Research engagement manager jobs
This is an exciting opportunity to steer Asylum Aid at an important time in its 30-year existence. As Executive Director you will be responsible for delivering on our strategy for impact. You will oversee our work to increase access to expert, trauma-informed legal representation to those in the asylum, trafficking and statelessness systems and lead our policy and strategic legal work to achieve systemic change that contributes towards our vision.
You will line manage the Director of Legal Casework to oversee the provision of supportive and enabling leadership to Asylum Aid caseworkers so that they can continue to deliver high quality expert advice in complex cases, while being supported in their professional development and wellbeing. You will also manage and develop the work of our welfare advice team within the Westminster Advice Services Partnership and beyond, and work collaboratively with colleagues in the sector to build capacity and increase our impact.
The ideal candidate, who may be legally qualified, will have experience of leadership in the charity/NGO sector and a sound understanding of the asylum, human rights and trafficking processes in the UK and the legal frameworks which govern the protection of refugees, survivors of trafficking and stateless people, and of the role of law in achieving system change.
We are looking for someone who is strategically minded and passionate about providing supportive and inclusive leadership to our expert team. You will be committed to our objectives and to the role which expert legal representation plays in enabling people in need of protection in the UK to obtain it.
As is the nature of this sector, the role may be exposed to a high volume of traumatic and distressing material and, whilst they will be supported by the Helen Bamber Foundation Group CEO and surrounding team, the candidate should also be able to demonstrate knowledge of good self-care principles in an intense work environment and dissemination of those principles to junior members of the team.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Leadership and strategy
·Be responsible, with the support of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group CEO, for the development, implementation and monitoring of Asylum Aid’s organisational strategy
·Provide leadership and strategic direction at Asylum Aid in accordance with its aims and objectives, with the support of the Director of Legal Casework
·Act as external spokesperson for Asylum Aid, maintaining and strengthening Asylum Aid’s position as a leader in the refugee rights, statelessness and legal aid sectors;
·Work collaboratively with others in the sector to promote and strengthen Asylum Aid’s work, identify and establish potential partnerships, with the support of the Director of Legal Casework;
·Work collaboratively with the Helen Bamber Foundation Group CEO and Executive Leadership team to drive the implementation of the Group strategic framework;
·Ensure that all reporting and monitoring requirements are met to support fundraising, contract compliance and monitoring strategic impact;
·Support the cross collaboration of the Asylum Aid team with the Helen Bamber Foundation team and play an active part in the management of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group.
Governance
·Act as the Data Protection Supervisor with responsibility for data protection and cyber security within Asylum Aid
·Together with the Helen Bamber Foundation Group CEO and designated safeguarding leads, be responsible for child and adult safeguarding within Asylum Aid
·In collaboration with the Director of Legal Casework, ensure compliance by Asylum Aid with all legal and regulatory obligations, including the Legal Aid Agency contract, the Immigration Advice Authority and Solicitors Regulation Authority;
·Lead on the preparation and presentation of quarterly reports on Asylum Aid’s activities, strategy and risks to the Asylum Aid Board, the Finance and Fundraising Committee and the People and Governance Committee;
·Lead on the preparation of the Trustees’ annual report and ensure that monitoring and evaluation systems are adequate to enable reporting on Asylum Aid’s activities and impact.
Management and Supervision
·Responsible for line management of the Director of Legal Casework and Welfare Advice service coordinator, and other team supervisors as required;
·Together with the Group Director of People, responsible for Human Resources and implementation of the People Strategy within Asylum Aid, including development and implementation of HR policies and procedures;
·Together with the Director of Legal Casework and team supervisors, drive the effective management and supervision of the Asylum Aid team and ensure that they comply with relevant professional standards and accreditation;
·Foster a supportive and inclusive team culture at Asylum Aid in which each member feels valued and supported to develop professionally and to perform to the best of their ability;
·Ensure the team’s well-being and that self-care practices are established and work in tandem with the Director of Legal Casework and supervisors to ensure trauma-informed ways of working.
Policy & Strategic Legal Work
·Together with the Group Director of Policy, identify policy priorities and coordinate the preparation of evidence and briefings drawing on Asylum Aid’s experience and expertise to influence system change;
·Build and maintain relationships and partnerships with sector colleagues to support joint strategic engagement including policy advocacy and strategic legal work;
·Work closely with the Director of Legal Casework and team supervisors to drive changes in the UK asylum, trafficking and statelessness systems through strategic legal work.
