Communications and marketing manager jobs

About us

The Economist Educational Foundation is a fast-growing charity on a mission to ensure that every child is empowered to think critically and communicate effectively about the world’s most complex current issues. Last year, 10,800 teachers downloaded Topical Talk lessons, reaching 532,000 children in over 86 countries. We are on track to double this number, reaching over 1 million school children by the end of 2026.

Topical Talk helps children join inspiring discussions about the news by providing weekly lessons for classroom discussions, international prizes and teacher training partnerships. Our programme has received international recognition, including from UNESCO and the Global Media and Information Literacy Awards. High-quality graphic design is central to what we do; our teachers love our resources because they are beautifully presented, designed to enhance student learning and to inspire a lifelong curiosity about the world around them. 

The role

We are seeking a creative, agile and ambitious Graphic Designer to lead the visual identity of our flagship educational programme, Topical Talk Headlines.

Working three days a week, this role offers an extraordinary amount of creative freedom. Every week brings a brand-new global news story, and it will be up to you to establish its unique look and feel. From choosing typography and vibrant colour palettes to deciding between illustration and photography, you will have the autonomy to design resources that make complex, intimidating global issues accessible and engaging for young people aged 10-16 around the world.

Reporting to the Director of Programmes and working closely with our experienced in-house Designer, you will be embedded in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. You will partner with our expert team of ex-teacher content creators to brainstorm, iterate and deliver world-class classroom resources on tight, overlapping deadlines. While your primary focus will be Topical Talk Headlines, you will also support wider brand and marketing projects across the charity as time allows. 

Responsibilities

Visual identity and resource creation:

• Own the weekly design of Topical Talk Headlines: translate complex global topics into beautiful, clear and practical learning resources, from worksheets and posters to interactive slides and educational games
• Design for global accessibility: use clear information hierarchy, considered layouts and colour-signposting to support teachers and ensure students, including those learning in a non-native language, can seamlessly navigate nuanced concepts
• Uphold our brand standard: deliver high-quality, polished designs that our teachers expect and that reflect the premium reputation of The Economist Educational Foundation
• Design for modern youth experiences: create contemporary, vibrant visuals that reflect and respect how young people engage with the world
• Source impactful imagery: curate and adapt photography and illustration using stock libraries as a base, applying our specific brand guidelines to pick authentic, non-cliché visuals that resonate with children and enhance global stories

Collaboration and production management:

• Work in tandem with Educational Content Leads: engage in rapid, collaborative feedback loops to edit and refine resources, ensuring perfect alignment between the text and visual design
• Manage overlapping production schedules: stay highly organised across a quick, 2.5-week production cycle from initial brainstorming to final digital publication
• Maintain strict quality control: catch typos, spot alignment issues and make sure layouts stay clean and consistent from page to page

Innovation and process improvement:

• Proactively suggest process improvements: identify new tools, templates or workflows to optimise our internal production and feedback loops
• Champion student engagement: stay curious about modern design trends. Gather visual inspiration to introduce interactive digital formats or fresh aesthetic approaches to our lessons

Skills and behaviours

You are a creative self-starter who is passionate about global current affairs and believes that great design can change how young people understand the world. You possess the following:

• A portfolio of inspiring design: proven experience delivering highly visual layouts that synthesise complex information beautifully and cleanly
• Speed, agility and decisiveness: the ability to work efficiently within a 3-day week, making confident design decisions and implementing editorial feedback rapidly
• Flawless attention to detail: ensuring final resources are completely error-free
• A deeply collaborative spirit: you love brainstorming, co-creating and working side-by-side with content writers to elevate concepts
• Technical mastery: highly proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) as well as PowerPoint and Google Slides. Comfort using or upskilling in tools like Canva and Vimeo is a plus.

Experience

You have...

• A degree in graphic design, illustration, visual communication or a related discipline – or equivalent professional portfolio experience
• Mid-weight industry experience working in-house, within an agency or as an established freelancer
• Extensive experience designing multi-page documents, slide decks or interactive educational/informational assets
• Experience managing tight, cyclical production deadlines independently

You might also have (desirable but not essential):

• Data visualisation: experience interpreting data to create clear, accurate charts, graphs and infographics
• UX/UI web design: basic experience or an understanding of user experience design to help shape how teachers interact with our resources online
• Video editing/animation: experience creating or editing short-form video and motion graphics, on Premiere Pro, After Effects or Canva

We’re particularly keen for you to apply if you are from a community under-represented in the charity sector or have lived experience of facing extra barriers because of your background. 

