Public facing jobs for the Social Welfare sector

Do you seek to champion a culture where innovation, learning and cross-organisational collaboration become the norm? Connecting insight with action to reduce inequalities and strengthen community connection?

Involve believes that everyone, regardless of the challenges they face, should have the opportunity to thrive. Using both strategic influence and service leadership, as the Head of Adult Services you will lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of high-quality, evidence-driven adult adult services rooted in lived experience, community voice and meaningful partnership.

See the vacancies page on our website for full job and person specification. 

Job Title: Refuge Worker

Location: Derby

Salary: £26,701.36 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours 

We want kind and empathic people to work at Refuge, who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, are experts in their area of knowledge, want to make a positive difference and improve the lives of the women and children we support.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Refuge Worker. The post holder will provide high quality support and safety planning to women and children in crisis. This includes enabling women to access housing, welfare, benefits and legal advice.  A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that women are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles.

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 5 May 2026

Iterview Dates: 14 and 15 May 2026

Due to the frequency of travel required, applicants should be based within reasonable travelling distance of Greater Manchester, ideally within the North West, and must have access to a vehicle.

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others?

Do you want to work with like-minded professionals in a supportive team?

Rees supports people who have experienced foster care or residential care at any stage in their lives, including those with custodial experience. We recognise the importance of lifelong support networks and aim to help care experienced people thrive in all aspects of their lives.

We listen and offer help and advice across a wide range of areas, working with public and voluntary sector partners, businesses and other organisations.

Overview

The Regional Project Co-Ordinator will support the planning, coordination and delivery of programmes and initiatives for care experienced people.

Working closely with colleagues, delivery partners and stakeholders, you will help ensure programme activity runs smoothly and reaches those who may benefit most. The role combines project coordination with hands on delivery, including supporting workshops, events and engagement activity.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to meaningful work that improves wellbeing, connection and life outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Management

• Coordinate the day to day delivery of programmes and initiatives
• Support the planning and delivery of workshops, events and activities
• Attend and assist with delivery sessions alongside partners
• Maintain project plans, monitor progress and adjust activity where needed
• Coordinate delivery partners to ensure services meet the needs of care experienced people

2. Communication and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with delivery partners, commissioners and stakeholders
• Act as a key point of contact for stakeholders
• Address issues promptly and effectively
• Organise meetings and ensure clear communication and follow up
• Prepare and share updates and reports

3. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Monitor delivery against agreed KPIs
• Maintain accurate project documentation including reports and risk logs
• Track budgets and flag any issues
• Collect and analyse feedback and outcome data
• Support reporting to commissioners and funders
• Identify opportunities to improve programme delivery

4. Budget Monitoring

• Liaise with the finance team regarding project budgets
• Identify and escalate any financial risks or concerns

5. Quality and Compliance

• Support quality assurance processes to maintain high standards

6. Additional Duties

• Participate in meetings, training and events as required
• Contribute to continuous improvement of programmes
• Work in line with the charity’s vision and values
• Respond flexibly to changing demands
• Act as a positive ambassador for the organisation
• Undertake continuing professional development
• Carry out other duties as required

Qualifications and Skills

Essential

• Ability and willingness to travel regularly across Greater Manchester, with occasional travel across the North West
• Access to a vehicle
• Experience coordinating projects or programmes, ideally within health, social care or the voluntary sector
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work accurately
• Experience analysing data and preparing reports
• Budget awareness
• Problem solving skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project tools

Desirable

• Local knowledge of the Greater Manchester and North West communities
• Understanding of the challenges faced by care experienced people
• Project management qualification such as PRINCE2

Personal Attributes

• Comfortable engaging with participants and stakeholders in workshops and events
• Empathetic and compassionate
• Proactive and solution focused
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Professional and trustworthy

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from those who are care experienced. The closing date for this role is 8th May 2026. We reserve the right to close this job early if volume of applications is high. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join Citizens Advice Woking as part of a specialist partnership with i-access, Surrey’s drug and alcohol support service. As a Generalist Adviser, you will work directly with individuals in recovery, helping them navigate some of the most challenging issues they face - including welfare benefits, debt, and housing.

