Policy and research volunteer volunteer jobs in London

This is an exciting new leadership role within User Voice’s London team, responsible for delivering two major programmes at the intersection of Health Justice and forensic mental health services.

The Project Manager will lead the planning, delivery, and evaluation of these initiatives, ensuring they meet strategic objectives and deliver meaningful impact for participants and stakeholders.

This role is ideal for someone with lived experience of the criminal justice system who is already leading complex projects and managing teams and partnerships.

Alongside submitting your CV, please use your cover letter to answer the following questions: 

1. Your lived experience of the criminal justice system, how it informs your work at all levels & why you want this job.

2. Your project management experience (minimum two years).

3. Your experience supporting or leading volunteers, peer workers, or lived experience roles.
4. Your skills in facilitation, co‑production, engagement, and working with vulnerable groups.

5. You experience of working within complex systems such as prisons, NHS services, and/ or forensic mental health.

6. Your experience of being a line manager.

7. Your safeguarding and risk management experience.

Support for and implementation of the Branch’s strategic and service delivery plans

• Supports the Branch Director and Board of Trustees to ensure that the charity meets its governance responsibilities.
• Supports the development and delivery of the Branch Management team’s strategic and service delivery plans in pursuit of the vision, mission, and values of Samaritans and to meet Central London Samaritan’s objectives.
• Supports the development and delivery of a successful fundraising strategy that supports the organisation’s goals and contributes to its sustainability.
• Supports the Treasurer in the management of Central London Samaritans budget to ensure financial resilience.
• Contributes to the development of external and internal relationships and communications, raising the profile and reputation of CLS in support of the organisation’s charitable aims.
•  Contributes to the overall effectiveness of the organisation in ensuring to 24/7 availability to callers.

Provides leadership and line management to the staff team including the following functions:

• External relations and outreach
• Fundraising
• Recruitment and training of new volunteers
• Volunteer rota and support
• Facilities and Office services
• Other areas of responsibility that may from time to time be established.

Main Responsibilities:

Governance

• Support the Director and Board of Trustees to ensure that the charity meets its governance responsibilities.
• Ensure appropriate presentation and reporting on the progress of the organisation and on all matters relevant to the discharge of its charitable responsibilities.
• Provide in a timely and appropriate manner information that will assist the Trustees in carrying out their responsibilities.
• Monitor changes to statutory requirements on behalf of and in consultation with the Trustees and working with the Trustees and Directors to ensure compliance.
• Lead on all areas of Data Protection across the branch including policy development, revision, and implementation.

Financial Management & Fundraising

• Support the Treasurer in the preparation of the annual operating budget for agreement by Trustees.
• Manage the budget on behalf of and in consultation with the Director, Treasurer and Trustees
• In consultation with the Treasurer and other trustees, set an annual fundraising target.
• Support the development and implementation of a strategy for raising income to meet the needs of the organisation.
• Manage project and area budgets with relevant staff and volunteer leads.

Support for and implementation of the Branch’s strategic and service delivery plans

Support the Director and wider Branch Leadership Team in setting the culture and vision for the organisation that will enable staff and volunteers to understand what is expected of them and perform to the highest standards.

• Work closely with the Director and Branch Leadership team to deliver branch strategy and specific services.
• In conjunction with volunteer leads, manage the delivery of the organisation’s restricted funded programmes ensuring project milestones, timescales and financial imperatives are fully met and supporting growth in line with the organisation’s charitable aims.
• Work with the Governance Working Group to implement and manage the organisation’s operational policies and procedures.
• Input into to research and planning of new branch initiatives.
• Monitor changes to national Samaritans policies and guidelines, alerting Directors, and Trustees as appropriate

Line Management

• Work with Trustees and Directors to support the Branch Team to deliver the branch’s volunteering, outreach and fund-raising strategies
• Provide effective line management and leadership to the staff team by managing all aspects of staffing, including recruitment, setting objectives and managing performance.
• Line manage the Business Support Officer, Volunteering Coordinator, Recruitment and Training Coordinator and Fundraising and Events Officer, Trusts and Foundatons Officer and other roles that may from time to time be established
• Act as a role model to staff and colleagues by demonstrating exemplary standards of behaviour, a positive attitude, and high levels of personal performance.
• Identify and develop talent within the team that can be fostered, offering opportunities for personal and career growth where appropriate.
• Work with the Branch Leadership Team to support all staff activities.