ABOUT MUSTARD TREE

At Mustard Tree, we believe everyone deserves dignity, opportunity, and hope.

We work alongside people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and financial hardship, providing practical support, life-changing opportunities, and pathways towards greater stability and independence.

Our work addresses both the causes and consequences of poverty. We support people not only in crisis, but as they rebuild confidence, develop skills, improve wellbeing, and take meaningful steps towards a more secure future.

ROLE PURPOSE

This role provides person-centred employment and progression support to individuals facing barriers to financial wellbeing, including homelessness or risk of homelessness. Working with a managed caseload, this role will support participants to build confidence and employability skills, and progress towards meaningful, sustained employment, further education, or accredited training.

The role includes a blend of structured employability support, responsive frontline 121 work combined with corporate partnership skills.  This role will work directly with Freedom Trainees and Mustard Tree clients, supporting walk-ins, referrals, and longer-term participants. This role will represent our values through high-quality, compassionate, and professional service delivery.

This role combines direct participant support, employability delivery, employer engagement working with the Salford Area Manager. You will work across our Eccles and Little Hulton sites, helping create meaningful opportunities that enable participants’ progression.

Key Competencies

1. World Class Welcome and Customer Service

· Deliver Work Placement and Employment service across Salford appropriate to participants’ needs, through a welcoming, inclusive, and professional service that reflects a world-class customer experience.

· Networking and building relationships in Salford with new and existing corporate partners to deliver work placement opportunities to Freedom Project trainees, attendees to structured courses/clubs, and referrals from partner organisations (JCP and Elevate partners)

· Provide tailored, 1:1 employment and skills support, including caseload management, action planning, CV development, job search, and interview preparation.

· Adapt support to meet the diverse and complex needs of participants, demonstrating empathy and resilience.

· Manage referrals and signposting effectively, ensuring participants access appropriate internal and external services.

2. Proactive in Living and Sharing our Culture, Values and Behaviours

· Consistently model Mustard Tree’s values, culture and expected behaviours in all interactions with participants, colleagues and partners.

· Promote equality, diversity and inclusion by creating safe, welcoming and respectful environments for everyone by building positive relationships, challenge inappropriate behaviour appropriately, and reflect on feedback to continuously improve practice.

· Communicate in an inclusive, accessible and person-centred way, adapting approaches to meet participants needs.

· Demonstrate professionalism, integrity and accountability while maintaining boundaries and delivering on commitments.

3. Courage in Problem Solving and Embracing Change to Meet Needs

· Identify barriers affecting participant progression and respond to reduce/remove the barriers

· Adapt quickly and positively to changing priorities, service demands and participant needs while maintaining high-quality support.

· Demonstrate resilience when managing complex situations, setbacks or competing pressures, whilst taking ownership of actions and outcomes

· Embrace learning, feedback and change to continuously improve ways of working and support positive participant outcomes

4. Confident in Safeguarding and Incident Management

· Manage situations calmly and professionally, maintaining dignity and safety for all.

· Follow safeguarding, health and safety, and incident management procedures, escalating concerns appropriately.

· Work collaboratively with colleagues, contributing to case discussions and team meetings

• Complete and maintain accurate documentation, incident forms, and risk records.
• Attend required training, supervision, and reflective practice sessions and keep up to date with relevant legislation and local statutory and voluntary-sector provision.

5. Skilled in Reporting

· Monitor progress, record outcomes, and adapt support in response to individual needs, using TreeSalt, case notes, and case studies to evidence impact.

• Signpost and refer trainees and participants to appropriate internal services and external agencies, including housing, mental health, benefits, and specialist support.
• Track participant outcomes including engagement, training completion, volunteering, work placements, and employment progression to support internal reporting requirements and funder monitoring.

6. Positive Management of Stakeholders, Partners and Supporters

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local employers, job centres, statutory services, charities, and third-sector organisations.

• Coordinate referrals and progression pathways into and out of the programme. Establish and maintain pathways into employment, education, training, and volunteering.

