Law advisor jobs in bristol
Title: Legal Coordinator
Reports to: Head of Legal
Salary: £30,000-40,000 (depending on experience)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 per week over 5 days (Monday to Friday)
Holiday: 25 days per year plus bank holidays
Location: Remote with regular travel to London and across the UK
Probationary period: 3 months
Benefits: An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year, Flexitime policy, 5% pension contribution, Cycle to Work scheme
Start date: As soon as possible
We are River Action
We are a campaign organisation on a mission to rescue Britain's rivers from the impacts of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution. We take a creative and bold approach to campaigning, blending sharp strategy with positively disruptive tactics to inspire real action. We support grassroots movements, galvanise public opinion, influence government policy and drive industry change.
We are a small, dedicated and talented team of positive disrupters and community mobilisers who work collaboratively to deliver our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of people and nature.
Find out more about our mission and our team on our website.
Who we’re looking for
Do you want to be part of a movement making waves to clean up the UK’s rivers? Are you passionate about using the law as a tool for change? Do you have the legal and research skills to amplify our impact? If so, we want you to join our team.
We are looking for a highly capable, ambitious, well-organised, energetic, proactive and diligent individual with legal experience (academic or professional) to play an integral role in developing and delivering our growing legal, policy and advocacy work.
You don’t need to be a qualified or practising lawyer, but you do need to have a law degree or equivalent and familiarity with environmental law. You’ll understand the importance of winning in both courts of law and of public opinion. You’ll be passionate, eager to learn and committed to making change happen quickly.
If you’re committed to River Action’s mission and want to be at the forefront of environmental law, policy and advocacy, we’d love to hear from you.
Essential experience and skills
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Demonstrable UK legal experience (academic and/or professional), ideally including environmental, public and administrative law. A law degree or equivalent is required.
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Excellent legal research, drafting and communication skills.
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Ability to translate complex legal issues into accessible and impactful messaging.
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Strong organisational and interpersonal skills with demonstrable experience of coordinating multiple projects, working flexibly and at a fast pace.
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Good understanding of strategic litigation and using the law as a tool for change.
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Proven ability to produce high quality work under pressure.
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Excellent IT skills.
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Commitment to River Action’s mission and to working collaboratively across the sector.
Desirable experience and skills
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Qualification as a solicitor or barrister.
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Experience working in a similar role.
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Experience working in the UK’s environmental sector.
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Experience with strategic litigation and using the law as a tool for change.
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Experience with instructing and managing external lawyers.
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Experience working with parliamentarians and of UK parliamentary procedures.
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Media/spokesperson experience.
What you’ll be doing
As Legal Coordinator, you will play a crucial role in shaping River Action’s fight for cleaner rivers by acting as the link between legal expertise provided by external lawyers and River Action’s day-to-day campaigning, policy, advocacy and operational work.
The role will involve working closely with River Action’s Head of Legal to use the law and legal strategies to strengthen and improve environmental protection of the UK’s rivers. This exciting role will include scoping, developing and managing strategic litigation to achieve systemic change as well as supporting River Action’s policy and advocacy work. You’ll also support the River Action team to build successful campaigns to challenge polluters, hold government and regulators accountable, and push for policy reform.
Key duties and responsibilities
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Support the Head of Legal in scoping, developing and managing River Action’s legal work, including commissioning legal services from external lawyers and providing instructions on legal matters.
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Produce legal research and analysis to inform and support River Action’s strategic litigation, policy and advocacy work.
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Work with the campaigns team to develop impactful legal actions as part of creative and positively disruptive campaigns to deliver organisational goals.
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Work with the communities team to identify opportunities for River Action to support communities through legal action, including by developing the River Rescue Kit and other initiatives to extend impact.
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Engage with and obtain information and evidence from claimants, complainants, expert witnesses and other sources to support legal actions and campaigns.
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Develop an in-depth understanding of UK legal and policy frameworks relating to rivers and ensure colleagues are kept up to date with changes.
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Monitor legal developments including caselaw and legislative proposals, working closely with the Head of Legal to understand the implications and opportunities for River Action’s work.
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Ensure team members are well-briefed on the latest legal developments (both River Action’s work and wider developments) to support their external engagement.
