Senior communication officer jobs in Marylebone, greater london

Are you an experienced challenge events fundraiser? We have an opportunity to join a leading mental health charity to join the Events team for a 12 month contract.

This is a hybrid role based in London or Cardiff, with 2 days a week in the office.

The role
The Events team is a part of a wider Engagement team, responsible for raising more than £23 million this year!

This role would be working with the Senior Events Officer and another Events Officer, and would help deliver the charity's biggest and best London Marathon event (likely spending 75% of the time working on London Marathon, and the remaining 25% working on another event in the portfolio).

Supporter engagement sits at the core of the role, with a focus on meeting and exceeding engagement and fundraising KPIs through proactive communication, tailored guidance, and personalised stewardship.

You would need to interpret and analyse performance data to optimise supporter journeys, strengthen campaign effectiveness and maximise income.

Work closely with supporters to understand their motivations, while collaborating effectively with colleagues across teams.

Support with key events and activities, with some travel and out of hours working required to help deliver high quality, on the ground supporter experiences.

The candidate

• Experience working on peer-to-peer fundraising programmes and delivering memorable fundraising experiences for supporters.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build authentic and effective relationships with supporters.
• Track record of monitoring and meeting targets and KPIs, ensuring strong ROI and supporter engagement.
• Project management skills, including ability to work across multiple projects simultaneously. Ability to use initiative to work alone ensuring work is planned, prioritised, and organised to achieve set deadlines.
• Ability to interpret and analyse data and use insight to improve performance
• Available to start ideally August / September 26

IMPORTANT NOTE

Closing Date: 10 August 2026

Our aim is to respond to all successful applications within 5 days. If you haven't been contacted within 5 days your application has been unsuccessful, but we positively encourage you to apply for any other positions that you may see in the future. We apologise that we cannot contact everybody in person but thank you in advance for your interest.

Third Solutions encourages applications from individuals of all ages & backgrounds. Appointment will be made on merit alone but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK. Third Solutions acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment & an employment business for temporary recruitment as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies & Employment Business Regulations 2003.

Our vision has three aims - that people Encounter God, Equip the church for ministry and mission, and Evangelise London and beyond

These three E’s depend on someone who Enables them - turning vision into the people, systems and momentum that bring them to life.

We are looking for someone to take the Vicar’s vision for the church and make it happen - anticipating what’s needed, proposing how to get there, and driving the work through to completion.

They’ll lead our operations so that every ministry can flourish and grow - running towards problems, owning them, and coming back with solutions.

ChildAid to Eastern Europe is a long-established Christian charity working with local partners across Eastern Europe to improve the lives of vulnerable children, young people, and families.

We are seeking an exceptional Director to lead the organisation into its next phase of growth and impact. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership, operational oversight and income generation to ensure the charity’s long-term sustainability.

This is a hands-on role, combining high-level strategy with day-to-day delivery. You will act as the public face of the charity, strengthen partner and donor relationships, and lead across fundraising, communications, operations and team development.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of the charity’s strategic vision.
• Develop and grow sustainable income streams.
• Oversee financial management, governance and compliance.
• Strengthen marketing, communications and organisational profile.
• Support programme delivery and partner relationships in Eastern Europe.
• Lead and develop a small team of staff and volunteers.

About you

We are looking for someone with:

• Senior leadership experience, ideally in the charity sector.
• A strong track record in fundraising or income generation.
• Proven financial and operational management skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building ability.
• Strategic thinking, combined with a practical, hands-on approach.
• A genuine commitment to the charity’s mission and values.

Additional information

This role carries an occupational requirement for the postholder to be a practising Christian, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Why join us?
Lead a respected charity with over 50 years of impact, shape future strategy and help transform the lives of vulnerable children and families.

Are you interested in a role within a high performing team of fundraisers at a university which is not only world leading, but also world changing? Do you have a passion for direct marketing and an interest in fundraising for the higher education sector? Then this could be the role for you.

The new Regular Giving Officer will use their skills and knowledge to manage a busy calendar of appeals, across a wide range of channels including direct mail and social media. They will ensure that all campaigns are delivered to the highest possible standard, follow best practice and that all our supporters have the best possible experience.

They will also use their experience of stakeholder management to build strong relationships with our colleagues in Alumni Relations and our external suppliers, to ensure that we take an innovative approach and continue to find new ways to promote our fundraising offering.

By joining Imperial, you’ll be joining a university which develops the people and skills the world needs now and into the future.

