Senior innovation executive jobs in Edinburgh

Cerebra is the national charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. We provide vital research, support, and practical solutions that empower families facing complex challenges.

With an annual income of £3 million and a headcount of 68 employees, we have ambitious plans to double our income between 2025 and 2027, ensuring we can extend our impact, reach more families, and drive real change. To achieve this, we are investing in fundraising innovation, income generating ventures, and strategic partnerships, alongside enhancing our brand to increase our national recognition.

Our work is underpinned by our values ensuring that everything we do aligns with our mission to create a better world for children with neurological conditions.

This is an incredibly exciting time to join Cerebra, as we are preparing to launch our new strategy and brand. The COO is a vital leadership role that will support the drive towards even greater impact for children and families across the UK.

Our Services

Sleep Advice Service

Cerebra understands that if you have a child that doesn’t sleep, the whole family suffers. Many children with neurological conditions suffer from disrupted sleep. Our sleep advice service provides bespoke advice and support so that everyone can get a good night’s sleep.

Legal Rights Service

Our Legal Rights Service provides help and support to families of children with neurological conditions when they are faced with barriers and difficulties in accessing statutory support services they are entitled to. The service provides information on their legal entitlements.

Book and Toy Library Service

Our specialist postal lending library contains a wide range of books for both adults and children, plus a selection of sensory toys specifically chosen for children with a neurological condition.

Innovation and Product Design Service

Our Innovation Service designs and builds bespoke products that cater to the specific needs of children with neurological conditions. The aim of the service is to make products that are desirable and exciting, therefore promoting social inclusion, peer acceptance and enabling children to participate in everyday activities that are so often close to them.

Information Products

Cerebra publishes different information products to help families with a child with a neurological condition. Our information products offer comprehensive, up-to-date support and research-driven strategies to assist families with a wide range of issues.

Buzgi and Toy Adaptation Service

Cerebra designs and builds bespoke assistive equipment for disabled children, this includes creating custom mobility aids, switch‑adapted toys, and other innovative solutions to help children access play, learning, and independence.

The Bugzi - a mini powered wheelchair for children offers many children their first experience of independent mobility. It uses either a joystick or switches and adaptable seating for complex needs, and helps develop spatial awareness, confidence, and early mobility skills. The Bugzi is available through a national loan scheme.

Additionally, we operate commercial services (including a web shop) to supplement our income to support children and their families.

Our services are provided to families free of charge.

Job Title:

Chief Operating Officer

Reports To:

Chief Executive Officer

Direct reports:

3 senior managers (Finance (headcount of 3), HR (headcount of 1), IT (headcount of 5))

Purpose of the Role:

The Chief Operating Officer will play a vital role in supporting the Chief Executive Officer, Board and Leadership Team to deliver Cerebra’s vision and ambitious strategic aims. The Chief Operating Officer will provide strategic leadership and operational management across key areas within Cerebra including:

• Operational Systems
• Governance
• Compliance
• Finance and Growth

This is a pivotal executive leadership role, responsible for driving organisational performance, sustainability and growth. The COO will translate Cerebra’s strategic ambitions into effective operational delivery, ensuring robust governance, financial stewardship and a high-performing, values-led culture.

As a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board, the COO will lead core operational services and commercial activity, enabling the charity to maximise impact and generate sustainable income in support of its charitable objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Executive Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and Board to deliver strategic priorities, growth and long-term sustainability
• Collaboration with the Director’s Group to ensure strategic alignment across the charity. The Director’s Group consists of:

            Chief Executive Officer

            Chief Operating Officer

            Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications

            Director of Research and Support Services

• Provide expert advice on finance, operations, commercial performance and organisational risk
• Lead organisational planning, business continuity, and operational resilience
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and inclusion

Finance, Commercial & Sustainability

• Lead financial strategy, planning and performance, ensuring long-term sustainability
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cashflow and financial controls
• Lead and develop Cerebra’s strategy for commercial income , ensuring alignment with charitable objectives
• Support funding growth through strong financial insight and business case development
• Ensure robust financial governance, audit and compliance