Communications

• Work with the Director and Deputy Director for Communications and relevant staff members to support delivery of the branch Communications Plan. This will include coordinating internal and external communications as well as maintaining good relationships with volunteers, partners and other Samaritans branches and the Samaritans Charity.
• Maintain relationships with the Samaritans Central Charity in relation to media activity.
• Work with Director to ensure the Branch is represented on suicide prevention partnerships and involved in strategies with local councils and other organisations within the seven boroughs covered by the branch.
• Work with Branch Leadership Team to ensure the Branch is appropriately represented the branch at external events.

Facilities and Office Management

• Oversees the management of the building on behalf of and in consultation with the Trustees and the Office Manager
• Take overall responsibility for the contracting of services to the organisation
• Take responsibility for compliance with Health and Safety Regulations

Hours of work

1. The basic hours of work are 35 hours per week, spread over five working days. There will be a need to work some evenings and weekend days, so flexibility is essential. The core responsibilities and duties should be carried out during weekdays.

2. The amount of out of hours work will be agreed with the Director on an on-going basis. Time off in lieu will be allowed in agreement with the Director and in line with the current European Working Time Directive.

Limitations

This job description is neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the duties and responsibilities may vary from time- to-time in the lights of changing circumstances and in consultation with the jobholder.

The jobholder will be required to work within the rules and regulations of Samaritans and accept the authority of the Director, who has discretion to delegate authority to the job-holder and to withdraw it.

Equal Opportunities Policy

Central London Samaritans is committed to eliminating any discrimination and promoting diversity and equality of opportunity in all it does. It is therefore Central London Samaritans' commitment to provide equal opportunities in employment and we will not unlawfully discriminate against job applicants, employees of the Company, volunteers, workers, or contract workers on the grounds of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Requirements

• Graduate or equivalent by experience
• Relevant postgraduate qualifications

Skills and abilities

1. Proven ability to manage a work programme, which involves managing, mentoring, and developing staff.

2. Ability to work to tight deadlines in managing a variety of tasks simultaneously in ways that ensure key objectives are met.

3. Work effectively with a range of different stakeholders, including paid staff, volunteer directors, volunteers engaged in service delivery, third party organisations and users of the services.

4. Strong communications skills, both oral and written, especially in matching style/language to audience being targeted.

5. Ability to research and develop reports at a senior level.

6. A self-starter who has the ability to develop and implement innovative solutions to both new and existing challenges.

7. Proven ability to assimilate/summarise complex information and to familiarise themself quickly and confidently with key issues.

8. Ability to build effective relationships, especially with organisations operating near people in distress, other helping agencies, and healthcare professionals.

9. Ability to enthuse and motivate paid staff and volunteers.

10.  Good financial management skills –evidence of leading and managing a budget.

11.  High level organisational delivery skills.

12.  Proven ability in managing staff who report to others for task management purposes, such as in a matrix structure.

Experience

• Experience of working with volunteers and paid staff
• Experience of financial planning and management, including budgetary control.
• Experience of implementing systems to comply with relevant legislation, including that on data protection, freedom of information, and health and safety.

Project management knowledge and skills.

1. Experience of working in a charity or not-for-profit helpline service, ideally like that of Samaritans

2. Experience of issues affecting London government

3. Experience of working with Boards of Trustees

Knowledge

• Sound general working knowledge of IT
• General knowledge of business management
• Experience and understanding of managing / developing teams.
• Knowledge of advanced IT and telephony, such as those required by Samaritans.
• Understanding of the policies and principles followed by Samaritans.
• Understanding of the rules and regulations, as overseen by the Charity Commissioners, by which Samaritans are bound.
• Knowledge of voluntary sector in terms of high-level policy decisions, structures and influences through government, small charities and local community organisations

Personal qualities

1. Intellectually strong, applying a structured approach to work.

2. A flexible and co-operative team approach, which is respectful of the ideas and expertise of others.

3. Adaptable to change, while being able to work unsupervised.

4. Able to use initiative, assessing and adjusting to changing work priorities.

5. Affinity with charity’s goals and values

Director of Charitable Impact

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

We currently have employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new strategy, On a Mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.

Job Sumnmary for Director of Charitable Impact

As the Executive Director of Charitable Impact at Bowel Cancer UK, you will play a pivotal role in driving forward our mission: ensuring that everyone with bowel cancer is diagnosed at the earliest stages, receives the best possible care and that more people survive the disease and thrive beyond their diagnosis.

You will lead the charity’s research programmes, policy and influencing, patient services, healthcare professional education, and health information functions. You will ensure these programmes deliver measurable impact on early diagnosis, equity of access, and better outcomes for people with bowel cancer, particularly focusing on reducing health inequalities and addressing the growing incidence of bowel cancer in people under 50.

