National programmes officer jobs

Head of Individual Giving

We’re looking for an experienced and creative Head of Individual Giving to lead and grow our individual giving programme.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you’ll shape and deliver our individual giving strategy, overseeing the recruitment, retention and development of individual supporters. You’ll lead on our major appeals, including an annual national campaign to Catholic parishes across the UK.

You’ll also play a key role in developing new fundraising products, optimising donor journeys, and ensuring our CRM and data systems support excellent stewardship and insight-driven decision making. This is a senior position with significant scope to shape the programme and make your mark.

About You

We’re looking for a confident and strategic fundraiser with a strong grasp of individual giving and a collaborative approach. You’ll bring:

• Proven experience delivering successful individual giving or direct marketing campaigns in the charity sector
• Strong skills in supporter stewardship and donor retention
• Experience of managing budgets, teams and external suppliers
• A creative, data-driven approach to growing income
• Excellent communication skills

We are seeking a highly organised, analytical and proactive Project Officer to join our Professional Standards team at the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR).

This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to work that directly shapes clinical practice and supports radiologists and oncologists in delivering safe, high quality patient care.

The Professional Standards team leads the development of professional guidance and resources used across imaging and cancer services. As Project Officer, you’ll coordinate multiple projects from initiation through to publication, collaborating closely with clinical experts, College Officers and colleagues across the organisation. If you thrive in a dynamic environment, enjoy problem solving, and have exceptional attention to detail, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll do

• Coordinate multiple guidance and standards projects from start to finish.
• Support clinical working groups with meetings, actions and project documentation.
• Contribute to drafting, editing and quality checking medical guidance.
• Manage version control and ensure documents are clear, accurate and publication ready.
• Work with teams across the organisation to support dissemination, evaluation and review of resources.

What you’ll need

• Strong project planning and coordination experience.
• Knowledge of project management principles and systems.
• Excellent written communication and advanced Microsoft Word skills.
• Exceptional accuracy, attention to detail and organisational ability.
• Confidence working independently, managing competing deadlines and solving problems.
• Strong stakeholder communication skills and a collaborative mindset.

Why join us

• Make a difference to the lives of Doctors and the specialities they work in every day!
• Hybrid working (60% working week can be done remotely)
• Modern working environment
• Equipment provided to work from home
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

Job Title - Managing Director of Research Programmes (UK)

Contract – Permanent

Hours - 35 hours per week

Salary – Circa £75,000 per annum (negotiable)

Location - Coram Campus, Bloomsbury, with occasional travel and some working from home as agreed

About Coram

Coram, which is the oldest children’s charity, is a group of specialist organisations; we help more than 1 million children and young people from infancy to independence, creating positive change that lasts a lifetime.

Established by Royal Charter in 1739, as the Foundling Hospital, and operating from its distinctive 3.5 acres headquarters in the heart of London, Coram has built a position of insight, influence, and research by working closely with other organisations and other sectors, universities and government, professionals, and families. We have ambitious plans for the future, to be the UK’s leading recognised research organisation, dedicated to improving life chances as the Institute for Children.

About the role

This role works directly with the Chief Executive as a member of the Senior Management Team in achievement of this vision and strategy; it will lead the advancement of the Coram Institute for Children as a UKRI recognised independent research organisation (IRO), drive research capacity and capability, champion and deliver internal and external evaluations, advance Coram’s sector credibility and relationships, and inform and contribute to the group’s reach, relevance and results.

This senior position leads a large team of mixed methods researchers and data analysts and comprises an important opportunity for a credible research leader and experienced charity senior manager who is dynamic and multi-skilled with an entrepreneurial approach to lead the only IRO in the children and young people’s sector.

The successful candidate will have a strong business focus and commitment to translating research findings into policy and practice and direct experience of securing research council funding, or funding from sources such as What Works Centres, local and central government or Trusts and Foundations.

You will be able to work individually, in a team and across the organisation. Strong critical thinking ability, partnership building skills and knowledge, experience and commitment to improving lives of children are essential.

To apply for this role, please visit the Coram website to complete an application. Please note CV’S will not be accepted.

Closing date: 18th February 2026 at 12 noon

Interview date: 26th & 27th February 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

Are you looking to develop a career in Regular Giving at a prestigious organisation?