Job title:Regular Giving Officer

Salary:£46,614 - £56,345

Location:White City Campus (Hybrid),

About the role:

We have an exciting opportunity to join a successful team as Regular Giving Officer (Acquisition and Retention) on a full-time, open-ended basis to oversee and manage the regular giving programme.

Imperial’s regular giving programme looks after donors who give up to £50,000 a year.

The role will work with a range of stakeholders within and outside of Advancement and external suppliers such as creative agencies, copywriters and mailing houses.

What you would be doing:

The Regular Giving and Legacy Giving team at Imperial is a high-performing team, with a well-established, successful programme. Key responsibilities include managing the planning, implementation and delivery of direct marketing fundraising campaigns across a range of media including direct mail, email, online and social media. You will work closely with the other Officers in the team to manage activity across legacies, mid-value and regular giving.

What we are looking for:
This is an ideal role for someone who wants to learn more about fundraising in higher education. We welcome applications from all candidates including those with a background in charity sector fundraising.

· Experience of working in a fundraising direct marketing role at a charity or in higher education

· Experience of building relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues up to a senior level, alumni and donors

· Experience of working with CRM systems

· Excellent oral and written communication skills

· Advanced Microsoft Office skills

· Evidence of strong interpersonal and influencing skill

· Ability to think strategically, with strong project management skills and a methodical and organised approach

· Ability to work autonomously, prioritising workload and keeping to deadlines

· A flexible approach to working

What we can offer you:

• Access to an extensive peer network within Higher Education
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.

· Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days’ annual leave and generous pension schemes).

· Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.

· Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.

· Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial.

Our culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and creating an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our web pages.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation.

Closing date: 16 August 2026

The opportunity:

This is a senior role with responsibility for the strategic direction, quality and impact of We Belong’s youth development portfolio. Reporting to the CEO and working as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will lead programmes spanning early intervention, educational attainment, further and higher education, employability, skills development, youth leadership and progression into positive opportunities.

You will oversee the Let Us Learn Programme, Emerging Young Leaders Programme, Schools Excellence Programme and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze programme. You will also strengthen young people’s influence within We Belong through the Core Group, ensuring that lived experience informs organisational priorities and programme development.

The Context:

Following the landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Tigere case, which helped secure fairer access to higher education for young migrants, We Belong has continued working to ensure that young people can progress into higher education. This has included successful campaigning to increase scholarship opportunities and building strong relationships with educational institutions across the UK.

However, more work is needed. Young migrants can experience significant barriers to educational attainment, further and higher education, employment and personal development because of their immigration status.

These barriers can arise long before a young person reaches the point of applying to university, beginning an apprenticeship or entering employment. We recognise that university is not the only pathway to success and that young people should be supported to explore a range of routes that reflect their ambitions, strengths and circumstances.

Early intervention is therefore essential to ensure that young migrants understand their rights, receive accurate information and appropriate support, and are able to make informed decisions about their education, training, employment and future.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about working with young people, supporting their development and creating pathways for them to achieve their ambitions.

If successful, the applicant will be joining an award-winning youth charity and a staff team dedicated to improving outcomes for young migrants between the ages of 16-25 years old and empowering young people to create change.

This exciting new role sits within REUK’s Education Pathways work which has been in a pilot phase for the last few years and is rapidly growing now that the UK government has made a commitment to expanding safe and legal routes to higher education in the UK for refugee students.

Higher education provides a transformative pathway for refugee youth, but establishing sustainable institutional access routes requires systemic collaboration. This role will lead the growth, formalisation, and management of university partnerships required to make an education pathway to the UK grow and flourish. You will oversee the complete partnership lifecycle: from university outreach and onboarding (including negotiating formal agreements at senior level), to enabling the formation of campus welcome groups, leading on initial and ongoing university and welcome group training and support, and monitoring and improving all university-facing processes within the pathway.

The postholder will work alongside a newly created Students Lead role, enabling you to focus on the institution-facing workstreams, while student-facing onboarding, welfare, and direct casework are handled by your counterpart.

This is a critical role within a small, high-capacity specialist unit within REUK. Because this is an emerging and new area of work you must be comfortable working with risk and ambiguity, refining and learning rapidly as parameters evolve. You will be an allrounder - as comfortable presenting to university executive boards and Vice-Chancellors as you are drafting MoUs, establishing Terms of Reference, organising and facilitating institutional training, and handling complex partnership operations independently.

Role outcomes

1. UK universities actively partner with REUK to create, expand, and sustain dedicated safe and legal education pathways for displaced students. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Developing and executing a national university engagement strategy to identify, pitch to, and secure new partner universities across the UK higher education sector.