Working across a mix of in-person, remote, and outreach settings, you will provide tailored, practical advice that helps people overcome immediate crises and build longer-term stability. You’ll take time to understand each client’s situation in depth, explore their options, and where needed, actively support them - whether that’s completing applications, negotiating with third parties, or advocating on their behalf.

This role is about more than advice - it’s about empowering people at a critical point in their lives. You’ll work closely with i-access staff to ensure a joined-up approach, while also being part of the wider Citizens Advice Woking team, connecting clients to additional support where needed.

We’re looking for someone who is confident managing a varied and sometimes demanding caseload, with strong listening skills, sound judgement, and the ability to turn complex information into clear, practical guidance. Experience in advice work is essential, and knowledge of welfare benefits, debt, or housing would be a strong advantage.

In return, you’ll be part of a supportive and purpose-driven organisation, with opportunities for ongoing development and the chance to make a meaningful, day-to-day difference in people’s lives.

Our Welfare Officers provide direct and impactful welfare support to RAF personnel and their immediate family. As a trusted and confidential source of support, you will assist our service users with challenges they are facing, from mental ill-health, difficult relationships, domestic abuse, financial and cost-of-living concerns, resettlement, housing, childcare, equality issues, bereavement, military discharge or deployment and many more - no day will be the same, as such this is a great opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills within the Welfare sector.

Our intervention is provided with consent on a non-statutory basis, and you will work with and engage our service users to develop appropriate interventions for individual outcomes.

Our service is transitioning to become more accessible and inclusive, digital technology plays a key role in this, as such you will use digital technologies to complement and enhance processes and service user experience.

You will play an active role within the community, promoting the service through the delivery of presentations and representing the service at public engagement events. You will also work closely with RAF welfare teams, local authorities, health, education, civilian agencies, charities and other military organisations to ensure the best outcome for the service user.

About the Team

2025 marked 35 years since SSAFA began delivering an independent non-statutory, and confidential service, for the Royal Air Force community across the UK, and this is an exciting time to be joining as we were successful in our bid to continue delivering this service.

We are transforming our ways of working to be innovative, to ensure our service is even more inclusive and accessible to meet the needs of a modern RAF.

We are a hard-working team from diverse professional backgrounds.  Although we all have our own area of responsibility, we support each other in delivering the best possible service to our military community.

Find out more about the Personal Support & Social Work Service on our website.

About you

To thrive in this role you will have relevant experience of supporting adults, families and children/young people. You will be able to take a flexible and creative approach to problem solving. You will have excellent communication skills and be able to deliver presentations with confidence.

You will have used Microsoft Office 365 to a high standard. It is important that you have experience of planning and managing your own workload, with minimal supervision.

It would be advantageous if you have experience of carrying out assessments, preparing plans, monitoring and reviewing outcomes.

There will be some travel required and therefore you will need to be able to drive and have access to your own car.

About SSAFA 

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for the Armed Forces community in their time of need. In 2024 our trained teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 53,000 people, including veterans, serving personnel (regulars and reserves) and their families.

SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person and their family, any time they need us and in any way they need us.

Diversity and Inclusion at SSAFA 

SSAFA exists to support a diverse range of beneficiaries within the armed forces community, and we believe diversity within our teams is key to ensuring we can deliver our services effectively. We thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a worldwide charity. SSAFA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business. 

SSAFA is committed to using the Disclosure & Barring Service to ensure we, as an employer, safeguard those we serve.

No agencies please. Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate and no fees will be payable. 

Recently unsuccessful candidates need not reapply.

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 26 April 2026. SSAFA reserves the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. 

Interviews: 06-08 May 2026

Job Title: Multiple Disadvantaged Worker

Location: Derby City
Salary: £26,701.36 per annum
Contract type: Permanent, Full Time

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Multiple Disadvantaged Worker to provide high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children living in Derby City.