Operations & Infrastructure

• Lead and strengthen operational functions including HR, IT, governance and administration
• Ensure effective systems, processes and infrastructure that enable growth, efficiency and impact
• Oversee procurement, contracts, facilities, and organisational compliance
• Drive innovation and value for money across operations

People & Culture

• Champion a positive, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture
• Oversee HR strategy, workforce planning and leadership development
• Ensure compliance with employment law and best practice
• Promote wellbeing, engagement and organisational effectiveness

Digital & Technology

• Provide strategic oversight of IT, data and digital development
• Ensure systems are secure, resilient and aligned to organisational needs
• Leverage data and technology to improve insight, decision-making and organisational impact

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure effective governance frameworks, risk management and regulatory compliance
• Support the CEO and Board with high-quality reporting and strategic insight
• Lead safeguarding, data protection and organisational risk strategy
• Drive a strong culture of accountability and ethical practice

Leadership & Management

• Lead and develop a small senior team across finance, HR and IT
• Build capability, strengthen performance, and embed a collaborative culture
• Model Cerebra’s values and leadership behaviours

Key Attributes

• Strategic and commercially minded leader with strong operational delivery experience
• Strong financial leadership and business acumen
• Proven track record of driving income growth, sustainability and organisational performance
• Skilled in governance, risk and stakeholder engagement

Please see attached job description for the Person Specification.

Director of Community Services
£80,000 pa plus excellent benefits
Remote working
Permanent, 35 hours per week

This is a key senior leadership role, responsible for shaping and leading RNID’s community services so that we change lives one by one. The Director of Community Services will lead our flagship RNID Near You services and Contact RNID, with responsibility for business development, operational delivery, service quality, safeguarding, volunteer management and continuous improvement.

As Director of Community Services you will:

• Provide strategic leadership for RNID’s community services, setting a clear direction, maintaining strong delivery discipline and maximising impact for our service-users.  

• Set and maintain high standards for service quality and assurance, ensuring consistent practice, effective compliance arrangements and a culture of learning and continuous improvement.  

• Grow RNID’s community services by maximising opportunities to establish new RNID Near You services and maintaining a strong future services roadmap.  

• Strengthen safeguarding across RNID, ensuring systems and processes are proportionate, robust and effective in protecting service users, staff and volunteers.  

• Lead volunteer management across RNID, ensuring services have the volunteer capacity they need and that volunteers are well trained, supported and recognised.  

• Drive continuous improvement and further modernisation of services, ensuring they meet community needs. Improve the efficiency of services, helping RNID reach more people.  

• Foster a culture of strong performance management across all services, using insight into demand, quality, risk and impact to support effective decision-making and delivery.  

• Build and strengthen partnerships, particularly with NHS trusts, commissioners and other funders, to grow and improve services.  

• Play an active role in collective leadership and decision-making as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, modelling values-led, inclusive leadership and creating a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement.  

You are ready to work for a home-working organisation and have good IT skills, particularly with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Excel, Word.

We are RNID: the national charity supporting the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. Together, we will end the discrimination faced by our communities, help people hear better now and fund world-class research to restore hearing and silence tinnitus. We work with our communities and partners across industry, government, charity, education and more to change life for the better. 

RNID has a proud history and big ambitions. We’re focused on making the greatest impact possible across the whole of the UK. We champion the latest technology and the opportunities it brings. We also know the value of a friendly face in local communities to support people where they need it most.

We champion the value of difference and equality and celebrate our diverse and inclusive workforce. We actively encourage applications from eligible candidates from BAME backgrounds or who are deaf or hard of hearing. With almost 20% of our employees having a disability we proudly hold Disability Confident Leader status and guarantee an interview for disabled applicants meeting the minimum essential criteria.

Closing date: 12 July 2026

Interview dates as below:

1. Stakeholder sessions: 20th & 21st July 2026
2. Final panel interviews: 27th & 28th July 2026

Clean Slate is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Head of Programmes on a maternity cover basis.