• Engaging directly with key university representatives - including Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Admissions, Sanctuary staff and key academics - to build institutional buy-in and secure long-term commitment to refugee education pathways.

• Negotiating university support packages, including as appropriate fee waivers, scholarship or bursary structures, and accommodation commitments.

• Nurturing and strategically managing existing university partnerships to ensure institutional sustainability, high-level engagement, and year-on-year growth in pathway placements.

• Representing REUK where appropriate in sector-wide higher education networks and working groups on displaced student pathways.

2. Partner universities establish institutional frameworks, well-trained staff networks and campus welcome groups to receive refugee education pathway learners. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Guiding universities in establishing and structuring sustainable on-campus welcome groups (bringing together university staff and students) to support the welcome and integration of education pathway students.

• Designing and delivering high quality training sessions for on-campus welcome groups and other key staff members.

• Developing practical toolkits, guides, and frameworks for university staff to accompany above training.

• Collaborating with the Students Lead to ensure campus welcome structures integrate with REUK's student support mechanisms.

• Advocating within partner institutions for structural policy improvements (e.g. contextual admissions and flexible documentation policies).

3. University partnership governance, agreements, and operational systems run effectively and efficiently. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Drafting, negotiating, and finalizing formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), Terms of Reference (ToRs), and operational service agreements with partner universities. 

• Managing all administrative and governance aspects of university partnerships independently, including contract tracking, partnership reviews, and operational timelines without junior admin support.

• Coordinating institutional admissions frameworks and placement quotas with university registry and admissions departments.

• Serving as the primary point of contact for senior university leads when strategic, structural, or other partnership challenges arise

• Maintaining robust data systems and records relating to university commitments, funding allocations, and institutional agreements.

4. REUK’s Education Pathways university partnerships work is robustly evaluated, financially sustainable, and aligned with REUK’s broader strategy. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Reporting directly to the Education Pathways Lead  on partnership growth, institutional engagement metrics, and strategic pathway goals.

• Working in close alignment with the Students Lead to ensure institutional frameworks effectively support cohort needs and programme delivery.

• Collecting sector data, university feedback, and institutional metrics to demonstrate impact to funders, university boards, REUK’s board of trustees, and government stakeholders.

• Supporting grant reporting and budget management related to university pathway expansion and partner development.

• Feeding operational insights from university partnerships into REUK’s broader research, policy, and systemic change initiatives.

Person specification

Although each role requires particular competencies, we seek staff members - irrespective of role - who are willing and able to demonstrate core competencies related to 1) character and values, 2) personal working style and 3) team working. Please see the applicant pack for more details. The competencies required for this specific role are:

• Higher Education sector expertise: Deep understanding of UK university governance, executive structures, admissions procedures, international frameworks, and sanctuary initiatives.

• Senior stakeholder engagement and negotiation: Proven track record of engaging and influencing senior decision-makers within universities.
   

• Partnership governance: Demonstrated experience drafting, negotiating, and executing formal and operational agreements, including MoUs and ToRs.
   

• Facilitation and training: Strong training and facilitation skills, with a track record of designing and delivering workshops and guidance, ideally within the higher education or refugee education sectors

• Operational self-sufficiency: Outstanding organisational skills with the ability to manage high-level administration, systems setup, and contract management independently without administrative support.

• Knowledge of education pathway models: Familiarity with international refugee education pathway models (such as Canada’s WUSC; Australia’s RSSP/SkillPath and or others operating in Japan, Italy, Ireland etc).

• Knowledge and understanding of refugee tertiary education: Strong understanding of the systemic barriers faced by refugee students in higher education both in the UK and in first countries of asylum. 

• Interpersonal skills: An ability to build and maintain positive, warm and confidence inspiring working relationships with internal colleagues and external partners and stakeholders, including in complex situations.

• Communications: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including ability to appropriately communicate nuance and complexity; confidence communicating with and presenting to high level audiences.

Head of Research and Policy
£45,000–£50,000
London (office-based with UK travel)
Full-time, Permanent

Our client is a UK-registered charity dedicated to tackling anti-Muslim hate and supporting those affected by it. Through victim support, research, community engagement and policy influence, the work to challenge Islamophobia and create lasting change.

As the Trust expands its national reach, they are strengthening the senior leadership team to increase its impact, deepen the evidence base and ensure the voices and experiences of Muslim communities are reflected in public policy and practice.