The Multiple Disadvantaged outreach Worker will provide high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse, with additional complex support needs, in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles. The post holder will inform the survivor on the options and support available, empowering the survivor to make decisions and achieve their goals to increase their safety, confidence and independence. The role involves working with a range of statutory and non-statutory agencies to advocate on behalf of survivors and promote access to services to meet their needs. The Multiple Disadvantaged Outreach worker will work within Derby City.

Please note that this post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 5 May 2026

Interview Date: 20 and 21 May 2026

EVENTS MANAGER (Foodbank)

OASIS HUB WATERLOO

Hours: Up to 32 hours per week (0.8FTE)

Contract: 1-year fixed term (with view to extend)

Salary: £26,980 per annum (including London Weighting) £33,725 for 1FTE

 We are looking for a person with:

· Great character, chemistry and competency.

· Recent and proven experience managing events that have raised significant funds.

· Progressive and successful experience and approaches in fundraising.

· First class team spirit and cohesion.

Is this you? Great – read on.

Oasis Hub Waterloo co-develops and co-delivers a wide range of integrated community services including a community centre, primary and secondary Academies, adult and further education opportunities, early years support, a Foodbank, advice services, a community farm, and well developed and diverse programmes for young people.

Purpose of job

This role will lead on Events management for Oasis Hub Waterloo with a focus on securing funds for Lambeth & Croydon Foodbank (which is part of Oasis Hub Waterloo) and our associated services.

To apply please email your CV (max of two pages) and a Supporting Statement.

Your Supporting Statement (max of two A4 pages) must share specific and relevant examples demonstrating how your qualities and experience will enable us to increase our income generation through events.

Inspire and impress us!

Return your CV and Supporting Statement by 5pm on Sunday 10th May 2026

Face to face Interviews will take place in Waterloo on the 14th May 2026.

If you want an informal chat about this role, get in touch with Stu (Head of Youth Services and Fundraising at Oasis Waterloo). Please visit the Oasis Charity Jobs Website for further details. 

As part of the package, Oasis offers:

· Flexible working where possible with family friendly policies

· A non-contributory pension scheme, currently offering 7% employer contribution

· A generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year (plus 8 Bank Holidays)

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups.

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities. Registered Charity No. 1136965

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.

The Living Wage Foundation is seeking an experienced and driven Senior Media and Communications Manager to join our team for a 12-month contract. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly organised and proactive communications professional with a strong background in media relations, public messaging, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will be experienced and confident in working to tight deadlines, responding to last-minute changes, and prioritising competing demands in a high-profile environment. They will be motivated to amplify the Living Wage Foundation’s mission of tackling low pay and insecure work.

The postholder will lead all media, messaging, and external affairs work, developing and implementing a proactive media strategy that supports our mission and key campaigns, such as Living Wage Week and the annual Rates announcement. As a skilled media professional, you will oversee all communications outputs, ensuring consistency and strategic alignment, while delivering media training and refining key messaging to maximise reach and impact. 

In this role, you will be instrumental in advancing our political engagement efforts, building cross-party support and working with political leaders, mayoral teams, and other key stakeholders to promote our initiatives. You’ll manage two direct reports (Events Manager and Media Manager) who each hold line management responsibilities, and you will play a critical role within our Senior Management Team, collaborating closely with the Head of Communications to shape the overall direction of our communications work. This role will work closely with Citizens UK colleagues, including the Citizens UK communications team on cross-organisational priorities.  You will report to the Head of Communications.

As a senior leader, you will be responsible for managing and allocating part of the communications team budget, expanding team capacity, and driving the team’s effectiveness. In collaboration with other senior managers, you will help foster a culture that values creativity, innovation, and strategic impact.

About Woman's Trust

The charity was established in 1996 to meet the gap in specialist mental health services. Woman’s Trust is led by and for women and aims to ensure that women affected by domestic abuse can live a life free from further harm and abuse. Our approach is trauma-informed and person-centred, empowering survivors on their journey to recovery from the trauma. We are committed to a positive, inclusive and equitable environment for our staff, service users and volunteers.

