Lead policy officer jobs

Date posted: Monday 6 July 2026

Salary: £94,592 per annum with excellent benefits

Contract type: Permanent, full time or part time

Hours per week: 37.5 hours per week. All staff are required to work in person for a minimum of two days per week, in line with our hybrid working policy. The post-holder may be required to undertake some work outside normal working hours.

About the Health Foundation

Health is our most precious asset. Good health enables us to live happy, fulfilling lives, fuels our prosperity and helps build a stronger society. Yet good health remains out of reach for too many people in the UK, and health and care services are struggling to provide access to timely, high-quality care.

The Health Foundation is an independent charitable organisation with a mission to build a healthier UK. We work to achieve this by generating high quality research and analysis; developing practical solutions to the biggest problems in health and health services; engaging, convening and building coalitions to build understanding, inform debate and drive action; and developing the long-term capability needed to transform health and care.

Our values

We expect everyone who works with us to be committed to our values and to share our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation. Our values are impact, evidence, integrity, and collaboration. You can read more about them in our five-year strategy. We also expect everyone to share our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation and to help deliver our EDI Strategy.

About the role

This role is one of three key Deputy Directors in the Health and Care Policy team. The team focuses on shaping the future of the health and care system in the UK to ensure the best care for all, by supporting more evidence-informed policy and decision-making.

You will work alongside the Director of Policy and Research and other senior staff to oversee and manage our large portfolio of work on health and care policy. This will include leading high-quality research and analysis and using evidence to inform policy and decision-making – including through direct engagement with policymakers, events and convening. You will also be directly responsible for overseeing our thematic programme of work on health system reform and neighbourhood health, working with staff in the Health and Care Policy team and other teams across the Foundation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Working with the Director of Policy and Research and other senior members of staff to oversee and lead the health and care policy team’s work
• Lead the development and delivery of high quality research and analysis, and communicate our messages to external audiences
• Lead the delivery of our thematic programme of work on health system reform and neighbourhood health
• Build and maintain strong networks with relevant health and social care policy stakeholders
• Be a visible and credible senior leader for our work on health and care policy, setting high standards for the quality, rigour, and impact of our work, and supporting others to meet them

How to apply

Our priority is to find the right individual for each opportunity. We are dedicated to building an inclusive workplace that values diversity and invite you to find out more.

If you would like to apply, please submit your CV, and a supporting statement that answers the following application questions:

• Why are you well suited to this role? What leadership skills and experience would you bring to the Senior Leadership Team of the Health Foundation? (max. 300 words)
• What skills and experience do you have in generating and using high quality research and analysis to influence and inform national policy? What experience do you have in leading teams to do this effectively? (max. 400 words)
• Based on your experience, what are some of the key ingredients for effectively using research and analysis to influence policy decisions? (max. 400 words)

Our commitment to equality, inclusion and diversity

We are committed to an inclusive hiring process, where every candidate has the chance to showcase their unique skills and experience in an accessible and supported environment, to ensure that we can make the best appointment for each opportunity on merit.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage those from underrepresented groups in this field to apply to us.

We have identified three key areas to improving diversity. Our aim to achieve a more balanced representation across our organisation, with a particular focus on increasing the number of women in leadership, enhancing the representation of people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds and welcoming more people with disabilities. As part of this commitment, we strongly encourage applications from these groups.

Apply to join our team and let's work towards building a more diverse and inclusive workplace together.

If you require any support through this process, please contact us. Help us work together to make the recruitment process and potential future employment more accessible and enjoyable for you.
 

Closing date: Friday 24th July 2026

Interview date: Week commencing 17th August 2026

The Trust is recruiting a creative and committed Research and Policy Officer to join our team. Reporting to one of the team’s Research and Policy Managers, the successful candidate will play a significant role in developing and preparing the Trust’s research and policy outputs, working across the core areas of the Sutton Trust’s work (early years, schools, apprenticeships, higher education and access to the workplace). This will include helping to produce original, data rich and policy relevant research reports, along with contributing to other Trust research projects. They will also support the policy and advocacy work of the Trust, including performing background research on topics relevant to educational inequality and social mobility as required.

Main duties

• To contribute, with colleagues, to several data-rich research reports accessible to practitioners and policy makers, over the course of the year, as agreed with the Research, Communications and Policy leadership team

• To support the Sutton Trust's programme of research and policy work, including:

  • Providing staff with background research, analysis and data on relevant topics

  • Producing literature reviews

  • Supporting research funding bids

  • Providing administrative support

• Working with Communications colleagues to develop messaging and content for disseminating and publicising reports

• Supporting advocacy work, as required, with MPs' staff, civil servants, special advisers and other policy makers

• Other duties as necessary from time to time

Person Specification

Essential

• Excellent analytical skills and understanding of research methods, primarily quantitative research, as well as literature/evidence reviews. This should include significant experience of using data analysis software such as SPSS/Stata/R/Python or equivalent

• A qualification in a social science or other numerate discipline, including statistics, mathematics, economics, computer science, data science or similar discipline in the social or natural sciences at undergraduate level, or comparable experience

• Two years' experience working in research in a professional or academic environment (e.g., PhD, post-doc)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• High degree of initiative and the ability to take responsibility for projects

• Personable, flexible and discreet; able to fit into a busy, small team in a fast-paced policy environment

• Sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage

• Eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Desirable

• Experience of conducting research using adminstrative datasets (e.g., National Pupil Database) or longitudinal datasets (e.g., Longitudinal Education Outcomes dataset, Understanding Society, Next Steps)

• Knowledge of one or more of our priority policy areas (early years, schools, apprenticeships, higher education and access to the workplace), and the wider education policy environment in England

• Strong understanding of government and the public policy environment

• Experience working within or an understanding of the not-for-profit sector

• Experience in education (for example, as a teacher or in another front-line educational role), education policy or a closely related field

• A postgraduate qualification in a numerate discipline (see above)

Terms of Appointment

• Contract: Full-time, permanent

• Salary: £32,000 - £38,000 per annum

• Working location: Minimum of 2 office days per week

• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.

• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and may also be required to attend events/meetings outside of their normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends

• A DBS check may be required

Interviews

Applications should reach us by 5pm, Friday 24th July, with first round interviews held over Zoom on Monday 10th August, and second round interviews held at our London offices on Monday 17th August.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.

Do you believe in the power of communities to shape change?
OCVA is seeking a values-driven Chief Executive to inspire, connect and champion Oxfordshire’s community and voluntary sector.

This is an opportunity to lead a respected local infrastructure organisation at the heart of Oxfordshire’s voluntary and community sector. As Chief Executive of OCVA, you will work alongside a committed Board and a small, passionate team to support charities and community groups, promote and champion volunteering, influence local systems, and ensure the sector’s voice is heard.

You will balance strategic leadership with strong relationships. This includes working closely with local councils, funders and partners, while staying grounded in the realities faced by community organisations. 

We are looking for someone who shares our values, understands the voluntary and community sector, and is motivated by making a meaningful difference. The role is as much about listening, collaboration and trust as it is about income, sustainability and delivery. If our mission resonates and you bring curiosity, integrity and a commitment to inclusive leadership to all that you do then we would love to hear from you.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of Yorkshire’s most respected community foundations and help shape the future of giving across Calderdale.

For over 35 years, Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC) has connected people who care with causes that matter. We believe local generosity has the power to transform lives, strengthen communities and create opportunities for everyone to thrive.

As an independent charitable funder, we work with individuals, families, businesses and organisations to invest in local charities and community groups tackling some of Calderdale’s biggest challenges. Every year, we distribute more than £2 million in grants to support people and places across the borough. At the same time, we are building our permanent endowment, creating a lasting legacy that will continue supporting local communities for generations to come.

This is what makes CFFC unique. We do not just make a difference today. We create a legacy that will benefit Calderdale in perpetuity.

Following many years of successful leadership from our current Chief Executive Officer, we are seeking an exceptional leader to build on this strong foundation and lead CFFC into its next chapter.

About the role

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, ensuring CFFC continues to grow its impact, strengthen partnerships and inspire philanthropy across Calderdale.

You will lead and develop a committed staff team, work closely with Trustees, build trusted relationships with donors, businesses, professional advisers, charities and public sector partners, and ensure the organisation remains financially sustainable, well-governed and ambitious for the future.

You will also act as CFFC’s public ambassador, representing the organisation across Calderdale and beyond, while championing the importance of local giving and community investment.

About you

We are looking for an inspiring and collaborative leader with significant senior leadership experience and the ability to build confidence and credibility with a wide range of stakeholders.

You will demonstrate:

Proven strategic leadership and organisational management experience.

Experience of developing successful partnerships, fundraising, income generation or business development.

Strong financial and governance awareness.

Excellent relationship-building, communication and influencing skills.

Experience of leading and developing high-performing teams.

A genuine commitment to community impact and the values of the voluntary sector.

You may come from a community foundation, charitable trust, grant-making organisation, charity, public sector, social enterprise or a commercial organisation with a strong social purpose.

What we offer

Salary in excess of £60,000, dependent on experience.

Permanent, full-time position.

Flexible and hybrid working, with a regular presence required in Calderdale.

20 days annual leave plus bank holidays, additional Easter Tuesday leave and office closure over the Christmas period, rising to 25 days after five years’ service.

Employer pension contribution, with details available in the candidate information pack.

The opportunity to lead a respected local foundation with a strong legacy, deep local relationships and ambitious plans for the future.

Closing date: 31 July 2026

First round interviews: Week commencing 17 August 2026

Second round interviews: Week commencing 24 August 2026

CFFC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are happy to discuss any adjustments candidates may need during the recruitment process.

If you are an ambitious leader who wants to build on a strong legacy, inspire local philanthropy and help create lasting change for communities across Calderdale, we would love to hear from you.

Main Purpose of the Post

The Chief Executive will have overall responsibility for all aspects of the day to day running of the RLSS and all its services. This will include management of staff and ensuring the services are meeting the needs of those who require them, in addition to managing finances, membership and external relationships. The post holder will be accountable to and work closely with the Board Chair and its Directors to set the strategic direction and further develop the business model which will serve Religious Life Groups for the future.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership and Governance

· Provide visible, ambitious, and focused leadership of the RLSS.

· Be overall responsible for the management of the RLSS working in conjunction with the Chair and Directors to provide leadership.

· Lead and contribute to the Board’s overall development of the strategy and annual plans to ensure achievement of a One Church approach to applying the Church’s safeguarding standards.

· Ensure risks to the overall objectives of the RLSS are identified, mitigated, and reported to the Board.

· Develop a culture of resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning within the organization to navigate challenges and maintain trust among victims/survivors and members.

· Develop and promote services and practice improvements which are designed to mitigate risk and improve understanding within safeguarding.

· Effectively sustain a culture that consistently meets the needs of and engages with victim/survivors and with Religious.

· Foster and develop a climate of shared accountabilities, learning and continuous improvement.

· Ensure the RLSS meets it statutory, legal, and regulatory obligations.

· Ensure appropriate presentation and reporting to the Board (and any sub committees and advisory groups) on the progress of the RLSS and on all matters relevant to the discharge of the Board’s responsibilities.

· Oversee all promotional activities, press releases, digital presence, radio, and newspaper interviews.

Staffing & Management.

· Be accountable for the recruitment, retention, ongoing development, and wellbeing of RLSS staff.

· Enthusiastically and effectively, lead, shape, and influence teams to deliver the vision and goals of RLSS to ensure best practice in the delivery of all its safeguarding services. 

· Create a supportive working environment which promotes transparency and collaboration in safeguarding.