Finance & Fundraising
·Work closely with the CEO and the Helen Bamber Foundation Group Finance Team to set and manage budget(s) and general financial matters for Asylum Aid
·Together with the Director of Legal Casework and the Group Finance Team, establish systems for monitoring legal aid Work In Progress and billing, and securing casework income including legal aid, and inter partes income from judicial review cases;
·Work closely with the Helen Bamber Foundation Group Fundraising and Communications Team to secure funding for Asylum Aid from a range of sources including trusts and foundations, corporate philanthropy and major donors;
·Ensure that Legal Aid and other income is maximised, and targets are achieved.
Other duties
·Manage the recruitment and supervision of volunteers where necessary in collaboration with the Helen Bamber Foundation Group Volunteers Coordinator;
·Support the Helen Bamber Foundation Group Facilities team to ensure the smooth running of the office and that the facilities meet the needs of Asylum Aid;
·Work outside normal office hours as required and travel in order to carry out the responsibilities of the post.
·To undertake any task that may be requested from time to time that may be consistent with the nature and scope of this post.
Essential Experience, Skills and Knowledge
•Experience of running a small to medium sized charity/legal NGO and/or legal department within the NGO sector (or other equivalent senior management role);
•Demonstrable experience of managing and leading a successful team and the ability to manage a growing team with mixed roles from team supervisors to administrative support staff, working co-operatively with colleagues to maintain transparency and effective working relationships within the team;
•Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds
•Strong understanding of good governance including legal, regulatory and financial responsibilities;
•Ability to work with a range of stakeholders from trustees to external partners;
•Experience of leading and/or participating in organisational strategic planning;
·Experience of legal policy work within the human rights field and /or of strategic litigation, whether as an NGO claimant or legal representative;
•Experience of managing diverse funding sources and setting and implementing budgets;
•Experience of working in a service delivery partnership with other organisations;
•Experience of fundraising, especially grants from trusts and foundations;
•Sound working knowledge of the law and policy as it relates to immigration, asylum, human rights and modern slavery/trafficking;
•Demonstrable understanding of the asylum and human rights sector in the UK;
•An understanding of the barriers migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers face regarding access to legal advice, reasons why they may become destitute and why this makes it more difficult to access advice and support; and
•The passion for working empathetically and supportively with migrants, refugees, stateless people and asylum seekers.
Desirable Experience
·Experience of managing the delivery of frontline casework with people in the asylum or trafficking systems
·Experience of tendering for and delivering publicly funded contracts e.g. LAA or local authority funding;
·Working knowledge of Legal Aid Agency contracts, including the delivery of casework and billing under a legal aid contract in the immigration and asylum category and/or the public law category;
How to apply
The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 10am on Monday 26th January 2026.
The website form will ask you to:
1.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.
2.Upload your current CV
3.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.
For an informal conversation about the post before applying, please contact Alison Pickup, the current Executive Director.
Selection Process
We will invite candidates to an initial online interview on Tuesday 10th or Wednesday 11th February, followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interviews at our office in Old Street on Tuesday 24th or Wednesday 25th February.
We offer a guaranteed initial interview for refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration, provided that they provide some evidence of relevant experience or skills in relation to the essential criteria.
We regret that we can only respond to applicants who make it to the interview stage.
Eligibility
Please note that the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK (as a small charity we do not have the capacity to sponsor work visas).
Successful candidates will also be subject to a basic DBS check. If appointed, you will also be required to give your consent to the charity to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment and to disclose any relevant convictions incurred during your time with us.
Adjustments
We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. If you require a different format of the application form, such as large print or Word format, or if you would like to discuss any specific requirements, please get in touch with us.
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Our commitment to principles of equity, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our approach to our clients, our volunteers and our staff, and we are an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer.
We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates because we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in.
We genuinely welcome and encourage applications from candidates from a range of backgrounds, especially people of colour, people with disabilities, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration or trauma and of the housing and welfare system, who are under-represented in our organisation.
We recognise and value the role of lived experience in meeting the needs of our clients and acknowledge the under-representation of people with lived experience of forced migration and statelessness in the advice sector. We value experience gained overseas as well as in the UK.
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 which may help in preparing your job application.
Please complete the form on their website to request support and they will confirm if they can match you with a mentor to support your application.
The post-holder will be based at GMRC but work alongside TRC and MASH women’s services and work within the pathfinder partnership, across all partner organisations, providing high quality, evidence based, low intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based interventions using a guided self-help model, to clients with who have experienced sexual trauma but also have additional mental health needs.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Youth Participation & Events Support (Internhsip) role is a twelve-month paid Internship to begin during March 2026, supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation. It is an opportunity for young person to support the planning and delivery of SLRA’s youth participation programme, regular activities and youth-led events.
