Research and policy programme manager jobs in Leeds, greater london

Based: EJF office in London

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Salary: £38,000-£45,000, dependent on experience

Position overview

​​This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF): one of the world's leading non-profits working at the intersection of environmental conservation and human rights. We are lean, agile, creative, strategic and most of all results-driven.

This is a varied and fast-paced role for an outstanding Senior Press Officer. The successful applicant will be fluent in English and Spanish, with a proven track record of impactful journalism and/or securing high-level media coverage as part of a press office.

We are looking for someone with a passion for our work and the drive, experience and skills to build our audiences, raise the profile of our campaigns and get our perspectives in front of key decision-makers. This role would suit someone who would look forward every day to placing impactful stories which drive real-world progress for a more sustainable planet.

You will have a demonstrable ability to understand our audiences and develop communications strategies to reach them. You will enjoy meeting and briefing journalists, enthusiastically reaching out to 'sell' our key stories. You will gain significant media coverage for EJF’s messages in key, influential international media outlets such as the Financial Times, New York Times and El País.

The successful candidate will work independently to ensure a steady flow of high-quality press outreach, as well as pitching and writing articles and op-eds to promote our perspectives. You will know which outlets key political decision-makers read, and how to place material with them.

You will be an outstanding writer, and possess superb adaptability and inventiveness to respond to a rapidly changing policy landscape.

This is a challenging but rewarding and dynamic role, providing an opportunity to work at the forefront of critical issues of global environmental justice and unique opportunities for growth and development.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement integrated communication plans and campaigns to support EJF’s campaigns around the world

• Ensure impactful and consistent coverage of our campaigns, and the issues they cover, in high-profile ‘gatekeepered’ media outlets

• Prepare press releases and media packs for report launches and external developments, ensuring both proactive and reactive coverage

• Respond swiftly to media enquiries

• Research and actively engage media contacts and outlets, remotely and in person, to increase EJF’s reach, building a database to record and evaluate this outreach

• Work with our communications team around the world to develop coordinated media strategies across geographies and languages

• Evaluate and report on our press performance, making recommendations for ongoing improvement

• Create engaging and impactful content for our various communication channels. This includes writing op-eds and blog articles on core EJF campaign areas

• Uphold the highest standards of scientifically rigorous but engaging writing at all times

• Host press briefings at events with external stakeholders

Essential skills and attributes

• Professional fluency (including excellent writing and editing skills) in English and Spanish

• At least 3 years of experience working in communications, a press office, journalism or similar, with a particular focus on placing stories with, or writing for, high-level traditional media outlets

• Knowledge of media relations, developing communication materials, writing content for different channels and developing social media campaigns

• Experience of and confidence in dealing with journalists from different types of media to ensure effective coverage

• An effective knowledge of the media outlets read by political decision-makers internationally, and how to place articles in them

• Excellent copywriting skills, including under time pressure, and the ability to identify a good story, linking current affairs to EJF campaigns

• An exceptional level of creativity and drive to seek out new opportunities to promote EJF’s work

• Outstanding attention to detail and factual accuracy

• Reliable, determined, self-motivated, resourceful and able to work effectively with a small, dynamic, and international team

• Superb organisational skills, able to work quickly and prioritise efficiently to deliver timely outputs

• A passion for ensuring environmental justice

We offer you:

• Annual leave that increases with length of service

• Home working two days a week. Flexible working arrangements can be considered

• Cycle to work programme

• A highly motivated and open-minded team of committed colleagues, and the opportunity to develop and implement compelling propositions that can deliver campaign and organisational goals

• Great opportunities for your professional growth and personal development in close collaboration with our diverse team across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America

About EJF

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) exists to protect the natural world and uphold our fundamental human right to a secure environment. We work at the frontlines of environmental injustice, alongside communities most affected by climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and exploitation - transforming evidence into action, and injustice into lasting change.

EJF is a global non-profit driven by a powerful belief: that environmental protection and human rights are inseparable. Through courageous field investigations, rigorous research, and strategic international advocacy, we expose environmental crime, challenge impunity, and catalyse systemic reform. Our work delivers real-world impact, shaping policy, strengthening governance, protecting vital ecosystems, and defending those who risk their lives to safeguard them.

Our campaigns span four deeply interconnected areas: oceans, climate, forests and wetlands, and the training, protection, and empowerment of environmental defenders and journalists. From illegal fishing and forced labour to deforestation, land grabs, and climate displacement, we confront some of the most complex and urgent crises of our time - always with a focus on accountability, equity, and durable solutions.

EJF is an international organisation with a diverse team working across four continents, united by a shared ambition: to protect people by protecting the planet. We are bold, evidence-led, and impact-driven. We speak truth to power - and we build pathways to a fairer, more resilient future. Join Us.

Applications

Please apply here.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. If you feel you would be a good fit for this role but are unsure if you meet every single requirement, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Closing date for applications: We will consider incoming applications until 09:00 UK time, 30/05/2026.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. You must hold the legal right to work in the UK for this role.

SUMMARY

Position Title:  Community Organiser

Level: Level 2

Salary: £28, 860 (FTE yearly) Salary reviewed annually

Reports to: Community Director

Location: The Liberation Centre, Brixton, London (Our office in Brixton)/ Hybrid working with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time). This role will require additional office days on a needs basis

Contract: Part-time (20hrs/weekly), fixed-term contract for 1 year with potential for extension and role expansion subject to budget

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g. one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible (potentially July, with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.)

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action. 

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently encampments and protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective. 

