learn more. Prospectus can advise and support you throughout the process, so we look forward to hearing from you.

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter (maximum 2 sides of A4). Prospectus will be in touch and if your experience is suitable, will arrange an initial meeting to brief you on the role. You'll then have all the information you need to make changes to your application if needed and formally apply. We look forward to connecting with you soon.

Please note that applications will be reviewed, and interviews arranged (two rounds), on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible. 

Salary: £53,000
Contract: Permanent
Location: London office – 2 days per week
Closing date: 8th March
Benefits: 12% pension, cycle-to-work scheme, training and development budget

We have a great opportunity for an Assistant Head of Community Fundraising at one of the UK’s leading social welfare charities. Reporting to the Head of Community Fundraising, this is an exciting opportunity to step into a senior leadership role, shape strategy, and lead a high-performing team while driving innovation and growth in community and events fundraising.

As part of this role, you will lead the development and delivery of a national fundraising programme, broaden reach to new audiences, and inspire long-term supporter engagement. You’ll manage a team of three and oversee six-figure income and expenditure budgets, ensuring excellent supporter experiences and data-driven decision-making to maximise impact.

To be successful as the Assistant Head of Community Fundraising, you will need:

• Extensive experience in community and events fundraising, including strategic planning and delivery.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and lead high-performing teams to achieve income targets.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with experience building collaborative relationships at all levels.

If you would like to have an informal discussion, please call Emma on 02030 062787 or email your interest along with your CV to [email protected].

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, passionate about improving equality across the sector. You can read more about our commitment to diversity here.

If enough applications are received, the charity reserves the right to end the application period sooner.

If you wish to discuss this role with us, please quote reference 2812EI.
 

Credit Controller 

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reports to: Credit Control & Contracts Manager

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £34,233.60 (including London Weighting)

Place of work: Hybrid with 3 days in our London (Waterloo) office

Contract Type: Permanent, full-time

Closing date: Sunday, 29th March, 23:59

This position does not offer sponsorship and is best suited for candidates already located in the London area.

Make a real difference in people's lives while advancing your credit control career with a national charity that truly values your expertise.

Main purpose of the role:

You will be responsible for managing the collection of debts across multiple communities, ensuring all outstanding amounts are recovered efficiently and in line with organisational policies. 

You will work closely with local authorities, community staff, financial appointees and the finance department to maintain accurate financial records, improve collection rates, and support cash flow management. 

This role requires strong credit control and bookkeeping expertise, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple complex accounts.

Key essential criteria:

• Experience working within Credit Control in the Charity or Private sector.
• Relevant qualifications – Part qualified, CIMA, ACCA, AAT or qualified by experience.
• High level of competence in MS Office, particularly Excel, including VLOOKUP, SUMIF, and Pivot Tables.
• Minimum 5 years’ proven experience in credit control, bookkeeping, or finance roles.

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS criminal record check.

Additional details about L'Arche can be found on our website.

Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore our employee benefits on our website or in the job pack.

A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.

To apply, please answer the questions on our online application form.

The closing date for applications is: Sunday, 29th of March, at 23:59. 

Interviews will take place on the 15th April.

We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then.
We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.

Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.

Are you an experienced and committed Project Manager? Have you worked in programme delivery for young people in schools or youth settings? Can you communicate confidently to a wide audience and range of stakeholders?

We are seeking a full-time Project Manager to support delivery of our new programme, Reading Reboot, funded by the Charlotte Aitken Trust, and to support the SLA to grow its reach and impact. Reading Reboot is being developed to address the reading crisis and restore a love of reading for young people in Year 8, in communities facing the greatest disadvantage. This is an opportunity to lead a flagship national programme with the potential to shape future investment in school libraries, in a supportive, mission-driven team culture within a small but influential charity. 

The Reading Reboot programme will establish librarian-led social book clubs in over 100 under-funded secondary school libraries across the UK and reach more than 6,000 young people directly, alongside librarians, senior leaders and wider school communities. Reading Reboot places school librarians at the heart of delivery, combining new book stock, inspiring author engagement, appealing library spaces, and a robust evaluation to evidence impact and inform future national roll-out.   

