Jobs in Didsbury

Are you ready to shape public policy for lasting social change?

Do you want to influence decision-makers and champion the voice of those affected by problem debt?

Are you driven to turn insight into action that improves lives across Wales?

We’re looking for a Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advocate to join our External Affairs team. You’ll be at the forefront of our work in Wales—connecting StepChange with key stakeholders, driving policy change, and amplifying our mission to create a society free from problem debt. This is a high-impact role where your insight and influence will help shape the future of debt policy and support vulnerable communities.

Location: This is a remote role, with regular travel required to Cardiff and travel to London once a month for meetings/events.

What you’ll be doing

• You’ll lead targeted lobbying campaigns and produce compelling evidence-based reports, briefings, and articles to influence public policy and regulatory practices.
• You’ll build and manage relationships with the Welsh Government and Parliament, and other influential figures and organisations across Wales.
• You’ll monitor developments in legislation, policy, and research—providing strategic advice on emerging threats and opportunities.
• You’ll represent StepChange at high-profile meetings, conferences, and media engagements, acting as a trusted voice for the charity.
• You’ll organise thought leadership events and roundtables and support senior leaders with speeches and briefings that drive our advocacy forward.
• You’ll ensure our work remains politically impartial and compliant with all relevant regulations, including Charity Commission rules and the Lobbying Act. 

About you

• Significant experience in public affairs or public policy within Wales.
• Deep understanding of the Welsh Senedd, Welsh Government, and the broader policy-making landscape.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and deliver impactful policy change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a flair for strategic thinking and political judgement.
• Skilled at building influential networks across government, charities, and civil society.
• Organised, proactive, and passionate about social justice and equality.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, purpose-driven environment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion are incredibly important to us; we have a culture of belonging. We’re always looking to increase the diversity of our workforce to ensure we can provide the best service possible for everyone. It’s not just about the professional experience you bring – we’re interested in who you are and your potential. If there’s an adjustment to our recruitment process that would help you to be your best, speak to our team and they’ll be happy to help.

Home based with some travel to services required (estimated to be 1-2 days per month) 

Job Reference Number: 1656  

Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity, working in the areas of substance use, domestic abuse, criminal justice, housing and young people. We deliver world-class services that rebuild lives. We’ve been making a difference since 1969 by combining our expertise with new, innovative approaches, and putting people at the heart of everything we do.  

The Bid Writer will work in our Business Development Team, planning, developing and writing high quality bid submissions that convey the organisation’s mission, values and expertise to commissioners and funders.  

You will be responsible for coordinating strong tender submissions, resulting in successful outcomes. You will help ensure Cranstoun retains all existing contracts and wins new business, in line with the organisation’s strategic plans and targets for growth. 

Within this role, you will work collaboratively with a variety of internal stakeholders, using exceptional writing and interpersonal skills to capture and convey Cranstoun’s approach to delivering services across a variety of areas. 

We are seeking a confident self-starter, with demonstrable experience of high-quality writing  and clear evidence of successful outcomes in a business development context (70% success rate). The successful candidate will welcome the opportunity to tackle challenges and adopt a solutions-focused approach.

Above all, you’ll be interested in becoming part of a diverse, energetic team, committed to delivering innovative, person-centred services that make a tangible difference to people’s lives. 

This post is subject to a Standard DBS Disclosure. 

Closing date:Sunday 8th March 2026 

Anticipated first interview date: w/c 16th March 2026 

Anticipated second interview date: w/c 23rd March 2026  

We welcome applications from all sections of the community. 

Birthrights is the UK’s leading charity championing respectful, rights-based maternity care. We believe every woman and birthing person has the right to dignified, personalised care throughout pregnancy and childbirth. 

We are looking for a Training & Community Development Co-ordinator to support and co-deliver our human rights in maternity care training programme and strengthen our community-rooted work. 