• Identify, develop, and maintain work placement and progression opportunities with employers and partner organisations.
• Match participants to placements aligned with their interests, goals, and support needs.

• Ensure placements are structured, safe, and provide meaningful learning and development. Escalate any placement-related issues promptly and collaboratively.

General Duties

• Work in line with organisational policies, procedures, and values.
• Support colleagues and provide cover across services and sites when required.
• Take responsibility for professional development and ongoing learning.
• Act as a positive ambassador for the organisation internally and externally.
• Contribute to environmental responsibility through day-to-day working practices.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role as required.

What we are looking for.

Person Specification 

Minimum of two years’ frontline experience supporting adults, including vulnerable individuals. - Essential

Experience supporting people facing multiple barriers such as poverty, homelessness, unemployment, or housing instability. - Essential

Experience of managing varied caseloads and achieving measurable outcomes with participants. - Essential

Experience of and/or ability to build and maintain partnerships with external organisations, local businesses or employers. - Essential

Understanding of employability pathways, training provision, and labour market opportunities. - Essential

Resilient, adaptable, with flexible enthusiastic approach. Able to work on their own initiative as well as contributing effectively as part of a team. - Essential

Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, health and safety, and risk management. - Essential

Good interpersonal skills, including verbal and written communication skills. - Essential

Degree-level qualification and/or equivalent experience in responsible roles. - Desirable

Strong time management and administration skills, with the ability to multitask - Essential

Experienced in using IT systems including Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Excel, and Word - Desirable 

Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle and willingness and ability to travel regularly across our Salford hubs - Desirable

Why Work for Mustard Tree

Working at Mustard Tree is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to be part of a community that is changing lives every day.

Our Culture

• A values-led organisation where compassion, dignity, and respect guide everything we do
• A supportive and collaborative team environment where your voice matters
• A place where lived experience is valued and people are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work
• A strong sense of purpose, with the opportunity to see the real impact of your work

What We Offer

• A meaningful role where you can make a tangible difference in people’s lives
• Opportunities for learning, development, and progression, including access to training and mentoring
• A flexible and supportive approach to working, with consideration for work-life balance
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with length of service), with additional bank holidays and a day off for your birthday
• Employer pension contribution
• Access to wellbeing support, including Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Perkbox

We are committed to investing in our people and creating an environment where you can grow, feel supported, and do your best work.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a supporting statement - telling us about your experience and why this role matters to you.

This job description is intended as a guide and may evolve as our work continues to grow and respond to the needs of our community.

Location: Hybrid Variable - tied to the Bristol or London office, or Home based with travel to Bristol once a month

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time

About the role

We’re looking for a Virtual Fundraising Officer to join our Virtual Fundraising Team.

This role sits within the Mass Participation Team, an ambitious team that attracts and enables supporters to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer through participation in virtual or real-life events and challenges. Young Lives vs Cancer recruits around 11,500 virtual fundraisers a year. For many of these supporters this is their first interaction with Young Lives vs Cancer and shows that virtual fundraising can be just the beginning of a relationship with a new supporter. 

The Virtual Fundraising Officer is responsible for the delivery and growth of virtual fundraising challenges, ensuring exceptional supporter journeys and stewardship while driving ambitious participation and income targets. 

The main purpose of this role is to project manage several events in our virtual events portfolio at Young Lives vs Cancer, and when needed, support the Virtual Fundraising Senior Officer on the project management of the remaining events in our portfolio. This will include utilising a data-driven approach to analyse performance, optimise processes, and identify opportunities for innovation. Collaborate with stakeholders, manage suppliers, and create engaging content to inspire and empower supporters to reach their fundraising ambitions. Ensure all activities are compliant with relevant regulations, contribute to organisational objectives, and uphold best practices in fundraising.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.

• Project management: Manage the virtual challenges portfolio, specifically the smaller events in our virtual portfolio from conception to delivery, and support the Virtual Fundraising Senior Officer on the delivery of the remaining of our Virtual challenge events when needed.
• Stewardship: Develop and deliver engaging, multi-channel stewardship plans to maximise supporter engagement, retention and income, including community management, creation of supporter resources, and implementation of second action strategies.
• Stakeholder/relationship management: Build and manage effective relationships with internal teams and external suppliers to ensure high-quality delivery, strong collaboration, clear communication, and accurate supporter data management.
• Budgeting, reporting & evaluating: Analyse and report on performance, budgets and market trends to inform decision-making, support target setting, and deliver post-event evaluation and continuous improvement across virtual fundraising activities.
• Compliance: Ensure all virtual fundraising activity is fully compliant with relevant regulations, including GDPR and the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Practice, while adhering to organisational policies, maximising Gift Aid income, and meeting all health, safety, and risk management requirements.

