Business support and digital lead jobs

Salary: £35,159 to £36,935 (starting salary range)

Working pattern: Full-time, Permanent (35 hours per week)

Pension: USS

Annual leave: 25 days plus 8 bank holidays, 3 well-being days, and a Christmas office closure

Location: Hybrid, flexible working model with an office located in central London. Occasional UK-wide travel for GHE and relevant events.

Reports to: Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International)

Purpose

GuildHE is seeking an ambitious Policy Officer to play a pivotal role in the next phase of our organisation’s growth. Working directly with the Head of Research Policy and the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International), you will help monitor, analyse, and respond to policy initiatives within the research and innovation space.  You will support a range of member-focused events and activities to ensure staff in our member institutions are well-informed and supported. This includes supporting the management of the GuildHE Research Consortium and leading on the organising and delivery of our flagship annual PGR Doctoral Festival, helping our members develop, share best practices, and maximise their research impact.

Key Responsibilities 

Policy Analysis & Communication

1. Horizon Scanning: Monitor government departments (e.g., DSIT, DfE), funding and regulatory bodies (UKRI, Research England, OfS, Innovate UK), and other stakeholders for policy updates, funding calls, and consultation launches in relation to Research and Innovation policy.

2. Briefings: Produce concise policy briefings, data summaries, and position papers for GuildHE members and leadership on key Research and Innovation issues (e.g., REF, knowledge exchange, KEF, commercialisation, research culture, open research). Develop high-quality external reports, consultations, blogs and other materials articulating member challenges and opportunities.

3. Consultation Drafts: Assist senior policy colleagues in gathering evidence, analysing member feedback, collaborating with sector stakeholders, and drafting compelling arguments that articulate the unique perspectives of GuildHE institutions.

4. Share Best Practice: Identify case studies across the GHE membership to share best practice internally and externally and drive national conversations about new ways of working and operating in the sector.

5. Policy issues: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national and institutional research and innovation policies indicated by the Head of Research Policy or Policy Manager (Research, Innovation, International).

Member Support & Consortium Coordination

1. Member Engagement: Maintain regular, positive communication with research and innovation leads across member institutions, fostering a collaborative network.  Support relevant GuildHE member networks, including the Knowledge Exchange, Innovation and Place network, promoting communication, collaboration, and best practice exchange to inform evidence-based policy development.

2. Member development: Provide support for timely implementation of good practice guidelines and associated resources, within agreed budgets. This includes assisting with members' business development initiatives, such as Research Degree Awarding Powers.

3. Event Delivery: Develop and deliver content for events including the GuildHE Research Consortium meetings, the Research and Knowledge Exchange Symposium, PGR Doctoral Festival, the PGR Network for global majority students and sandpits/match events, workshops and roundtables. 

4. Shared Services: Collaborate with other GHE teammates to maintain and deliver our shared services (i.e. research outputs repository, shared postgraduate online training, research impact tracking and researcher development tools) and explore new services in response to members’ needs

5. PGR Students: Develop and deliver initiatives for postgraduate students and early career researchers (e.g., our PGR Support Programme and associated student networks), working closely with the Policy Manager (Student Experience) to ensure postgraduate students are reflected in broader student support policies.

The postholder will also be expected to:

1. Actively support the delivery of the GuildHE strategy.

2. To contribute positively to a small, professional team focused on delivering excellence in their members’ interests.

3. Support GuildHE events and communication activities as appropriate - including campaigns, writing articles, blogs and press releases.

4. Build strong relationships with key stakeholders at HE institutions and sector agencies, including senior leaders, academics, and policy staff.

5. Gather feedback from HE institutions and use this to inform the continuous improvement of our services.

6. Demonstrate a proactive approach to embedding EDI principles within all policy development and advocacy efforts.

7. Represent GuildHE externally on a range of HE sector groups and projects and deputise for the Head of Research Policy or the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation and International) as appropriate.

8. Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required.

Person Specification

Core Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships

• Clear, concise writing skills for drafting policy responses, reports, and emails to senior stakeholders with excellent attention to detail.

• Problem-solving, Influencing and advocacy skills 

• Ability to digest complex, lengthy policy documents and extract key themes relevant to GuildHE members.

• Confident digital skills and highly proficient user of computer packages including MS Office and G Suite

• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively, adhere deadlines, and maintain project momentum. This includes the capacity to monitor progress, identify and mitigate potential risks, and proactively address challenges.

• Experience in using data and evidence to enhance and impact assess activities. 