In this role, you will: 

• Coordinate and support online and in-person training sessions across the UK 

• Co-facilitate training for healthcare professionals and community organisations 

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with grassroots partners 

• Centre co-production and lived experience in training design 

• Help ensure learning from communities informs wider movement-building and systems change work 

We are looking for someone with experience of delivering training, strong facilitation skills, and a commitment to anti-oppressive and trauma-informed practice. You will be highly organised, collaborative and motivated by advancing human rights in maternity care. 

If you are passionate about community power, justice and reproductive rights, we would love to hear from you. 

Download the full Job Pack below for complete details, including the job description, person specification and how to apply. 

Application deadline: 12pm on Monday 16th March 

Role: Community Development Manager 

Salary: £37,296 (pro rata)

Hours: 28 hours per week (0.8 FTE)

Location: Remote, with frequent travel across the West of England region

Managed by: Chief Executive

Term: Fixed term, 16 months

Deadline for applications: Noon 23 Monday 23 March

Following the appointment of our current Chief Executive in 2025, we are embarking on an exciting new chapter and developing a strategy that aims to extend our impact by addressing key rural issues facing communities locally, namely; access to jobs and services, affordable housing, and health and wellbeing.

Over the next 18 months, and thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we will be undertaking research, engaging stakeholders from across the region, and working with several rural communities to pilot local initiatives. We are confident this activity will catalyse interest in the challenges faced by people in rural communities, demonstrate the value of community-led responses, and lever in longer-term support and resource.

To help us take this ambitious programme of work forward, we are looking to recruit a Community Development Manager.

Reporting to our Chief Executive, key responsibilities will include project management, stakeholder engagement, and drawing on best practice to inspire, facilitate and offer support to groups to help them get going with projects that address local needs.

We are looking for a dynamic and highly motivated individual who’s passion for community development will cut through and help us demonstrate the potential of supporting people locally to have greater agency over the circumstances that affect their lives. 

For more information and details how to apply, please download a copy of the Job Description and Person Specification available from our website.

Sands is looking to recruit an outstanding and people-focused candidate to lead our Bereavement Support Services Team. This is a high-profile role which is responsible for ensuring that all those approaching Sands for support receive an excellent service that meets their individual needs, that the quality of support provided remains consistently high and all team members are appropriately managed and supported. The role provides an opportunity to make real change by driving the organisational and team strategies to make the support that Sands provides accessible to bereaved families from all backgrounds within the community, as well as groups at higher risk of experiencing stillbirth and neonatal death.

With demonstrable experience of delivering and managing trauma informed bereavement support services and counselling at a strategic level, you will possess an excellent understanding of grief theory and bereavement support and be qualified accordingly. Additionally, you will have experience of working with and providing services for diverse communities and have a good understanding of their specific needs.

As this role will require you to lead a highly motivated and diverse team who are all home-based, you will have excellent people management skills and be able to support your team accordingly. You will have outstanding verbal and written communication skills and be able to develop high quality services which remain responsive to the changing needs of external stakeholders. With excellent relationship building skills, you will demonstrate a high level of empathy in all aspects of your work.

A high level of project leadership skills is essential, as is the ability to produce complex statistical reports and analyse data and trends. A thorough understanding of safeguarding in the context of baby loss and a commitment to ensuring excellent practice is also required.

This is a key role at Sands heading up the UK’s leading bereavement support services team for baby loss. It is an opportunity to make real change by driving the organisational and team strategies to reach more people and higher risk groups, through traditional and digital/innovative channels. Leading a dedicated team of around 16 staff you can shape the future of service delivery, and ensure Sands provides support whenever and wherever people need us.

You will work with colleagues and teams across the organisation to ensure best practice is embedded at all key touch points and play a role ensuring that significant events and moments in the year are providing the right support, information and activities.

You will work with the team, Director and CEO to help drive change and best practice in the sector through thought leadership and implementation of best practice.

Use your communication experience to build the migration justice movement’s defiance and strength at a pivotal moment.