The Regular & Digital Giving Officer role is your opportunity to be a part of a dynamic and innovative team and to take our programme to the next level. We are keen to explore ways to grow our programme via crowdfunding, giving days, and by developing a mid-level/leadership giving programme. Our Regular and Digital Giving Officer will play an important role in scoping, piloting, evaluating, and establishing these new strands of income generation. 

DARO (University of Birmingham's Development and Alumni Office) exists to support our academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community. 

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. As an office, we are committed to sustainability and value green working practices. The environment is an integral part of our campaign, and we encourage eco-friendly ways of working in order to have a positive impact on our campus and global surroundings. 

An exciting new opportunity has arisen to join the Borde Hill team to work on the Reinventing Borde Hill project. This role will be responsible for managing the Community Growing Garden at Sugworth Farm, part of our new 2-acre biodynamic market garden which produces seasonal fruit and vegetables to supply the new restaurant, café and farm shop at Borde Hill.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project includes an Activity Plan including a range of learning, community and volunteering activities, and this new role will have responsibility for overseeing community engagement both at the Community Growing Garden, and across the Parkland and main Garden.

Your role will focus on two key areas: overseeing the seasonal growing at the Community Growing Garden with volunteers and community partners, and developing and delivering an annual site-wide community engagement programme.

You will work closely with the NLHF Project Team, as well as the Green team. You will lead on liaising with local schools, community groups and charities, encouraging and facilitating participation in the Community Growing and wider site community programmes. Your passion for learning, community engagement, horticulture and nature will be key in ensuring this programme succeeds in delivering the ambitions set out in the Activity Plan.

Although funded via the Lottery project, this role is permanent as we are committed to continuing it after the funded project; we intend to continue the wide range of the activities that your role will nurture and develop.

Knowledge, skills and experience needed: (Please provide evidence in your Covering Letter and CV) Tasks and responsibilities

• Build a seasonal programme of community engagement and growing in the Community Growing Garden and at the main site, building on and developing the programme set out in the Activity Plan
• Deliver new community programmes and connect with participants. To include:
  o Facilitated sessions
  o Supported visits to the site
  o Drop-in activities and events
• Work with community partners to develop and deliver a community volunteer programme, ensuring access for people who will benefit from the opportunity
• Identify and build partnerships with relevant and diverse community groups, organisations and individuals, taking responsibility for the community engagement elements of the Reinventing Borde Hill project more widely
• Work with the Borde Hill Green Team, especially the Market Garden Growing Team, to ensure that the Community Growing Garden is aligned with their work, and supports the biodynamic certification aims of the Farm
• Identify routes for participant and volunteer progression and sustain communication
• Ensure equality of opportunity, access and inclusion for all participants and volunteers
• Work with freelance delivery partners and local community groups to deliver community activities
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the programmes, maintaining accurate monitoring data and adjusting programmes in response to feedback
• With audience needs in mind, review similar offers across the sector, especially in other local horticulture/nature organisations, to ensure our programmes are distinctive, attractive, appropriate and innovative
• Support and attend events delivered by other members of the team when required (e.g. large public events) and lead smaller community events
• Record and monitor the income and costs of the programmes, to meet budget goals
• Comply with the Safeguarding policy and all other policies relevant to programme delivery
• Ensure effective systems for resources and documentation are maintained in line with GDPR legislation and organisation policy
• Carry out any other duties as reasonably requested

Skills and experience To be considered for this position, you should be able to demonstrate some or all of the following skills:

• Experience of working with a diverse range of community partners, and a commitment to and experience of delivering community engagement activities including learning engagement and activities
• Experience of managing and recruiting a diverse cohort of volunteers
• Ability to lead community group activities and co-ordinate a programme of community group activity across the season
• An understanding of seed sowing, crop rotations, pest and disease management, plant husbandry techniques needed in a productive market garden, and/or a willingness to learn about Biodynamic principles and practices
• A passion for growing and experience of growing fruits, vegetables, salad crops and ideally cut flowers in a recognised establishment
• An understanding of growing crops undercover and knowledge of cultivation under polytunnels
• Appreciation of nature and natural heritage, and its potential to contribute to wellbeing, creativity and learning among families and communities.
• Proven commitment to and understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Good organisational skills.
• Flexible, collaborative, and self-motivated.