· Ensure that high quality people management is embedded across the service and foster a high performing culture with shared accountabilities and continuous improvement. 

· Ensure the effective management and implementation of robust performance management and appraisal processes.

· Provide direction, support, and set clear objectives to immediate line reports.

· Provide or arrange professional supervision to safeguarding case working staff.

· Produce, review and update plans relating to service areas.

· Establish and maintain effective and secure record keeping systems.

· Ensure the management and implementation of regular quality assurance, audit, performance management and reporting, using effective management information systems, ensuring this meets CSSA’s requirements.

Collaboration/Networks.

· Contribute to strategic level initiatives with key partners, particularly the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) and relevant statutory agencies, to ensure joint planning, access to resources and the development of interagency strategies.

· Build strong and dynamic relationships and networks within and outside the Church to deliver better outcomes for Religious in safeguarding.

Policy and Procedure

· Ensure a robust and up to date Policy & Procedure framework approved by the Board is in place including HR, Health and Safety, Data Protection and operational delivery.

· Ensure there is a system in place to review approved policies and procedures to ensure that substantial changes or additions are brought to the Board for decision.

· Undertake operating compliance exercises including annual risk assessments, health and safety checks and reporting on incidents and near misses.

· Ensure

Finance & Resources

· In conjunction with the Board of Directors, develop a long-term funding strategy, including gathering data, completing research, developing models to ensure the service is cost effective.

· Agree and deliver to budget maintaining a reserve level in line with policy and monitor all budgets and provide financial reports to the Board of Directors.

· Be responsible and accountable for all finances and resources within the teams, ensuring value for money, the avoidance of waste, and the efficient and effective use of all resources.

· Ensure the equitable and timely allocation of work, assuring the most appropriate interventions that timescales are being met and appropriate records maintained.

· Be responsible for all contracts, tenancy agreements and leases.

· Have overall responsibility for the security of confidential information, use of computers and database information.

· Well-developed database and Microsoft Office skills.

This a summary of the key activities of the post.  It is not intended to be an exhaustive list and the post-holder may be required to perform other duties which are appropriate to the scale and nature of the job role.

Role Requirements

Essential Criteria you need to be able to demonstrate:

Strategic and system leadership

• Experience of working at Chief Executive level in similar size/larger organisation.

• A strong track record leading organisations, setting direction and delivering outcomes

• Resilience and the ability to work under pressure whilst showing consideration to others.

Culture and capability building

• motivating people, driving, and evaluating performance, and building a positive and inclusive culture

Commercial and professional judgement

• Professional knowledge and experience that evidence a strategic and operational understanding of safeguarding

• Management skills including finance, planning, project management and marketing.

• Strong commercial acumen.

• Experience of negotiating and managing contracts.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and competence in using digital technology for service delivery across the organisation.

• A creative thinker, proven leader with a ‘can do’ attitude which is results orientated.

Stakeholder engagement and influence

• Interpersonal and listening skills; an ability to deal sensitively with those in Religious Life, Victims/Survivors public, the vulnerable and their families/representatives.

• Skills in conflict resolution, negotiation and problem solving.

• Experience of reviewing evidence and taking appropriate action where necessary; applying sound judgement, with an attention to detail; maintaining confidentiality and building trust

• Ability to respond, sensitively and fully to complaints.

Desirable Criteria you need to be able to demonstrate:

· Understanding of the way in which faith-based organisations respond effectively/ dysfunctionally to safeguarding issues

· Senior management experience in the charitable sector

Due Diligence – Please note that as part of the safer recruitment process, due diligence including social media checks will be undertaken on appointable candidates.

This is an exciting opportunity for a new Chief Executive Officer to lead our well-respected rare disease patient organisation through the next phase of growth and impact, in particular focussing on financial sustainability and influencing health policy for these rare diseases.These sit alongside the other grass-roots duties of a small charity CEO, including working with our Medical Advisory Team to develop new and maintain existing patient education resources, and overseeing our support services including volunteers and a professional psychological counselling service. Reporting to and working with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will be responsible for delivering our 2027-2030 Strategic Plan, ensuring robust governance, and driving forward our mission to improve the lives of people affected by rare diseases.The CEO manages the part-time Executive Administrator and works with up to 30 current volunteers (patients, carers, and health professionals) to deliver services with impact.This role includes occasional weekend work, as well as approximately 15 days travel (national and international) per year to represent and advocate for the charities’ beneficiaries. 

Are you someone who leads from the front? Do you want a role where no two days are the same – one that combines hands-on project delivery, meaningful work with volunteers, and making the evidence count? The South London Mission is looking for a Community Projects & Volunteer Officer to be at the heart of our work.

This is not a desk-bound role. You’ll be packing Brite Box meal kits, running sessions with families and older people, building and leading a committed volunteer team, and producing reports that tell our story to funders and decision-makers. It’s a role for someone equally at home lifting boxes and writing impact reports.

Link to Change is an award-winning charity dedicated to protecting children and young people from exploitation, abuse and harm. We work alongside children, families, professionals and communities to create safer futures and stronger outcomes.

Now entering an exciting new phase of growth across Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, we are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation into its next chapter.

 Link to Change has a strong reputation as a trusted specialist in tackling child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, online harms and abuse affecting children and young people. Our work has influenced policy and practice, supported thousands of children and families, and amplified the voices of young people with lived experience.

We are ambitious about the future. We want to reach more children, strengthen our influence, grow our services, and continue driving meaningful change within safeguarding systems and communities.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide strategic and operational leadership to the charity, ensuring we remain financially sustainable, well governed and focused on achieving the greatest possible impact for children and young people. Working closely with our Board of Trustees, staff team and partners, you will lead organisational development, strengthen relationships across sectors, champion safeguarding excellence and help shape the future direction of the organisation.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected, award-winning charity with a passionate team, a strong reputation and a clear sense of purpose.