This is a pivotal role responsible for overseeing the delivery of impactful services across all operational departments, ensuring our programmes continue to improve the financial wellbeing, resilience and life opportunities of people on low incomes.

As Head of Programmes, you will provide leadership to managers across the organisation, maintain strong relationships with funders and commissioners, oversee organisational performance and reporting, support business development and programme growth, and ensure that our services remain safe, compliant, effective and sustainable.

This role will suit an experienced leader who combines strategic thinking with strong operational management skills and who is passionate about creating meaningful change for people facing financial hardship.

About Clean Slate

At Clean Slate, we believe everyone should be able to provide for themselves and their family without paying the extra costs associated with poverty.

Our mission is to create meaningful, measurable change for people on low incomes, helping them become better off financially and more in control of their lives through money guidance, employment support and digital inclusion.

Role Overview

As Head of Programmes, you will oversee the successful delivery, performance and development of Clean Slate's services nationally. Working as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will contribute to organisational strategy, support business growth and ensure programmes achieve both their social impact and financial objectives.

You will provide leadership and support to departmental managers, oversee organisational reporting and performance monitoring, maintain relationships with key funders and stakeholders, and ensure that systems, processes and compliance arrangements support high-quality service delivery.

A key element of the role will be identifying opportunities for growth, supporting funding and commissioning opportunities, and ensuring services continue to evolve to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Act as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy, planning and decision-making.

• Lead the implementation of organisational objectives across all programme delivery functions.

• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and service excellence.

• Support the development and implementation of policies, procedures and organisational systems.

Programme Oversight & Operational Management

• Oversee the delivery of all services and programmes, ensuring quality, compliance and impact.

• Support managers to achieve contractual targets, performance objectives and growth ambitions.

• Monitor programme performance, budgets and operational risks.

• Ensure sufficient staffing capacity and effective workforce planning across departments.

• Drive consistency, quality assurance and best practice across all service areas.

Leadership & People Management

• Line manage senior managers and support effective leadership throughout the organisation.

• Promote accountability, performance management and staff development.

• Support managers to identify training needs and implement development plans.

• Foster a positive culture that prioritises staff wellbeing, inclusion and professional growth.

Reporting, Data & Systems

• Oversee organisational performance monitoring and impact measurement.

• Lead reporting for commissioners, funders, trustees and senior leadership.

• Ensure the organisation's CRM and reporting systems are effectively managed and utilised to support performance, compliance and decision-making.

• Use data and insight to inform continuous improvement and organisational development.

Business Development & Partnerships

• Support the development of new programmes, services and funding opportunities.

• Work closely with the Managing Director and fundraising teams on commissioning opportunities, funding applications and growth initiatives.

• Maintain and strengthen relationships with funders, commissioners and strategic partners.

• Represent Clean Slate at external meetings, partnership forums and networking events.

• Support the organisation's reputation as a leading voice on financial wellbeing and poverty reduction.

Governance, Compliance & Risk

• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and cyber security requirements.

• Oversee risk management processes and contribute to organisational governance.

• Ensure services operate in line with contractual, regulatory and quality standards.

• Promote a culture of accountability, safeguarding and continuous learning.

About You

We are looking for a strategic and collaborative leader with experience managing complex services, leading managers and driving organisational performance.

You will bring:

• Significant experience leading programmes, services or operational teams.

• Experience managing managers and supporting organisational growth.

• Strong strategic planning and organisational development skills.

• Experience working with funders, commissioners and external stakeholders.

• A track record of delivering impactful services and achieving performance targets.

• Experience overseeing reporting, monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance processes.

• Strong understanding of performance management, compliance and risk management.

• Excellent communication, relationship-building and influencing skills.

• Experience using CRM and reporting systems to support operational delivery and organisational performance.

• A commitment to Clean Slate's mission and values.

Desirable

• Experience within financial inclusion, employability, community development or related sectors.

• Knowledge of commissioning, fundraising or business development.

• Understanding of issues affecting people on low incomes, including financial exclusion and the poverty premium.

