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Portfolio Manager, Funding Department

6 - 9 Months Fixed Term Contract

£45,905 - £48,848 pa

City of London E1 8QS and we are a hybrid working organisation

 

Please note this is a hybrid role based on the successful candidate working at least two days a week in our London office. Remote contracts would not be considered for this role.

Purpose of Role

The Portfolio Manager will play a key role in the success of the team responsible for Comic Relief’s funding programme focused on tackling the effects of poverty. This role is focused on forced migration (in a team that also works in areas such as food insecurity, homelessness in the UK, and maternal and child health internationally),

The Portfolio Manager will hold direct responsibility for new Comic Relief grant making and ongoing grant management both in the UK and internationally, ensuring excellent grant making practice.

The Portfolio Manager will collaborate with other teams in the funding department and across the wider organisation to support Comic Relief’s overall objectives, including income generation.

Key responsibilities:

Grant making and ongoing grant management

· Manage new grant making, including working with colleagues to design funding opportunities, assessing funded partners, designing appropriate ongoing support mechanisms, and working with learning colleagues in the Funding Team on appropriate data collection

· Manage assigned funding portfolios and relationships with funded partners, ensuring that the portfolio is managed in a timely and responsive way, using Comic Relief’s (CR’s) systems and processes.

· Coordinate with other colleagues across the different teams in the funding department to ensure effective and efficient ways of working, and fruitful collaboration and learning across different funded issues and areas.

· Manage all ongoing requirements, such as narrative, financial and risk reporting, collaborating across the funding team and wider Comic Relief as appropriate.

· Work with the Assurance and Finance teams to ensure ongoing compliance across the portfolio with legal requirements, our grant conditions, reporting requirements and best practice.

· Collaborate with Partnerships colleagues to manage donor reporting and other information needs for external and internal use, such as information about our funded work and our partners.

Cross organisation and sector collaboration

· Support resource mobilisation partnerships through collaborative and supportive working with Comic Relief’s communications, fundraising and partnership teams.

· Work with the Partnerships Team to support strong relationships with existing and potential co-funding partners, including corporates and/or trusts, foundations and institutions, and support proposal development, reporting and other requirements.

· Work collaboratively across CR to support storytelling around CR’s impact.

· Develop a good understanding of areas of social change within assigned funding portfolios and areas of new grant making to be able to represent Comic Relief’s funding and priorities to internal and external stakeholders

· Contribute to internal communications regarding the work of the team and the wider Funding Team.

· Represent Comic Relief to strategic partners and co-funders, in relevant networks, and at external events.

General

· Manage the work of consultants and other contractors as required.

· Communicate in an open, honest and transparent way with funding applicants, funded partners and funding partners.

· Ensure that, when applicable, people with lived or learned experience are actively engaged with our work, contributing to the design and decision-making process of our funding portfolios.

Note: Some UK and/or international travel may be required for this role. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

· Significant understanding/experience of the systems and structures that perpetuate social injustice and keep people trapped in poverty, including the best approaches to address them

· Experience and knowledge of grant making and programme design, including developing, implementing and evaluating programmes, and managing grants within a donor and / or implementing organisation.

· Experience of managing restricted donor funding and supporting ongoing donor management (e.g. government funding and/or funding from other institutions, trusts foundations or corporate entities)

· Personal and effective relationship builder with high emotional intelligence to nurture trust and respect in all relationships.

· Motivation, flexibility and resilience to navigate unforeseen challenges and collaborate effectively.

· Analytical thinker with the ability to see the bigger picture and make appropriate and effective decisions.

· An understanding or lived experience of social injustice, and proven track record of working in alignment with Comic Relief’s commitment to social justice, anti-racism, diversity, inclusion and equity

Desirable criteria 

· Experience with or knowledge of decolonising philanthropy and the wider funding sector

· Understanding of, and commitment to, the use of storytelling to engage the public in programmatic work

· Experience of budget management

Perks and benefits:

· Flexible working hours

· Work from home option

· Life Insurance

· Wellness programs

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

· Paid emergency leave

· Sabbatical Opportunities

· Professional development

· Mentoring/coaching

· Paid volunteer days

· Payroll giving

· Salary sacrifice

· Team social events

· Extracurricular clubs

· Cycle to work scheme

· Free fruit

To apply please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Comic Relief reserves the right to close the role early if a large number of applications are received.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Comic Relief we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Why work at Comic Relief

There are lots of good reasons to join us at Comic Relief. You can read more about our employee benefits, such as our commitment to flexible and hybrid working. We ask staff to come to the office twice a week, normally on agreed team days, so that we can do all those things that are difficult to do online. Our office is based in Whitechapel, London,

There are lots of opportunities to develop your skills and experience at Comic Relief, including opportunities to become a Mental Health First Aider or to participate in our Employee Network Groups that focus on making Comic Relief a more inclusive place to work.