We’d also be interested to know if you have experience in any of the following areas (it isn’t essential to have experience of them all):

• Experience of partnership working, especially with marginalised and/or disadvantaged communities
• An innovative approach to planning and delivering family learning
• An understanding of barriers limiting access to nature and natural heritage opportunities.
• Experience facilitating engagement with gardens / public spaces for the community
• Understanding of communities and the challenges they face in the areas near Haywards Heath and the wider Mid Sussex area
• Understanding of the role of stakeholders in successful community engagement
• A practical approach to using evaluation to inform future programming.  Competence with the Microsoft Office suite of applications  Experience of managing budgets and maximising income.

Grants and Trusts Manager. 

Stormbreak are on a mission to challenge the rising crisis in children’s mental, physical and emotional wellbeing and we’re looking to grow the stormbreak Trust and Income team to achieve this.

Are you passionate about fundraising and about children’s mental and physical health? Do you want to positively shape and impact children’s lives, helping give them the tools and strategies to sustainably manage their mental health and wellbeing?

We need a talented, successful grants and trusts manager with an impressive track record of securing funding (including six figure) and driving charitable income growth. We need someone with experience of working within small-medium sized charities, someone who understands the challenges charities face and is resilient, self-sufficient, tenacious, ambitious, honest, full of integrity, brimming with enthusiasm and an all-round brilliant fundraiser (and human!) who loves what they do and is excited about making a real difference to stormbreak and the children and adults we work with.

You will lead on:

1. achieving the fundraising budget and increasing stormbreak’s total income over future years,
2. stewarding and cultivating our existing portfolio of trust / foundation supporters to maximise future income from the trusts / grants income stream through carefully crafted new approaches and applications, 
3. diversifying stormbreak’s income through the new development of major donor / corporate fundraising income streams.

Main responsibilities:

• To achieve the fundraising budget
• To increase stormbreak’s income in future years
• To manage the existing portfolio of grants, and, as part of the team, ensuring effective reporting / stewardship and maximising opportunities for future support / income. 
• Liaising with the stormbreak delivery team about grant deliverables / outcomes
• Maintaining a system to record all reporting / stewardship activity
• Writing reports for restricted and unrestricted grants
• Keeping in touch with funders – identifying and implementing appropriate opportunities to cultivate relationships
• To undertake an ongoing programme of research and to manage / support volunteers to identify the best new prospects.
• To maintain and continually develop stormbreak’s pipeline – ensuring effective planning and applications throughout the year.
• To liaise with the stormbreak team regularly about funding needs and priorities and to use this knowledge to inform research and applications.
• To develop / update cases for support, making effective use of stormbreak’s impact / evaluation data, case studies and other assets.
• To keep informed of, and adhere to, fundraising regulations / best practice and to keep abreast of fundraising developments.

Most of the time, you’ll be working from home. Once a week, we all meet at our office in Poole – so being able to travel to Poole in Dorset for meaningful connection and discussions with the team once a week is important.

Stormbreak is a national, dynamic and ambitious charity, established in 2019 and led by a dedicated and expert team, all highly experienced and proficient in their respective areas and all very supportive of fundraising efforts.

Help us to create healthy, happy humans forever!

Company Description

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end of life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end of life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering nursing and hospice care in the community and in hospital, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end of life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness that cannot be cured. 

Job Description

The PR & Media team raises awareness of who we are, what we do, and the impact Marie Curie has through local and national broadcast, print and online media. This team also looks after our work with high profile supporters and celebrity ambassadors. 

The National PR Lead will be responsible for the successful delivery of Public Relations and Media strategies to support a designated portfolio of work. You will play a vital role in leading priority PR workstreams. Your expertise will ensure we use the most effective PR tactics to meet team and organisational goals. You will also leave your impact on major policy campaigns, including high-profile initiatives such as Dying in Poverty and Fix End of Life Care.

You will be responsible for: 

• Delivering PR and media strategies for specific portfolios, leading priority workstreams, and ensuring effective tactics to meet campaign and organisational goals.
• Leading PR strategy development, execution, and evaluation to increase brand recognition and media reach; managing campaign objectives and sharing insights for continuous improvement.
• Identifying, training, and briefing spokespeople including senior staff.
• Managing reactive news and news desk functions to stay ahead of media agendas.
• Maintaining strong media relationships, ensuring consistent key message delivery, and advising on reputational risks and issues.
• Line management and development for two National Media & PR Officers.