The Project Manager will lead on development and delivery, working closely with the CEO, a Project Board and external evaluation team to ensure the programme meets its objectives on time, within budget and to a high quality. They will recruit and coordinate schools and librarians, work with partners and funders, and ensure that learning and impact are captured and shared across the sector. Building strong relationships with all stakeholders, the Project Manager will be the main point of contact for the programme and will support the CEO and Project Board with timely updates, papers and participation in meetings. Successful candidates will have extensive and demonstrable experience of project management in schools or youth settings. Experience of training development and delivery will be an advantage.

The salary for this position is £30,000 per year for 37 hours per week on a one year contract, with potential for extension. Find out more about this role and how to apply by downloading the job application pack.

Application deadline: Thursday 26th March, 5pm

Interviews will take place online the week commencing 7th April 2026.

Applications without a covering letter will not be considered. No agencies please. Due to the volume of applications we cannot provide individual feedback. We really appreciate your interest. If you haven’t heard from us within one week of the deadline, it means we’ve moved forward with other candidates on this occasion. We encourage you to apply again in the future. Please note we may close recruitment early should the right candidate be identified.

About The Role

Are you looking for a leadership role where you can make a real difference to dementia services across Belfast and can support our wider work across Northern Ireland?
Do you have the skills to manage contracts, lead a team, and work collaboratively with internal and external partners?

We’re excited to offer an opportunity as Local Services Manager for Belfast. This is a 25 hours per week home-based role, but you’ll need to travel regularly across the region for meetings, engagement activities, and partnership work. Mileage claims will be paid from your door if you live in Belfast or the Belfast border if you live outside of Belfast.

You’ll work closely with other Local Services Managers across Northern Ireland to oversee delivery across the region. Your responsibilities will include managing contracts, leading a team of Dementia Advisers, a Singing for the Brain Leader, and oversee a Carers Information and Support Programme, to ensure services align with our Help and Hope strategy and organisational values.

About you

You will have:

- Experience in managing or supporting service delivery, ideally within health, social care or community settings or transferable experience from related sectors.
- Experience in leading teams and managing contracts.
- Passionate about improving services for people affected by dementia and committed to our values.
- Comfortable working independently and collaboratively across a dispersed team.
- Have organisational and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders and monitor performance.
- Be able to travel regularly across Belfast and maintain a strong local presence.
- Experience of utilising volunteer effort to enhance service output and to increase local presence

Please don’t be put off from applying if you don’t meet every single requirement listed. We recognise the value of transferable skills and lived experience, and we’re keen to hear from candidates who can demonstrate potential, capability and a willingness to learn.

Key Responsibilities:

- Managing and monitoring the Regional Partnership Board contract as part of the Memory Support Pathway.
- Leading and supporting a team of Dementia Advisers, a Singing for the Brain Leader, a Carers Information and Support Programme facilitator and volunteers
- Working closely with other Local Services Managers and Local Communities and Volunteering Lead to ensure seamless delivery across Belfast and wider Northern Ireland.
- Building relationships with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and wider partners in the Belfast area and beyond to enhance collaboration, positively influence and to promote our work as a charity.
- Identifying opportunities to strengthen services and improve outcomes for people affected by dementia. 

Interviews for this role have been provisionally scheduled to take place week commencing 13th April.

Downright Perfect is a volunteer-run charity supporting children with Down syndrome and their families through professional services, resources and community events. We are seeking a passionate Chief Executive Officer to oversee the day-to-day running of the charity and support the Board of Trustees.

Key responsibilities include:
 •  Supporting governance and Charity Commission compliance
 •  Managing finances alongside the Treasurer
 •  Coordinating volunteers and charity operations
 •  Managing communications, website and social media
 •  Overseeing projects, events and family support services
 •  Identifying funding opportunities and submitting grant applications

Essential skills: experience of running a charity or community group, strong governance knowledge, financial literacy, volunteer management experience, and experience working with vulnerable families or children.

Preferred skills: Knowledge of our charity; understanding or experience of Down syndrome, either professionally or personally; and awareness of the challenges that families may face when supporting someone with Down syndrome.

Requirements: right to work in the UK, driving licence and vehicle, DBS check.