• Facilitation and convening skills would be advantageous 

Core Attributes

• Ability to build professional relationships quickly and sustainably with members and a wide range of stakeholders

• Able to meet deadlines, to prioritise work and to anticipate issues and problems with strong attention to detail

• A collaborative, communicative and flexible team player who is also comfortable working independently.

• An individual who shares our values of equity and inclusion and can translate these values into day to day work and impactful outcomes.

• An understanding of, or a keen interest in, the UK higher education sector, research funding landscape, or public policy.

• To be willing to travel across the UK for meetings with members, stakeholders and events and to work flexibly, when and where necessary.

Ideal Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of higher education policy, working in research and innovation and/or supporting a research environment. 

• Experience of developing policy positions and responses

• Experience in synthesising complex data and/or ideas

• Experience in supporting training and development

Job Advert

GuildHE is a formal representative body, representing diversity in the higher education sector and the widest variety of institution types across the UK.  We are undergoing an exciting period of transformation, evolving our policy approach and member-focused services to significantly increase our impact within the sector and ensure we’re providing timely, proactive support to our members as they address emerging 21st century challenges.  

GuildHE is seeking an ambitious Policy Officer to play a pivotal role in the next phase of our organisation’s growth. Working directly with the Head of Research Policy and the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International), you will help monitor, analyse, and respond to policy initiatives within the research and innovation space.  You will support a range of member-focused events and activities to ensure staff in our member institutions are well-informed and supported. This includes supporting the management of the GuildHE Research Consortium and leading on the organising and delivery of our flagship annual PGR Doctoral Festival, helping our members develop, share best practices, and maximise their research impact.

If you think you can bring bold, creative and proactive energy to our small-and-mighty team to help take us to the next level, we want to hear from you!

Application closing date: Monday 12th July

Interviews: Tuesday 21st July 

Please submit your cv and a cover letter via the jobs portal

Curious about the role? Please contact Dana Gamble, Policy Manager for more information

Location: Fully remote with flexible working arrangements
Salary: £39,742 per year FTE, dependent on experience
Contract: We are open to this role being part time (0.8FTE minimum preferred) or full time. We offer fully flexible working.
Closing date for applications: 12th July

Due to high numbers of applications, prior to interview we plan to carry out initial screening calls with prospective candidates before selection for interview. We will be asking about your reasons for applying and how you think your skills and experiences align to the role.

First interviews: w/c 22nd July
Start Date: ASAP

About the Warm Welcome Campaign

Founded in 2022, the Warm Welcome Campaign wants everyone in the UK to find a place of belonging and reconnection at a Warm Welcome Space near their home. We have a bold purpose to enable a more deeply connected society where we all have free access to welcoming community spaces.

We resource, connect and champion a network of over 6,300 Warm Welcome Spaces and bring together a growing coalition of local, regional and national partners representing the worlds of charity, faith, business, government and philanthropy. By working together, we can unlock the power of community spaces made by and for everyone, creating a thriving network of hope and reconnection fuelled by human warmth.

We’re working hard to reach everyone with the message that a Warm Welcome is waiting for them just around the corner, all through the year.

Throughout all our work and within our team we live out our values of being inclusive, collaborative and courageous and our personality that is friendly, adventurous and uplifting.

It’s an important moment for us - we have launched a five-year strategy, our 100% Pledge Campaign and an established programme of corporate events. We have also successfully delivered Warm Welcome Week for two years in collaboration with a wide range of partners and are looking forward to continuing to build on this success.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and creative Communications and Brand Manager (Partnerships) to join a small, friendly and ambitious team in a varied role with genuine opportunity for development and impact. The Communications and Brand Manager (Partnerships) is primarily fundraising focused, delivering compelling communications strategies to support individual giving, fundraising events and our growing number of Corporate Partnerships, including Sky, Co-op, National Grid, OVO, Cadent, UKPN, Barratt Redrow and SGN. The role will specialise in maximising brand impact and income-raising potential.

The role sits within the growing Communications Team, which is led by the Director of Communications and includes the Communications Manager and Communications Assistant. 

Reporting to the Director of Communications, the postholder will play a key role in telling the Warm Welcome Story for positive change, raising awareness to grow the brand and creating campaign strategies to support income generation. 

We are looking for someone who is highly organised, agile and collaborative, whilst bringing creativity and initiative to their work. Relationship building will be key, working with a wide variety of high-profile corporate partners, stakeholders and ambassadors. You will be an excellent brand champion with the skills to develop stand out creative ideas for partnership campaigns, awareness campaigns and activations. While the role is primarily fundraising focused, you will support the delivery of the wider Warm Welcome Communications Strategy.

