Public affairs manager jobs

Senior Research and Development Officer (Adults)
Location: Hybrid Working from Devon TQ12 or Sheffield S1 Offices or Home based within UK for the right Candidate
Salary: £32,684 per annum, pro rata
Contract: Fixed term for 18 months, with the potential to extend
Hours: 28 hours per week

About Us

Research in Practice is part of the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) family.  For over 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been building a better childhood for all.

We work with and for professionals in the social care, health, criminal justice and higher education sectors offering resources, learning opportunities and specialist expertise.

Research in Practice works with organisations across the adults and children’s social care, health and criminal justice sectors, supporting them to develop an evidence-informed approach to their work. Our focus is on using evidence from research, practice and lived experience, to provide resources that improve policy and services, in order to achieve positive outcomes for people of all ages.

About You and the Role

Research in Practice has been enabling evidence-informed practice for and with the adults sector since 2005, and the children and families sector since 1996. This role is focused on the adults sector aspect of Research in Practice.

Research in Practice brings together research evidence, practice wisdom and expertise from people’s lived experience. We do this by interpreting the latest research evidence, working with professionals across the sector to share practice wisdom, and listening to people with lived experience. We then work with experts to create learning opportunities and resources on relevant topics; tailored to the needs of individuals and organisations.

We are looking for a Senior Research and Development Officer who is passionate about evidence-informed practice to join our adult's team. The role demands a strong understanding of research and policy, and the ability to translate complex evidence into accessible learning materials. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential as is the ability to build collaborative relationships across and within organisations. Experience in co-production, research mobilisation, or working within academic or policy environments is valued.

The Senior Research and Development Officer leads a small team of committed Research and Development Officers developing and delivering high-quality learning resources in various formats. The post holder is responsible for scoping, commissioning, writing, editing, and quality assurance, and plays a key role in income generation through tenders and bids.

The role requires strong facilitation and delivery skills and experience designing and delivering workshops, webinars, and events for a range of audiences, including senior leaders. The successful candidate will be confident presenting, chairing, and leading sector-wide discussions.

Applications close at 08:00am on Friday 24th October 2025.
Assessment and interviews to be conducted on Monday 10th November 2025.
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are actively seeking to broaden the diversity of our staff group and warmly welcome applications from candidates underrepresented in the charity sector, including those from Black and Global Majority communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with lived experience of the issues NCB works on.

No agencies please.

About Topos Research UK and Topos Institute

Topos Research UK is an entrepreneurial, dynamic charity start-up in the UK (inc. 2024) with a parent charity start-up, Topos Institute in the US (inc. 2019). We are a non-profit research institute dedicated to realising a world where the systems that surround us benefit us all, so that society can better cooperate on critical issues — the climate crisis, pandemic responses, agricultural modelling, global access to education, and more — through interconnected systems that consider holistic impacts. We develop new tools for collective inquiry and modelling, enabled by a combination of novel foundational mathematics, open-source software engineering, and meaningful collaboration with domain specialists.

The Opportunity

We seek a strategic Operations Director to lead the successful scaling of our rapidly growing UK operation. This is a pivotal, creative leadership role reporting directly to our Board of Trustees, with day-to-day collaboration with board representative Brendan Fong (Topos UK Trustee and Topos USA CEO).

Current State:

• 1-year-old entity with £500k annual revenue
• 6 talented staff (research scientists, software engineers, postdocs)
• 3 planned new staff members within the next 6 months
• Two major grants: £600k (1-year) and £1.2M (2.25-year)
• Projected FY26 revenue: £1M

The Challenge: You’ll be our first senior operations hire, responsible for establishing the systems and culture that will enable Topos UK (and Topos as a whole) to thrive as we scale from startup to established institution, collaborating between the UK and US offices, and pioneering a new style of technology-oriented research organisation keenly focussed on improving lives.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Finance Leadership

• Lead operations and finance for a projected £1M+ annual budget from research grants
• Support grant solicitation, budgeting, procurement, monitoring, and reporting
• Collaborate with financial consultants on organizational strategies, budgets, treasury, and tax affairs
• Coordinate with US-based Topos Institute on governance, consolidated reporting, and shared contracts

Strategic Planning & Culture Building

• Partner with the Board of Trustees and Topos Institute USA to develop and implement strategic plans aligned with our institutional mission
• Champion the critical role of operations and administration in achieving our research mission
• Establish and nurture an organizational culture that:
  • Integrates diverse perspectives and lived experiences
  • Views uncertainty as opportunity for innovation
  • Balances operational efficiency with academic freedom
  • Embodies public purpose, intellectual rigor, and collaboration

Team Leadership & Development

• Nurture and mentor our growing team of 6+ researchers and engineers
• Support individual career aspirations while building collective capacity
• Work with HR consultants to develop talent management systems and support organizational human resources needs
• Foster an environment where exceptional people can do their best work

Systems & Infrastructure

• Design and implement policies, internal controls, and procedures for sustainable growth
• Oversee operational functions including inventory management and facilities
• Oversee compliance, risk management, and organizational governance
• Manage physical space requirements, including future lease negotiations
• Coordinate legal affairs with Board of Trustees, sourcing expertise as needed