Working closely with the Strategy & Insight unit, you will embed robust evaluation and evidence into all our work and lead the development of new patient-facing services and digital innovations – including the use of AI – to expand our reach and improve outcomes.

You will bring strategic vision, sector expertise, and an inclusive, collaborative leadership style, guiding a team of around 40 passionate professionals to maximise Bowel Cancer UK’s charitable impact across the UK.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

Internship opportunities for 2026-27

Are you a young *Christian who is passionate about issues of justice and peace? Do you want to explore the intersection of faith, policy, and politics, and potentially pursue a career in one of these fields? The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) is recruiting to two full time paid internship positions to start in September 2026.

Interns work as part of a small ecumenical team on a diverse range of tasks and initiatives including communications, policy, campaigning and supporter engagement, contributing to the public advocacy and political engagement work of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches.

JPIT is a partnership between the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, and the Church of Scotland is an associate partner. Its purpose is to help the Churches to work together for peace and justice through listening, learning, praying, speaking and acting on public policy issues. It is a team which brings together around ten staff working across the denominations. In recent years it has focused on issues around poverty, the economy, refugees and migration, the environment, peace and conflict, and politics.

These internships provide opportunities to develop skills in campaigning, communications, research, and policy within a dynamic team environment. There will be opportunities for professional and personal learning and development to equip the intern for further employment after their time on the internship. Whilst we are looking for some evidence of certain skills and experience, candidates will have the opportunity to develop relevant skills during their time in the role.

They are full time paid roles with fixed-term contracts to the end of August 2027, and a salary of £26,936.00 per year (we are committed to paying at least the London Living Wage). The roles are based in the Methodist Connexional Team which offers hybrid working arrangements, with an expectation of spending at least two days a week at an office base in central London.

We welcome and encourage applications from a diverse range of people. You should be aged 21-30, have excellent communication skills, be enthusiastic and willing to take on new challenges, be interested in political engagement and be a practicing Christian. An Enhanced DBS Check will be required.

Our Culture, Values and Benefits

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing.

We value and support all those who join our team through a positive work-life balance augmented by generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year), TOIL, flexi-leave and an on-site Well-being Adviser service. We offer a generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups.

We are a Disability Confident employer and welcome applications from people living with disabilities. If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please contact the HR team (details on our website). 

Application Details

• Visit the JPIT site for further details of the role. 
• The closing date for completed application forms is Friday, 10 April 2026
• Interviews will be held in London on Wednesday 6th May 2026. Candidates called to interview will be notified at least a week in advance.

*This post is restricted to Christians due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement section under Schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Our Communications Officer will play an essential role at a key moment for IVAR, with communications at the heart of our new strategy. Charities are facing mounting pressures and ongoing complexities, and IVAR’s work has potential for the greatest impact. We are looking for someone who will help us meet this potential: working together with the Director of Communications to make our research clear, accessible and compelling; with the aim of sparking conversations; inspiring action; and strengthening movements like our Open and Trusting network. We expect you to bring creativity, energy and curiosity to how we tell stories, explore new tools and formats, and connect more people with IVAR’s mission.

This is a hands-on role in a small but mighty team. If you thrive on combining creativity with delivery, enjoy working collaboratively, and are motivated by strengthening the voluntary sector, we’d love to hear from you.

Job Title: Estate Officer, East Anglia

Duration: Permanent

Hours: 36 hours per week

Salary: £31,024 per annum, plus pension and benefits

Location: Homebased within East Anglia or the East of England

 Overall job purpose

The Estate Officer will ensure the delivery of the regional maintenance programme, comprising routine, periodic, planned and urgent works, and the delivery of time limited maintenance consultancy and estate management projects. Working alongside the Conservation Projects Manager, the post holder will ensure regional estate compliance with CCT policies.

The post holder will be the main contact for all maintenance related matters and will maintain the property management records for the estate, develop volunteer projects and training on maintenance reporting and conservation cleaning and will assist with fundraising.

We have recently published our TRUST values, which outline the behaviours and expectations that act as our foundations at CCT. We have attached the pack, outlining each value, which we will also be using as part of our shortlisting and interview process to find the right candidates that align with our values.

If you would like to apply for this role, please visit our recruitment portal to begin your application. You will be asked to submit a CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining why you’d like to apply and how you fulfil the person specification for this post, so you’ll need to refer to the job description.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 8am on Monday 27th April 2026.

The interviews will take place in London on Thursday 7th May 2026. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.