We are looking for a values-driven leader who can inspire others, build strong partnerships, navigate complexity and lead with confidence and compassion. You will share our commitment to safeguarding, trauma-informed practice and ensuring that the voices of children and young people remain at the heart of everything we do.

If you are passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people and want to lead an organisation that is making a genuine difference every day, we would love to hear from you.

Join Link to Change and help create a future where every child and young person is safe, heard and free from exploitation.

Please ensure to follow the guidance within the application pack on how to apply.

Date posted: 8 July 2026

Salary: £45,168 per annum with excellent benefits

Contract type: Permanent

Hours per week: 37.5 hours per week. All staff are required to work in person for a minimum of two days per week, in line with our hybrid working policy. The post-holder may be required to undertake some work outside normal working hours.

About the Health Foundation

Health is our most precious asset. Good health enables us to live happy, fulfilling lives, fuels our prosperity and helps build a stronger society. Yet good health remains out of reach for too many people in the UK, and health and care services are struggling to provide access to timely, high-quality care.

The Health Foundation is an independent charitable organisation with a mission to build a healthier UK. We work to achieve this by generating high-quality research and analysis; developing practical solutions to the biggest problems in health and health services; engaging, convening and building coalitions to build understanding, inform debate and drive action; and developing the long-term capability needed to transform health and care.

Our values

We expect everyone who works with us to be committed to our values and to share our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation. Our values are impact, evidence, integrity, and collaboration. You can read more about them in our five-year strategy. We also expect everyone to share our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation and to help deliver our EDI Strategy.

About the role

The Programme Officer role sits within our Health & Inequalities Directorate, which is focused on the ‘building blocks’ that make up good health and how health can be promoted outside of formal health systems and services, especially for those experiencing the greatest inequalities. You will work as part of the Health & Inequalities Directorate’s embedded Portfolio Management team to support the delivery of our Health & Inequalities programmes and projects.

The role will act as programme support on a suite of projects and programmes, working closely with content leads on aspects of the design, implementation, delivery and management of a range of projects within our three overarching Health & Inequalities themes: Health and the Economy; Public Health Led Prevention and Cross Sector Action (including our Health Equals campaign).

As Programme Officer, you will work closely with our expert colleagues, supporting them to navigate our internal funding and procurement processes, and in setting up projects for success by implementing and overseeing a project management approach. You will be involved in a variety of projects and programmes, from projects focused on research and analysis, to events, test and learn programmes, agency contracts and partnerships.

You will be responsible for ongoing programme/project oversight and governance, and updating internal systems, such as on project progress, budget management and risks. You will also support the wider governance of our three overarching themes, supporting the leads with preparing and delivering oversight meetings and maintaining records on how our portfolio of work is progressing.

You will be part of an enthusiastic and friendly team, who are strongly committed to putting health and inequalities at the heart of decision making and building a healthier UK. You will also be part of a cross-organisation community of project and programme managers, working together to share expertise and drive best practice across the organisation.

To find out more about the role and what we are looking for, please read the job description.

How to apply

Our priority is to find the right individual for each opportunity. We are dedicated to building an inclusive workplace that values diversity and invite you to find out more.

If you would like to apply, please submit your CV and answer the application questions below. Please try to limit your response to each question to no more than 300 words.

• Project management. Please describe a project or programme that you have coordinated and managed. What role did you play, and how did you help to deliver success?
• Grants and contracts. Please summarise your experience of managing funding grants and/or contracts. What have you learnt from your experience?
• Stakeholder management. Please give an example of how you have worked with a range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver a successful outcome. This could include managing a grant, contract, procurement process, commissioned piece of work, event, or partnership. Please explain how you built relationships, coordinated activity, resolved issues, and ensured progress was maintained.

Our commitment to equality, inclusion and diversity

We are committed to an inclusive hiring process, where every candidate has the chance to showcase their unique skills and experience in an accessible and supported environment, to ensure that we can make the best appointment for each opportunity on merit. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage those from underrepresented groups in this field to apply to us. We have identified three key areas to improving diversity. Our aim is to achieve a more balanced representation across our organisation, with a particular focus on increasing the number of women in leadership, enhancing the representation of people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds and welcoming more people with disabilities. As part of this commitment, we strongly encourage applications from these groups.

Apply to join our team and let's work towards building a more diverse and inclusive workplace together. If you require any support through this process, please contact us. Help us work together to make the recruitment process and potential future employment more accessible and enjoyable for you.

Closing date: Wednesday 22 July 23:59

Interview dates:

First stage: Thursday 30 July (online)

Second stage: Wednesday 5th August (in person at our London offices)

Martingale Foundation exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

About Purposeful Ventures

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Policy Manager will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

Our vision is of a fairer society where all young people thrive. Purposeful Ventures partners with social entrepreneurs and philanthropists to improve the education and well-being of young people from their earliest years.

We define and diagnose the issues affecting children and young people, analyse evidence and explore the most promising solutions. We then select, accelerate and, where we find a gap, incubate organisations which tackle those issues. We offer more than just funding to our charitable organisations. Our expertise, operational experience and networks enable us to deliver tailored, hands-on support with a relentless commitment to system change.

About the role

In the four years since Martingale launched, we have now supported over 200 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our thirteen partner universities.

As Martingale grows, we are building our policy and advocacy function to shape the future of postgraduate access, affordability and outcomes. We are seeking a rigorous, proactive and collaborative Policy Manager to drive the monitoring, insight and evaluation that underpin our influence, and to support the development and implementation of our policy positions and stakeholder engagement.

Reporting to the Head of Communications and External Engagement, you will lead Martingale’s policy tracking, political intelligence, evidence generation, and evaluation and learning. You will turn a fast-moving external landscape into clear, actionable insight, and produce the evidence, analysis and draft materials that enable the Head and CEO to position Martingale credibly with funders, universities, the sector and government.

