Head of service and development officer jobs

Do you want to change the world for vulnerable children?

The Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies UK (CVAA) aims to improve adoption policy and practice across the UK for the benefit of children, challenging the adoption system to deliver for children and work in their best interests. Alongside advocating for system change, CVAA works to support our member voluntary adoption agencies (VAAs) across the four nations of the UK, stimulating innovation and ensuring they stay at the leading edge of practice. The active engagement of members and the building of collaborative alliances with others who seek positive change for children are essential to the effectiveness of our work.

The Head of Policy is a vital member of the small CVAA team, working closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees to champion the voluntary adoption sector and put children at the heart of everything we do. Due to maternity leave we have an exceptional and unique opportunity for someone who shares our passion to change the world for children, to gain valuable experience working at national level with senior stakeholders to contribute to system change, advocating for the power of adoption to change lives.

You will need strong people skills, experience of developing policy in consultation with stakeholders and using data to transform services and strengthen lobbying work. Most of all you need a cast iron commitment to change the world for vulnerable children.

CVAA works to challenge discrimination and disadvantage and welcomes applications from all communities, particularly those who are underrepresented in our sector, which includes but is not limited to people from Global Majority backgrounds, adoptees, men and those who identify as LGBTQ.

Key information

• Maternity Cover 1 year from July 2026
• Location - remote contract with occasional travel
• £40 – 45K depending on experience
• An enhanced DBS check is required for this role.

Applications

Please send a CV and letter of application, outlining your motivation for applying and the skills you offer, to Satwinder Sandhu (CEO) by 5pm on Friday 8th May 2026.

Both Satwinder (CEO) and Alice (Director of Strategy and Policy) are happy to have an informal chat about the role. Please email to arrange a convenient time to speak.

Initial online interviews via Microsoft Teams will be on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th May, with final in-person interviews scheduled for Thursday 28th May 2026 in London. Please let us know whether you cannot make any of these dates in your application.

An exciting oppourtunity to lead compassionate, community-driven perinatal services that make a real difference to families every day. Shape how frontline support is delivered across our Baby Bank, Community Doula service, infant feeding support, and volunteer programmes in Birmingham. Ensuring safe, trauma-informed care reaches those who need it most.

As Head of Service at Elayos, you’ll turn strategy into meaningful action. You will lead staff and volunteers, strengthen safeguarding practice, embed reflective learning, and champion lived experience at the heart of everything we do. This is a rare opportunity to combine operational leadership with purpose, impact, and values-led service development in a growing organisation supporting mothers and birthing people, who find themselves disadvantaged, during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.

Are you a commercially minded fundraiser, passionate about garnering support for a cause you love? Come and join #TeamMercury as our new Head of Development and Partnerships.

We are looking for someone with a strong track record in identifying and securing funding, building commercial partnerships, and nurturing meaningful strategic relationships that drive sustainable growth.

The successful candidate is creative, highly collaborative and forward-thinking. You will bring experience across a range of fundraising approaches and the ability to make the most of a mix of commercial streams. We would love to hear from you!

To find out more, download the candidate pack.

Applications close at 10am on Monday 18 May 2026. First round of interviews will take place on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.

We are seeking a self-organised, motivated individual with a keen interest in mental health to join us as a Sector Development Officer (Mental Health Alliances).

The role focuses on facilitating, coordinating and encouraging collaboration across the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector, with a particular emphasis on youth and adult mental health provision. This includes sharing information and opportunities, gathering sector insight, and providing tailored guidance and signposting to support effective partnership working.

Our preferred candidate will be committed to developing a strong understanding of the VCFSE and Health sectors in Cheshire East. They will be confident in networking and presenting to groups of varying sizes, and have a commitment to fostering collaboration. They will be able to present information in a variety of formats, and be able to manage and prioritise their own workload.

Further details

•     Recruitment pack: Available below

•     Closing Date: Wednesday, 27th May 2026

•     Interviews: 8th June 2026  (Crewe)

About Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) exists so nobody in Scotland suffers or dies because medical help cannot get there in time. People can get sick or have accidents anywhere and anytime. But in Scotland there are places where urgent medical help cannot reach people. Or help gets there too late. And when lives are at risk every minute matters. As a charity we rely on donations from the Scottish public, companies and communities to ensure that urgent medical help gets to the patient when it is needed, wherever they are and at whatever time of day.