Please note: As part of our recruitment process, we undertake candidate psychometric testing, you will receive an email following your application submission asking you to complete a series of activities.

All successful applicants will be subject to a basic DBS, credit check, references and right to work checks.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.

We are seeking an experienced and committed Youth Work Programme Manager to join The Kite Trust. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop impactful programmes that support and empower LGBTQ+ young people. The successful candidate will provide strategic oversight of our youth work provision, manage and support a dedicated team, and work collaboratively with partners to ensure our services remain inclusive, responsive, and effective. If you are a thoughtful and motivated leader with a strong commitment to high-quality youth work and creating safe, supportive spaces for young people, we would welcome your application.

This is a remote position but will require travel across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and the surrounding areas.

Contract Type: This is a full-time permanent position, working 32 hours within a 4-day working week. We are happy to discuss and explore flexible options and job share opportunities.

Salary: £34,936 – £40,311 depending on experience.

To find out more about the role, please review the application pack detailing the job description and person specification and apply via the link on our website.

As our new Senior Campaigns Adviser within involvement, you will bring direction, energy and bold thinking to develop campaigns that drive change. You will be skilled at identifying campaigning opportunities, implementing impactful campaigns, and ensuring people affected by motor neurone disease (MND) are at the heart of our work.

Your role is central to how we involve our community from the very start. You’ll be the Campaigns team lead on ensuring our community is meaningfully involved in developing our campaigns, and you’ll work closely with our Involvement Manager on this. You will also lead and coordinate volunteers, and ensure they have what they need to contribute.

We’re looking for a Senior Campaigns Adviser who brings creative ideas and strategic thinking and can navigate relationships with care and confidence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead agreed areas of campaign activity and deputise for the National Campaigns Manager
• Ensure people affected by MND are involved throughout campaign development
• Recruit, lead and coordinate volunteers
• Plan and deliver campaign activities and events across England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Measure and evaluate campaign delivery against agreed targets
• Write and update campaign resources, including emails, e-actions and toolkits
• Build and send supporter emails and e-actions
• Update website content for campaign pages
• Represent the MND Association with external stakeholders and coalitions

About You

Essential

• Experience working in a campaigns role in the third or public sector
• Proven ability to plan and deliver campaign strategies that lead to change
• Skilled in creating campaign resources and actions
• Experience leading or working closely with volunteers
• Strong written, verbal, organisational and project management skills
• Confident working under pressure and meeting deadlines
• Able to manage your own workload and work as part of a team
• Proficient in Microsoft 365
• Flexible to work some evenings/weekends and travel across the UK

Desirable

• Experience using Dotdigital, Impact Stack or Drupal CMS
• Basic HTML knowledge
• Understanding of public and patient standards for involvement
• Understanding of inclusive facilitation and trauma-informed practice

Hybrid working expectations: office attendance one day per week in London

Further information about MND Association and full job description is available in the attached Candidate Pack.

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We work to remove barriers for everyone affected by MND, employees, volunteers, and stakeholders.

As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the role's requirements.

What We Offer

• 28 days holiday, increasing to 33 days after 5 years, plus Bank Holidays
• Access to UK Healthcare, including dental, eyecare, health screenings, and therapies
• 24/7 GP access via phone and video
• Life assurance and confidential counselling helplines
• Salary sacrifice schemes (Cycle to Work, Buy/Sell Annual Leave)
• Access to Benefit Hub for discounts on everyday shopping
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Opportunities for training and personal development
• Hybrid working

About Us

Motor Neurone Disease moves fast. It takes away time, it takes away independence and it has no cure. Every day we support people affected by MND. We fund ground-breaking research. We campaign for better care. We’re here for everyone who needs us. Because with MND, every day matters.

The role

We are seeking an experienced and values-driven Chief Operating Officer to support our non-clinical operations.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will:

• Lead governance, compliance and risk management
• Ensure adherence to all regulatory and statutory requirements
• Drive operational performance, efficiency and continuous improvement
• Support delivery of strategic objectives and organisational growth
• Lead business continuity and organisational resilience planning
• Act as Data Protection Officer
• Work closely with Trustees, NHS partners and external stakeholders

This is a key senior leadership role, critical to ensuring safe, effective and sustainable service delivery.

About you

You will bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience in an operational role
• Strong expertise in governance, compliance and risk management
• Experience within a regulated environment (e.g. charity, healthcare, public sector)
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to deliver operationally
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

Why join us?