Prospectus is pleased to be working with our client to recruit a Head of Research & Policy to join the team based in

The Role
The Head of Research and Policy will lead the trust's research, evidence and advocacy work.

Reporting to the CEO, you will develop and deliver the trust's research agenda, including flagship reports on the scale and impact of anti-Muslim hate. You will turn evidence into influential policy positions, lead engagement with government, parliament, statutory agencies and the media, and ensure that the lived experiences of those the Trust support informs policy and practice.

Working closely with the CEO and COO, you will strengthen the trust's reputation as a trusted voice on anti-Muslim hate, producing high-quality research, policy briefings and consultation responses while supporting organisational growth and impact. As a member of the senior leadership team, you will also contribute to strategic planning, managing budgets and overseeing the development of the research and policy function.

This person will work closely with a Research and Campaigns Officer to deliver on overall objectives.

The Person
The successful candidate will bring significant experience in research, policy, public affairs and advocacy, ideally within the charity, equality, human rights or community sectors. You will have a strong understanding of the issues facing Muslim communities in the UK and a proven ability to use evidence to influence policy and decision-makers.

An outstanding communicator and analytical thinker, you will be confident interpreting complex data, engaging senior stakeholders and producing compelling written outputs for a wide range of audiences. A confident public speaker, you will be comfortable presenting to government officials, parliamentarians and the media whilst also able to mobilise others to advocate and campaign. You will possess sound judgement, integrity and sensitivity when dealing with confidential information, delicate issues and vulnerable individuals. Most importantly, you will share the trust's commitment to compassion, integrity, inclusion, courage and collaboration, and will be passionate about advancing equality and tackling anti-Muslim hate.

The organisation & Prospectus are both committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from individuals with lived experience of the issues affecting the communities the trust serves. Recruitment decisions are made solely on merit, and reasonable adjustments will be provided throughout the recruitment process where needed.

 

The arts for mental health – peer support delivered creatively

Sound Minds is a user-led charity transforming lives through music, film and art. We are a thriving community bound together by creativity and a shared belief in mutual learning and peer support.

Main purposes of the job:

Sound Minds is recruiting a Head of Operations to join our team in Wandsworth.

The Head of Operations is a member of the senior leadership team at Sound Minds and leads the management and day-to-day operations of a vibrant community premises.

Sound Minds is in a period of review and consolidation, following growth of its programmes and having secured Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status. The Head of Operations will further develop and implement robust systems to support this growth and the charity’s future aims.

The role leads on all operational, health and safety, premises, IT, systems, human resources, evaluation, and reporting activity. The Head of Operations manages the delivery of Sound Minds’ Peer Support service and will act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. They deputise for the CEO as required.

They will assist the CEO on maintaining key relationships with external stakeholders and external communications.

Sound Minds is a creative place, and the Head of Operations will need a passion for organisation and administration.

Salary: £42,833 per annum(pro rata) & 3% contribution to pension

Hours: 28 hours per week

This fixed term contract ends on 16th June 2030 and is renewable depending on funding.

Strong IT skills are essential for this role. You will be required to have a DBS (criminal records check) and satisfactory written references before starting.

The full job description and application pack are available from Sound Minds’ website.

Closing date: 10:00am, Monday 7th September 2026

First interviews: Friday 18th September 2026

Woman’s Trust is a leading mental health charity supporting women affected by domestic abuse. For nearly 30 years, we have provided free, trauma-informed counselling, therapeutic groups, and workshops to help women rebuild their emotional wellbeing. Led by and for women, we support over 900 women and children annually, with an income of £1.4m and a dedicated team of 40 staff.

We are seeking a Head of Fundraising and Development to lead our fundraising team and play a key role in our Senior Leadership Team. You’ll be joining Woman’s Trust at a pivotal moment, as we build on nearly 30 years of specialist expertise to meet growing demand, expand our services for women and girls, and extend our influence through training, research, partnerships and policy to create lasting change. As demand for our services grows, we aim to double the number of women we support annually, achieved in part through growing our income.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing new funder and partner relationships across trusts, foundations, statutory bodies, and corporates.

• Strengthening existing relationships to secure sustainable, multi-year funding.

• Leading fundraising growth, aiming for £3m by 2027/28.

• Collaborating with the CEO, trustees, and Senior Leadership Team to shape fundraising strategy and operational delivery.

• Leading an passionate team of fundraisers to maximise income generation opportunities.