The Role
We are seeking an experienced fundraising professional to join us as Head of Fundraising. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering our fundraising strategy across community, events and volunteering, trusts and grants, corporate and philanthropy by crafting ambitious regional plans, nurturing high-performing teams, and driving excellence in supporter engagement and recognition. The Head of Fundraising will work collaboratively with the Individual Giving and Engagement team to drive new business pipelining and amplify fundraising campaigns, develop new fundraising products, and represent SCAA at external events and sector initiatives.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced team leader with significant experience working across a variety of fundraising disciplines and of developing and implementing fundraising strategies.

The successful candidate can be based from home, but this role will require regular travel to our bases at Perth and Aberdeen Airports and throughout Scotland. The usual hours and days of work will be Monday to Friday, 9am—5pm.

About You

Essential

• Strong background in a variety of fundraising disciplines and a track record in growing fundraising income over multiple years within a charity, non-profit or values-led organisation.

• Experience of developing and implementing fundraising strategies aligned to organisational objectives.

• Experienced team leader who can motivate, inspire and guide others to deliver results.

• Strong understanding of data protection (GDPR), confidentiality and safeguarding requirements. 

• Strong knowledge of Scottish charity regulations, governance and compliance requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, financial processes, and procurement. 

• Experience delivering community fundraising products and scaling ideas that support donor acquisition and retention.

• Ability to use insight and ambition to shape pipeline and stewardship planning.

• Understanding of CRM systems.

Desirable

• Ability to deliver training to staff or volunteers on processes or systems. 

• Experience of community, events, volunteering and partnerships and philanthropy fundraising.

• Experience of working with Boards or Trustees in a fundraising context.

Our Benefits

• Pension: 12% employer’s & 5% employee’s contribution (after 3 months’ service)  
• Annual Leave: 36 days (incl. public holidays) + an extra day for your birthday (and additional days with long service)
• Death in Service benefit: 3 times annual salary
• Optional Private Medical Insurance plan and Cashplan
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced Maternity/Adoption/Paternity Pay
• Access to Blue Light Card
• Learning and Development Opportunities

Selection Process

First interviews will take place at our base at Perth Airport in Scone during the week commencing 25th May. Second stage interviews will be held at our Perth base the week commencing 1st June.

How to apply
Please refer to the full job pack on our website.

Application deadline is 5pm on Sunday 10th May 2026. 

Shine supports a community of over 15,000 members living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, including 5,000 children and young people (0–25).

You will be delivering high-quality support and creating opportunities for children and young people living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus and their families/carers. Supporting Shine members to lead healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives by improving condition management and fostering connections within the Shine community. 

This role will focus on children and young people (0–25), you will be primarily working within the Children, Young People and Families team. However, there will be occasions when you will work across age groups to ensure the best outcomes for our members. 

The role is home-based but you will be required to attend regular clinics in London including GOSH (Great Ormond Street Hospital). Other travel across Southern England including Bristol, Devon and Hampshire may be required. There will be occasional travel required across wider areas and nationally including attendance at events, conferences and meetings at our head office in Peterborough. 

Benefits: 

• Competitive salary: Review due April 2027 

• Regular working hours, and no shift work (some very occasional weekends or evenings)   

• 3% pension contribution 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year 

• Additional annual leave awarded for ‘long service’ 

• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave 

• Broadband allowance for home-based roles 

• Life insurance after 12 months’ employment   

• Access to our Employee Support Programme and Mental Health First Aiders  

• Support to learn and develop  

How to apply  

Shine is a Disability Confident employer and will offer guaranteed interviews if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the job.  

If you would like to discuss the role please email Gill Valentine, Deputy CEO, to arrange a convenient time for a call.  

To apply please submit your CV and supporting statement, which should outline your interest and explain how you meet the role criteria.