• A supportive, values-led organisation
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference every day
• Generous annual leave (plus birthday off)
• Pension, EAP and life assurance
• Free on-site parking

Safeguarding & inclusion

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS where appropriate.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most 

At Home-Start Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow, we believe that childhood can’t wait. We’re a vibrant, community-rooted charity supporting families through the critical early years of parenting. Our volunteers and staff work side-by-side with families, offering emotional and practical support, building confidence, and creating lasting connections. 

We are now seeking an Impact and Operations Manager to join our passionate team and shape the future of our services. 

About the Role 

This is a unique opportunity to lead our impact and operations strategy, ensuring we have the insight, tools, and systems to deliver high-quality support to families. You’ll play a pivotal role in measuring and communicating our impact, supporting strategic decision-making, and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead and manage data collection, evaluation, and reporting across all family support services 

• Develop tailored reports and insights for internal and external stakeholders 

• Collaborate on funding applications with the CEO and Head of Marketing & Fundraising 

• Oversee administrative systems and policies, including GDPR compliance and HR processes 

• Manage office operations, including tech support, premises, and general administration, and line manage operations and data & impact team 

• Contribute to strategic planning and service innovation using data and insight 

• Strengthen our presence across local and national networks in partnership with the Senior Management Team 

What You’ll Bring 

• Strong experience in managing and interpreting data to drive impact and inform strategy 

• Strategic thinking with the ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results 

• Confidence with technology and quick ability to learn new tools and systems 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build strong relationships 

• A curious, analytical mindset and a passion for telling the story of our work 

Why Join Us? 

• A flexible, hybrid working model co-designed with our team 

• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven culture 

• A chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of local families 

• Excellent pension and generous annual leave 

Job Title: Estate Officer, West

Duration: Permanent

Hours: 36 hours per week

Salary: £31,024 per annum, plus pension and benefits

Location: Homebased within the South West of England

 Overall job purpose

The Estate Officer will ensure the delivery of the regional maintenance programme, comprising routine, periodic, planned and urgent works, and the delivery of time limited maintenance consultancy and estate management projects. Working alongside the Conservation Projects Manager, the post holder will ensure regional estate compliance with CCT policies.

The post holder will be the main contact for all maintenance related matters and will maintain the property management records for the estate, develop volunteer projects and training on maintenance reporting and conservation cleaning and will assist with fundraising.

We have recently published our TRUST values, which outline the behaviours and expectations that act as our foundations at CCT. We have attached the pack, outlining each value, which we will also be using as part of our shortlisting and interview process to find the right candidates that align with our values.

If you would like to apply for this role, please visit our recruitment portal to begin your application. You will be asked to submit a CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining why you’d like to apply and how you fulfil the person specification for this post, so you’ll need to refer to the job description.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 8am on Monday 27th April 2026.

The interviews will take place in Bristol on Friday 8th May 2026. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.

Please note: As part of our recruitment process, we undertake candidate psychometric testing, you will receive an email following your application submission asking you to complete a series of activities.

All successful applicants will be subject to a basic DBS, credit check, references and right to work checks.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.

About Chapter One

Chapter One is a growing charity dedicated to ensuring every child has access to one-to-one reading support at the time they need it most. 

We support children at every stage of their primary reading journey through three programmes - Early Literacy Intervention, Online Reading Volunteers, and Book Clubs - helping them build both the will and the skill to read. Our innovative Online Reading Volunteers Programme aims to support 3,500 children facing disadvantage during the 2025-26 academic year, pairing five to eight-year-old children with reading support volunteers from over 180 local and national businesses. Our unique approach requires volunteers to commit just 30 minutes a week for an entire academic year, using our bespoke digital platform. The results are transformative, significantly boosting children's reading confidence and ability. 

For more information about our programmes please visit our website. Please also take some time to visit our social media channels and watch our videos.

About the role

With ambitious targets to support thousands more children by 2029, Chapter One is seeking a passionate, energetic Fundraising Officer to be an integral part of our Fundraising team. Reporting to our Fundraising Manager, you’ll generate income from a range of existing and new trusts and foundations, along with individual fundraising activities, to contribute towards the 2025-26 fundraising target. The fundraising budget in 2026-27 will be £356,000, when you’ll have an individual target.

This role is ideal for an early career professional who can write creative, compelling proposals and build impactful relationships to make your mark in a fast-growing charity which is flexible and agile. You’ll be a proactive, determined self-starter and have high standards for yourself and others. You’ll develop and manage a funding pipeline by investing in thorough research and relationship cultivation, and you will thrive in working with funders, partners and supporters on a day-to-day basis. 

Key responsibilities

Deliver the fundraising plan 

• Work collaboratively with the Fundraising Manager to grow Chapter One’s fundraising portfolio and meet agreed income targets from trusts and foundations. 