Alongside delivering our existing 1-1 counselling, self-development workshops and therapeutic support groups for women who have experienced domestic abuse, we are focused on developing our innovative mental health services for young women and girls, delivering new peer-led support groups and providing therapeutic groups to children and their mothers. We are also committed to developing further awarenessraising workshops and training for professionals, building on our research and policy to improve systems nationally.

About the role

This is a dynamic, strategic role and as Head of Therapeutic Services, you will exercise person-centred clinical responsibility for Woman’s Trust (WT), counselling, groupwork and other therapeutic services.

Reporting to the CEO, this role will oversee the day-to-day delivery of seamless, highquality service across all of our client-facing provisions. You will support the CEO to ensure the future development of WT by leading the frontline staff team in the provision of high-quality, relevant and safe services to survivors of violence and abuse in line with WT’s aims and principles.

As Head of Therapeutic Services, a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will work closely with colleagues across WT, to plan and implement quality improvement plans in order to deliver outstanding services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This role will deputise for the CEO when necessary.

Working with key stakeholders to ensure that WT counselling services are delivered to a high professional standard, in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and the person-centred approach.

Leading on the development of new opportunities for the enhancement and expansion of WT counselling services, on the clinical representation of WT services to external bodies and involvement in campaigning for the improvement of services for women experiencing DA, and to be the safeguarding lead for WT.

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week.

Contract: Fixed-term contract as dependant on funding.

Location: Woman’s Trust premises including co-location with statutory partners and community partnership locations.

For further information and to apply, please visit our website.

Please note, CVs and cover letters should be sent in Word format.

Closing date: 1st May 2026.

Interviews will be held on a rolling basis.

This post is open to female applicants only, in line with the Equality Act 100 pursuant to Schedule, 9 Part 1 applies. We particularly welcome applications from women from black and minoritised, and disability communities.

An enhanced DBS clearance is required for this role. Police vetting Clearance may also be required.

About us

Our mission is to make life better for carers. Across the UK today, 5.8 million people are carers, supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill. We provide information and advice on caring, help carers connect with each other, campaign with carers for lasting change, and use innovation to improve services. 

About the role

Due to an expansion in our work to provide training and e-learning to raise awareness of unpaid carers and of the issues and challenges they face with a range of professionals, we are excited to recruit a Training and Learning Officer to lead our work in this area. The post holder will develop, maintain and deliver a suite of e-learning, and in person and online training.

About you

You’ll have knowledge and experience of designing, developing and delivering training. You’ll be experienced in conducting research and analysing data with an understanding of the issues impacting carers, and the systems in which they operate. You’ll be a strong communicator and be able to balance a diverse range of projects.

Diversity and inclusion

Carers UK is committed to becoming a diverse and truly inclusive organisation; fostering an environment and working culture that celebrates and promotes diversity and inclusion.  We strive to create a workplace where our colleagues and volunteers can truly be themselves and feel like they belong and constantly seek to ensure all voices are heard.
To embrace this culture of diversity, our employee and volunteer recruitment should reflect our stakeholders and the society that we serve and support, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, disabilities or religious practices. We value individual diversity and are actively building diverse teams here at Carers UK and value our colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds.

As a membership charity for carers, we particularly seek employees and volunteers with a real understanding of the issues faced by carers. Reasonable adjustments can be made to the process and role, dependent on the needs of the applicant.

We are proud to be an Employers for Carers member. We have signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge and achieved the Disability Confident Employer accreditation. We aim to offer interviews to those who have a disability covered under the definition outlined in the Equality Act 2010 and who meet the minimum criteria for the role. The minimum criteria can be found under the Essential section of the Person Specification of the recruitment pack. Please let us know if your application is being made under the Disability Confident Scheme.  You are not required to share the nature of your disability or long term health condition. You will need to state in your email application that you are making your application under the Disability Confident Scheme as you consider yourself to be disabled, or as having a disability. If you meet the minimum criteria then you will be offered an interview.