If you are passionate about supporting children with Down syndrome and want to play a key role in a growing charity, we would love to hear from you. Please apply with CV and covering letter.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Senior Digital Marketing & Communications Coordinator will play a key role in helping us grow the reach and reputation of the Trees for Cities’ brand as we build a nationwide Movement for Urban Trees and Tree Equity over the next five years. 

You’ll develop and deliver high-impact multi-channel marketing and communications campaigns across paid, owned and earned channels while using data-driven insights to refine and optimise performance.

Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will help strengthen Trees for Cities’ voice and presence across web, email and social channels to inspire all our audiences to take meaningful action to make urban trees matter. 

ABOUT TREES FOR CITIES 

Trees for Cities is an ambitious, far-reaching organisation. Trees for Cities is the only charity that focuses on planting, protecting and promoting urban trees across the UK.  We are a rapidly growing and developing organisation that suits ambitious, dedicated and passionate staff.  

ABOUT YOU 

You will be a confident, proactive and organised digital marketer who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is comfortable balancing creativity with data and analysis. 

You will bring: 

• Strong copywriting, storytelling and creative content development skills.
• A proven track record of planning, delivering and evaluating digital marketing campaigns 
• Experience using digital tools and platforms such as Meta Business Suite, LinkedIn Ads Manager, Google Ads, Craft CMS – or equivalent, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics and email marketing software.
• The ability to tailor content and messaging for different audiences and campaign goals.
• Confidence managing budgets, agencies and freelancers to deliver high-quality work.
• A keen eye for brand consistency and user experience, ensuring our digital presence is cohesive, accessible and engaging.
• A data-driven approach, able to interpret performance insights and optimise activity effectively and consistently.
• A collaborative, positive working style, building strong relationships across departments and contributing to a supportive team culture. 

Trees for Cities is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. We value diversity and are committed to promoting diversity within the workplace. We aim to ensure that our employees achieve their full potential and that all employment decisions, including recruitment, are taken without reference to irrelevant or discriminatory criteria. A full copy of our Equal Opportunities Policy can be provided on request. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Please visit our website to view the full job description.

To apply, use the application link below to submit your CV and supporting statement (no more than 2 sides of A4) outlining why you are interested in the role and your fit with the Person Specification.

The deadline to apply is: Tuesday, 24 March 2026 at 23:30

Interviews are scheduled for: Monday 30th and Tuesday 31 March 2026 

Please note we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role, you must therefore have a valid right to work in the UK to apply. 

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be contacted within one to two weeks after applying. If you do not hear from us within this period, then you should assume that on this occasion you have not been selected for interview. 

Trees for Cities is the first UK environmental organisation to have been awarded social value certification. Trees for Cities is an equal opportunities employer. Registered Charity No: 1032154. 

No Agencies Please. 

Relationship Manager

Marylebone, London (Hybrid: 3 days in the office, 2 days from home)

Salary: £35,000 + benefits

Prospectus is thrilled to be working with an ambitious organisation that is transforming the landscape of modern philanthropy. As a fast-moving, award-winning charity working with high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and dynamic charitable projects, they are driven by their mission to make giving easier. They are looking for a Relationship Manager to join their team, someone who thrives in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment, brings energy and initiative, and is excited to take ownership of a varied and meaningful portfolio of work.

If you're motivated by problem-solving, enjoy making sense of complexity, and want to see the real-world result of your work, you'll fit right in.

What You'll Do

• Build good relationships with clients and intermediaries.
• Oversee financial administration including reconciliations, payment processing, budgeting, and cashflow management.
• Review, assess, and summarise grant applications and project reports.
• Carry out due diligence in accordance with UK charitable law and regulatory requirements.
• Analyse complex information, spot risks, and ensure proper compliance throughout.
• Maintain detailed internal processes while adapting to a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.
• Support external communications, produce impact materials, and represent Prism at events.

Who We're Looking For

• A few years' experience in a relationship management or client-facing role.
• Background in grant making or grant management.
• Strong analytical skills with an eye for detail and compliance.
• Ability to digest, evaluate, and summarise large amounts of information clearly.

What you'll bring:

• A proactive, can-do mindset.
• Strong communication skills.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail.
• Comfortable with change, pace, and evolving structures.