We seek a highly motivated, ambitious fundraiser with proven experience at a senior level, securing five- and six-figure and multi-year grants. You should be skilled in relationship building, with a keen interest in communicating and influencing key stakeholders to create strategic partnerships that align with priorities. An interest in mental health and supporting women affected by domestic abuse will be essential.

This is an excellent opportunity for a talented fundraising professional looking to develop in a leadership role, or an experienced Head of Fundraising eager to grow their impact and career as we do. You will join a passionate, collaborative team working to create lasting change.

We offer:

• A supportive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment including a dedicated Senior Leadership Team and Board, including a CEO with a fundraising background, alongside trustees with fundraising expertise and a focus on providing income generation and partnership insights.

• The opportunity to shape and expand our fundraising function, developing your career in the process.

• A chance to make a real impact on the lives of women and children.

• Good benefits, including:

  • Hybrid & flexible working

  • 25 days holidays + 3 days at Christmas + Public holidays. Annual leave increases by 1 day after 5 years, and then by 1 day per year up to amaximum of 30 days.

  • Enhanced sick pay

  • Cycle to work scheme

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

  • Individual staff professional development budget and mandatory job-related training.

If you would like to learn more about the role and how to apply, please download the full appointment brief and speak to our retained consultant, Ami Jenick at People Beyond Profit.

If you are an ambitious fundraiser ready to drive growth and transform the lives of women and children, we would love to hear from you!

Closing Date: 31 August 2026

People Beyond Profit Converations:3-10 September 2026

Woman’s Trust Interview:

• First stage: 22nd September 2026 (Online)

• Second stage: 28 September 2026

Role Purpose: 

The Helpline Advisor will be the first point of contact for individuals reporting incidents of anti-Muslim hate. The role requires delivering empathetic, confidential, and high-quality support to callers, as well as accurately recording reports and ensuring all relevant procedures are followed. 

Helpline Advisors will support service users via multiple channels—phone, email, SMS, WhatsApp, online chat and web form, by listening actively, offering appropriate information, and making referrals to specialist services where required. They will work closely with the Helpline Supervisor and participate in debriefs and reflective practice after each shift or reported incident. 

Advisors will also play an important role in ensuring accurate data capture, safeguarding procedures, and upholding the values of compassion, non-judgement, and confidentiality. 

Role Responsibilities:  

• Answer incoming calls from victims of hate crime with empathy and professionalism. 
    

• Provide support to service users using a variety of methods, including telephone, email, SMS, online chat, online forms, and other written reports. 
    

• Provide clear, appropriate advice, support, and information to service users, using a non-judgemental and person-centred approach. 
    

• Keep accurate, detailed electronic records of each contact, including advice given, support offered, and agreed referrals. 
    

• Understand when it is necessary to seek support from more experienced colleagues or external agencies and take appropriate action. 
    

• Make referrals to other agencies when necessary, including child and adult protection concerns, on the advice of senior staff. 
    

• Maintain strict confidentiality in accordance with data protection and safeguarding policies. 
    

• Engage sensitively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those who may be distressed, traumatised, or in crisis (trauma-informed approach) 
    

• Participate in supervision, debriefs, team meetings, and reflective practice sessions. 
    

• Participate in training and professional development to stay informed of relevant legislation, policies, and best practices. 
    

• Contribute to service evaluation and team-wide improvements. 
    

• Deliver informative presentations on reporting processes and service pathways to different audiences, ensuring information is clear, accessible, and appropriate to the audience. 
    

• Support stakeholder engagement with police, local councils, and relevant partner agencies to strengthen reporting pathways, referral processes, and community confidence. 
    

• Deliver helpline services during evenings and weekends as a required part of the rota, ensuring appropriate coverage for service users outside standard office hours. 
    

• Carry out general office administration tasks, attend relevant internal and external meetings, and support day-to-day service coordination as required. 
    

• Undertake online monitoring and related reporting activity during quieter periods or downtime on the helpline, in line with organisational procedures and priorities. 
    

• Work as part of a small, supportive team. 

 
Person Specification:  

• Experience in helpline, support work, or similar client-facing roles. 
    

• Understanding of hate crime and its impacts, particularly on Muslim communities. 
    

• Excellent listening, communication, and note-taking skills. 
    

• Ability to manage emotional content and maintain professional boundaries. 
    

• Strong understanding and knowledge of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia. 
    

• Excellent understanding of British Muslim communities, their diversity, and everyday practices. 

• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively in a remote/hybrid setting. 
    

• Experience working with marginalised communities or individuals affected by discrimination or trauma is an asset. 