*Please note applications without a supporting statement will not be accepted* 

We understand that you may wish to use AI tools to help you with some aspects of your application, but we do expect tailored applications which are personalised to your experiences and not generic applications which are completely AI generated. We encourage candidates to be transparent about AI usage in their applications.  

Closing date:  Monday 17th May 2026 at 11pm  

Interviews:  Tuesday 26th May 2026  (Virtual) 

Please note: we reserve the right to interview suitable candidates before the closing date, therefore we encourage applications as soon as possible.  

Please see full details on the Job Description and Person Specification document below and on our website.

Head of Operations
Salary: Up to £61,600 (dependent on experience)
Location: Home-based or hybrid London-based co-working
Contract: Full-time (flexible working requests welcome)

Suicide is preventable. That’s why we are working to create a safer online world and to connect young people with the help and support they need to stay safe and well.

We’re Molly Rose Foundation, founded following the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell. At Molly’s inquest, a coroner ruled harmful online content contributed to her death. In her name, we’ve now got big plans to create change and save young lives.

We’re looking for a Head of Operations who can ensure we grow effectively and focus our energies on helping young people live long and stay strong. You’ll lead and develop our finance, governance, HR, and IT operations, ensuring we can deliver with impact and grow and scale smoothly.

You’ll play a leading role in shaping and delivering our organisational strategy, monitoring our progress and budgets, and leading the process to design and develop our next Strategy to 2030. You’ll be adept at designing effective and robust policies and committed to developing a high functioning, high-impact organisation.

As a member of our Leadership Team, you’ll have the vision, strategy, and entrepreneurial zeal to help us thrive.

But you’ll also relish the opportunity to build a small organisation from scratch with the drive and passion to really get stuck in and help us to fulfil our potential.

We offer a comprehensive package that includes:

- 27 days annual leave plus 1 volunteering day, rising to 30 days holiday after three years’ service;

- annual leave buyback scheme, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days;

- employee pension scheme;

- £500 employee wellbeing budget;

- we welcome applications from diverse range of applicants in circumstances, and actively welcome flexible working requests.
 

Application Process
To apply, please send a CV (maximum 2 sides of A4) and cover letter (maximum 2 sides of A4) via the Charity Jobs website.

Application closing date: Friday 22 May 2026

There will be a 2-stage interview process with first interviews held online between 11 - 12 June 2026.
Second interviews will be held in-person in London.

Portsmouth Cathedral is a historic and active place of worship and community, serving the City, Diocese and wider public.

As Head of Finance, you will provide strategic financial leadership as part of the Senior Management Team and supporting Chapter to strengthen financial planning, governance and sustainability. You will lead budgeting, forecasting and reporting, oversee compliance and audit, advise on financial risk, performance and sustainability, lead and develop the finance team and improve systems and processes, including potentially establishing a new trading company.

Essentials:

• ICAEW, ACCA or CIMA qualification or similar
• Demonstrable experience in strategic financial leadership, with a track record of leading financial governance, compliance, and team development
• Knowledge of VAT, tax planning, and advanced accounting practices
• Excellent verbal and written communicator
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills, proficient in financial software and Microsoft Office Suite
• Willingness to undertake some basic tasks as part of a small finance team
• Commitment to the highest standards of safeguarding, equal opportunities, and inclusivity

Empathy with the beliefs and values of the Christian Faith and the aims and objectives of the Cathedral.

Benefits:

• Flexible and annualised working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave (pro rata), plus 2 extra days in December and bank holidays + pension and healthcare plan

This role will suit a qualified accountant with strong technical expertise, strategic insight and the ability to operate effectively in a collaborative, mission-driven environment. For this role a basic safeguarding check will be required.

Please see the candidate pack for full details. For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact: Katherine Anderson-Scott, Executive Director of Charisma Charity Recruitment.

• Closing date: Wednesday 20th May 2026
• Interviews with Portsmouth Cathedral: 10th or 11th June
• Charisma vetting interviews must be completed by EOD on 28th May prior to shortlist submission on 29th May

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.

Job Role: Head of People

Salary: £55,080 per year

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Bath

Additional information:

• The role will involve occasional evening working, including attending board meetings from time to time.
• Some travel across our South West area of operations will be required as part of the role.