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as operational interface with funders, partners, and collaborators
• Represent Topos UK’s capabilities and needs to external stakeholders
• Support business development for future grant and contract opportunities
• Assume additional responsibilities as organizational needs evolve

What We’re Looking For

Essential Experience

• 5+ years in senior operations/finance roles at mission-driven organizations
• Proven ability to build systems and culture from the ground up
• Experience with research institutions, nonprofits, or technology startups
• Track record managing complex budgets and grant funding
• Track record of successfully impacting both strategic and tactical finance and administration initiatives

Leadership Qualities

• Collaborative, supportive management style with focus on team development
• Skilled at building consensus in a complex organisation and able to achieve results through influence and partnership
• Ability to foster inclusive environments where diverse perspectives thrive
• Experience mediating differences and supporting individual team member success
• Ability to communicate clearly and collaboratively, both internally and externally
• Creative problem-solving approach with strong analytical skills

Cultural Fit

• Intellectually curious with appreciation for technical research
• Mission-first orientation with commitment to public benefit
• Comfortable with complexity, ambiguity, and rapid change; sees challenges as opportunities for growth
• Committed to building inclusive, supportive team environments
• Values-driven leader who can balance efficiency with academic freedom
• Motivated by meaningful work that contributes to helping solve global-scale challenges
• Values continuous learning, diverse perspectives, and collaborative problem-solving
• Ability to periodically travel to the head office in Berkeley, California, or other locations as needed
• Flexibility with working hours, to accommodate for collaboration across global time zones
• Energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive; a team leader who can positively and productively impact both strategic and tactical finance and administration initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in relevant field (business, nonprofit management, etc.)
• Experience with international organizations or multi-entity coordination
• Familiarity with academic research environments
• Technical literacy sufficient to engage with mathematical/computational work

Why Topos UK

Exceptional Team: Collaborate with world-leading researchers and high calibre funding agencies.

Inclusive Environment: Be part of building a diverse team where different perspectives are valued and everyone can contribute their best work.

Meaningful Impact: Your operational excellence directly enables breakthrough research on humanity’s most pressing challenges—from climate change to public health to collaborative open science.

Technical Innovation: Support the development of genuinely novel technologies that could transform how humanity approaches complex, collaborative decision-making.

Supportive Culture: Join a caring, inquiry-driven community that values both intellectual rigor and personal well-being, with a strong focus on in-person office culture but flexibility to support work-life balance.

Growth Opportunity: Shape the foundational systems of an organization poised for significant expansion and impact.

Apply

Topos Research UK is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. There is evidence to suggest that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. No matter who you are, if this role speaks to you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you tick all the boxes. We’d especially like to encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

If you require any adjustments to the application process, such as accessibility accommodations, additional preparation time, or other, please let us know in your application. We’re happy to support your needs and adjust the application process.

Next Steps: This role offers the rare opportunity to be the operational backbone behind important research that contributes to how humanity tackles global challenges. If you’re energized by building meaningful institutions and enabling exceptional people to do transformative work, we’d love to hear from you.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We expect the process to include initial screening, work assessments, team interviews, and references.

We’re Hiring: Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £75,000 – £80,000 + pension
Location: Northamptonshire (flexible, with min. 3 days on-site)
Closing date: 5pm, Friday 3rd October 2025

Age UK Northamptonshire is looking for a dynamic Chief Executive Officer to lead us into our next chapter.

We are the leading local charity supporting older people across the county—providing advice, companionship, and essential services to 18,000+ people every year.

As our long-serving CEO retires, we need an inspiring, strategic leader who can:
✅ Champion older people as a trusted advocate and spokesperson
✅ Lead a dedicated team of 140+ staff and 260+ volunteers
✅ Strengthen partnerships and income streams to ensure sustainability
✅ Build on our proud history while driving innovation and growth

About You

You’ll bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience in a complex organisation
• Strong financial and strategic planning skills
• Excellent communication and influencing abilities
• Integrity, energy, and resilience to lead by example

Knowledge of the voluntary sector, health, social care, or issues affecting older people is highly desirable.

Interviews take place in October. If you have any questions then please use the above email. 

�� Be the voice for older people in Northamptonshire. Lead us into the future.

Are you passionate about community, lived experience, and making real change happen at a local level?
 

At Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network (LRMN), we’re looking for a compassionate, organised, and confident Communities Engagement Officer to help us strengthen relationships, support participation, and amplify the voices of people with lived experience across everything we do.

You will help ensure that the experiences, ideas, and leadership of our community members are at the heart of our campaigns, events, and advocacy.

Whether it’s supporting someone to attend an event, coordinating WhatsApp groups, or helping design a community-led initiative your role will be all about connection, care, and making sure everyone feels supported and heard.

We're especially interested in hearing from you if you:

• Have lived experience of the UK’s immigration/asylum system, or have navigated similar challenges in your own life.

• Are a strong communicator, someone who builds trust, listens deeply, and can work with a wide range of people.

• Enjoy organising, keeping things running smoothly, and making sure no one is left out.