Disability Confident Employer

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we take positive action by providing first-round interviews to candidates who have a registered disability, provided they meet the minimum criteria for the role, as demonstrated on their CV and application questions.

We ask that candidates that wish to be considered for this scheme email us via our website to discuss further. Please do not email CV's/cover letters.

Every purchasing decision across Alzheimer's Society has the potential to deliver better value, stronger compliance, and ultimately more impact for people affected by dementia. As a Procurement Officer, you'll be one of a team of the operational experts who makes this happen. Supporting colleagues across the Society to navigate procurement with confidence, building the relationships that drive understanding, and using data to identify opportunities that protect resources and unlock savings. 

About the opportunity 

As Procurement Officer within our Finance & Assurance directorate, you'll be part of an agile, flexible team that's transforming how we deliver financial partnership across the organisation. We're on an ambitious journey to become the Society's single point of financial truth - trusted partners and credible experts who enable the organisation to make faster, better-informed decisions. This is where your procurement expertise meets meaningful impact, where your ability to engage colleagues and drive understanding directly enables us to focus on what matters most: transforming lives affected by dementia. 

In this role, you'll provide hands-on procurement support to colleagues across the Society, helping them navigate contracts, suppliers and purchasing decisions. You'll implement our procurement strategies at an operational level, ensuring contracts are delivered with quality and on time. Working collaboratively with Finance, Legal, Risk and Audit colleagues, you'll develop and manage contracts, maintain supplier relationships, and collect the financial data that helps us understand procurement performance. Crucially, you'll engage widely to build understanding of procurement policies, making compliance accessible rather than burdensome, and fostering a culture where best practice becomes the natural way of working. 

You may also have the chance to line manage a Procurement Assistant, developing their capabilities while role-modelling the high-challenge, high-support culture that drives our team's success. 

About you: 

You're an experienced procurement professional who understands that operational excellence comes from making procurement easy for colleagues to get right. You know how to balance rigorous processes with practical support, and you're skilled at engaging people at all levels to improve how procurement works. You're as comfortable analysing spend data as you are explaining contract requirements or building rapport with suppliers. 

You'll have: 

-  Experience driving efficiencies and cost savings through supporting the design and implementation of procurement plans in large organisations. 
- A track record of improving understanding of and engagement with procurement across diverse audiences to boost compliance and effectiveness. 
- Experience of contract development, management and negotiation, with knowledge of the procurement landscape and relevant legislation. 
- Good relationship-building skills with experience working across multiple business areas and with colleagues at different levels, particularly those in financial roles. 
- Excellent communication and influencing abilities, able to engage effectively with internal colleagues and external suppliers alike. 
- Some experience working with finance systems and processes, or in a financial environment, with an interest in the dementia landscape and its procurement implications. 

What you’ll focus on:  

-  Implementing our procurement strategies operationally, ensuring quality contract delivery while building understanding and compliance across the Society. 
- Forming strong relationships with colleagues at all levels to provide expert procurement support that makes purchasing decisions clearer and easier. 
- Collecting and translating financial and procurement data into reports that demonstrate impact and spotlight opportunities for better value. 
- Managing supplier relationships and developing contracts that protect the Society's interests while collaborating across departments for appropriate oversight. 
- Building effective relationships with colleagues to improve value for money and/or drive efficiencies, particularly with colleagues in financial roles. 
- Taking personal ownership of monitoring your work's progress and impact, while supporting the team's efforts to track overall procurement performance. 

Can you see yourself as the procurement partner who turns policy into practice through effective relationship building and clear guidance? Are you ready to combine operational rigour with authentic engagement to drive both compliance and efficiency? Can you bring technical procurement knowledge and people skills to ensure every pound is spent wisely in our mission to end the devastation of dementia? 

Important Dates 
The deadline for applications is 23:59 on 17th March 2026. 
First-stage interviews will take place on Monday 30th March and Tuesday 31st March.
Second-stage interviews will take place on 14th and 15th April.

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

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 it truly 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 showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.

Location: Hybrid - Remote working with travel required for events and meetings.
Reporting to: Director of Strategic Engagement
Key Relationships: PR Manager, Senior Communications Officer, Associate Director of Communications and Engagement, wider members of the Strategic Engagement division, member charities, external agencies and partners
Salary: £55,000 - £60,000 (£33-36,000 pro rata)
Hours: Part Time (3 days per week) 21hours 0.6 FTE
Contract Type: Part Time - Permanent
 
Benefits: 10% employers pension contribution (NEST) HSF Health cash Plan-covering employee partners and dependants under 18 28 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays and increases with length of service 2 hours weekly wellbeing time out Employee assistance program , offering GP advice lines, virtual doctors, prescription services, emotional wellbeing support, a legal help line and counselling. Funded eye site test (Specsavers) Pay it forward days- 2 days volunteering Mindful Employer Perkbox and Reward Gateway – discount platforms
 
Overall Purpose
 
The PR and Marketing Lead plays a pivotal role in protecting and enhancing the NHS Charity sector’s brand reputation across media and digital channels and to reach our key audiences. As a senior member of the Strategic Engagement team, the postholder will help shape and deliver a compelling narrative about the role, need and impact of NHS charities, working with our NHS charity members to ensure our story is told in an emotive and engaging way.
 