This vacancy will close on 18th May 2026, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to first‑stage interviews on 26th May 2026.

About Julian House:

Julian House is a charity dedicated to making a difference to the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society. We run several projects and every year we help thousands of people out of homelessness, into employment, away from domestic abuse, and more.

If you’d like a real sense of job satisfaction, great career prospects and a competitive benefits package, you could be who we’re looking for!

About the Role:

The Head of People is a pivotal role at the heart of Julian House, shaping the organisation through its most important asset, its people. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Chief Executive, you’ll lead our people strategy, culture, and workforce development, ensuring we have the capability, capacity, and values‑led culture needed to deliver our mission.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and compassionate leader who understands how great people practices drive social impact. You’ll provide senior leadership across HR, recruitment, volunteering, organisational development, and culture, helping to build a high‑performing, inclusive organisation where people feel supported, empowered, and able to thrive in a demanding environment.

You’ll play a critical role in embedding Julian House’s values, strengthening leadership capability, and creating a positive workplace where staff and volunteers feel engaged, valued, and proud of the difference they make. This is a rare opportunity to lead meaningful change and help a mission‑driven charity continue to grow and succeed through its people.

Please refer to our application pack and job description for full details around the role.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead and shape our People Strategy, ensuring it aligns with our organisational goals, values, and long‑term ambitions, and that our people are fully supported to deliver meaningful impact.
• Build leadership capability at every level, designing and embedding leadership and management development programmes that support confident, values‑led leadership across the organisation.
• Oversee recruitment, HR operations, volunteering, and people processes, working closely with the HR Manager and wider People Team to deliver high‑quality, responsive support.
• Champion robust, modern employment policies, ensuring they remain legally compliant, up to date with best practice, and reflective of Julian House’s values and culture.
• Coach and advise leaders, providing trusted guidance that builds confidence, strengthens people‑management skills, and supports teams to thrive in a demanding environment.

Please note: Job descriptions are not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may occasionally be asked to take on other duties that align with the key responsibilities outlined.

What we’re looking for:

• Significant senior‑level experience in People / HR leadership, with a proven track record of overseeing employee relations, people operations, and leading cultural and organisational change.
• Strong knowledge of HR best practice and employment law, alongside experience in organisational development, workforce wellbeing, and using people data and insights to inform decision‑making.
• Strategic and forward‑thinking, with the ability to translate vision into practical, impactful actions that support teams and strengthen organisational performance.

There are many great reasons to join our team!

• Access to our Rewards Platform, which includes an Employee Assistance Programme and Health Cash Plan
• 27 days annual leave, including an extra day off for your birthday, plus bank holidays - increasing up to 30 days after 4 years of continuous employment (pro rata for part-time staff)
• 30% staff discount at Julian House charity shop
• A generous and competitive pension scheme
• A supportive culture where staff feedback is highly valued and regular supervisions with line managers are conducted
• Great opportunities for career development and free monthly training sessions from experienced facilitators
• For all the fantastic and valuable work, you’ll be doing, you’ll be eligible for the Blue Light Card which offers amazing discounts on thousands of brands

Our Ethos

As an Equal Opportunities employer, we have an Equality and Diversity Action plan in place showing our commitment in ensuring continuous improvement in creating an inclusive culture. We also have a committed group of Inclusion & Diversity champions who meet monthly to ensure progress is being made. We invite applications from people from all backgrounds and cultures, especially minority groups that are underrepresented in the workplace. We also welcome applications from those with lived experience. We embrace flexibility and are proud to be a Disability Confident and Mindful employer, as well as an Armed Forces Covenant Supporter.

If you have any special access requirements or other support needs throughout the application process (including interview), please contact us so that we can let you know how we can support you. We accept CVs and applications in all formats.

DBS Checks

We welcome applications from people with lived experience. All applicants working with our clients will be expected to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. A criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming an employee, the decision will depend on the type of offence and its relevance to the role. If you would like to discuss any convictions you may have, please contact the person named in the advert. All information will be dealt with according to our Data Protection Policy.