• Familiarity with call-handling software or CRMs (e.g., RingCentral, Zoho) is desirable but not necessary. 

• Commitment to the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

• Strong commitment to inclusion, ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds feel heard, respected, and supported. This includes working sensitively with people of all faiths and none, and with diverse identities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, queer Muslims, Muslims from minority sects, and other marginalised or intersectional communities. 
    

• Enhanced DBS check required (to be obtained on your behalf if your application is successful). 
    

Note: This job description is not exhaustive and may be subject to review and amendment from time to time in line with organisational needs. As the helpline opening hours extend then there is potential for the working hours and timings to change or increase. 

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until the role is filled with a suitable candidate, with the aim of appointing someone by mid August. Applicants are responsible for ensuring they have the legal right to work in the UK and will be required to provide ID and verification if shortlisted. 

ABOUT CHEFS IN SCHOOLS

Chefs in Schools exists to improve children’s health and futures through better school food and meaningful food education.

We work alongside schools and catering teams to transform what children eat every day, particularly in communities facing the greatest barriers to good health. We combine practical support, training, operational expertise and sector influence to help schools serve fresh, nutritious food that children want to eat.

We’re backed by some of the biggest names in food and are ambitious about both impact and scale. We want every child to have access to excellent school food and a real food education, regardless of background.

We are a values-led organisation - bold, honest, collaborative, innovative and focused on solutions.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

You will lead the delivery of Chefs in Schools External Affairs function, ultimately ensuring there is widespread recognition that poor quality school food is unacceptable. Through integrated media, digital and advocacy work, you’ll ensure quality school food is viewed as a vital tool for healthy development and food literacy. 

You will turn strategic direction into coordinated delivery, leading a multidisciplinary team that increases our influence, strengthens our reputation and helps achieve meaningful improvements in school food.

Working closely with External Affairs colleagues and Chief Executive, you will ensure our public profile, policy influence and media work reinforce one another, while creating the management capacity required for a growing organisation. This builds on the new functional structure where media and content, policy and campaigns, and the School Food Review programme all sit within External Affairs.

We want Chefs in Schools to become the most trusted and recognisable voice in the conversation around school food and food literacy. This role will play a central part in building that influence and recognition.

We are looking for somebody who understands that influence is built through consistency, credibility, creativity and cultural relevance as much as through formal communications activity alone. 

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operation of the External Affairs team.

• Translate organisational strategy into clear plans and objectives.

• Ensure media, content creation, campaigns, policy and coalition activity reinforce one another.

• Set priorities and allocate resources across competing work.

• Develop team capability through coaching, support and performance management.

• Contribute to organisational strategy and annual planning.

• Advise on reputational opportunities and risks.

• Ensure innovation is embedded at the heart of our work and approach.

• Deputise at SLT level where appropriate.

• Represent the organisation externally.

• Build a collaborative, ambitious, solutions-focused culture.

Operational planning

• Develop and oversee the annual External Affairs plan in line with strategy.

• Coordinate campaign calendars, policy priorities, publications and media moments.

• Ensure external activity supports fundraising, programmes and partnerships.

• Monitor delivery against KPIs and adjust plans where required.

Campaigns and public engagement

• Provide strategic oversight of policy development and campaigning.

• Challenge and refine policy recommendations before publication.

• Ensure campaigns are evidence-led and aligned with organisational strategy.

• Support relationships with government, sector leaders and coalition partners.

• Build strong relationships with media, MPs, councillors and key stakeholders.

Media & communications

• Oversee media strategy and organisational messaging.

• Ensure consistency across press, social media, website, publications and events.

• Identify media moments and hard hitting stories that will hit the headlines. 

• Sign off major messaging and communications.

• Lead communications planning around major announcements or crises.

School Food Review 

• Provide strategic oversight of the School Food Review programme.

• Ensure coalition work complements Chefs in Schools wider influencing strategy.

• Support senior relationships with coalition partners and funders.

• Remove barriers to delivery for the Programme Manager.

Budget & governance

• Manage the External Affairs budget.

• Ensure safeguarding, risk management and governance requirements are met.

• Oversee procurement of agencies and consultants.

ABOUT YOU

Essential experience and skills

• Significant senior leadership experience across media relations, campaigns, policy or public affairs.

• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams.

• Strong operational planning skills.

• Excellent political judgement.

• Experience influencing senior stakeholders.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication.

• Strong project and budget management.

• Comfortable balancing long-term strategy with fast-paced reactive work.

• Strong understanding of the UK media landscape and digital channels. 