Our youth services include advice and casework, a programme of positive activities and opportunities to work alongside other young people to influence the policies and practices that affect them through our Young Community Leaders Programme. We also support a group of young people to plan and deliver events. These events bring young migrants in London together to discuss issues that matter to them, celebrate achievements, build community and plan further actions and work together.
Our organisation
South London Refugee Association (SLRA) is a local charity supporting refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants. Our mission is to ensure that migrants in South London are active participants with access to justice and opportunity, and we work alongside people as they build settled lives and positive futures. Our Youth Service provides support to around 350 young people each year. Support includes holistic youth casework, immigration advice, a weekly youth club, advice drop ins, a youth participation programme and regular trips and activities.
Jack Petchey Foundation
In this role, you will be part of the Jack Petchey Internship Programme with 18 other interns from different youth organisations in London and Essex. This development programme will involve attending a launch conference, four professional development workshops throughout the year and a celebration event at the end of the programme. You will receive an extra training bursary of £1,000 for approved training. You will also be matched with a mentor from another organisation to support you in your professional development. The Jack Petchey Internship Programme training and events will take place in person in London and you will be expected to take full part in this programme alongside your role at SLRA.
DEADLINE: 9am on Monday 26th January
Join us for a short information session on Friday 16th January 12:30 - 13:00, to find out more about the role ahead of applying - please on our website.
For all roles, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from individuals of the global majority, and those who are migrants or refugees, and those with lived experience of the hostile immigration system.
To ensure that migrants live safely with access to justice and opportunity
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you love helping people and helping a great charity at the same time? Are you friendly, clear and compassionate when speaking to our supporters on the phone or in person? Do you have strong computer skills and a keen attention to detail?
At Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity, we believe there’s always more we can do for our sick kids and women. It’s our mission to raise the vital funds needed to make a real difference to all who use our hospitals and to make our hospital feel just like home.
We’re looking for a friendly, hard-working, compassionate individual to join our fast-paced team. You will have strong communication skills, with a friendly demeanour and a positive, ‘can do’ attitude. Sound computer skills are also essential for success. Our Supporter Services Team is the first port of call for many of our supporters and we hope each interaction is the beginning of a lasting relationship in support of our charity.
To be successful in this role you will:
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Have previous experience in a customer services/administrative role
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Be friendly, compassionate and self-motivated
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Possess a natural ability to engage with people on the phone or in person, and encourage trust and enthusiasm at the start of a supporter’s journey with the charity
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Be able to work at a computer for significant periods of time, as well as acting as an effective and engaged team-player.
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Have excellent computer skills – touch-type desirable, confident using a database, ensuring data input is clean and efficient.
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Regular monitoring of a busy team inbox and responding to or forwarding on emails in a prompt and helpful manner, within agreed timescales
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Have responsibility for the recording of donations and other financial data onto the database and handwritten ledger – ensuring accuracy at all times
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To ensure timely and efficient thanking of our supporters
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Possess a full driving license
Please see the job pack attached for further information on the role.
What we offer:
The Charity is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
- Flexible working and the opportunity to WFH one day per week to support work-life balance
- Generous annual leave entitlement with additional leave for long service
- Enhanced sick pay
- Access to an Employee Assistance programme which offers
both virtual and in-person support, 24/7 access to a GP
surgery web app, as well as lifestyle savings across online and
high street shops - Free flu jabs
- Charity events throughout the year
- Employer enhanced auto-enrolment pension scheme with 8% employer contribution
- Ongoing commitment to training and professional development
The Charity is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Successful candidates will have access to vulnerable beneficiaries and will therefore require an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
If you think you have the qualities we are looking for and the desire to contribute, please download the Job Description and Person Specification and then send us a CV and covering letter explaining how you meet the criteria for the role and making clear why you would like to be considered for it.
Please use your cover letter to let us know why you would like the role and why you would like to join our wonderful team.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Senior Finance Officer (Cash)
(HEO)
£36,000 to £39,494 (National)
The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 50% of the government’s office estate. We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. We are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.
Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading ground-breaking programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme, as well as delivering modern and cost-effective real estate service solutions.
Innovation and progress are at the heart of our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged, and we’re dedicated to becoming a leading, inclusive employer both in the external market and throughout the Civil Service. Our strong emphasis on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces.
Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth. We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.
The responsibilities of the Senior Finance Officer (Cash) will include:
- Preparing cash flow forecasts to support cash management, and support the payment run process
- Providing cash flow reports to the Cabinet Office to support the monthly group submission to HM Treasury
- Working with the Cabinet Office Treasury team in relation to funding requests
- Supporting the payroll and staff costs recording, ad-hoc recharging and purchase to pay processes
- Supporting continuous process efficiencies and improvements across the function, delivering maximum value for the GPA and ensuring robust controls are in place
- Preparing and processing journals
- Acting as contact for external and internal auditors of cash and associated controls
- Building relationships with key staff across Finance and the business in order to maintain effectiveness.