Key Criteria:

• Established experience in a similar PR position, managing a news desk or a press office.  
• Experience working in a large, complex, face paced environment.
• Excellent understanding and experience working with national media (broadcast, print, online, podcasts etc).
• Proven experience landing national news stories, broadcast coverage, features, op-eds and reactive media opportunities.
• Line management or mentoring experience and the ability to lead teams.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work with stakeholders of all levels.
• Experience or familiarity with healthcare policy and public affairs and understanding of political landscape will be an asset.
• Ability to work unsociable hours.

Please see the full job description.

Additional Information

Application & Interview Process 

• As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV and supplementary details. Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.
• Close date for applications: 15 Feb 2026. We encourage early applications as we may close the job advert sooner, upon receiving a sufficient number of applications.

Salary: £36,900-41,000 per annum depending on experience (+3,500 London Weighting Allowance if applicable + out of hours allowance)

Contract: Permanent, full-time (35h per week)

Based: Hybrid role with 1-2 days per week from our London office in Embassy Gardens

Benefits you’ll LOVE:

• Flexible working. We’re happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage.
• 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
• Continuous professional development opportunities.
• Industry-leading training programmes
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
• Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
• Access to Blue Light Card membership
• Subsidised Eye Care

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding.  We provide care for all, and that commitment extends beyond the people we serve. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings.  We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.

Education Delivery Manager

• Salary: £30,000 - £35,000 per annum (depending on experience)
• Contract: 18‑month fixed‑term contract, full‑time
• Location: Central London (Hybrid)
• Start date: ASAP

Do you want to play a leading role in delivering inspiring, high‑quality education experiences to young people across the UK?

Young Citizens is a UK-wide education charity on a mission to help children and young people thrive in their communities and society. For nearly forty years, we’ve equipped young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to understand how democracy and society work—and how they can take an active role within them. We’re a small, dynamic team with a bold vision, and our national programmes (including our well-loved Mock Trial Competitions and Citizenship Workshops) reach thousands of young people each year.

As our Education Delivery Manager, you’ll lead the planning and delivery of our national programmes, ensuring they run smoothly, professionally, and with real impact. You’ll coordinate logistics, oversee delivery partners, and ensure schools and volunteers have a brilliant experience from start to finish. You’ll work closely with the Education and Impact Manager to uphold quality standards and embed safeguarding and risk management across our programme cycles.

You’ll also manage our coordination team, setting clear priorities, supporting their development, and guiding them through busy delivery periods. As part of Young Citizens’ management team, you’ll help shape a culture of proactive leadership, clarity, and accountability. This role is perfect for someone who is organised, relationship‑driven, and energised by leading delivery in a fast-paced environment.

Role snapshot

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of national education programmes across primary and secondary portfolios
• Manage timelines, logistics, resources, and delivery partners for peak delivery periods
• Line-manage our small coordination team, providing regular 1:1s, coaching, and performance reviews
• Build strong relationships with schools, volunteers, venues, and partners
• Ensure safeguarding, risk management, and high-quality standards are embedded throughout delivery
• Support operational planning, evaluation, and reporting to senior leadership and funders
• Represent Young Citizens at events and, where needed, support facilitation of workshops or Mock Trials

Please see Job Pack below for full details!

Who we’re looking for

We’re seeking someone proactive, organised, and confident leading people and processes. You’ll thrive in this role if you enjoy taking ownership, solving problems on the go, and keeping things running smoothly, especially during busy delivery periods.

You’ll bring:

Essential

• Significant experience in programme or event delivery (ideally in education or youth settings)
• Experience managing and developing staff, including 1:1s, feedback, and reviews
• Strong project‑management skills and the ability to juggle multiple deadlines
• Experience improving operational processes or delivery systems
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation, and relationship‑building skills

Why join us?

• Make a real difference by helping deliver inspiring citizenship experiences to young people nationwide.
• Shape and strengthen the delivery of our flagship national programmes.
• Join a supportive, purpose‑driven team that values collaboration, flexibility, and doing great work together.
• Grow with us as we deliver our new three‑year strategy and embed smarter, stronger delivery processes.

If you're excited about making a tangible impact through high‑quality programme delivery, and want to contribute to a mission‑driven organisation, we’d love to hear from you.

This is a 18 month fixed contract starting as soon as possible.