In this role, you will work across all aspects of communications strategy including, PR, events, brand asset development, storytelling, digital marketing, and campaigns.

• Act as the primary communications adviser for the fundraising team, including the Corporate Partnerships Manager and corporate partners, identifying communications opportunities and advising on strategic messaging, content, PR and tactics.
   

• Manage the development and execution of communications strategies for Warm Welcome’s flagship partnerships, specialising in maximising brand impact and income-raising potential.
   

• Deliver communications strategies to inspire audiences and support organisational goals, working closely with colleagues across the Communications and Fundraising, and with external partners.

• Develop stand out creative ideas for campaigns and activations to shape and deliver integrated activities that cut through, including Warm Welcome Week. 

• Act as a brand ambassador, advising and supporting the team to deliver brand-aligned messaging and content. Plus, crafting messaging and designing brand assets, marketing materials, presentations and resources.
   

• Create content to show the impact of Warm Welcome Spaces, including delivering hard-hitting press releases and impact reports.
   

• Create content for social media channels, website and digital newsletters.

• Develop case studies and organise photoshoots to tell the Warm Welcome story for positive change.
   

• Support the delivery of the Patrons and Ambassadors Strategy.

• Help manage the systems and processes needed for effective partnership and stakeholder management, including CRM use, reporting and tracking.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Warm Welcome Campaign to connect partners with Warm Welcome Spaces and activities across the UK.

• Contribute to wider communications activity and team objectives.

Person Specification

Essential Experience

• Proven experience designing and executing high-impact brand or corporate partnership communications plans, ideally for a non-profit organisation.
   

• Strong track record of developing and delivering integrated communications campaigns across multiple channels, targeting a range of audiences.
   

• Highly collaborative and able to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
   

• Proven experience of crafting messages and stories. 

• Experience creating brand assets using Canva or similar tools.

• Experience of crafting compelling content for press releases and liaising with journalists.

• Strong track record of delivering content for digital media channels.

• Experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

• Experience of monitoring and evaluating communications impact, using data and insights.

Desirable Experience

• Experience using CRMs or databases for relationship management and reporting.

• Experience working within the charity, community or social impact sector.

• Experience of delivering patrons and ambassadors programmes.

• Experience of developing new brands.

Abilities and Understanding

• Ability to brief, critique and develop creative work constructively, with a good eye for brand, design, film and photography.

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.

• Ability to communicate confidently and professionally with a range of audiences.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and work independently.

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.

• Understanding the importance of accurate record keeping and effective systems.

• Ability to work collaboratively within a small and fast-moving team.

• Confident using Google Workspace, Microsoft Office and CRM systems.

Competencies and behaviours in our team

The core competence of everyone in our team is the ability to build trusted relationships among people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We are looking for people who are:

• Committed to the power of relationships to facilitate social change 

• Collaborative, inclusive, ambitious, aligning with our core values 

• Self-starter with high level of commitment, energy and motivation 

• Curious and show initiative, with problem-solving skills and an ability to learn quickly and adapt to a rapidly changing context 

• Calm under pressure, and can adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment 

• Willing to pitch in to help other team members if needed 

• Organised with effective time management skills. 

Working Arrangements 

• Current members of the team are based across the UK, with some in London, Reading, Bristol, Manchester, York and Northern Ireland. Applicants must be able to travel to Bristol once a month for a Tuesday full team meeting. Given the nature of this role we would also expect the applicant to carry out a reasonable amount of travel to both Warm Welcome Spaces and partners across the UK. 

• This role is fully remote, with flexible working arrangements. 

• All employees, volunteers, partners, suppliers and consultants working with GFP are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies. GFP’s commitment to safeguarding means we seek to ensure that no harm comes to people as a result of contact with the organisation’s programmes, operations or people.

• You will need to have the right to work in the UK.

For full details on how to apply, please view the attached role description. 

Thriving Futures Leadership Academy Coordinator

Contract: Part-Time (0.5 FTE) Fixed term to 31/08/2030

Reports to: Thriving Futures Programme Manager

Salary: £17,500 per annum 0.5 FTE

Office Location: Hybrid with travel across London, Birmingham, Wales and Scotland when required

Benefits: 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, (pro-rata for part-time staff) flexible working, pension contribution, Employee Assistance Programme 0.5 FTE

About Black Thrive Global

We exist to change the odds stacked against Black people by embedding race equity into systemic change so that thriving is not the exception but the norm.