About Right to Remain

Right to Remain is a national migration justice organisation, working with hundreds of communities and groups across the UK. As a key anchor organisation within the migration justice movement, we uniquely combine sharing public legal education that democratises knowledge, facilitating strategic convenings that harness radical solidarity, and campaigning and community organising that builds power, further empowering people to establish their right to remain and collectively challenge injustices of the immigration and asylum system.

About the role

This role is for an experienced Communications Officer who wants to put their skills to work supporting Right to Remain to build knowledge, radical solidarity and power in the face of escalating attacks on the rights and dignity of migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum.

You will use strategic, thoughtful communications to amplify lived experience of the asylum and immigration system, showcase grassroots organising, and promote our expert public legal education resources and training. Your work will empower more people to understand and exercise their rights, and support grassroots community groups and allies to guide, and stand in solidarity with, people navigating the hostile asylum and immigration system.

You will have experience building and engaging communities around social justice through targeted digital communications. Day to day, you will collaborate within our small team to produce email, social and web content that demystifies public legal knowledge and showcases community power. You will also co-create content with These Walls Must Fall campaigners to share their stories, and help set out the impact of political decisions in the press. 

About you

You are an experienced communicator with excellent written skills and a strong ability to develop clear, engaging messages for different audiences.

You bring a genuine commitment to migration justice and care deeply about centring the voices of people with lived experience.

This is not an entry-level role. You are confident working independently within a small, collaborative team, taking guidance while proactively identifying priorities, opportunities, and risks. We’ll give you creative freedom, and your work will have a tangible impact in helping our organisation develop at a crucial time.

The Role
We are looking for a Supporter Acquisition Lead - Face to Face to drive forward our ambitious direct dialogue supporter recruitment programme, recruiting 100,000 new supporters a year so that we have the funds we need to reach every deaf child.
 
 
What you'll do
 

• Establish relationships with and onboard new direct dialogue recruitment agencies 
• Manage supporter acquisition campaigns, sustaining relationships through challenges
• Report on and optimise campaigns, with a view to customer experience and lifetime value
• Be a valued source of knowledge, advice, coaching and support for the Acquisition and Supporter Care teams
• Take an active role in, and further develop, our programme of agency visits and mystery shopping

 
What you'll need
 

• Extensive experience of working with direct dialogue recruitment
• Genuine enthusiasm for Face to Face fundraising and its role in the fundraising mix
• Able to build and sustain great relationships in the face of challenges
• Coaching and mentoring skills to help develop others in the team
• Strong digital skills and a sound understanding of agile values & principles.
• A criminal record check / DBS disclosure (if offered the position).

 

What you'll get

• Home-based working with flexible hours.
• 25 days holiday - plus an additional 3 days at Christmas (& bank holidays).
• Pension (5.5% employer contribution).
• Healthcare Cashplan.
• Annual performance-based salary increase.
• Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programmes.

 
What we do
 
The National Deaf Children's Society are the leading charity for deaf children. We give expert support on childhood deafness, raise awareness and campaign for deaf children's rights, so they have the same opportunities as everyone else.
 
 
Pre-employment checks
 
As part of our commitment to creating a safe and trusted environment for the children, young people and families we support, all offers of employment are subject to background checks. These include Right to Work verification, Criminal Record Disclosure, and ID and address verification.
 
To complete an online Right to Work check, you will need a valid UK or Irish passport, or a government share code if you are not a British citizen. If an online check is not possible, we’ll need to verify your documents in person at our London office. Please be aware that travel time and expenses for this appointment cannot be reimbursed.
 
 
Disability Confidence
 
We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to offering interviews to candidates who request to be considered under the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum requirements of the person specification. Please contact us with any accessibility or reasonable adjustment enquiries.
 
The National Deaf Children’s Society is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 1016532 and in Scotland no. SC040779.

We're FIRST UK, a EdTech charity using robots, role models and competitions to make STEM more approachable and inclusive – empowering young people with the technical knowledge and soft skills to engineer better futures. 