This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role with significant autonomy. You will own workstreams end-to-end, build systems and processes where they do not yet exist, and influence more senior colleagues and stakeholders. You will sit at the centre of a landmark research and policy programme and help deliver a campaign to implement the recommendations from Martingale’s major HESA-based research partnership, making the case that talent, not background, should determine who progresses to and thrives in postgraduate study.

Please download the full job description on the Purposeful Ventures website.

Key Responsibilities:

You will lead on monitoring and insight, and on evaluation and learning. You will support the Head of Communications and External Engagement on policy position development; consultations, briefings and submissions; and policy and stakeholder engagement and convening.

Monitoring and Insight

• Lead Martingale’s policy tracking and horizon scanning across legislative and regulatory developments, research funding policy, labour market and skills policy, and higher education sector developments relevant to postgraduate access, affordability and outcomes.
• Gather and synthesise political insights to anticipate risks and opportunities, briefing the Head and CEO on what is changing, why it matters to Martingale, and how we should respond.
• Lead the generation of evidence - coordinating, analysing and interpreting data and research (including Martingale’s HESA-based research and partner analysis) to underpin our policy positions and external narrative.
• Build and maintain trackers, briefings and knowledge systems that make insights from across government and higher education accessible, timely and actionable across the team.

Evaluation and Learning

• Lead the monitoring and evaluation of Martingale’s policy and advocacy activity, defining what success looks like and setting clear measures to track progress against our objectives.
• Establish and run learning cycles that capture what is and is not working, feeding insight back into strategy, planning and delivery.
• Own evaluation tools and reporting, ensuring activity is measured against clear objectives and that impact is demonstrable to colleagues, the Board and funders.
• Coordinate with the Programmes Team to leverage lessons and insights from our engagement with scholars to shape our policy work.

Policy Position Development

• Support the Head in developing Martingale’s policy positions for both government and higher education stakeholders, translating evidence into clear, credible and mission-aligned policy asks.
• Draft and refine policy content, ensuring positions are intellectually rigorous, well-evidenced and consistent with Martingale’s voice and values.

Consultations, Briefings and Submissions

• Draft consultation responses, briefings, submissions and other policy materials for the Head and CEO to own and represent in external forums.
• Coordinate inputs across the team and with partners to deliver high-quality, accurate and timely products to deadline.
• Help ensure Martingale’s policy activity complies with charity law and Charity Commission guidance on campaigning and political activity, escalating issues as appropriate.

Policy and Stakeholder Engagement and Convening

• Manage the planning and delivery of Martingale’s stakeholder engagement, including roundtables and convenings.
• Maintain the stakeholder engagement register, tracking relationships, mapping sector and geographic coverage, and identifying gaps and opportunities.
• Build and steward day-to-day relationships with stakeholders across government, academia, research councils, funders, learned societies and partner organisations to advocate for our mission, escalating to the Head and CEO where appropriate.

Ways of working

• Work closely with the Head of Communications and External Engagement, providing the monitoring, insight, evidence, drafting and evaluation that underpin Martingale’s external positioning and influence.
• Collaborate across the communications, partnerships and programme teams, and with delivery and research partners, creating shared understanding of priorities, timelines and dependencies.
• Manage resources and any project budgets responsibly and use evidence and learning to improve practice over time.
• Carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the role as requested by the line manager.

Key Requirements:

Experience and skills

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in policy, public affairs, research or analysis, ideally within a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong understanding of the UK education, social mobility and/or research funding landscape, including the roles of bodies and organisations such as UKRI, Universities UK, Department for Education and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
• Excellent research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise complex policy and evidence into clear, accessible insight.
• Outstanding written communication, with the ability to produce high-quality briefings, consultation responses and policy materials for senior and external audiences.
• The ability to distil complex topics into compelling arguments for a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to own and deliver multiple workstreams to deadline, creating plans, systems and processes where they do not yet exist.
• Experience monitoring and evaluating activity and using evidence and learning to improve practice.
• Ability to build and manage relationships with external stakeholders, and to brief and influence more senior colleagues.
• Advanced IT proficiency: spreadsheets, word processing, CRM or databases such as Beacon, email, web-based applications.

Desirable

• Experience of horizon scanning, political monitoring or intelligence-gathering.
• Familiarity with higher education or research organisations, and/or with postgraduate, doctoral or research-focused study.
• Understanding of industrial strategy, labour market and skills policy
• Familiarity with Charity Commission guidance on campaigning and political activity for charities.
• Experience delivering policy or research work in a startup or scale-up environment.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, and to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Curious, rigorous and detail-oriented, with sound judgement about what matters and why.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, and systematic.

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic HR Lead to join our Central Services team at Enable! 

About Us: 

Enable is a charity dedicated to improving people's wellbeing and strengthening local communities. We work with councils, charities and other local organisations to deliver health, leisure, community services and events that enrich people’s lives and strengthen our local community.

At Enable, we value our employees and our culture, focusing on embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive, flexible and fun environment for employees to perform at their best. On top of a competitive salary and flexible working environment, employees will also receive:

Benefits: 

• 30 days of annual leave (plus 8 bank holidays)
• Life Insurance
• Reward Schemes (RewardHub Membership, wellbeing budgets and cycle to work)
• A variety of social and wellbeing activities each month
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Perks (Monthly talks, Wellbeing Hour, etc)
• Gym Membership

Reports to: Chief Operations Officer

Based: Staff Yard, Battersea Park

Salary: £50,000 to £55,000 Per Annum (Depending on Experience)

Contract: 6 Months - Fixed Term Contract, Full Time 

Work Arrangement: 40 hours per week, Onsite

Role Overview: 

The HR Lead will be responsible for embedding a consistent, robust, and proactive compliance culture across the HR team. This will ensure all HR practices, policies, and processes meet legal, regulatory, and internal governance standards, while also being practical, scalable, and aligned with business objectives whilst also providing hands-on support to the wider HR function on complex employee relations matters, organisation change, and operational HR activities.