Why Join Clean Slate?

This is an opportunity to play a key leadership role within a growing organisation that is changing lives across the UK.

You'll help shape strategy, support talented teams, strengthen partnerships and ensure our programmes continue to deliver meaningful, measurable impact for the people and communities we serve.

The Biochemical Society are seeking a Head of Journals, on a 2-year Fixed Term contract on a part time basis (0.6 FTE), to oversee the editorial and production functions across the Portland Press portfolio.

The Head of Journals will support the Director of Content and Engagement on the delivery of the PPL strategy, growing the publishing portfolio based on strategy and community need to achieve agreed targets, year-on-year growth, increase usage and attract the best authorship. You will also work closely with the Head of Sales and Licensing to ensure content and commercial strategies are aligned to drive growth and innovation.

The post-holder will oversee all systems, processes, suppliers and partners are delivering to agreed standards, along with driving continuous improvements to KPIs within publishing processes to deliver high-quality, cost-effective end-to-end publishing service in line with business strategy and research need, and able to recommend improvements or innovative ways of working.

This role will contribute to growing and maintaining the international profile and reputation of Portland Press and the Biochemical Society to deliver a reliable and efficient service with internal and external stakeholders to generate new ideas.

This position has management responsibility for the Publishing team, fostering a culture of conscientious working and continuous improvement to creatively grow the journals portfolio and ensure outstanding customer/research service across all publications.

Suitable candidates will have experience working in all areas of STM journal systems and processes, as well as demonstrate good knowledge of publishing policy, procedures and practices to drive performance and meet internal and external expectations.

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

Here is some information on our Benefits package.

Closing date: 3rd July 2026

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please note that this role is home-based and as such interviews will be virtual.

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

Please send a CV and covering letter. It is important that you DO NOT include your Personal Information i.e. name and contact details in your CV or Cover Letter. This is because the Society is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies to support staff from different backgrounds.

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

Please note that due to limited resources it is not possible for the Society to acknowledge receipt of applications. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

About Adolescent Health Study

The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants’ health, education and other administrative records. Recruitment will take place mainly through schools. There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.

Purpose of the post

 The Procurement Lead is responsible for developing and delivering a robust procurement and commercial strategy that ensures value for money, compliance with Procurement Act 2023 regulations in line with AHS being primarily public funded and supports AHS study and operational objectives. The role will lead on sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and commercial governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and efficient use of public funds.

Main responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a procurement and commercial strategy aligned with organisational goals and funding requirements.
• Lead procurement planning across research programmes, operations, and corporate services.
• Act as a subject matter expert on public procurement policy and best practice.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, systems, and capability.

Tendering and Contract Management

• Oversee end-to-end procurement processes including tendering, evaluation, and contract award.
• Ensure compliance with UK public procurement regulations (e.g., Procurement Act and associated guidance).
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including research, clinical, and grant-related agreements.
• Manage contract lifecycle including performance monitoring, renewals, and extensions.

Commercial Governance & Compliance

• Establish and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Ensure all procurement activities meet audit, transparency, and reporting requirements for public funding.
• Identify and mitigate commercial risks across supplier engagements.
• Support internal and external audit processes.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, ensuring high performance and innovation.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (research teams, finance, legal) to understand needs and deliver value-driven procurement solutions.
• Work with external stakeholders including funders, partners and strategic advisors to develop optimum outcomes
• Provide commercial advice and guidance to senior leadership and project teams.
• Promote sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.

Financial & Value Management

• Deliver value for money through effective sourcing and negotiation strategies.
• Monitor procurement spend and identify cost-saving or efficiency opportunities.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes.
• Ensure funding is used appropriately, ethically and in line with public funding requirements.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

1. Professional qualification in procurement or supply chain e.g., CIPS Level 5 or equivalent
2. Degree or comparable experience in business, finance, law, or related field.
3. Proven track record of managing complex procurement exercises and contracts.
4. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within regulated procurement environments, specifically those classed as a public authority
5. Strong understanding of UK public procurement regulations and best practice.
6. Commercial acumen with strong negotiation and contract management skills.
7. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements.
8. Knowledge of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts.
9. Strong experience in supplier and stakeholder management.
10. Excellent analytical, financial, and problem-solving abilities.
11. Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels of an organisation.
12. Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.