• Maintain a portfolio of existing trusts and foundations, ensuring an excellent cultivation and stewardship journey​ in order to build relationships and maximise income. 

• Proactively identify and research new prospective trust funders, finding creative ways to engage with them to secure support.

• Create compelling and tailored fundraising applications and reports, ensuring there is a strong emotional case for support and accuracy, to inspire prospects and supporters across trusts and foundations. 

• Contribute to the highest levels of donor care for supporters, including creative stewardship, adhering to all grant conditions and responding in a timely manner to all enquiries from supporters and prospects. 

• Research, interpret and present data about literacy and impact that makes a compelling case for Chapter One’s programmes. 

• Contribute to internal planning and budget setting for restricted and unrestricted activities, setting out clear plans and a pipeline for income generation from trusts and foundations.

• Work with the Fundraising Manager, Corporate Partnerships team and Communications team to support the development of strategies and campaigns to grow individual giving from existing volunteers and supporters.

• Undertake administrative duties to support the delivery of individual fundraising initiatives including matched-giving campaigns and Payroll Giving. 

• Work closely with the Fundraising Manager, Corporate Partnerships team and Communications team to ensure a cohesive approach and maximise all fundraising opportunities.

General

• Oversee and maintain specific fundraising administrative processes, including recording of activity on the Salesforce CRM and internal databases.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of fundraising regulations, networks, and developments across the sector. 

• Adherence to Chapter One’s Donation Acceptance Policy.

• Contribute to forecasting and regular reporting, producing verbal and written reports for senior management as required.

We are looking for some of the following attributes, though you might be more experienced in some areas than others:

• A commitment to Chapter One’s mission and values.

• Experience of fundraising, ideally from trusts and foundations. 

• A demonstrable track record of successfully generating income and achieving targets. 

• An ability to create compelling and successful fundraising applications and proposals. 

• Excellent written communication skills, with an understanding of how to tailor communications for different audiences/contexts.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and manage relationships with a range of stakeholders, both internally and externally. 

• Evidence of effective prospect research, growing and managing a pipeline, planning for your portfolio and increasing income​.

• Good financial acumen and proven ability to present complex financial information accurately.

• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and high levels of accuracy.

• Ability to effectively work under pressure and manage conflicting priorities.

You’ll be more successful in the role if you have:

• Experience of individual giving or employee fundraising.

• Experience of working in a charity that has a strong corporate volunteering offer.​

• Experience using the Salesforce CRM.

How to Apply

Please send your CV (maximum 2 A4 sides) and a covering letter via Charity Jobs. Your covering letter (maximum 1 side of A4) should:

1) Detail your relevant experience, including clear examples.

2) Tell us the story of a successful fundraising relationship that you have been involved in, how much you raised and what you did to make it succeed.

3) Tell us about how our organisational mission is in line with your values.

Applications that fail to meet these criteria will automatically be discounted. We understand that you may use AI to help craft your application, but do remember that we will be looking for individuals who write a letter that stands out. We want you to have every opportunity to shine and to show us your talents - please let us know if there is anything we can do to make sure the assessment process works for you.

Chapter One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and celebrate diversity in backgrounds and experience and are deliberate about the kind of inclusive teams we are building. Literacy is a universal concern, and we need people from all backgrounds to maximise our innovation, creativity and impact. We especially welcome applications from persons who have experienced disadvantage and/or from those who are of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who are currently underrepresented in the organisation.

Chapter One is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure. Copies of our Safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Policy are available on request.

• Would you like to make an impact by leading one of our fashion store teams that are community based, offer amazing choice and genuine sustainability?

  What does this role involve?

  As a Store Manager you will be accountable for your stores performance, maximising sales through physical and digital channels, and achieving store targets by leading an inclusive and diverse team that consistently demonstrate the BHF values .

  Each day is different in this varied, fast paced and hands on role.  Due to the volume of donations, it can be physically demanding at times, yet most rewarding as you play a part in helping to fund life saving research.

  What are we looking for?

  • Experience working in a customer facing role in retail, hospitality or service industry
  • Experience of leading, motivating and developing teams
  • Commercial awareness
  • Ability to achieve sales targets
  • Committed to achieving the highest retail standards at all times
  • Able to work under own initiative and take a proactive approach to changing business needs and objectives
  • Thrives working in a hands on, fast-paced environment
  • An understanding of budgets and P&L 

  Our stores are fast-paced and trade 7 days a week which means we require flexibility from our store teams to work weekends and bank holidays on a rota basis.