It’s an exciting time to join us as we move from startup into scaling mode. We’re backed by some of the world’s leading tech-enabled businesses including Arm, Purposeful Ventures, Smiths Group, Bloomberg, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and many more.

In summer 2026 we’ll publish a new 5-year strategy articulating how we will build more than robots in schools and community groups nationwide, alongside growing our annual income to £2m by 2027.

It’s easy to see why competitions like this really do help students develop the skills they’re going to need for the rest of their lives. Honestly, I wish I had something like this when I was at school.

Spencer Kelly, BBC Broadcaster

What we're looking for

A fundraiser, partnerships guru, and consummate relationship builder. Someone who can support the CEO to identify, go after, and convert opportunities which sustain and scale the charity’s impact. Broadly this means more money and greater participation. Through your ability to seek out and support the relationships which matter most you will ensure the charity secures:

• Income generating relationships with trusts, foundations, and philanthropists
• Corporate partnerships fuelling our programmes with funding and volunteers
• Collaborations with organisations supporting outreach and growth
• An ecosystem of proactive trustees, advisors, ambassadors and advocates

Working closely with the CEO you’ll get the charity in front of the right people, having the right conversations which grow investment and participation. Your tenacity will help build and steward a network to achieve our mission better and sooner.

Who this might suit

A people person. You love seeking out and building relationships, then maximising their impact. You might have worked in a charity fundraising position before. You understand what good looks like in terms of brokering strong partnerships – and relish the mix of research, prospecting, proposal development, pitching, and importantly onward stewardship of the relationships we win to ensure we amplify, leverage and retain them.

Whatever your background – the common, transferable skill set is being excellent at relationships. Understanding that it’s not just about the chat, it’s about the follow through. You do what you say you will – and do it well.

The experience you'll have

• Evidence of winning income (e.g corporate partnerships, sponsorship, grants etc)
• Evidence of driving growth (this might be in sales, membership, users, income etc)
• Experience stewarding relationships (partners, funders, trustees, volunteers, stakeholders)

You might also possess

• Passion for STEM, tech for good, inclusion

What you'll get

Responsibility, autonomy, sense of purpose. You’ll be working in a small organisation which is lean, agile and fast-paced. Unimpeded by hierarchy and bureaucracy you’ll have the freedom to experiment, fail fast and crack on. You’ll be presenting a compelling case for support against a validated impact model. Long before pandemics we were working flexibly and remotely – it’s embedded to our culture.

I'm in, what's next?

• Check out the full role profile on our HR platform
• Browse our website and get familiar with our mission
• Answer 3 short screening questions, upload CV and hang tight until Sun 08th Mar
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview by Thu 12th Mar

Safer recruitment

You must live in and have the right to work in the UK. In accordance with our Safer Recruitment Policy, all employees of the charity will be asked for two references which will be conducted by phone and are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks upon appointment. 

About us

Wood Street Mission is a children’s charity helping children and families impacted by poverty in Manchester and Salford. 

We provide practical help to help meet children’s day-to-day needs and improve their life chances. We give clothes, bedding and baby equipment to struggling families, along with toys and books which are important for children’s wellbeing and development.

We support engagement in education by helping families with the costs of school uniform and run Book Roadshow events in schools to promote reading and improve children’s literacy. We work to raise awareness about child poverty and help thousands of children and their families every year.

We are looking to recruit a Grants and Trusts Fundraiser to join our growing team, as we take Wood Street Mission to the next level. You will be responsible for managing and delivering our Grants and Trusts income stream, developing long-term relationships with funders, and building on our small but successful track record. The Grants and Trusts Fundraiser is a pivotal role in helping us to accelerate our growth even further so we can help more children to thrive free from poverty.

The role is flexible between the office in Manchester and working from home.