Key Objectives/Responsibilities 

Strengthen HR Compliance Framework:

• Review and assess current HR policies, procedures, and practices against legal and regulatory requirements.
• Identify gaps, risks, and inconsistencies.
• Develop and implement an updated HR compliance framework.

HR Capability & Advisory Support:

• Act as a trusted advisor to HR colleagues and managers, providing practical, risk-based guidance that balances legal compliance with business needs.
• Build HR capability by upskilling colleagues on key compliance areas, including employment law, data protection, safeguarding, and right to work.
• Develop and share practical guidance, toolkits, and decision-making frameworks to support consistent and compliant HR practice.
• Partner on complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, performance, and investigations.
• Coach HR colleagues and managers to support fair, consistent, and legally sound decision-making.
• Support organisational change, including restructures, consultations, and policy implementation.
• Contribute to HR projects and service improvements, embedding compliance into operational delivery.

Enhance Risk Management and Audit Readiness:

• Establish clear audit trails and documentation standards.
• Develop internal compliance monitoring mechanisms (e.g. audits, checklists, dashboards).
• Ensure readiness for internal and external audits.

Strengthen Employee Relations Compliance:

• Ensure consistent and compliant handling of disciplinaries, grievances, and investigations.
• Reduce risk of legal challenge through improved processes and documentation.

Systems and Data:

• Use HR systems to support compliance tracking (e.g. mandatory training, right to work, certifications).
• Improve reporting on compliance metrics and risks by creating HR dashboards to report to service leads through to board.

Key Deliverables:

• Compliance gap analysis report with prioritised action plan
• Updated suite of HR policies and procedures
• Standardised templates, toolkits, and guidance documents
• HR compliance training programme and materials
• Compliance monitoring framework (including KPIs and reporting dashboards)
• Audit-ready documentation processes
• Final project report including outcomes, risks, and recommendations

Success Measures:

• Reduction in compliance-related risks and incidents
• Positive internal or external audit outcomes
• Increased HR team confidence and capability (measured via feedback)
• Full policy review cycle implemented
• Clear and accessible compliance resources in place

Desirable:

• CIPD Level 7 qualified (or equivalent senior-level experience).
• Experience in the charity, public sector or community‑focused organisations.
• Exposure to organisational restructures, TUPE or large‑scale change programmes.
• Experience with HRIS implementation or optimisation.
• Coaching or facilitation skills.

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a company that positively impacts the community around them! If you are someone that is motivated by a desire to enrich the lives of others and make a genuine difference, then please Apply Now and follow the prompts. 

Enable is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. To find out more on our approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit our website. 

We are looking for an experienced and strategic Business Development Lead to join us on a 10-month maternity cover contract, leading critical fundraising and partnership development efforts that support our global mission. At ClientEarth, we use the power of the law to protect life on Earth.

You will work closely with ClientEarth’s global programme and leadership teams to contribute to organisation-wide fundraising strategy, oversee effective fundraising processes, cultivate new relationships, oversee the development of winning proposals, and ensure a growing and diverse funder base for ClientEarth.

Important dates to Note: Applications close on 30 July 2026 and if you are requested to submit additional information, the deadline to have this submitted is the 3rd of August for your application to be fully considered. Please also remember to check our recruitment process section at the bottom of the advert to get acquainted with our recruitment process for this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement fundraising strategies that reflect the medium-long term growth and sustainability needs of ClientEarth
• Develop new funding opportunities that are aligned with ClientEarth’s strategic programmatic priorities and budgetary needs
• Cultivate new and existing funding contacts to nurture and build a portfolio of relationships, representing ClientEarth at high level events and meetings
• Make strategic decisions within the Business Development team’s remit, develop annual and quarterly plans, feed into strategy meetings, and present updates as required

See the job description for a full list of duties for this role.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Significant experience of working in a fundraising or business development role
• Demonstrable experience of building high-value pipelines, cultivating relationships with prospects and securing six and seven-figure multi-year grants
• Strong knowledge of foundation, institutional and statutory income streams and financial processes
• Knowledge of and/or interest in environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity, air pollution

See the job description for a full list of duties for this role.

Job Benefits

Flexible working:  We are proud to be a Flexa accredited Employer. Visit our Flexa Employer page for more information on our approach to flexible working. Our flexible working policy allows our people the choice to decide to work from home/another location in the country where their contract of employment is issued for 80% of their month, with the other 20% of their month being office-based. See our benefits page for more: Benefits | ClientEarth Careers as well as our flexible working FAQ.
 

ClientEarth values diversity and inclusion and the benefits this brings. We aim to appoint the most suitable candidate at all times and welcome applications from people from all different backgrounds. See our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at ClientEarth | ClientEarth journey page for more.

Please note that ClientEarth is only able to employ those who have the pre-existing legal right to work in the UK.
 

ClientEarth is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal services to third parties.

Salary: £45000-£49000 p.a DOE

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Reports to: Senior Insight Manager

Direct reports: There is potential for line management responsibility for an Insight Officer to support their development, oversee elements of their work, and help to ensure high standards of research quality and delivery.

Location: Harlow, Essex. Easily commutable from London Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale Station. We offer a free minibus service to/from Harlow Town Train Station as well as free parking and EV charging on site.

Extra Information: Open to conversation on hybrid, flexible and compressed working arrangements. The team works a minimum of two days a week from the office.

About the role:

At the Motability Foundation we fund, support, research and innovate so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose. We oversee the Motability Scheme and provide grants to help people use it, providing access to transport to hundreds of thousands of people a year. We award grants to other charities and organisations who provide different types of transport, or work towards making transport accessible. We also carry out ongoing research, in partnership with disabled people and key stakeholders in the industry, to inspire innovations that continue to champion accessible transport for all.