- Working with stakeholders, especially the Property Partner, to ensure key information is provided to aid robust forecasting
Key Skills & Experience
- Good experience of accounts payable, receivable and cash management
- Strong attention to detail and ability to analyse and interpret significant amounts of financial data
- Ability to develop productive relationships and effective networks with stakeholders across government organisations
- Good experience of systems and reporting e.g. Oracle
- Good Microsoft Office skills
- Ability to work in a geographically dispersed team
For more information, please apply using the link, or contact Emma Fuller at our retained search agent, Robertson Bell.
The GPA is committed to representing the communities we serve by making Diversity, Equality and Inclusion part of everything we do. To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Northampton College are working with Robertson Bell to recruit to a Finance Business Partner position on a permanent basis. As one of the top 10 colleges in the UK, with significant strengths in health and social care, engineering, creative industries, construction, catering and digital, Northampton College is an inspiring place to work.
This role has been created to strengthen financial support to budget holders and improve financial decision-making across the organisation. With a turnover of £40m, the College continues to expand, making this an exciting opportunity to join a financially stable and ambitious organisation.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Support financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, ensuring accurate analysis of income, expenditure, and departmental budgets.
- Monitor and control departmental and college-wide budgets, identifying efficiencies and contributing to procurement and expenditure plans.
- Provide financial guidance and training to academic staff and budget holders, ensuring compliance with policies and procurement processes.
- Generate financial reports, dashboards, and modelling, supporting decision-making and financial oversight at all levels.
- Support the year-end process, VAT returns, and audits, ensuring accurate financial reporting and compliance with regulations.
- Assist in maintaining financial systems, cashflow forecasting, and payroll processes, ensuring effective financial management and contingency support.
The Organisation:
At Northampton College, our students are at the heart of everything we do, ensuring they receive an outstanding education that enables them to succeed.
Our students come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our organisation stronger.
The successful candidate will:
- Be part-qualified and looking to continue their studies (study support is provided)
- Have experience in a business partnering role, working with budget holders to support financial decision-making.
- Possess strong communication skills, with the ability to explain financial information to non-finance stakeholders.
- Have experience in budgeting and forecasting (or be eager to develop in this area).
This role offers flexible working, requiring the successful candidate will be based at our Booth Lane Campus in Northampton.
Benefits:
- Study support package
- Local Government Pension Scheme (a defined benefit scheme including an employer contribution rate of 22%) and 35 days' annual leave including bank holidays
- Free parking & EV charging
- On-site gym & wellbeing facilities and discounts on hair & beauty treatments
- NUS & Blue Light Card discounts
Applications will be under constant review before the closing date so please submit your application to our agent Robertson Bell. Apply now to be considered!
Head of Donor Stewardship and Legacies
Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation
Devizes / Hybrid • £42,000–£46,000 Depending on experience •Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Are you passionate about building lasting relationships and seeing generosity make a real difference? Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation is looking for an experienced fundraiser to lead and grow our individual giving and legacy programmes.
This role is central to creating a vibrant culture of giving across the region while helping deliver our 2025–2030 strategy. You’ll develop meaningful, long-term relationships with supporters and strengthen our Friends of the Foundation offer, inspiring generosity through thoughtful stewardship and engaging communications.
Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation is seeking an experienced and motivated Head of Donor Stewardship and Legacies to lead and grow our relationships with individual donors. This role will be central to developing a culture of philanthropy across Wiltshire and Swindon, contributing directly to the delivery of our 2025–2030 organisational strategy. The postholder will build strong, meaningful relationships with supporters, develop a compelling individual giving programme (including strengthening our Friends of the Foundation offer) and legacy programme This role requires a confident fundraiser with strong stewardship skills, excellent communication, and a deep understanding of the Fundraising Regulator Code of Practice.You will be familiar with developing mailed and emailed communications but also with building relationships both face to face and over the telephone with supporters, specifically with older supporters.
Why join us?
You’ll be part of a small, supportive team who care deeply about what we do. We offer flexible working and a hybrid approach, with our office based in Devizes.
For more information about our current vacancies, and our commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, please visit our website.
Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 30 January 2026
Please note, the full job description and person specification can be found in the recruitment pack, on the recruitment page on our website, where you can also apply for this role.
If you have experience in individual giving and want to help transform local communities, we’d love to hear from you.
Grow sustainable funding, forge partnerships & a create a culture of giving that helps meet local needs & empowers the voluntary sector.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.