Why This Organisation?  

• Work alongside experts shaping the future of philanthropy.
• Be part of a collaborative, ambitious, and high-performing team.
• Enjoy variety, challenge, and ownership of your work.
• Spend your days enabling real social impact.
• Clear career progression.
• Based in vibrant Marylebone with hybrid working.

If you're driven, adaptable, analytical, and analytical, we would love to hear from you. CV's and cover letters are being reviewed on a rolling basis, so please don't delay in applying.

This is a home-based role, working Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Applications are welcome from candidates based outside Belfast, provided they are resident in Northern Ireland and able to commute to the Belfast office if required.

The External Affairs Manager plays a pivotal role in empowering people with sight loss to live the life they choose. This position leads the development of policy and campaigns within the country, aligning with Guide Dogs’ strategic objectives. Working collaboratively with the central policy, public affairs, and campaigns team, as well as the country leadership team, the role builds strategic partnerships with government bodies, local authorities, societies, and other key organisations. This ensures Guide Dogs remains informed and influential on all policy initiatives affecting the organisation and its stakeholders.

The post holder will be responsible for the day‑to‑day leadership, management and oversight of a team.

The post-holder is responsible for shaping policy positions, drafting responses to consultations from councils, combined authorities, and devolved governments, and driving impactful campaigns at a regional level. A key focus is increasing the involvement of blind and partially sighted people in advocacy and campaigning.

Additionally, the role leads the implementation of Guide Dogs’ regional marketing and communications strategy across the Devolved Nations. This includes raising brand awareness, engaging diverse audiences—service users, families, volunteers, donors, and the public—and delivering integrated communications plans that strengthen Guide Dogs’ presence and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Policy Development

• Lead the creation of country-specific policy and position papers, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy.
• Prepare responses to consultation papers from devolved administrations, local government, and regional bodies.
• Represent Guide Dogs on committees, working groups, and forums, staying informed on policy issues impacting the organisation and its service users.

Public Affairs

• Build and influence relationships with key stakeholders, including elected representatives and senior officials.
• Represent Guide Dogs at Government Scrutiny Committees and cross-party groups.
• Act as the primary liaison with local government and statutory agencies.

Campaigns & Influence

• Strategically lead and coordinate campaigns at a country level, ensuring alignment with devolved policy priorities.
• Develop and deliver campaigns addressing local needs of the visually impaired community.
• Foster partnerships within the Third Sector to build consensus and amplify Guide Dogs’ strategic aims. 

Leadership & People Management

• Provide strong leadership to local staff and volunteers, promoting best practice and knowledge-sharing.
• Oversee recruitment, performance management, and compliance with safeguarding policies.
• Ensure high levels of engagement through effective communication and leadership.

Financial Accountability

• Support fundraising initiatives and monitor operational budgets to ensure efficiency and compliance.

Diversity & Inclusion

• Champion Guide Dogs’ diversity agenda, ensuring services are inclusive and accessible.
• Work with external partners to create a more inclusive environment for people with sight loss.

How to apply 

Further details on the full role are attached below. When you are ready to apply, submit an online application form via this page.

If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role before applying, or require any accessibility support to apply, our friendly recruitment team is ready and waiting to help.

As part of your application ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria as set out in the attached job description. You will also be asked to complete a few job-specific questions as part of this application process, so please be prepared to write your answers to these questions.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Guide Dogs welcomes applications from all sections of the community and actively encourages diversity to maximise achievements, creativity and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are proud, whenever possible, to offer an interview to all candidates that meet our selection criteria, and who indicate they wish their application to be considered under our Disability Confident interview commitment. For more details, visit our careers site.

If you are successful you will need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK via our digital ID checking supplier; in addition, we cannot offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Safeguarding

Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm with whom we work. We expect all our employees and volunteers to fully share this commitment.

At Guide Dogs, we believe in fair and equitable hiring practices. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a position. Each case will be evaluated individually, taking into account the nature of the offense, its relevance to the role, and the time that has passed since the incident. We encourage all candidates to disclose relevant information, and we assure you that it will be handled confidentially and fairly.

Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If you are applying for a disclosure role, please note that you will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and sign up to the DBS update service.

For high volumes of applications, we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than advertised.