At Carers UK we want our application process to be as accessible as possible. If you need any adjustments to apply, please email the recruitment team to discuss.

The closing date for applications is Friday 15 May 2026 at 5pm.

Personal statement (no more than one side of A4), CV, personal details form and completed monitoring form should be emailed to us. The information on the form will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only. These forms will not be treated as part of your application.

Carers UK anonymises all applications prior to shortlisting.

Carers UK reserves the right to appoint at any stage, should an outstanding candidate emerge.

Carers UK are actively interviewing as we receive applications.

Carers UK may carry out online and social media checks before a formal offer is made.

About us

Our mission is to make life better for carers. Across the UK today, 5.8 million people are carers, supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill. We provide information and advice on caring, help carers connect with each other, campaign with carers for lasting change, and use innovation to improve services. 

About the role

This is an exciting new post; with oversight of Carers Wales information and advice service, training and learning offer, and Employers for Carers support.  Find out more about Employers for Carers Wales on our website. 

As part of a small and busy team, the post holder will be required from time to time to support with delivery of these services, as well as playing a key role in their strategic development.

About you

We are looking for someone with a background in service delivery; with experience of providing information and advice, and designing and delivering training and learning. 

The ideal post holder will be equally comfortable planning strategically and rolling up their sleeves to deliver. This means we need someone who is a great communicator with excellent leadership skills who can also turn their hand to managing budgets and client accounts, helping us to plan the future development of our services offer.  

You’ll be fluent in Welsh including in written correspondence with a solid understanding of carers and the issues and challenges they face. 

Diversity and inclusion

Carers UK is committed to becoming a diverse and truly inclusive organisation; fostering an environment and working culture that celebrates and promotes diversity and inclusion.  We strive to create a workplace where our colleagues and volunteers can truly be themselves and feel like they belong and constantly seek to ensure all voices are heard.
To embrace this culture of diversity, our employee and volunteer recruitment should reflect our stakeholders and the society that we serve and support, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, disabilities or religious practices. We value individual diversity and are actively building diverse teams here at Carers UK and value our colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds.

As a membership charity for carers, we particularly seek employees and volunteers with a real understanding of the issues faced by carers. Reasonable adjustments can be made to the process and role, dependent on the needs of the applicant.

We are proud to be an Employers for Carers member. We have signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge and achieved the Disability Confident Employer accreditation. We aim to offer interviews to those who have a disability covered under the definition outlined in the Equality Act 2010 and who meet the minimum criteria for the role. The minimum criteria can be found under the Essential section of the Person Specification of the recruitment pack. Please let us know if your application is being made under the Disability Confident Scheme.  You are not required to share the nature of your disability or long term health condition. You will need to state in your email application that you are making your application under the Disability Confident Scheme as you consider yourself to be disabled, or as having a disability. If you meet the minimum criteria then you will be offered an interview.

At Carers UK we want our application process to be as accessible as possible. If you need any adjustments to apply, please email the recruitment team to discuss.

The closing date for applications is Friday 15 May 2026 at 5pm.

Carers UK anonymises all applications prior to shortlisting.

Carers UK reserves the right to appoint at any stage, should an outstanding candidate emerge.

Carers UK are actively interviewing as we receive applications.

Carers UK may carry out online and social media checks before a formal offer is made.

We are looking for a Director of Communications (External Relations)

We are looking for a communications leader to help us transform Nesta’s impact, reach and influence. We're already an ambitious, award-winning, multidisciplinary team, and now we're looking for someone to help us elevate our work to the next level.

The UK information environment is changing rapidly and our team is midway through a period of reform and transformation to adapt. We want to be industry-leading in the way we communicate - on the cutting edge of testing and experimenting with new formats and tactics, constantly iterating our practice in response to an information environment that is being constantly reshaped by AI, changing political communications and new technology. This is where you come in.