Purpose of post

As the Grants and Trusts Fundraiser, you will be responsible for securing grants of varying sizes, translating the charity’s work across our five projects into compelling, high-quality applications for a range of audiences. Working collaboratively with the wider charity team, you will have a hands-on role in understanding our projects to ensure you can authentically convey our mission and our impact to funders. 

You will provide excellent care to existing and new supporters, ensuring reporting requirements are met and that funders are kept informed of how their support has enabled the charity to continue its work.

A key responsibility will be to contribute to and develop the Grants and Trusts fundraising plan. You will work to identify, secure and develop a robust pipeline of grant funders to maximise income and enable continued growth and sustainability of Wood Street Mission’s work. 

Main duties and responsibilities

1. To contribute to and develop the Grants and Trusts fundraising plan as agreed with the Fundraising Lead, to support the charity’s strategy

2. Meet agreed key performance indicators and to monitor and report on these targets

3. To keep up to date with funding policies and grant giving organisation news to inform the fundraising plan

4. To work closely with the Fundraising Lead and other members of the team to ensure a coordinated approach and excellent level of care for supporters, through appropriate and engaging communication methods

5. To research and develop new funders to support the achievement of fundraising targets

6. Frequently report on progress of Grants and Trusts fundraising to the Fundraising Lead

7. Work with the wider charity team to build a bank of individual stories and information for each of the five projects, to develop a Case for Support which can be adapted to different audiences

8. To work with the Fundraising Lead and the charity team to carry out a Full Cost Recovery exercise across all five projects, to provide a clear overview of the charity’s income and expenditure budget

9. Write comprehensive and persuasive applications to funders and prepare tailored presentations for a range of supporters

10. Build, nurture and account manage relationships with grant giving organisations, providing impact assessments, case studies and progress reports as required

11. Implement an effective stewardship process to maximise income and encourage long-term support, so funders feel appreciated and understand how their support has made an impact

12. Ensure grants are acknowledged promptly and reporting requirements are met within agreed timescales

13. To work alongside colleagues within the charity to identify potential grant funding opportunities and potential cross team working opportunities to ensure the charity maximises income across all income streams

14. Maintain up-to-date and accurate funder and volunteer records on the Beacon database, and to input data, donations and consent preferences, ensuring all data processing is GDPR compliant

15. To provide general administrative support to the Fundraising team

16. To represent Wood Street Mission as required at special events, and to proactively seek out new funding prospects and networking opportunities

17. To act as an ambassador for Wood Street Mission and promote the charity

18. To champion the Fundraising Regulator Code of Fundraising Practice, upholding a high standard of fundraising that is legal, open, honest and respectful 

Other areas and general work duties:

1. Work collaboratively on a daily basis with the wider charity team, including the Finance, Marketing, Administration and Project Development/Worker team

2. To support a safe working environment

3. To attend and participate constructively in staff meetings, supervision and appraisal

4. To implement Wood Street Mission policies and guidelines as set out in the staff handbook

5. To undertake training to develop knowledge, skills and confidence as agreed with your manager

6. To work flexibly and undertake such other work appropriate to the post as may be assigned by your manager. If evening and weekend event work may be required TOIL can be taken.

7. Other tasks and duties relevant to the role as required by the organisation

 

Personal Specification

Experience:

· Experience working in a fundraising or customer care environment

· Experience of working towards targets and with a wide range of stakeholders

· Experience of writing and developing funding applications, proposals and budgets

· Experience of delivering presentations to different audiences in a variety of settings

· Experience of using a CRM for data analysis and reporting

· Success in securing high-value trust and grants (Desired)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

· An excellent understanding of effective supporter care and stewardship

· A genuine interest in the issues of child poverty and an understanding of Wood Street Mission’s aims to tackle these issues

· Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of communicating with a diverse range of people with sensitivity, confidentiality and respect

· Excellent attention to detail, ability to keep clear and accurate records, and a desire to offer a high standard of service to our supporters

· Excellent organisation and time management skills, with an ability to work effectively under pressure and prioritise overlapping deadlines

· Excellent written and verbal skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with different audiences