Desirable

1. CIPS Level 6 or equivalent
2. Membership of a professional body (e.g., MCIPS or FCIPS).
3. Experience managing high-value and complex contracts, including collaborative or partnership agreements
4. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within charity and/or research sectors
5. Detailed understanding of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts.
6. Detailed knowledge of the UK Procurement Act (or Public Contracts Regulations 2015 historically) and transitions between them.
7. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements.
8. Understanding of subsidy control, state aid, or funding compliance frameworks.
9. Ability to analyse procurement data and generate insights using tools such as Excel, Power BI, or similar.
10. Experience leading organisational change or transformation programmes in procurement.
11. Ability to build procurement capability across a non-procurement stakeholder base.

Dimensions

• This is a full-time role, 37.5 hours per week, offered initially as an 18-month fixed-term contract with potential route to permanency.
• Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK.  Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations.
• AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK.

Application Process

All candidates are required to complete the application form which can be found when clicking 'Apply Now' via Charity Job.

Please refer to the ‘How to Apply’ section of the downloadable application form.

Please note that only applications submitted directly to Gravitate HR will be accepted for this position.

The closing date for applications is 11:00pm on Sunday 12th July 2026.

Interviews are currently expected to take place on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th August 2026.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of:

• Gender, including gender reassignment
• Marital or civil partnership status
• Having or not having dependants
• Religion or belief
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins)
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Age

We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.  All job applicants and employees who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be unfairly discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination. 

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.

Head of Communications (Job Share)

Location: Remote

Salary: £19,160 - £21,424 per annum

Vacancy Type: Permanent

2–3 days per week (flexible, subject to agreement)

Please note that the salary has been calculated on a pro-rata basis, reflecting the role's two-day-per-week working pattern.

Join us - transform lives, change minds

We are a leading social justice charity supporting people to recover from addiction and leave behind crime - helping them move on in life with family, friends, jobs, homes, and a sense of belonging. Working in over 80 prison and community settings across England and Wales, we support more than 40,000 people each year to achieve lasting, transformational change.

Alongside frontline local delivery, we are driving change nationally - challenging stigma, influencing policy, and creating a society that believes in second chances and long-term recovery.

The opportunity

We are looking for an exceptional communications leader to join us in a job share Head of Communications role, working alongside an experienced colleague to shape and deliver a high-impact, organisation-wide communications strategy.

This is a unique opportunity to lead high-profile national campaigns, strengthen our voice across the media and digital landscape, and ensure our people - over 900 staff across the country, many with lived experience - remain connected, engaged, and inspired by our mission.

What you’ll lead

You will play a central role in amplifying our impact and growing our influence, including:

• • National campaigns and public engagement — including our flagship Taking Action on Addiction campaign and Addiction Awareness Week, supported by our Royal Patron, HRH Princess of Wales, reaching millions each year
  • Media and profile-building — securing high-quality coverage, managing relationships with press, ambassadors, and influencers, including Lily Allen, Alasdair Campbell and many others
  • Audience growth and supporter engagement — expanding our network of donors, partners, and advocates
  • Digital and content strategy — driving a multi-platform approach that positions us as a thought leader in our field and also helps us reach the people who most need our support
  • Internal communications and culture — ensuring our 900+ staff feel informed, connected, and part of a shared purpose
  • Team leadership — jointly leading a skilled communications team and working closely with senior leaders, including our Chair, Tony Adams OBE, the CEO and Executive Team and Trustees.

Why this role matters

This role sits at the heart of how we influence change - shaping how we tell our story, how we reach people who need support, and how we mobilise public and political will.

You’ll help ensure our communications are not only compelling, but impactful - supporting service delivery, influencing systems, and ultimately helping more people rebuild their lives.