• Excellent communication skills – written, verbal and visual. 

• Experience of working with MPs and other key stakeholders.

• Strong alignment with the mission and values of Chefs in Schools.

Desirable

• Education, food systems or public health experience.

• Coalition leadership.

• Charity senior management.

• Experience working with ministers, journalists and on national campaigns.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION

We know that strong candidates may not meet every single requirement listed in this job description.

If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution to our mission, we would encourage you to apply.

We are committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation where people from different backgrounds, experiences and communities can thrive.

Age UK Wandsworth is a local, independent charity that works to promote the wellbeing of all older people in the London Borough of Wandsworth. We offer a variety of services with the goal of helping older people to #AgeWellinWandsworth. Our charity is consistently growing, so we are creating this new role to support our CEO with social media, marketing and organising events.

The role will suit someone who is calm, mature, professional, organised and creative and will be comfortable working directly with a creative and curious CEO committed to transforming the charity’s online presence.

What we can offer you:

You'll be joining a vibrant workplace where no two days are the same, working as part of a small, supportive team that is committed to making a positive difference in the community. You'll benefit from an experienced leadership team, collaborate with kind and caring colleagues who genuinely work together, and even have the company of a friendly hypo-allergenic office dog.

Due to the nature of the work that we carry out, our staff work from our office, day centre and in the community. Therefore, please note that unless it is otherwise stated, all roles advertised will require the successful candidate to work on-site.

Employee benefits:

• 5% employer’s pension contribution
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee shopping benefits scheme
• Employee assistance programme (EAP)
• Employee recognition and reward programme
• Ongoing training and development opportunities

About the role

The Academy runs some of the most valued grant schemes and development programmes in UK biomedical and health research. Springboard Awards help researchers establish their independence. Starter Grants keep talented clinicians in research alongside their clinical work. Leadership programmes like FLIER develop people who can work across academia, healthcare and industry to tackle real-world challenges, and alongside these sit opportunities to spend time working in industry, the NHS or government. Moving between sectors should be a normal part of a medical research career (it is not yet), and much of our work is built with that belief: a more connected and mobile workforce is better able to turn discovery into benefit. Between them, these schemes change the course of people's careers, and the research they enable reaches patients across the UK and beyond.

This role leads that portfolio. The heart of the job is excellent delivery: schemes that are well designed and well run, and that make a real difference to the people they reach. You will work closely with the Fellowship, whose expertise and generosity run through the whole portfolio, and you will make sure the schemes serve the whole of the medical sciences community (across the devolved nations and the regions, in industry as much as academia), not just those already inside the most established institutions. And science is global, so this work is too: the portfolio draws on evidence and partnerships from around the world, and the mentoring and networks around the people we support reach well beyond the UK.

Today much of the portfolio's focus is research talent and careers. That will always be a substantial part of the portfolio, but over time we plan to expand it further. That expansion could go in several directions, and what matters is that we are taking an evidence-based approach to ensure that our efforts are responding to what the medical sciences sector needs. Whatever we launch next, the same principles apply; good design, sound funding, proper governance and solid evaluation, with our effort concentrated where it delivers the most impact. So, the job is twofold: run today's portfolio brilliantly and build the future portfolio. It is a role where you can see your work land in people's lives, with real scope to shape what comes next. And none of it stands alone: what we learn from the people we fund sharpens our policy voice, the community our programmes build strengthens our engagement and public trust work, and insight flows back the other way to shape what we design next.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will share in the leadership of the Academy as a whole, working closely with the other directors: the Chief Operating Officer and the Directors of Policy, Communications and Engagement, and Translation and Enterprise. The relationship with Translation and Enterprise matters especially. That team will shape new partnerships and initiatives that your team is best placed to deliver, so the two of you will work in very close partnership.

What we are looking for

These are the six areas we will explore with candidates. They match the six parts of the role above, so you can read straight across — and your supporting statement can follow the same structure if that helps. We do not expect anyone to arrive with every part fully formed, but the strongest candidates will be convincing across most of them.

1. Excellent delivery

A strong track record of running grant schemes or of significant programmatic delivery. Much of this is operational: holding an annual cycle to time and budget, catching problems early and getting stuck things moving again. It is also about making sure the portfolio adds up to a coherent whole rather than a collection of separate schemes, with the governance discipline — sound contracts, clean compliance, rigorous oversight — that sits behind delivery done well.