· Excellent numeracy skills including the ability to track income, interpret accounts and present detailed financial information for supporters

· High IT proficiency with an excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Outlook and social media platforms

· Ability to work proactively and autonomously, using your own initiative to overcome challenges and problem-solve

· A good team player who can work collaboratively and alongside with the wider team and volunteers

· A self-motivated individual with a drive to achieve targets

· GCSE Level Education including Maths and English

· Excellent understanding of all aspects of fundraising and a commercial awareness of fundraising trends in the UK (Desired)

· Knowledge of charitable grant giving organisations, funding policies, data protection and fundraising best practice (Desired)

· A good working knowledge of the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Charities Act (Desired)

As Community Coordinator, you will be welcoming everyone who walks through our doors, running fun and inclusive activities, and helping people access the support that they need. 

This role is a demanding, people-focussed position and the successful applicant will have an outstanding ability to relate to and draw the best out of our community at The Oasis Centre.

What you will be doing:

· Giving a warm, genuine welcome to everyone who visits the Centre

· Planning, preparing, and running fun, engaging, and inclusive community activities in our free café

· Helping people find the right support by signposting them to services within the Centre

· Responding calmly and wisely to issues that present themselves, offering reassurance and support

· Welcoming visiting organisations and ensuring they feel part of the Oasis culture

· Living out and actively modelling the values of Oasis every day

· Setting the tone of a safe, respectful, and uplifting environment by challenging negative behaviours appropriately

· Supporting the wider Oasis team with other tasks when needed

What we’re looking for:

· An Occupational Requirement exists for the post-holder to be a practicing Christian in accordance with Section 2 of the Equality Act 2010

· A natural “people person” warm, approachable, and welcoming

· A great communicator who can connect with people from all walks of life

· Patient, kind, and trustworthy, someone who can be relied on

· Organised and self-motivated, able to take initiative

· Calm under pressure and confident in handling conflict well

Person Specification:

E = Essential D = Desirable

1. Education/ Training

GCSE Maths and English minimum 5 or above (High C and above) (E)

2. Experience

A minimum of 2 years relevant experience (this can be from a wide variety of backgrounds) (D)

Experience of working with disadvantaged people (D)

Experience of communicating effectively and persuasively using a variety of media (D)

Experience of working within a small-medium charity (D)

Experience of working in a community setting (E)

3.       Essential Skills

Excellent organisational skills: including goal setting, prioritising competing demands and meeting deadlines (D)

A clear communicator at all levels, with excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write clear and comprehensive reports. (E)

Ability to work independently and to identify and prioritise own workload (E)

Ability to work as a supportive and productive member of a team (E)

Flexibility to deal with constantly changing circumstances and a cool head under pressure (E)

Excellent conflict resolution skills (E)

Good interpersonal skills (E)

Confident at networking and building up productive relationships (D)

4. Relevant Aptitudes

Compassionate with a heart for the disadvantaged (E)

Flexible and occasionally willing to work outside of usual working hours (E)

5. Personal

Willingness to uphold the vision, mission and values of The Oasis Centre (E)

Approachability: a friendly, welcoming and caring nature (E)

An ability to relate to, include, and bring the best out of The Oasis Centre’s community (E)

An ability to positively interact with all of our community, volunteers and staff (E)

6. Beliefs

It is an Occupational Requirement for the post-holder to be a practicing Christian in accordance Section 2 with the Equality Act 2010 (E)

Future Commissioning Policy and Public Affairs Lead

Contract: Permanent
Salary: £60,000 per annum plus pension
Location: Hybrid – home-based, with regular travel to meetings and team days in London and Sheffield

About the Role

Funded by ten prime providers, this is a senior policy and public affairs role leading a high-profile campaign on behalf of the employment support sector. The postholder will ensure that decision makers, policy makers, and commissioners clearly understand:

• The value and contribution of large employment support organisations as prime contract holders
• The strengths and impact of the prime provider model
• What is required to deliver effective future employment support programmes

The role will be managed by the CEO of ERSA, with the CEO reporting into a dedicated campaign working group.