This role will support the Senior Insight Manager in delivering policy research and insight as part of the new insight function. This role sits at the intersection of research and policy, ensuring that evidence is not only generated, but interpreted and mobilised effectively to inform forward-looking organisational positioning.

What you will be doing:

As Policy Research Manager, you’ll play a central role in building and mobilising the evidence needed to influence policy and public debate on mobility, disability and welfare reform. Working closely with colleagues across Insight, Policy and Public Affairs, you’ll help to ensure that the Foundation has a robust, timely and compelling evidence base to support advocacy, engagement with decision-makers, and external partnerships.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Developing clear and persuasive evidence narratives that demonstrate the social value and impact of the Foundation’s work, drawing on research, evaluation findings and wider policy evidence
• Scoping, developing and oversight of rapid evidence reviews and insight summaries to inform policy positions, responses to consultations and support external engagement
• Delivering forward-looking policy analyses using futures and foresight approaches (including horizon scanning and trend synthesis), assessing potential implications for disabled people and organisational positioning.
• Acting as the lead for policy-relevant research on welfare reform and related priority areas, synthesising internal and external evidence to inform organisational responses
• Supporting coordination with Motability Operations on shared policy and research priorities
• Supporting relationships with external partners including Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), think tanks and public research bodies, including representing the Foundation to contribute an evidence-informed perspective
• Supporting dissemination and engagement activity, including roundtables, briefings, thought pieces and events that help shape debate and explore innovative policy solutions
• Working collaboratively across the organisation to move our evidence and insight from reactive to proactive, strengthening our influence over time

Your experience:

You’re curious, motivated and motivated by public impact. You enjoy turning complex evidence into clear messages that resonate with different audiences, and you’re keen to see research used to influence real-world decisions. You understand what makes for good enough evidence to influence policy making.

You’re comfortable working across organisational boundaries and with external partners, and you bring energy, judgement and confidence to conversations about policy, evidence and social value.

You’re likely to thrive in this role if you:

• Enjoy synthesising research and data into compelling, accessible insight
• Are motivated by social purpose and improving outcomes for disabled people
• Have a strong interest in public policy
• Have a strong understanding of how evidence can be used to influence decision-making
• Are proactive, organised and able to respond quickly to emerging issues
• Are confident representing an organisation externally and contributing to policy discussions
• Like working collaboratively and building trusted relationships across teams and sectors

If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience, we'd still encourage you to apply.

Requirements

We recognise that candidates may come from a range of backgrounds. We’re particularly interested in people with strong potential who are keen to develop their skills in a purpose-driven environment.

Must haves:

• Experience conducting or coordinating research, evidence reviews or analysis in a policy, public affairs, research or related setting
• Familiarity with government policy-making processes, consultations and/or parliamentary engagement
• Ability to synthesise complex information into clear, concise written outputs
• Understanding of how research and evidence can be packaged and used effectively to inform or influence public policy
• Experience working with or alongside external organisations such as think tanks, charities, DPOs, academic or public research bodies
• Strong written communication skills and confidence contributing to external briefings, reports or events
• A relevant degree or postgraduate qualification in a social science, public policy or related discipline, or equivalent work experience

Nice to haves:

• Experience working on disability, welfare, transport or social policy issues
• Experience supporting advocacy or public affairs activity using evidence
• Experience designing or managing rapid evidence reviews or insight products
• A recognised professional research qualification such as the MRS Advanced Certificate, or equivalent professional research training.

Benefits

Who are we?

We are building a future where all disabled people have the transport options to make the journeys they choose.

We fund, support, research and innovate so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose. We oversee the Motability Scheme and provide grants to help people use it, providing access to transport to hundreds of thousands of people a year. We award grants to charities and organisations who provide different types of transport, or work towards making transport accessible. We also carry out ongoing research, in partnership with disabled people and key stakeholders in the industry, to inspire innovations that continue to champion accessible transport for all.

Why choose us?

We want working for the Motability Foundation to be the best career move you’ve ever made. When you join the Motability Foundation you will join a group of people who are supportive, innovative and motivated to improve the lives of our beneficiaries.

We value everyone’s unique qualities and celebrate having a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where everyone feels safe to be their authentic selves. This is embedded into our values, Collaborative, Respectful and Evolving.

We bring our people together through our People Forum, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Forum, Social Squad and our Wellbeing Champions and our employee Spotlight Awards help us recognise the excellence and dedication of our staff.

We are proud to be recognised as Disability Confident Leader, have attained Platinum Level Award for Investors in People and are members of the Business Disability Forum.

A career with Motability Foundation can offer you so much more than earning potential, we pride ourselves in offering some fantastic benefits. Some of these include:

• 26 days annual leave, plus the option to buy/ sell up to five days.
• One wellbeing day for extra flexibility.
• Pension scheme - Up to 20%, including a 10% non-contributory contribution and matched contributions up to 5%.
• Life Assurance of four times your salary.
• Private healthcare through BUPA for you and your family, along with a Medicash Health Plan.
• Employee assistance programme: GP appointments, eye tests, flu vaccinations, sick pay and free gym and yoga sessions.
• Enhanced Parental Leave, including Adoption Pay.
• Free parking, EV charge points and a minibus service to/from the town centre and train station.
• Fresh fruit, breakfast snacks, and a Dress for Your Day dress code.
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, and we aim to be an employer of choice for candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we have committed to ensuring that disabled people and those with long term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential. We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing and when working with us, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.

To help us create an inclusive workplace we are committed to offering to interview every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the job. Some of our roles attract a high volume of applications and in some circumstances, we may need to limit the number of interviews offered to disabled and non-disabled candidates. re

Title:  Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager

Salary:  From £45,000 - £55,000 per annum 

Contract:  Permanent

Hours:  37.5 per week (Monday to Friday) 

Holiday:     25 days per year plus bank holidays 

Location:  Home based with regular travel within / to London and across the UK

Probationary Period:  3 months

Reports to:  Head of Department 

Benefits:  An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year, Flexitime policy, 5% pension contribution

Title and salary to be commensurate with experience.