Black Thrive Global evolved from the work of the Black Thrive Lambeth Partnership, which was established in 2016 to address the inequalities that negatively impact the mental health and wellbeing of Black people in Lambeth. Black people’s cumulative exposure to negative experiences and poor outcomes are not unique to Lambeth and Black Thrive Global was founded in 2020 to address the detrimental outcomes for Black people of African and Caribbean descent wherever they may be located.

Our work covers all life stages – children and young people, working age adults and older adults. Our guiding principle is to centre the lived experiences of Black communities in all that we do, and our strategic priorities are to embed race equity in systems change and to decolonise the evidence landscape.

The Thriving Futures Scaling Systems Change programme will involve scaling what we have tested and learned locally in Lambeth, Haringey, and Birmingham to achieve UK-wide impact through Black Thrive Global, with the ambition to extend our work into Wales and Scotland.

Role Description

The Leadership Academy Coordinator will play a key role in the planning, coordination, and delivery of the Leadership Academy, a programme designed to equip participants with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to engage with systems, drive change, and develop as inclusive, multi-skilled leaders, with a strong emphasis on valuing lived experience.

The Academy will bring together learning and development opportunities across a range of areas, including the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), system navigation, community-led research, and leadership development approaches. Through this programme, grassroots community groups, people with lived experience, and system leaders will be supported to strengthen their leadership capabilities and contribute to anti-racist system change.

The postholder will be responsible for coordinating the development and delivery of the Leadership Academy, working collaboratively with Black Thrive localities, internal teams, people with lived experience, and external specialists to shape and deliver a high-quality learning offer.

Acting as the central point of coordination for the Academy, the postholder will oversee programme planning, stakeholder engagement, curriculum development processes, logistics, and delivery timelines. They will bring together contributions from multiple workstreams and partners, ensuring that content is aligned, relevant, and delivered effectively to meet the needs of participants.

The postholder will work closely with facilitators, trainers, and subject matter experts to coordinate sessions and learning activities, while ensuring effective quality assurance, participant engagement, monitoring, and evaluation. Responsibilities will include managing programme schedules, coordinating communications, tracking participation and outcomes, and maintaining accurate records to support reporting and continuous improvement.

The Leadership Academy Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of the Academy's vision, objectives, and outcomes. They will support the ongoing development of the programme by identifying opportunities for improvement, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring the curriculum remains responsive to the needs of communities, stakeholders, and the wider system.

The role requires excellent organisational, project management, and relationship-building skills, alongside the ability to coordinate multiple priorities and stakeholders. The postholder will act as a key connector across the programme, ensuring all elements of the Leadership Academy come together effectively and provide a positive and inclusive experience for participants.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate the end-to-end delivery of the Leadership Academy programme, ensuring all activities are well-planned and executed.
• Design and support the development of engaging training sessions and learning materials.
• Liaise with internal and external trainers to schedule, prepare, and deliver sessions effectively.
• Facilitate training sessions where appropriate, ensuring a psychologically safe, positive and inclusive learning environment.
• Track participant attendance, engagement, and progression, maintaining accurate and up-to-date records.
• Act as the main point of contact for participants, trainers, and stakeholders involved in the Leadership Academy.
• Monitor programme delivery against agreed timelines and outputs, ensuring milestones are met.
• Support the evaluation of sessions and gather feedback to inform continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of the Leadership Academy offer.  
• Ensure all programme delivery aligns with organisational values, including equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• Provide regular updates and reports on programme progress to Programme Manager.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties, and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation.

Personal Specification

Essential Criteria

· Experience coordinating or supporting the delivery of training programmes, learning initiatives, or events.

· Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders.

· Experience working collaboratively with facilitators, trainers and external partners

· Ability to track data, monitor progress, and maintain accurate records

· Confident facilitating or supporting group sessions or workshops

· Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills

· Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, with an understanding of how this applies to learning environments

· Understanding of race equity, anti-racism, or culturally responsive practice (especially relevant to PCREF context)

· Experience working within the public, voluntary, or community sector

Desirable Criteria

· Experience designing or co-designing learning content or training programmes

· Knowledge or experience of leadership development programmes

· Understanding of race equity, anti-racism, or culturally responsive practice (especially relevant to PCREF context)

· Experience using digital learning platforms or tools (e.g. Teams, Zoom, LMS systems, or similar)

· Experience working within the public, voluntary, or community sector

To apply, please submit a CV and a cover letter (no longer than 2 pages) via Charity Jobs