Who we’re looking for

We want a dynamic, values-driven communications professional who can operate both strategically and ‘hands-on’. You will:

• Bring a strong track record across PR, campaigns, digital, and internal communications
• Be confident leading complex, multi-channel communications activity
• Experience navigating complex organisational environments with diverse operational and service functions.
• Have experience translating organisational mission into clear, engaging messaging for diverse audiences
• Be a collaborative leader, comfortable working in a job share arrangement and across senior teams
• Combine creativity with delivery—able to move from strategy to execution at pace
• Bring a strategic and pragmatic approach to marketing, with strong attention to brand consistency and discipline.
• Be passionate about social justice and motivated by real-world impact

What we offer

• A high-profile, purpose-driven leadership role
• Flexibility through a supportive job share model
• The opportunity to shape national conversations and influence change
• A collaborative and ambitious organisation committed to growth and innovation
• A generous benefits package

If you’re ready to use your communications expertise to drive real social change, we’d love to hear from you.

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

External Communications Manager

Salary: £40,000–£42,000 FTE
Hours: 30 hours per week
Location: Remote, with regular travel to FitzRoy services, team and stakeholder meetings as agreed. The role requires attendance in London once per month and applicants must be able to commute to services in Norfolk, Nottingham and Hampshire.
Reports to: Head of Communications
Directorate: Business Development and Partnerships

FitzRoy is a national charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs to live lives rooted in choice, meaning and happiness.

We are strengthening our external voice and looking for a confident, perceptive and warm communicator to help more people understand FitzRoy’s expertise and impact and increase our influence.

This is a moment of change for social care. We want to play a more active role in shaping its future, ensuring the people at the heart of it are seen, heard and involved in the decisions that matter.

About the role

As External Communications Manager, you will help build FitzRoy’s profile and reputation by identifying the stories, insight and opportunities that show what good support looks like in real life.

You will work closely with the Head of Communications, fundraising, business development and operational colleagues to turn external communications priorities into practical plans, content and opportunities.

This is a delivery role with real influence. You will be expected to bring ideas, advise colleagues, shape practical plans and turn opportunities into action.

What you will do

You will:

• develop proactive external communications activity that raises awareness of FitzRoy’s work, expertise and impact
• spot opportunities for FitzRoy to contribute constructively to sector conversations
• identify realistic opportunities for media, sector press, partner or local coverage
• gather stories, photos, video and quotes that help people understand what good support looks like in real life
• use social media, website content, audience insight and analytics to strengthen FitzRoy’s external profile

About you

You may come from charity communications, PR, journalism, public affairs, stakeholder communications or another external communications background.

You do not need to have worked in social care before, but you will need to be interested in people, willing to learn quickly and able to handle stories about people’s lives with care, respect and good judgement.

We are looking for someone who is:

• an excellent writer and editor
• confident developing clear, accessible content for different audiences
• warm, curious and able to build rapport quickly
• able to spot strong stories, ideas and opportunities
• confident creating social media and website content shaped by audience insight
• comfortable working independently and managing competing priorities
• able to think strategically about audiences and influence, while being practical about what can be delivered in a small team
• confident gathering content including photos, videos and quotes
• willing and able to travel to FitzRoy services and meetings as needed

A full clean driving licence and access to a car for work travel are required, as some services are not easily accessible by public transport.

Working at FitzRoy

You will join a small, friendly communications team with big ambitions. This role will suit someone who enjoys a mix of planning, writing, relationship-building, story-gathering and hands-on delivery.

You will help us show the difference good support makes – and help ensure the voices, experiences and achievements of people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs are seen and heard.

How to apply

To apply, please submit your application and a covering letter.

We do not expect your covering letter to address every point in the person specification. We would like you to tell us:

• what interests you about this role and FitzRoy
• three things you would bring to the role
• a piece of communications work you are proud of and why
• how you approach using social media, website content and audience insight to build external profile
• how you would approach telling stories about people’s lives with care, respect and good judgement

If you are using AI tools to write your application, please use them with caution. We are looking for your own voice and writing style.