This workstream will strengthen and add capacity to existing work being led by the ERSA CEO on future commissioning. It will enable ERSA to further and more effectively represent the interests of the employment support sector and the prime provider model across future national and devolved commissioning activity.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of a coordinated policy and public affairs campaign
• Research, analyse, and interpret policy and commissioning developments relevant to employment support
• Produce high-quality reports, briefings, consultation responses, and policy submissions
• Build and maintain credibility with senior stakeholders, including policy makers, commissioners, and sector leaders
• Represent ERSA externally with confidence, authority, and credibility
• Work collaboratively with the ERSA CEO, campaign working group, and wider sector stakeholders

Person Specification

The successful candidate will be:

• An experienced policy professional
• Knowledgeable about the employment support sector and commissioning landscape
• Highly skilled in policy research and analysis
• An excellent writer, able to produce clear, persuasive, and evidence-based policy documents
• A confident and authoritative communicator, able to represent ERSA with gravitas

Reporting Line

The postholder will be part of the ERSA team and will report directly to the ERSA CEO.

Purpose of the role:

Back Up courses are a vital part of what we do and have been transforming lives for almost 30 years. You will play a critical role in making this fantastic service work as well as supporting the wider team.

You will be the main support and liaison for participants, buddies and care team volunteers, ensuring that everyone feels supported and knows what to expect. You will ensure courses run smoothly and effectively through an effective, efficient administration service.
 

Key stakeholders:

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) and their families; professionals and organisations working with people affected by SCI; Back Up staff

The two regional roles currently available are fundamental to the delivery of the third phase of the Seed Sovereignty Programme across southern and western England.

Working alongside the north east based England Lead, each role involves supporting seed networks across a dedicated region (southern or west of England- see regional map)  through training, mentoring, and routes to market, as well as engaging with a range of groups and individuals through events, workshops and talks.  The role involves collaborating with the rest of the Seed Sovereignty Programme team remotely to share best practices and develop the delivery of the work nationally.

Key Responsibilities for the role:

Seed knowledge:  Understanding agroecology, small-scale seed production, seed sovereignty, and open-pollinated varieties.

· Has a good understanding of seed saving and agroecological seed systems.

· Supports outreach and communications to share knowledge on seed saving and agroecological seed systems.

· Assists in the identification and development of new regional opportunities.

Collaboration: Building strong, respectful relationships.

· Works closely with the Regional Leads and Coordinators through team meetings, working groups and collaborative projects to ensure smooth communication and delivery.

· Is the “go to” person for enquiries regarding activities within the region.

· Builds and maintains strong relationships with regional network partners.

· Develops new collaborations opportunities within the network and beyond it where strategically appropriate.  

Training & Facilitation: delivering training sessions (in-person and online) for diverse groups.

· Supports the design, organisation, and delivery of training sessions and workshops (both in-person and online) for diverse participants at a range of levels.

· Assists with the coordination of regional training logistics and participant engagement.

Project Coordination: supporting events, and multi-stakeholder projects across regions.

· Works with the Programme team to deliver the bi-annual Seed Gathering and Seed TV webinars.

· Actively takes part in regional initiatives such as variety trials, mentoring programmes, seed production projects, and collaborative networking events.

· Liases with partners and participants to track progress and maintain project momentum.

Monitoring & Reporting: Collecting and presenting data.

· Monitor and track progress for the region in order to inform learning, evaluate success and report to funders.

Communication

· Confident with social media, websites and online working platforms in order to communicate the work and engage with the network effectively.

· A confident writer who can capture and express stories from the work and network in a variety of mediums, from blogs to social media posts to narrative funding reports.

Our shared way of working (core competencies)

Collaboration

Works collaboratively, valuing colleagues and partners as complementary parts of a whole. Builds strong, respectful relationships rooted in trust, care, reciprocity, and mutual respect.