This is why we are looking for a Community Organiser who is capable of supporting in building the leadership in young people that enables them to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. 

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply. Charity experience is not a requirement! We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day. If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1.You will become a key member of the Communities Department, including but not limited to:

• Developing a good working relationship with community members and leaders including staff, TAA members, centre users, local residents, traders, and more
• Supporting with organising efforts in the community and in creating pathways for our members to take part in the work 

2.You will help ensure The Liberation Centre is a warm and welcoming environment, working closely with The Community Director and Head of Spacemaking to ensure our space is welcoming, accessible, and that our users are thriving in the space:

• You will coordinate our HOST Programme - You will be accountable for the development and delivery of our HOST programme, including but not limited to:
  • You will ensure our bookings system is up to date, and hold relationships with centre users 
  • You will flag and escalate Health and Safety concerns for the space to the Space Manager and work with them on operationalising problem solving in the space 
  • You will cultivate relationships with Centre users, neighbours, and visitors and encourage them to get involved in activities and feedback any and all concerns or suggestions they might put forward 
  • Support colleagues in the Operations team to ensure our Centre is a great and accessible place for staff to work from

3.You will help make The Liberation Centre a space for political education and organising by:

• Supporting the running of community spaces at TLC - including community putlocks, assemblies, trader meetings, and other TAA-held initiatives 
• Supporting the Head of Community Organising in holding and leading spaces for community action and organising - including things like ensure turnout to events, conduct 1-2-1s, assist in minute taking, follow up on actions etc 
• Supporting with capturing data on the impact of the space and feedback on space use by young people, community groups, and other partners 
• You will be supporting the running of our open access youth space Just Us on an ad hoc basis - which can include: stepping in if people are sick, helping support specific events

4.You will ensure that our community activities run like well-oiled machines by pulling in the right people at the right time and ensuring that key milestones are met:

• Contribute towards risk management standards and ensure Health and Safety standards are met across our programmatic team
• Contribute towards monitoring and evaluation standards, safeguarding practices, and other critical policies and practices within the organisation 
• Provide accurate and timely financial information to the budget lead for your work and to the Finance, HR & Operations team
• Support in the fundraising and income goals of the department by working with the Commercial team in supporting bids, building relationships, and hosting events or spaces

5.Share responsibilities for achieving our strategic objectives by upholding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology, and cultural values within your area and also across TAA, supporting on cross-departmental projects as needed:

• Embody our commitment to social and economic justice
• Role model upholding ideology, culture and value expectations across the organisation including but not limited to: leading by example across departments and during team days and role-modelling leadership, identifying new opportunities to the Community Director and to the team and identifying risks to our integrity and authenticity in relation to ideology and culture
• Ensure that you work in tandem with and in support of other team members including but not limited to: encouraging collaborations across other departments with resources as needed
• Take responsibility for communicating your own wellbeing and needs and providing feedback on TAA wellbeing initiatives to your line manager, and contribute to living the TAA culture
• Take responsibility for pursuing your own development to build knowledge and skills to fulfil your role and areas of interest

6.Governance and Compliance

• Work with the Community Director to prioritise and centre risk management in your portfolio: feeding into risk analysis and mitigation, identifying and escalating risks to the strategic objectives, taking the lead to mitigate risks early and thoroughly.
• Ensure understanding and compliance with TAA policies and practices and take the lead on their implementation within your portfolio

A BIT ABOUT YOU

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world. 
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You’ve got a deep understanding of, and a personal relationship with, issues of social justice. From racism to the housing crisis to climate justice, you’ll be aware of how systemic injustice operates in our society, clued-up and well-informed on the big issues of our time and committed to changing them.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
•  You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories. 
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.

IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE  

• At least 2 years of experience in organising and campaigning on issues of social justice and/or 
• At least 2 years of experience in supporting young people to be more confident and comfortable developing and implementing organising or campaign efforts.
• Detail oriented 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
• Project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Doc/ Google Sheets/ Canva
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment 
• Due to the office requirement of this role, we need the post holder to be based in London

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Community Organiser role; it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.

HOW TO APPLY  

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).

• Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• Our Community Organiser will support our members to organise and campaign on issues that matter to them. Tell us about an organising effort or campaign you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• Our Community Organiser will support our members to identify and act on their developing political interests, including helping them to be more confident and comfortable developing and implementing organising strategies. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Community Organiser role.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.

DATES

• Closing Date: The deadline for the applications is 25th May 2026 at 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to complete a short-written assessment task.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for 29th May – 5th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for 11th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).

ONLINE OPEN HOUSE

We will not be hosting an online open house for this role.However, if you have any questions about the role or are interested in hearing more about what The Advocacy Academy is about we are happy to do 15-20mins exploratory phone call. Contact us through the email indicated on the JD to indicate your interest for this.

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION 

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible

 NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US  

We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalized.

We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.

This role will support the development and delivery of our services and resources for young people born with a cleft lip and/or palate. Working closely with the Engagement & Services team to help us achieve our mission. 

The Youth Engagement Coordinator will sit within the Engagement & Services Team. They will join a friendly and supportive team of seven colleagues who, together, are responsible for the delivery of CLAPA’s adult, family, children and young people and involvement services. The post holder will develop and deliver services for eight- to seventeen-year-olds, which will enable the young cleft community to connect, share experiences and access guidance and emotional support. Shaping what support looks like, creating positive impact and strengthening reach, this new role for CLAPA will make a real difference to the lives of children and young people born with a cleft.

If you think you have the talent, passion and experience to help us ensure we can always meet the needs of the community we serve, we want to hear from you.