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Experience of project managing virtual or fundraising events from conception to delivery
• Proven ability to manage/complete projects
• Experience in designing effective stewardship plans and supporter journeys
• Experience of monitoring, collating and reporting data to provide insights and identify opportunities to innovate and make improvements
• Track record of achieving and exceeding targets
• Experience with fundraising platforms e.g. Funraising

What will I gain?

For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Wellbeing, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value AI adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible.Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

#ShowTheSalary #NonGraduatesWelcome

Leeds Mind promotes positive mental health and wellbeing and provides help and support to anyone who needs it in and around Leeds.  We have faith and optimism in our clients and so the services we deliver are built around their needs. We support the people of Leeds to discover their own resources to ‘recover’ from periods of poor mental health, and to live life independently with their mental health condition. 

Our values of Being Open, Supportive, Brave, Connected, and Resourceful are pivotal to the work we do.

Belonging at Leeds Mind

Leeds Mind is committed to creating an inclusive environment – equity, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of everything that we do.

We are committed to ensuring that our colleagues, volunteers and people who access our services feel a sense of belonging at Leeds Mind that gives them the confidence to share their unique perspectives and experience.

By creating an inclusive environment that fosters belonging, we aspire to attract colleagues and volunteers who offer diversity of experience and thought. We believe this will ultimately improve the service we provide as well as the employee and volunteer experience.

To find out more about how we are developing this you can visit our website.

Our Service

Employment is a key part of mental health recovery. Our employment services are delivered in line with the IPS model, supporting people with mental health challenges to retain paid employment in line with their aspirations. IPS is delivered in close partnership with NHS mental health services, employers, commissioners and the wider system.

Due to receiving new funding we are excited to expand our WorkPlace Leeds service to develop our existing support in the community.

The Role

To provide an evidence-based IPS employment support service, delivered in a trauma‑informed, person‑centred and inclusive way, in line with Leeds Mind values and IPS fidelity standards.

You will be required to manage a caseload of clients who have experienced mental health difficulties and who are either unemployed or seeking to return to current employment following long term absence. You will be expected to deliver the IPS approach (according to the key principles of IPS). You will work with all relevant stakeholders, including employers, to support the client to gain and retain paid employment. 

We encourage all interested candidates to watch an introductory video which describes the impact of being an IPS Employment Specialist. You can find this link on the job advert attached.

Essential Skills and Experience:

· Experience of working directly with individuals who face complex barriers, using a person‑centred, strengths‑based and non‑judgemental approach.

· Able to manage a varied caseload, support people to find, return to or stay in work, and work towards agreed outcomes in a performance‑focused environment.

· Ability to build positive, trusting relationships with clients, employers and partner professionals, and communicate clearly, empathetically and professionally.

· Willing and able to proactively approach employers, promote inclusive employment, and support workplaces to understand mental health and reasonable adjustments.

· Able to prioritise workload, maintain accurate records using digital systems, work within safeguarding and GDPR requirements, and engage with supervision and feedback.

· Demonstrates a commitment to Leeds Mind values, inclusive and trauma‑informed practice, partnership working, and ongoing learning (including completing IPS training and competency assessment).

Hours – 37 hours per week (we are unable to offer part time hours unfortunately but may be able to accommodate flexible working)

Selection process will include a telephone screening and assessment centre.

Location: The role is predominantly community-based but you will also attend meetings at Clarence House, Clarence Road, LS18 4LB.

Successful candidates will be required to undertake a right to work in the UK check as well as an enhanced DBS check.  At Leeds Mind, we've made significant progress in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in recent years, resulting in a genuinely diverse team. We are committed to maintaining strong representation in our workforce and always encourage applications from LGBTQIA+, culturally diverse, neurodivergent, and disabled individuals.   

Reg charity number: 1007625