Communication

Communicates with openness, kindness, and integrity. Uses language with care and intention, demonstrating strong written and verbal communication that reflects compassion and care.

Initiative & Adaptability

Proactive and self-motivated, able to work autonomously while valuing collective strength. Flexible and responsive to change, embracing learning and reflection to remain agile.

Problem Solving

Tackles problems thoughtfully and effectively,  Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, involving others to find practical, ethical, and workable solutions. Thinks things through from different angles, balancing immediate needs with longer-term impacts.

Community Engagement

Committed to inclusive, compassionate practices that empower communities, networks, and individuals.

Cultural Awareness

Works sensitively and respectfully across diverse communities, recognising difference as a source of strength. Practice is informed by listening, learning, and humility

We have a newly created opportunity for a Head of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland to join us at RBL to promote, advocate and champion for our vital work and connections across NI&ROI.

It is an exciting time to join RBL as we commence work on our new 10 year strategy. Much of our work already revolves around the connections made across our communities and wider society. But with the creation of three new roles we aim to lead this work across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and ROI, in order to better harness the power of those connections to support our communities in the most effective way possible and promote our important role in bringing people together.

This role will see you as Head of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, where you will be RBL’s key representative and point of contact in NI&ROI, building and sustaining networks and connections with key stakeholders and partners, including senior military, government ministers, charity partners and senior leadership.

The role places significant emphasis on matrix working internally, building connections across NI&ROI and will see you as RBL’s spokesperson providing a public face for the charity, attending events (eg Islandbridge) and meetings, speaking to the media and engaging widely across the region.

Come and be part of the leading Armed Forces charity, making a difference to the lives of those who have served to keep us safe and protect our way of life.

Reporting to our Executive Director: Membership, key responsibilities will include:

- Working closely with the Membership Council Representative, to act as the point of contact, focal point and voice for RBL as well as representing the unique needs of NI&ROI to RBL
- Liaising regularly with the NI&ROI Governments, elected representatives, the Veterans Commissioner for Northern Ireland, military bases, Reserve and Cadet Force Associations and charity partners
- Maintaining a good knowledge of all RBL activity in NI&ROI, acting as reference point for Services, Fundraising, Remembrance, Public Relations, Membership and Campaigns, Policy and Research
- Promoting and advocating RBL’s strategy in a way that is responsive to the specific context of NI&ROI and play a significant leadership role in the development and delivery of an organisation wide NI&ROI plan.
- Provide leadership and guidance on NI&ROI matters to the RBL Executive Board

You will be an experienced strategic leader, with excellent networking and communication skills and the ability to build strong strategic partnerships and influence at senior level. You will have a strong understanding of the political, cultural and social landscape in NI&ROI, with experience as a spokesperson or figurehead with media skills and exposure.

This role is 28 hours per week, to be worked as required by the role, with the ability to work flexibly (including evenings and weekends). You will be expected to travel regularly in the course of your work, including regularly across NI&ROI. You will be contracted to your home address, where you will be expected to work when not travelling.

Employee benefits include –

- 28 day’s paid holiday pro rata (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, with optional annual leave purchase scheme of up to 5 working days
- Private Healthcare
- Generous pension contributions, with Employer contributions ranging from 6% to 10%
- Range of flexible working options may be available, depending on your role
- Employee Assistance Programme providing confidential counselling, financial and legal advice
- Range of courses delivered by learning specialists to support your development goals and objectives
- Opportunities to volunteer
- Travel loans, Cycle to Work, and more!

For more detailed information about the role, please see our Vacancy Information Pack attached to our direct advert. Our shortlisting is performed on the evidence provided in your application against the Essential and Desirable criteria in the Person Specification.

RBL is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive organisation, reflecting the diversity of the armed forces community and of wider society. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and personal characteristics.

We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

If you require the job advert or job description in an alternative format, please contact 0808 802 8080.