We are River Action

We are a small and agile campaigning organisation on a mission to rescue UK rivers from a toxic cocktail of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution and water shortages. We support community action, galvanise and mobilise public opinion, influence government policy, take legal actions and call out destructive industrial practices to incentivise changes that end river pollution and secure freshwater. 

We are building a talented team of positive disrupters and stakeholder mobilisers to deliver our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of communities, rivers and wildlife.

Britain’s rivers are our life support system and they are dying. We need urgent action to bring them back to life.

Who we are looking for

We are expanding our political influence by introducing this new position, which will work closely with our existing Policy and Advocacy Manager to bolster our strategic reach particularly in the areas of water scarcity, security and justice, sewage and chemical pollution, and water sector reform.

We are seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual who shares our passion for protecting rivers and securing our nation’s water, food, health, jobs and economy to join our team to drive forward our policy and advocacy work. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong policy insights capable of blending analytical problem-solving with intelligent advocacy to drive meaningful change. This role requires someone to have excellent writing skills and the ability to draft complex policy documents as well as top line arguments for wider communication. 

The ideal person will bring a combination of expertise, energy and ideas to amplify our impact, holding decision-makers and polluters accountable with a professional and diplomatic approach. They will engage with influential people across the sector, government, industry and media. 

If you thrive in fast-paced environments and want to be at the forefront of environmental policy and advocacy across multiple campaigns, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

As a Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager, you  will lead the development and drafting of River Action’s overall policy strategy as well as leading on specific policy areas. You will play a leading role in shaping and advancing River Action’s political and policy influence, working closely with the Senior Management Team, Chief Executive and wider organisation to develop and execute an impactful policy and advocacy strategy.

River Action is the Co-Secretariat for the APPG on Water Pollution, offering our Policy and Advocacy Manager a unique opportunity to shape the policy direction for River Action and also to influence policy development across Parliament. 

You will also work closely with our public affairs agency who manage our daily Westminster activities. 

You will:

• Lead River Action’s development and delivery of our policy and advocacy strategy on sewage, industrial water pollution, and water scarcity 

• Collaborate with River Action’s team and external partners to ensure our collective work is underpinned by robust and forward-thinking policy analysis and evidence.

• Develop policy analysis to support campaign, communications and policy strategies, based on a strong evidence base and a sound understanding of the relevant legal and policy frameworks.

• Translate complex policy and evidence into concise documents with clear messages and compelling campaigns to engage political and policy stakeholders.

• Monitor and analyse political and policy developments, interpreting their implications and opportunities for River Action and its supporters.

• Generate analysis to enable participation in public consultation processes, including drafting high-quality and persuasive consultation responses and briefings for Westminster and Whitehall audiences.

• Increase our political influence with exciting policy interventions, ensuring River Action’s voice is heard at the highest levels of decision-making.

• Build and maintain relationships with key policymakers, civil servants, industry experts and partner organisations.

• Support grassroots community groups and third-sector partners in engaging with their local representatives for effective advocacy.

• Organise and attend key political meetings and events, including the Water Pollution APPG, stakeholder roundtables and parliamentary events.

• Manage strategic policy partnerships, including our relationship with Wildlife and Countryside Link and other third-sector organisations.

• Ensure River Action’s policy and advocacy efforts align with our creative campaigns, by making sure colleagues and spokespeople are well-briefed and communications content is well-informed to maximise reach and impact.

You will also:

• Actively engage in professional development and training.

• Adhere to health and safety policies while working in different locations.

• Maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our mission while being true to our values. 

UK travel will be required and regular trips to London. Training and operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case costs will be covered and standard River Action procedures will apply.

What you’ll bring

The position will suit a self-motivated, strategic and determined person. You will be an excellent communicator, with exceptional writing skills and comfortable representing River Action and engaging with diverse stakeholders in positions of responsibility. You will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and to hold decision-makers and polluters to account.

Essential knowledge, skills and experience:

• Experience in a senior policy and advocacy role, ideally within the environmental sector and including experience of water policy. 

• Policy and/or legislative experience, with a good understanding of the workings of the UK government and Parliamentary procedure.

• A good understanding of the UK water industry, the key UK water-related policies and the issues that are impacting our rivers, land and wildlife.

• Knowledge of the challenge of water scarcity.

• Excellent communication and writing skills with close attention to detail and the ability to produce concise and persuasive briefings, reports and consultation responses.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to working creatively and at a fast pace with colleagues, stakeholders and partners. 

• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to proactively plan and prioritise work and to report your progress and impact.

• Ability to work flexible hours and travel as necessary.

• A good and supportive team player with a willingness to muck in as and when required.

Why join us?

• Be part of a mission-driven organisation working to restore and protect the UK’s rivers.

• Work at the heart of political and environmental change, influencing decision-makers at the highest levels.

• Work in an agile, supportive and happy work environment where your ideas and expertise will have real impact.

• Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organisation.

Diversity and inclusion

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. So 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 Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager’:

• your CV (2 pages), 

• a cover letter (2 pages) explaining why you want to work for River Action and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, and 

• a written submission (2 pages) as described below. 

Only applications including all three documents will be accepted. Please provide your documents in pdf format. 

Written submission

Please prepare a 2 page policy briefing for Parliamentarians on the issue of water scarcity and water justice and how it affects UK rivers and our security.  Your briefing should be written in a clear, persuasive style suitable for a Parliamentary and government audience and:

• Identify causes of water scarcity and injustice.

• Provide a concise analysis of the impact on rivers, biodiversity and our economy.

• Summarise and assess gaps in relevant UK Government policies, legislation and plans.

• Propose two or three practical policy recommendations for decision-makers.

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 5pm on Wednesday 15th July.

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. 

Interviews will be held in the weeks commencing 19th July and 26th July via video conference. 

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.