Working closely with the Director of Strategic Engagement, the Associate Director of Communications, Communications Lead, PR Manager and the wider team, the postholder will provide strategic leadership across PR, digital content, brand messaging and storytelling. They will oversee forward planning of media moments, manage day-to-day PR operations, guide digital content strategy, and coordinate events and campaigns that raise the profile of the charity sector and deepen engagement with supporters, partners and members.
The role combines strategic oversight, hands-on content leadership, and team management to ensure coordinated, impactful communications that support our organisational goals.
 
Overall Objectives

• Protect and enhance the NHS charity sector brand and reputation across PR and digital channels.
• Lead a cohesive media and marketing strategy that tells compelling stories of the impact and need of NHS charities to priority audiences.
• Ensure brand messaging and visual identity remain consistent and effective across channels and across the organisation.
• Oversee the gathering and use of powerful case studies that demonstrate sector impact, to support PR and marketing activities, working closely with the wider strategic engagement team
• Manage the PR Manager and Senior Communications Officer to maximise reach, engagement, and influence.
• Guide forward planning of proactive media opportunities and digital content.
• Oversee campaigns, events and communications activities that support strategic priorities.
• Work closely with the Communications Lead to ensure a collaborative, high-performing communications function aligned to shared goals.

 
Key Responsibilities
 
The main duties and responsibilities of the role holder are as outlined below;
 
Media and Marketing Strategy

• Lead the strategic direction of PR, marketing and digital activity to support organisational priorities.
• Ensure an integrated approach across media, digital and brand, aligning messaging and creative.
• Coordinate with internal teams to develop forward plans for proactive media moments, using case studies, campaigns, thought leadership, reports and partnerships.
• Identify and mitigate risks that may impact reputation, coordinating responses with internal teams.

 
Brand and Messaging

• Oversee brand messaging and visual identity, collaborating with members to  galvanise engagement and reach and ensuring consistent application across all channels.
• Provide guidance to colleagues and external partners on tone of voice, key messages and visual standards.
• Ensure communications are inclusive, accessible and reflective of the communities we serve.

 
Storytelling and Content Leadership

• Oversee development of versatile, high-quality content including imagery, video, copy, and digital storytelling assets, working closely with the Communications Lead to take a strategic approach across audiences.
• Shape the forward content plan for digital channels, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
• Use data and insight to inform digital content strategy and continuous improvement.
• Lead and inspire the team to gather emotive case studies that bring to life the work and impact of NHS charities.

 
Media Operations

• Oversee a responsive, well-run press office managing enquiries, monitoring coverage and ensuring timely, high-quality responses.
• Support and guide the PR Manager to maximise media presence with target audiences.
• Build relationships with journalists and position NHS Charities Together and the wider NHS charity sector with our priority audiences.
• Oversee the team to manage our relationships with high profile supporters and celebrities.
• Act as a spokesperson where appropriate.

 
Digital Channels

• Line-manage the Senior Communications Officer to ensure our digital channels effectively support organisational objectives.
• Oversee planning and delivery across website, social media and email marketing.
• Ensure digital activity is insight-led, audience-focused and continually optimised through analytics.

 
Campaigns, Events and Activities

• Oversee delivery of campaigns and events, ensuring they are well planned, impactful and aligned to brand and messaging.
• Work with internal teams to maximise the communications and marketing potential of organisational activities.
• Provide strategic input and coordination across multi-channel campaigns.

 
Collaboration and Leadership

• Work closely with the Director of Strategic Engagement and the Associate Director of Communications and Engagement and the Communications Lead to develop shared priorities, workflows and team culture.
• Provide leadership, mentoring and clear direction to team members.
• Represent Communications across the organisation and with external partners when required.

 
Other duties

• Visibly live NHS Charities Togethers values, including our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Carrying out the duties of post in accordance with NHS Charities Togethers policies and procedures on Health and Safety and take responsibility for ensuring personal health and safety.
• Working flexibly, prioritising workload, and working effectively as part of a team. Demonstrating an ability to work calmly and effectively when under pressure of tight deadlines, to deliver work on time and to a high standard. 
• Adhere to relevant legislation, best practice, policies, and processes including, but not limited to charity law, the fundraising regulator, GDPR and professional codes and standards. 

 
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of duties. The need for flexibility is required, and the post holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee’s skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed.
 
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