2. Building partnerships and negotiating well

A track record of building and sustaining partnerships with funders, delivery organisations and industry, and the skill and pace to turn them into agreements where appropriate. We will want to hear how you have handled a complex negotiation and brought it to a close. The Chief Operating Officer leads the Academy’s income strategy, so we will also explore how you develop partners in concert with colleagues.

3. Range and credibility across the community

This role runs from Fellows (some of the most eminent scientists in the country) to researchers at the very start of their careers, and from government and funders to industry partners. We are looking for someone with the range to work well across all of them, and the credibility to be taken seriously at every level. We will also explore how you have widened access and drawn talent in from beyond the usual places.

4. A focus on impact

A commitment to looking at what difference the portfolio you lead makes. We are looking for someone who treats evaluation as a source of learning and uses what it shows to decide what the Academy should do next, keeping sight of the people and patients the work is for.

5. Leading and empowering people

A brilliant leader of people: someone who gets the best from a talented team by giving them space and ownership, backing them with real support and coaching, and building a culture where people thrive and develop.

6. Collective leadership

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you would share responsibility for the Academy as a whole, not only your own directorate. We want someone who takes that seriously, brings challenge where it is needed, backs colleagues when it counts, and helps make the Academy a brilliant place to work.

Benefits

We offer a competitive and evolving benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, development and work–life balance, including:

• Competitive salary and pension
• 26 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Option to buy or sell annual leave 
• Additional paid closure between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Health, wellbeing and employee support programmes
• Cycle-to-work scheme and everyday benefits
• Structured learning and development
• Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity leave
• Enhanced occupational sick pay

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button.

Closing date for completed applications: Midday on Monday 17 August 2026.

First interviews will be held 25-26 August 2026 with the CEO, Roz Campion, and the COO, James Lawrence, and focused on two competencies – leadership and delivery.

Second interviews will be held on 1 September 2026 with an external panel.

For over 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been building a better childhood for all.

We are now looking for a passionate and experienced Learning and Development Officer to join our adults’ team on a part-time basis (28 hours per week, 0.8 FTE).

Learning and Development Officer (Adults)
Contract: Permanent
Work Pattern: Part Time, 35 hours per week (0.8 FTE).
Salary: £34,408 per annum, FTE (£27,526 per annum for 28 hours per week)
Location: Homebased – however NCB promotes a hybrid, flexible way of working, staff can work remotely or from our Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 or Central Sheffield Research in Practice offices if they wish

About the Role

This is a fantastic opportunity for a skilled facilitator with strong experience in adult social care (or a related sector, e.g. housing, homelessness, mental health or criminal justice) who is motivated to make a real impact. While the role requires a solid understanding of research and its application, it is not a primary research post—the focus is on translating evidence into meaningful learning and development opportunities.

You will play a key role in designing and delivering high-quality learning experiences, including programmes, full-day workshops, webinars, and events, working with diverse audiences such as senior leaders and practitioners.

What you’ll be doing

• Designing and delivering engaging learning and development activities for a range of audiences
• Translating complex research, policy, and legal frameworks into accessible, practical learning
• Developing high-quality learning outputs (e.g. workshops, programmes, webinars)
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders and supporting collaborative projects
• Managing multiple projects effectively in a varied and fast-paced environment

We are looking for someone who brings:

• In-depth knowledge of adult social care, or related sectors such as criminal justice, housing and homelessness, or mental health
• Experience in facilitation and delivering learning, including workshops and webinars
• A strong understanding of research, policy, and practice frameworks
• Skills in knowledge mobilisation, with a passion for co-production and evidence implementation
• Proven experience in relationship management
• Excellent communication skills, including confident public speaking
• Understanding of learning theory and its application
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work flexibly (including occasional travel and overnight stays)

Research in Practice

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

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. This role is focused on our work with Adults. 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 NCB

For more than 60 years, the National Children’s Bureau has championed the rights and amplified the voice of children and young people in the UK. We interrogate policy and uncover evidence, blending in lived and learnt experience to shape future legislation and develop more effective ways of supporting children and families.

Bringing people and organisations together is fundamental to how we improve the systems that babies, children, young people and their families rely on to thrive. We push boundaries, even looking beyond childhood itself to consider transitions into adulthood and the impact of childhood issues on an entire lifespan. We are united for better childhoods and brighter futures.

The Benefits

• 30 Days Annual Leave
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexible Working
• Winter Holiday Closure & Break
• Employee Assistance Programme

Applications close at 08:00am on Tuesday 1st September 2026.
Assessment and interviews to be conducted on Monday 14th September 2026.
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.