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Prepare and contribute to legal and policy briefings for River Action and its eNGO partners and for public and political audiences.
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Contribute to River Action’s policy and advocacy work, ensuring our positions are considered and evidenced.
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Contribute to shaping River Action’s positions and key messaging so they are relevant and accurate.
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Provide legal support for River Action’s campaigning and operational activities, including by researching relevant laws and by commissioning external legal advice on non-contentious matters.
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Support colleagues to ensure River Action’s campaigning and communication activities and outputs are legally compliant and help to protect the charity from defamation, copyright infringement or other claims.
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Write articles and act as spokesperson for River Action in owned and earned media.
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Work across the team to track, record and report impact.
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Support River Action’s fundraising activities including contributing towards funding proposals, pitching and reporting.
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Review and respond to legal queries that come to River Action, escalating to the Head of Legal or other colleagues as appropriate.
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Administrative duties including developing and maintaining River Action’s legal documentation, processes and systems on the organisation’s shared drive.
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Build relationships and partnerships across the legal sector and environmental sector to inform River Action’s work and contribute to the wider movement.
General duties and responsibilities
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Follow all charity policies and procedures.
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Actively participate as part of the team.
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Help to promote a positive, healthy and happy work environment and team culture.
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Actively engage in professional development and training.
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Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action, external lawyers and stakeholders to deliver our mission.
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Undertake any other duties as reasonably required.
As a small and agile team, we value flexibility. While these are the core responsibilities, staff may be asked to take on additional tasks as needed. If any task becomes a regular duty, the job description will be updated in consultation with the staff member.
Location
You will work from home with some travel required to London and across the UK.
The full team meets in person at least four times per year. These are multi-day meetings held in different locations in the UK. Additional UK travel will also be required. The fast-paced nature of our work and small size of our organisation means we are in very regular contact, ensuring a strong connection across the team.
Diversity and inclusion
We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in the environment sector.
Don’t meet every single requirement? We know that long lists can be daunting and that some candidates will not apply for a role unless they feel they are 100% qualified. If you like the look of this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with everything in the job description, we’d still love to hear from you. You may be just the right person for this role.
How to apply
To apply, please submit to jobs at riveractionuk dot com with the subject ‘Legal Coordinator’:
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your CV (2 pages), and
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a cover letter (2 pages) explaining why you want to work for River Action and how your experience and skills meet the requirements of the role.
Only applications including both documents will be accepted. Please provide your documents in pdf format.
Application process
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 23:59 on Monday 29 September 2025.
Should your application be selected during sift, the next stage will involve an initial 15-minute interview. You may then be invited to attend a second interview with a panel.
Initial interviews will be held on 1 and 2 October 2025 and panel interviews will be held in w/c 6 October 2025, all via video conference. For panel interviews, some questions will be provided in advance for equity and to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and experience most effectively.
Please indicate in your covering letter or in a covering email your availability for interviews.
If you have any questions about the role or your application, please contact us on jobs at riveractionuk dot com.
Registered Charity 
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The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Temporary People Advisor – Fully Remote
£19.28 per hour | Start ASAP | 6 weeks initially
We’re looking for an experienced People Advisor to join a national charity on a temporary basis, providing proactive HR advice and guidance across the organisation. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and supporting managers with a wide range of people matters.
The role:
Provide advice and case management on employee and volunteer relations, including absence, performance management, restructures, TUPE, disciplinary and grievance.
Coach and support managers through complex HR processes, increasing their people management capability.
Develop and embed inclusive, legally compliant people policies.
Support the delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.
Identify trends and recommend people-focused solutions for continuous improvement.
About you:
Strong background in HR advisory, employee relations, and organisational change.
CIPD qualified (or working towards).
Good working knowledge of UK employment law.
Skilled in coaching, communication, and building relationships at all levels.
Confident handling complex cases with sensitivity and professionalism.
Details:
Start date: ASAP
Duration: 6 weeks initially
Rate: £19.28 per hour
Location: Fully remote
If you’re an experienced HR professional with a people-focused approach and immediately available, we’d love to hear from you.
Thank you!
