About the role
Cardiomyopathy UK's Director of Research and External Affairs leads the charity's research, policy and advocacy, and communications and marketing functions, with a team of four staff. The post-holder sets the strategic direction of the directorate, drives high-quality delivery, upholds the charity's values, and represents the charity externally. The Director is a member of the charity's Leadership Team, working closely with the CEO to steer the charity forward.
For the right person, this is an opportunity with real strategic scope. We want to build on our strong policy positions and evidence base and translate them into more proactive campaigning and influencing, moving from good policy thinking to concerted public affairs activity, strategic stakeholder engagement, and campaigns that achieve real change.
The Director will also lead the next phase of our research work, following our inaugural research grant-funding activity and James Lind Alliance top ten work. They will work with the Research Manager and our clinical and academic partners to better define and deliver our ambitions.
Raising awareness of cardiomyopathy, its signs, symptoms and genetic risk, is also within the team's scope. Too many people are still diagnosed late because neither they nor their GP knew what to look for. The Director will drive our communications and marketing agenda purposefully, equally ensuring the charity’s external profile is actively managed and enhanced.
About you
We're looking for a leader who is a collaborative and inclusive, able to build trust with staff, colleagues, external partners and the Board. They will have strong strategic, analytical and planning skills, with the ability to develop coherent strategies. They will have experience as a senior leader/ manager in a charity, health, research or patient-focused organisation. See the Person Specification for further details.
Why join us?
Cardiomyopathy UK is the national charity for people affected by cardiomyopathy. We provide specialist nurse support, peer support, wellbeing services and trusted information to thousands of people each year, as well as influencing policy, supporting advocacy, and funding and enabling better research.
We are ambitious about our future. We are committed to quality, accountability and continuous improvement. Most importantly, we are committed to ensuring that everyone affected by cardiomyopathy can live well with the condition.
We are a family friendly employer with flexible and hybrid working. We offer an enhanced Employee Assistance Programme, additional annual leave linked to length of service, and an extra special occasion day each year.
We are midway through our five-year strategic plan, at a genuinely exciting moment, both for the charity and for cardiomyopathy more broadly. If you are excited by the opportunity to shape our Research and External Affairs work, lead a strong team and ensure we can clearly demonstrate the impact of our work, we would love to hear from you.
First round interviews are scheduled to take place 20th/21st July
Second round interviews are scheduled to take place 3-6th Aug
Please note candidates will be asked to attend one interview in the Amersham office
We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to the interview process - we will provide further details on this when contacting short-listed candidates.
Registered Charity 
11 - 20
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Who we are
Every year, thousands of people in the UK face court alone. Often through no choice of their own, people must represent themselves at a moment that could have life-changing outcomes. This includes loss of access to children or homelessness. At the same time, people facing court alone may find themselves up against a party with legal representation. They are instantly at a disadvantage and overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges they are up against. We supported unrepresented litigants in the civil and family courts in England and Wales over 45,000 times last year.
We provide a safe space with volunteers who listen to each client’s individual story. Last year, over 1000 volunteers helped people to get their thoughts in order, problem-solve and decide next steps, source relevant and reliable legal information, explain complex procedures, complete court forms, and clearly present statements.
At a time when legal support is increasingly limited, we have a vision that no one should have to face court alone.
The role
Support Through Court is establishing a legal advice clinic for money claim matters under £10,000, for a one-year pilot. Advice will be given to clients across the national service network who have been internally triaged to the clinic.
The role involves day-to day management of the clinic and supervising law students as they facilitate client appointments, conduct research and draft letters of advice. Clients will predominantly be supported remotely with occasional in-person appointments and advice “drop-ins” in the local area. You will train and supervise students to help them gain practical legal skills in a clinic setting, having final sign-off of completed letters of advice/oral advice to ensure clients receive an excellent service.
You will embed the legal advice offering of the clinic into the organisation, increasing and developing referrals from our national service network and supporting staff understanding of referral ability.
Who we are looking for
Ambitious, professional, committed and friendly. That describes us. If it also describes you and you have a passion for access to justice, then we’re keen to hear from you.
You will be a qualified solicitor with at least 3 years PQE (ideally 5+) with an active practicing certificate. You will have experience managing students and/or volunteers and a commitment to supporting Litigants in Person.
We are open to applicants wishing to take the role either on a full-time basis, or on a part-time basis as a job share. Please make it clear in your application whether you are applying for a full-time or part-time role.
Interviews will be taking place on a rolling basis as applications are received.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.