This role offers the mandate to experiment with a suite of high-impact products that are ready for their next stage of growth. You will play a central role in developing our new podcast, expanding our collection of data-driven stories, and testing long-form video as a way to translate deep research into compelling visual narratives. We care about micro communities as much as the traditional broadcast tools, and you’ll lead a stable of products designed to reach policy audiences. Alongside this, you will help to spearhead the advocacy and influencing activity that will deliver success in our three missions, and work more broadly to support BIT and all other parts of the Nesta Group.

You will blend exceptional political acumen with a proven track record of delivering policy and advocacy campaigns that have a tangible impact. You will be a trusted advisor, adept at providing strategic counsel across multidisciplinary teams while fostering an empowering, best-in-class culture. Beyond managing projects and campaigns, you will invest in our people, ensuring our talented team has the support and clarity to perform at their best.

We are looking for a leader who isn't satisfied with the status quo and is ready to take our collective impact to the next level. Five years into our strategy, Nesta’s ideas are gaining significant influence - now we need you to raise our reach and profile to the same level.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead the design and delivery of integrated campaigns with policy and advocacy objectives, using the right mix of channels, the highest standards of creative execution and the most effective messaging. Support the team to navigate the UK political and news agenda, identifying and securing the most effective moments for our work to exert influence.
• Lead the full range of policy communications across Nesta (working with and beyond the communications team with missions, units, subject specialists and senior leaders to bring coherence to our content and activity). Lead on policy-facing products, from blogs to policy briefings, podcasts to newsletters.
• Oversee delivery of broader communications activity, working across the organisation to form project teams, set priorities and tactics. Elevate the quality of our external output so all of our communications meet a consistently high bar for excellence. Ensure that all of our activity is delivered with the right mix of creativity, professionalism and speed to maximise success.
• Distil complex policy and research into powerful narratives, ensuring our strategic messaging resonates and persuades target audiences and that is used consistently and coherently across all of our activity. Manage our suite of editorial products and ensure our content is sharp, timely, and directly aligned with our advocacy objectives.
• Provide authoritative communications strategic counsel across teams, acting as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on complex communication challenges and reputational issues
• Provide functional (direct) leadership of our policy communications, media relations and data journalism functions.

You will also work across all of the Communications department to:

• Drive forward new approaches to advocacy and influencing that organisations like Nesta need to adopt in response to the changing information environment
• Look across all activity being conducted and identify and act on opportunities for new content streams, activities or partnerships that support our strategic communications goals
• Spot opportunities to do more with our existing channels and campaigns, finding ways to extend their value and impact
• Troubleshoot and support where a project or campaign is at risk of failure, either because of differing views on execution, changing objectives, or missed deadlines
• Mentor and evolve a talented communications team, providing the leadership and vision necessary to take our collective impact to the next level.

What we’re looking for:

• Significant leadership experience in external affairs, communications, or press, specifically within an advocacy-focused environment.
• Exceptional strategic skills, with a history of delivering multi-channel campaigns that build genuine profile and influence.
• A deep understanding of the UK political and news agenda and wider information environment, with a demonstrated ability to navigate complex policy landscapes.
• The ability to provide high-level strategic counsel, acting as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on complex communication challenges and reputational issues.
• A genuine love of communications, with experience of exploring new approaches to advocacy and influencing that organisations like Nesta need to adopt in response to the changing information environment
• The ability to craft and embed strategic messaging that distills complex ideas into clear, authoritative narratives for diverse audiences.
• An accomplished writer who has successfully managed high-level editorial functions and maintained a high bar for content.
• Sharp media instincts and creative flair, with a proven ability to spot and shape stories that capture media interest.
• A grounded leader and people manager who knows how to motivate teams and cultivate a high-performing culture.

As with all members of the Nesta Group communications team, the postholder will also be at their best working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment, have a flexible approach and an appetite for taking on new tasks and challenges. They will also have excellent written and verbal communication skills and a proven ability to write for a range of different audiences.

What we offer:

Salary: £91,500 plus an array of benefits, including a generous pension scheme, private medical insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, and more

Location: This role is based in Blackfriars, London, hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of two days in the office

Term: Permanent

Hours: This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.