  What’s important to us?

  At the British Heart Foundation (BHF) we offer a huge range of new and used quality furniture, clothing, jewellery and more, available in store and online.

  Our vision is a world where everyone has a healthier heart for longer. We'll get there by funding cutting-edge research and innovation, which hold the keys to saving and improving more lives.

  In addition to raising funds for the BHF, we connect with our local communities and help reduce clothing and furniture waste across the UK. With over 700 stores we make a huge environmental impact by preventing around 70,000 tonnes of unwanted items going to landfill every year. We receive 1.6 million items donated to our home stores and 9.8 million bags of donated items and we will continue to build upon our reuse agenda in the years to come.

  Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, Igniting Change, along with our internal EDI group, Kaleidoscope, and a growing number of employee network groups (our Affinity Groups), help us create an environment where all our colleagues and volunteers can succeed.

  Why join the BHF?

  We have a strong culture of internal progression and will actively support you to develop your career.

  Our generous staff benefits include:

  • 38 days annual leave (plus the option to buy and sell leave)
  • Holistic support leave of up to 10 additional days off each year
  • Enhanced family policies (maternity, paternity and adoption leave)
  • Wagestream - early access to your wages
  • 25% staff discount
  • Health cash plan (Dental, Optical, Therapies, etc)
  • Access to a 24/7 Virtual GP and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
  • Pension with employer contribution of up to 10%
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Discounts on gym memberships
  • Discounts with a wide range of retailers

  Ready to apply?

  To apply, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Click the “Apply” button below.
  2. You’ll be seamlessly redirected to the BHF Careers page.
  3. Complete the application form, submit your CV and upload your employment history.

  What do I need to know?

  DBS Check: Any offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory DBS check

  Inclusivity Matters: We’re committed to fairness and consistency. As part of this commitment, we use anonymous CV software during the application process

  Act Swiftly: Early applications are encouraged. We’ll be reviewing submissions throughout the advertising period and may close the advert early

  Sponsorship: Please note that we are unlikely to be able to sponsor applicants in respect of this role due to the role not meeting the minimum salary criteria to be eligible for sponsorship.

  Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact a member of the Recruitment team.

The Sutton Trust is the UK’s leading social mobility charity. We believe every young person should have a fair chance in life, regardless of their family’s income, the school they go to or where they grow up. But today in Britain, the opportunity to succeed is heavily shaped by socio-economic background. Our mission is to change this. Our programmes empower young people to access life-changing opportunities, and our research influences national change to deliver a fairer future.

Each year, together with our university and employer partners, we support over 14,000 young people to reach their potential through our university, apprenticeship, and career access programmes. And our support does not stop there. We engage our thriving alumni community to help them to succeed in their professions and to act as advocates for social mobility.

Our rigorous and extensive research shines a light on barriers to opportunity from the early years to the workplace, and we strive to influence national policy change with evidence-based solutions to tackle educational and workplace inequality. Using insights from our programmes and research, we also test and scale new ideas in education and employment practice.

As an independent charity, our work is entirely reliant on the generous support of our community of donors. The need to support our work to tackle Britain’s low social mobility has never been greater.

Fundraising at the Sutton Trust

We are seeking a dynamic and driven fundraiser to be our Trusts and Foundations Manager. The Sutton Trust is at an exciting point in our organisational journey, with a new Chairperson and ambitions to significantly grow our impact and fundraising as part of our 2030 strategy.

Over the past five years the impact of the Sutton Trust has increased, especially in our programme numbers, securing a relatively stable income of c.£6m over a number of years. In recent years this has grown to c.£7m, and our organisational strategy to 2030 will continue this fundraising trajectory to increase income to £12m. Trusts and foundations income currently accounts for c.37% of our fundraising, and we know there is considerable enthusiasm and opportunity in the grant-making world for building strategic partnerships with us.

Our fundraising approach will continue to focus on driving towards major gifts and strategic multi-year partnerships, leveraging a range of drivers to secure Trust, Foundation and Statutory support.

The Role and Team

As Trusts and Foundations Manager (maternity cover), you will be an experienced, proactive relationship manager and fundraiser. You will be confident in delivering high quality reporting and stewardship to a wide variety of Trusts, Foundations, Statutory and organisational donors, as well as proactively approaching funding prospects and preparing applications to secure funds.

We have strong relationships with a range of trusts and foundations, and over the fixed term contract period we are looking for a confident fundraiser to manage and support a portfolio of funders as cover for a maternity leave within the Development team.