Temporary People Advisor – Fully Remote
£19.28 per hour | Start ASAP | 6 weeks initially
We’re looking for an experienced People Advisor to join a national charity on a temporary basis, providing proactive HR advice and guidance across the organisation. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and supporting managers with a wide range of people matters.
The role:
Provide advice and case management on employee and volunteer relations, including absence, performance management, restructures, TUPE, disciplinary and grievance.
Coach and support managers through complex HR processes, increasing their people management capability.
Develop and embed inclusive, legally compliant people policies.
Support the delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.
Identify trends and recommend people-focused solutions for continuous improvement.
About you:
Strong background in HR advisory, employee relations, and organisational change.
CIPD qualified (or working towards).
Good working knowledge of UK employment law.
Skilled in coaching, communication, and building relationships at all levels.
Confident handling complex cases with sensitivity and professionalism.
Details:
Start date: ASAP
Duration: 6 weeks initially
Rate: £19.28 per hour
Location: Fully remote
If you’re an experienced HR professional with a people-focused approach and immediately available, we’d love to hear from you.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Responsibilities
Strategic HR Leadership
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Develop and execute the overall people and culture strategy aligned with Hatch’s overall vision, values and organisational strategy.
Organisational Culture & Employee Experience
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Work with the CEO to champion a values-driven, inclusive, and purpose-led culture that supports employee engagement and well-being.
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Design and oversee initiatives to enhance employee satisfaction, psychological safety, and workplace trust.
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Lead initiatives that reinforce cultural norms and behaviours aligned with organisational values.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Leadership
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Develop and lead the Hatch’s DE&I strategy
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Set DE&I KPIs; monitor progress and report to leadership in the quarterly board papers.
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Set up and work with an internal DE&I working group to implement DE&I Strategy
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Organise training and education programmes on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and anti-discrimination.
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Oversee equitable hiring, compensation, promotion, and development practices.
Employee Relations & Engagement
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Act as a senior point of contact for complex employee relations matters.
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Build systems for transparent communication, feedback, and conflict resolution.
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Analyse quarterly engagement surveys and eNPS score data and develop action plans for improvement.
Governance, Compliance & Reporting
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Deliver reports on key people and culture metrics to the Senior Leadership Group (SLG) and Board, ensuring data-driven insights support strategic decision-making.
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Ensure all people-related policies, procedures, and contracts are regularly reviewed and updated, aligning with organisational needs, values, and current employment legislation.
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Maintain compliance with employment laws and regulatory requirements, minimising organisational risk and promoting ethical practices.
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Support the organisation in responding to emerging workforce-related risks.
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Develop and manage the people and culture budget annually
Compensation and Benefits
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Ensure our pay, benefits and progression framework support employee well-being and align with DE&I principles.
Learning and Development
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Identify skill gaps and oversee the creation of learning strategies to support upskilling and reskilling.
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Promote a continuous learning culture and leadership development at all levels.
Talent Attraction, Management and Succession Planning
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Lead the design and execution of robust talent acquisition, development, and retention strategies.
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Oversee performance management frameworks to drive growth and accountability.
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Continually develop Hatch’s employee value proposition to build Hatch’s brand as an employer of choice
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Further develop our performance management framework to encourage high performance, professional development and values alignment
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Support and enhance our approach to leadership development and succession planning and providing support and advice to the team and managers to navigate these
HR Operations
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Act as owner of the Factorial HR system, ensuring data accuracy, functionality, and ongoing optimisation.
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Review and approve staff expenses in line with Hatch’s policy.
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Oversee all onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring a smooth employee experience across the lifecycle.
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Manage changes to staff working hours, salaries, and contractual terms.
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Lead and coordinate recruitment processes, including job postings, candidate management, interviews, and offers.