Reports to: Group Executive Director of Communications

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit a CV and a cover letter that states three reasons why you are a great candidate for the role before 8:00am on the 27th of April 2026.

Interviews will take place w/c 4th of May 2026.

About Nesta

Nesta is a research and innovation foundation that designs, tests and scales solutions for the biggest challenges of our time.

Driven by a vision to improve the lives of millions of people, our focus up to 2030 is on three missions: breaking the link between family background and life chances, halving obesity and cutting household carbon emissions.

We work with partners across the public, private and third sectors to develop high-potential solutions and test them as they evolve, drawing on deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, data science, behavioural science and design.

Once confident in the effectiveness of a solution, we are relentless in the pursuit of scale. We create and make the case for ambitious national policy proposals, develop consumer-facing products and services, spin out and support commercial ventures and harness the power of the arts to shape national narratives.

We extend our impact through two specialised units that help others to solve complex problems and achieve their missions. BIT applies a deep understanding of human behaviour to help clients achieve their goals. Challenge Works designs and runs challenge prizes to spark innovation in science, technology and society.

Together, we are building a powerful ecosystem for innovation that delivers proven solutions to create lasting, positive change.

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

Overview

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each person as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our team members apply these daily to achieve our mission of helping people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Buckinghamshire Service for you to join a dynamic team committed delivering targeted interventions to young people around drug and alcohol awareness, education and prevention. You will hold a caseload of young people and support them on a one-to-one basis through our different treatment pathways. You will run and plan our group work programmes and support young people through our treatment pathways.

The role will work in partnership and liaise with other young people services throughout Buckinghamshire, to provide holistic support to young people accessing the service. We need to record information about what we do, so enjoying a bit of admin work and attention to detail is important, but most of the time you’ll be enjoying working with young people from all backgrounds, making a difference to their lives. You will be required to work flexibly across operational sites as required so must hold a full UK driving license and have access to a car. Don’t worry, there is a wide array of training and development opportunities to help support you in your work.

Where: This role will be based across East & South Buckinghamshire

When: We're looking for the right person to join our team ASAP on a permanent contract

Full Time Hours: 37.5 per week

Full Time Salary Range: £27,861.26- £32,002.35*

*Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Responsibilities

About the role: 

• Supporting young people from point of entry into the service and through their treatment journey 
• Providing screening, assessment, psychosocial interventions, integrated care planning, post treatment support, including transfer of care 
• Identifying and responding effectively to potential safeguarding issues 
• Reducing drug and alcohol related harm to young people and the wider community 
• Promoting carer, service user and community involvement 
• Providing advocacy for access to partnership services 
• Working with young people to support positive, holistic outcomes in relation to their health and wellbeing, enabling them to lead safe, healthy, and purposeful lives: reducing risk and increasing resilience 
• Working flexibly across sites where required

About you: 

• Experience of working with young people and knowledge of the issues they face 
• Knowledge of safeguarding concerns in relation to children and young people and the Fraser Competence framework 
• Have an excellent understanding of drug and alcohol issues and experience of working within a related field 
• Knowledge of working with evidence-based practice around young people’s substance misuse treatment services and methods, including relevant best practice guidance 
• An accomplished communicator, both verbal and written with a high degree of personal IT competency 
• Be able to accurately update and maintain records and to work to deadlines for the submission of information, e.g., reports 
• Have excellent team working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a highly cooperative 
• approach to supporting colleagues in delivering service objectives 

What we will give to you: 

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service “Capped at 30 days” 
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme 
• Contributory pension scheme 
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc. 
• A friendly and supportive team 
• Training, career development & progression opportunities 
• Refer a friend scheme.

Please ensure that when completing your application form and supporting statement, you reflect on the details outlined in the job description. This will help us understand how your skills and experiences align with the requirements of the role. 

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 23 to 28 (£27,861.26 - £32,002.35)

ILW / OLW /Fringe

N/A - Outside London Weighting Area

Interview Date

6/5/2026

Closing Date

27/4/2026

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.