The role will contribute to growing the portfolio of Trusts, Foundations, and organisational donors (predominantly at the five-figure level), while also providing strategic support on grant management of our major six-and-seven-figure Trust and Foundation partners. This will include compiling key reports and supporting the gathering and analysing programmatic data. You will work closely with colleagues across both the Development Department, including the Development Director, and the wider organisation.

Main duties

New Business

• Undertake prospect research into trusts and foundations, statutory opportunities (contracts or grants), and organisational funders in collaboration with Trusts and Foundations colleagues, and other senior staff and senior volunteers. This includes identification, due diligence, qualification, and creating briefings and outreach plans.

• Work with Trusts and Foundations colleagues to cultivate a prospect pool of potential donors, looking at lapsed supporters, the prospect pipeline, stakeholder network mapping through the Board and Trustees, as well as funders with an active interest in education / social mobility.

• Submit compelling funding proposals and reports to mid-level trusts, foundations, statutory and organisational donors to secure income (predominately at the five-figure level) for the Trust. Work alongside other Development team and wider organisation members to ensure high-quality submissions.

• Alongside team members, manage the shared Development inbox to ensure all enquiries are dealt with in a prompt, consistent, and friendly manner.

• Follow all relevant policies and processes to ensure due diligence is completed for prospective donors and that income projections and plans for the portfolio are kept up to date.

Account Management and Development

• Manage and grow a small portfolio of trusts, foundations, statutory supporters, and organisational donors, delivering impactful stewardship (e.g. impact reporting) while meeting all donor reporting requirements to maximise financial income and partnership longevity.

• Support senior team members on strategic management of our major trust and foundation partners, including leading on compiling key impact reports, coordinating meetings, attending programme visits, event invites, writing targeted donor communications and reporting.

• Work with the Head of Fundraising Operations to compile and analyse key programmatic data for use by the Development team in their grant reporting.

• Be accountable for achieving agreed trusts and foundations income targets, looking for opportunities to grow funding and diversify income for this stream.

• Ensure all record keeping and administration relating to trusts and foundations income is maintained, up-to-date, and processed in accordance with GDPR and Sutton Trust policies and procedures.

Fundraising Finance and Reporting

• Act as an ambassador for the Trust with external audiences, delivering presentations and providing expertise as required.

• Work with colleagues to deliver impactful events to cultivate prospects and steward partners, with a focus on experience for trust and foundation supporters and prospects.

• Work with colleagues across Development and Finance to ensure accurate forecasting, income tracking and reporting for trusts and foundations income, through the Trust’s CRM (Salesforce), account management plans, and all relevant income pipeline documents.

• Ensure you appropriately follow policies and procedures on due diligence, Salesforce and data management, account management, stewardship, and reporting.

• Stay up to date with grant fundraising best practice, learning from senior members of the team, and keep abreast of developments and opportunities within the wider fundraising space.

• Other duties as necessary from time to time.

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have:

• Experience in successfully securing, managing, and developing Trust, Foundation, Statutory or organisational donor partnerships at four and five figure-level, from initial prospect research to securing income and ongoing grant management.

• Experience building and managing relationships, particularly in the philanthropic sector with organisational donors.

• Strong presentation skills and the ability to write compelling proposals and impact reports, or pitch to audiences with the intent of persuading them to your point of view or secure a specific outcome.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to summarise information from readily available sources clearly and concisely.

• Experience managing multiple priorities and tasks to successfully achieve project or other goals.

• Excellent prospect research skills and strong analytical skills.

• First-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust with confidence in a range of settings.

• Knowledge of fundraising in the education and/or not-for-profit sector.

• Experience using CRM software (ideally Salesforce) to accurately record funding relationships (desirable).

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage and increase social mobility.

• Able to take the initiative and take responsibility for a wide variety of tasks and projects.

• Strong communicator, skilled at persuading others through writing and conversation.

• Enjoy working with impact and outcomes data to create compelling narratives for reporting purposes (desirable).

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Able to multi-task and prioritise multiple funder relationships.

• Able to work independently and as part of a team.

• Is eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• Contract: Full-time, Fixed term contract until 31 August 2027

• Salary: £42,000-£47,000

• Working location: Minimum of two office days per week. Our home working policy gives staff the option to - work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.

• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP.

• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. This role is likely to also be required to attend events / meetings outside of normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends, in line with organisational policies.

• Safeguarding: DBS check may be required.

Interviews

Applications should reach us by 10am, Monday 13th April , with first round interviews held with first round interviews held on Tuesday, 21st April, and second round interviews held on Tuesday, 28th April. Both rounds will be held in our London office.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.