Please note: We reserve the right to close our vacancies once the perfect candidate has been found. We recommend submitting your application as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out!

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Communications Officer to come and join our team in Middlesbrough.

Location – This role is both community-based in Middlesbrough, with the ability to work from home as agreed with your manager. There may also be occasional travel to other programme sites (currently Redcar, Cleveland, Stoke-On-Trent and Scotland) or travel to our London office.  

Salary – Up to £35,000 DOE 

Employment Type – Permanent

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following: 

• Significant experience in a communications role, including experience with copywriting and content creation. 
• Experience producing high quality, clear, compelling and audience appropriate content for a range of platforms.
• Empathy, cultural awareness, and sensitivity when communicating with and about communities whose voices and experiences are often underrepresented, including those with English as an additional language or limited literacy in English.
• The ability to clearly demonstrate our impact and inspire collaboration among our partners and stakeholders by sharing compelling and meaningful stories.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the local community, including its strengths, needs, and challenges. 
• Strong knowledge and skills in Adobe Creative Suite such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or Canva. 

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include: 

• Actively identify opportunities where communications can strengthen programme delivery, support parent outreach and increase engagement with families and communities. 
• Develop the local stakeholder engagement approach in line with agreed objectives, proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen relationships and using data and team insight to increase engagement.
• Support effective communications with stakeholders across sectors including community, health, education and local organisations. 
• Develop and produce compelling, audience focused content for a range of channels, including newsletters, case studies and promotional materials. 
• Work closely with the Head of Communications, Programme Leads and colleagues across the organisation to align communications priorities with programme and organisational objectives. 

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.
 

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities. 

About our benefits

• Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST. 
• 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.
• £100 contribution towards your professional body membership.

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK. 

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 8th May 2026.

The Head of Operations is a key senior leadership role at the heart of HTL Church.

As Head of Operations, you will take ownership of how the church runs day-to-day – ensuring that our people, systems, buildings, and processes operate smoothly, sustainably, and with excellence as we pursue our mission and vision.

You will be part of the Senior Leadership Team, line managed by the Vicar and working with the staff team to shape and support the operational life of the church, creating the environment in which our ministries, services, and communities can flourish and grow.

The role is both relational and organisational, requiring strong communication, attention to detail, and the ability to develop and implement effective systems and processes. It is a broad and varied role, involving close collaboration with staff, volunteers, and external partners.

Are you our new Marketing Officer?

Do you have the passion and ideas to amplify our ambitious plans to improve the lives of everyone affected by ovarian cancer? Could you play a pivotal role in driving forward our marketing strategy, as well as developing engaging content and campaigns that inspire action and encourage more people than ever to support our work?

We are looking for a Marketing Officer who will bring their creative flair, marketing experience and collaborative attitude to our brilliant team of marketing and communications experts. This is a great role for you if you have a background in marketing within the charity sector, and are lookjng for the next step in your career with a leading, national charity.

A creative and driven individual who loves working as part of a team, you’ll be passionate about engaging audiences, and excited to help us achieve a world where everyone survives and lives well with ovarian cancer. With the support of the Interim Senior Marketing and Communications Manager you’ll work across the organisation to ensure that our digital channels are optimised to their full potential, and support on the delivery of marketing and communications strategies, plans and campaigns to achieve the organisation’s objectives and KPIs, focussed on attracting and engaging more people who want to use our supportive services, campaign for change, partner with us, and donate or fundraise.

We are an ambitious charity, building on our achievements and targeting what’s important to stop ovarian cancer devastating lives - symptoms awareness, early diagnosis, better treatments and support for all. It’s an exciting time to be joining Target Ovarian Cancer as we move into our ambitionus new strategy.

Join us and together we'll fight for a world where everyone with ovarian cancer lives.

The role is a full time, 35 hours per week, permanent position.

We currently offer a hybrid-working model. This means you may usually work from your home or remote location, but are expected to attend meetings and pay for your own travel to the office near London Bridge when required. 

How to apply

Click on the redirect to recruiter button to view the job description and progress with your application

Please submit your CV,  a one-page cover letter and answer the 3 questions below by 10 May 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 18 May 2026.

