Deputy Director

The Politics Project is seeking a strategic leader for an exciting new senior role. The Deputy Director will help shape the next stage of the organisation, furthering our goal of building young people’s knowledge and confidence to participate in democracy.

We are looking for a senior professional who combines strategic vision with excellent execution. You will build relationships with senior stakeholders, ensure our sustainability as an organisation, and manage and develop senior staff.

About The Politics Project

The Politics Project supports young people to use their voice by giving them access to brilliant democratic education. A non-partisan organisation, we work with young people, teachers, youth practitioners and politicians to help them learn about, teach and actively participate in democracy. 

The Politics Project also leads the Democracy Classroom Network, a  network of over 100 organisations across the democracy, education and youth sectors which support over 3,500 teachers and youth practitioners to engage young people in democracy. The network website is a one-stop shop bank of educational resources and materials on politics and democracy.

This is an exciting time for The Politics Project as we prepare to support the introduction of Votes at 16 and help shape the expansion of democratic and citizenship education. We are building on a successful two years where we have impacted decision making and policy through A Roadmap to Votes at 16 and the Curriculum and Assessment Review. We have also written and launched the national Democratic Education Framework in collaboration with the Electoral Commission, a new initiative designed to underpin democratic education in the UK. 

We continue to develop and expand our educational programmes across England and Wales, working with teachers, practitioners, schools, colleges and politicians to provide high quality democratic education for young people. Across the UK we have engaged with over 3,000 schools and youth groups and 400 politicians reaching 95% of UK parliamentary constituencies.

The Deputy Director will help to shape the next stage of the organisation and strengthen young people’s ability to participate in democracy.

About the role

The Deputy Director will work closely with the Director to provide senior leadership across The Politics Project.

This is a broad, strategic and hands-on role. The Deputy Director will help shape the organisation's strategic direction, lead and develop senior staff, strengthen our financial and organisational sustainability, build relationships with funders and partners, and ensure that our programmes and wider work deliver maximum impact.

The successful candidate will combine strategic vision with excellent execution. They will be comfortable moving between high-level organisational strategy and the practical detail required to make a small organisation work effectively.

The Deputy Director will be an important ambassador for The Politics Project, representing the organisation with funders, partners, policymakers, education and youth organisations and other stakeholders.

Terms and benefits

The job is based on a permanent contract, full-time, with likely extension (including a 4-month probation period). The hours of work are 37.5 hrs per week. 

The Politics Project is based in London. The post holder will be expected to work in the office at least two days a week. Travel elsewhere in the UK, extra days based in the office and working unsocial hours in evenings and at weekends may be occasionally required. 

Benefits include:

• 33 days’ annual leave including three days off between Christmas and New Year, in addition to Bank Holidays. 

• 4% employer pension contribution.

• 2 working days / 15 hours of volunteer leave a year.

• Cycle to Work scheme.

• Professional development and training opportunities.

• A warm, inclusive and values-led working environment.

At The Politics Project you will have the opportunity to make a real difference to young people’s lives, support projects and programmes that help them to develop the skills and knowledge they need to give them a voice in their society and shape their communities.

About you

You are an experienced senior leader who is excited by The Politics Project's mission and motivated by the opportunity to help shape the next stage of a growing organisation. You can identify opportunities, build trust, bring people together and work effectively across teams and organisations.

You are comfortable working in a small organisation where senior leaders need to combine strategic leadership with hands-on delivery.

In accordance with our Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures, this position requires an enhanced DBS check that we will provide.

How to apply

If you'd like a confidential conversation about the role before applying, please email Harriet Andrews. 

We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing easier for you, please let us know by contacting Ian Pope. 

Harriet and Ian's contact details can be found in the Candidate Recruitment Pack for this role.

Please submit a CV and a one page covering letter via Charity Job. 

Closing date: 11:59pm, Wednesday 18th November 2026.

Screening calls are planned for the week beginning Monday 23rd November 2026, with interviews to follow in the weeks beginning Monday 30th November 2026 and Monday 7th November 2026.

Estimated start date: Early 2027.

We look forward to hearing from you.