Person Specification
Skills
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An all rounder, able to develop a big picture vision and deliver on the details
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A keen eye for identifying talent and passion for developing people (in both their professional and personal growth)
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A focus on diversity and inclusion as a competitive business advantage
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Ability to build authentic relationships across a diverse group of stakeholders
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Excellent communicator on all levels with demonstrated empathy and strong interpersonal skills
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Analytical skills and and ability to make, and support others to make, data-informed decisions
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Project management skills
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Problem-solving skills
Experience
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Proven experience in a similar leadership role, preferably within the social enterprise or nonprofit sector
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Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing people and culture strategies, talent management, and performance management programmes
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Leadership of end to end employee life cycle
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Partnering with business stakeholders across a whole organisation, especially senior stakeholders
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Leading people & culture project rollouts
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Developing a positive performance culture
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Experience with recruitment and HR systems advantageous
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
People Manager – Permanent, Remote
Full-time (35 hrs) – Open to part-time
Are you ready to take the lead on shaping people strategy and culture in a mission-driven organisation? MLC Partners are recruiting for an experienced People Manager to play a central role in modernising HR systems, embedding best practice, and creating a workplace where people feel supported, included, and able to thrive.
The opportunity
This is a pivotal role, reporting directly to the Head of People and Governance. You’ll be responsible for managing a small HR team while also influencing senior stakeholders and working closely with staff representatives. The role will combine strategic input with hands-on delivery, ensuring the organisation not only meets its legal obligations but develops as an innovative and inclusive workplace.
Key responsibilities:
- HR leadership: Oversee recruitment, retention, payroll, benefits and workforce planning, ensuring the organisation is effectively resourced.
- Modernising policies: Lead the review and update of policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with employment law and alignment with organisational values.
- Employee relations: Act as a trusted advisor to managers, supporting them to handle disciplinary, grievance, performance, and capability issues with confidence and fairness.
- Change and culture: Partner with managers, unions and staff to deliver organisational change, embedding inclusive and people-focused practices at every level.
- Data and reporting: Use analytics to identify workforce trends and provide insights that shape decision-making.
- Learning and development: Drive the implementation of performance management frameworks, development plans, and training initiatives.
- Team management: Line manage two senior HR professionals as well as providing oversight to a small staff team, fostering collaboration and high performance.
About you:
We’re looking for someone with the confidence and credibility to lead a people function in a complex, unionised environment. You’ll need to be:
- Qualified: CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent) with significant HR management experience.
- Experienced: Skilled in employee relations, organisational change, and managing union negotiations. Background in the not-for-profit, public sector, or membership organisations is highly valued.
- Knowledgeable: Up to date with UK employment law, HR systems, and best practice in people management.
- Influential: Strong communicator and relationship-builder, able to engage and influence at all levels.
- Values-driven: Committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and continuous improvement in people practices.
Why join?
This is an exciting chance to step into a role where you can make a visible and lasting impact. You’ll have the scope to reshape policies, implement new systems, and guide leaders through meaningful organisational change. If you’re motivated by modernising HR, supporting people to succeed, and working in a collaborative and purpose-led environment, please apply now.
We welcome applications from underrepresented communities, including Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic groups, disabled people, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Applicants are under constant review, and the role may be filled prior to the ad closing. For a further confidential discussion about this role and to discuss your career search, please reach out to Annabelle Stuart at MLC Partners.
Thank you!
Together, the charities Sands and Tommy’s have formed a Joint Policy Unit (JPU) focussed on achieving policy change that will save more babies’ lives during pregnancy and the neonatal period and on tackling inequalities in loss, so that everyone can benefit from the best possible outcomes.
The JPU’s mission is to secure policy change that will reduce rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, pre-term birth and neonatal death, and to work to eliminate inequalities in these outcomes.
While there is widespread agreement on the need for change to improve the safety of maternity and neonatal services, what that change looks like is not clear. To save more babies’ lives we believe that a continued focus is required, and that governments should set new commitments to reduce perinatal mortality and preterm births, focused on matching the best-performing countries in Europe.
This role will be crucial to the continued success of the JPU unit; leading, shaping and coordinating all the unit’s work.
We are looking for an independent and assertive problem-solver, a policy expert who can manage multiple priorities, take the initiative, lead the national conversation and is as excited as we are about taking the helm of this venture for both of our organisations.
The successful candidate will need to have a substantial track record of effectively leading and implementing national policy and influencing programmes, driving change and achieving the desired impact.
You will have considerable experience across research, data analysis, policy development, public affairs and communications. Additionally, you will be well-versed in research and data management, including analysing complex data and evaluating policy developments.
Experience of being a member of a senior management team with successful, significant and relevant management and leadership experience is also essential.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.