You’ll have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.

Target Ovarian Cancer does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot sponsor visas.

We are committed to making our recruitment process accessible. If you need support with your application, please contact us.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Communications Officer to come and join our team in Redcar & Cleveland. 

Location – This role is both community-based in Redcar & Cleveland, with the ability to work from home as agreed with your manager. There may also be occasional travel to other programme sites (currently Middlesbrough, Stoke-On-Trent and Scotland) or travel to our London office.  

Salary – Up to £35,000 DOE 

Employment Type – Permanent

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following: 

• Significant experience in a communications role, including experience with copywriting and content creation. 
• Experience producing high quality, clear, compelling and audience appropriate content for a range of platforms. 
• The ability to clearly demonstrate our impact and inspire collaboration among our partners and stakeholders by sharing compelling and meaningful stories.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the local community, including its strengths, needs, and challenges. 
• Strong knowledge and skills in Adobe Creative Suite such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or Canva. 

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include: 

• Actively identify opportunities where communications can strengthen programme delivery, support parent outreach and increase engagement with families and communities. 
• Develop the local stakeholder engagement approach in line with agreed objectives, proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen relationships and using data and team insight to increase engagement.
• Support effective communications with stakeholders across sectors including community, health, education and local organisations. 
• Develop and produce compelling, audience focused content for a range of channels, including newsletters, case studies and promotional materials. 
• Work closely with the Head of Communications, Programme Leads and colleagues across the organisation to align communications priorities with programme and organisational objectives. 

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.
 

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities. 

About our benefits

• Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST. 
• 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.
• £100 contribution towards your professional body membership.

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK. 

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 8th May 2026.

About us
The Microbiology Society is a membership charity for scientists interested in microbes, their effects, and their practical uses. It has a worldwide membership based in universities, industry, hospitals, research institutes, schools, and other organisations.

Our members have a unique depth and breadth of knowledge about the discipline. The Society’s role is to help unlock and harness the potential of that knowledge.

Our commitment to anyone who studies microbes is “whoever you are, wherever you are, we will amplify your voice”.

About you
The Head of Engagement and Storytelling will develop compelling content and channels for a wide range of audiences, to showcase the astonishing wonder of microbes, the transformative power of microbiology and the essential contribution of microbiologists.

This role reports to the Chief Communications Officer and will requires collaborative working with members of the Society's governance structure and the Heads of Scientific Programmes and Development Opportunities respectively, responsible for creating and delivering the society's overall communication strategy across all channels including social media and website, overseeing policy and membership engagement activities, promoting member expertise to policymakers in the UK and internationally and encourage member engagement through opportunities the Society's 'Get Involved' campaign.

The postholder will have experience working within science communication, displaying strong scientific knowledge while delivering high impact engagement campaigns. It is essential to have experience in People Management as this role oversees the different branches of the Engagement and Storytelling theme covering Communication, Policy and Membership.

Please note that the organisation operates a hybrid working policy.

For more information about the Society, please visit our website.

Our generous benefits package includes;
• Flexible working hours
• Highly competitive salaries with an annual cost of living increase
• 23 days holiday + eight bank holidays and three additional days over the Christmas break
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Life insurance including free (health and wellbeing) employee support services
• Enhanced maternity pay to include 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave and 13 weeks of statutory maternity pay
• Enhanced Adoption pay to include 26 weeks of fully paid adoption leave and 13 weeks of statutory adoption pay
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• £50 contribution towards eye care

To Apply

Please attach your CV and Cover Letter.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Interviews will be held in-person at the Microbiology Society Office.

Closing date: 8th May 2026

It is important that you DO NOT include your Personal Information i.e. name and contact details in your CV or Cover Letter. This is because the Microbiology Society is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. We value, promote, and seek diversity.

The Society also takes the security of your data seriously. It has internal policies and controls in place to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused, or disclosed, and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties.

Please note that due to limited resources, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted therefore, if you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

“We are interested in every candidate who is eligible to work in the United Kingdom. However, we are not able to sponsor visas.”