Benefits of working at Young Citizens

In addition to joining a small, friendly, and supportive team, we offer:

• Hybrid and flexible working options
• Enhanced employer pension contribution
• 28 days annual leave plus eight Bank Holidays
• Paid volunteering leave
• A day off for your birthday
• Employee assistance programme
• Enhanced sickness and maternity policies
• Season ticket loan
• The opportunity to make a real difference to children and young people across the UK

We are seeking a passionate and knowledgeable Church Buildings Support Officer to help secure the long‑term, sustainable future of our historic church buildings—places of worship, community, culture, and heritage. In this vital role, you'll support congregations and community volunteers in caring for their buildings and championing their use for mission, ministry, and wider community benefit.

You will work across the Diocese to provide expert advice on building maintenance, heritage conservation, project management, funding, and community engagement—ensuring these unique buildings remain active, cared for, and sustainable for generations to come.

21 Hours per week to be worked over Monday to Friday, with some occasional evening and weekend meetings

Are you enthusiastic about giving supporters the best experience when contacting us?

Do you have the professionalism and empathy to make every interaction with our brain tumour community supportive and meaningful?​

After a successful 2025, we’re building on our momentum and looking ahead with ambition. As our work continues to expand, so does our impact. We are now looking for passionate people to join us on the next stage of our journey!​

It is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Supporter Care Officer.​

As a Supporter Care Officer you will play a crucial role in being the first point of contact for supporters, delivering an excellent support experience. ​

You will: ​

• Lead on thanking supporters for all our existing Appeals, Core Campaigns and National Events; working with other teams to ensure that supporters are thanked in a timely manner
   
• Work with the Community Fundraising Team to evaluate the next best ask and proactively contact supporters with promoting fundraising and campaigning products for new and existing supporters
   
• Support all new Individual Giving and Supporter Care activities
   
• Provide excellent customer service to existing and potential new supporters offering an empathetic and supportive service via the main telephone line, email and general correspondence ​

Can you see yourself making a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?

Do you want your work to have a real, positive effect on someone’s life?

Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start?

​

If you’ve answered yes to these questions and feel this role could be right for you, we encourage you to learn more about this position. Please take a read through our recruitment pack Supporter Care Officer - Recruitment Pack included within this job advert. 

We are asking for a CV as the first step, but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process.  Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.​​

We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.​

We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

​

BookTrust – Fundraising Lead (Individual Giving)
Location: Hybrid with a minimum of eight office days per month in either London (Farringdon) or Leeds office.
Salary: £55,000 per annum.
Contract: Permanent, full-time.

BookTrust, the charity that champions the power of reading, is seeking an individual expert to strengthen and expand its individual giving fundraising to secure the financial support needed to get even more children reading and fulfilling their potential.

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, reaching over 1.3 million children and families across England, Wales and Northern Ireland each year and delivering evidence-informed programmes that make a measurable difference to children’s reading behaviours. Their work is rooted in the belief that every child deserves the chance to enjoy reading and all the lifelong benefits it brings. In recent years, the charity’s work has focused on helping children from low-income and vulnerable family backgrounds to become regular readers.

This role will lead and manage the Individual Giving team to design and deliver an innovative, supporter-centric programme with a strong focus on loyalty, and plans to expand fundraising channels including digital, community fundraising and legacies, and to develop new fundraising products and increase engagement with new and existing supporters.

Working closely with the Head of Fundraising, High Value Giving Lead and colleagues throughout the organisation, the post-holder will maximise opportunities to increase income and lifetime value and deliver compelling fundraising campaigns with excellent stewardship activities across multiple channels.

The ideal candidate will be a creative and confident individual giving specialist with a track record across traditional and digital channels and covering all parts of the supporter journey from acquisition to long-term retention. Proven success growing individual giving income and a passion for public engagement will be a must, alongside the ability to work in a complex, multi-channel environment. An excellent communicator, you will be able to share the impact of BookTrust’s work in clear, compelling ways and use your collaborative and hands on leadership skills to motivate your team to achieve excellent outcomes for children and families.

This is an exciting time to join a friendly and supportive fundraising team, with individual giving identified as a key income stream for the charity’s ambitious plans to grow income significantly over the next five years.

Please download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes details on how to apply.

Closing date: Monday 2nd March, 9.00 am. 

Please ensure that you send a covering letter explaining why you are suitable for this role when submitting your CV.

Please note, that we reserve the right to interview and appoint before the advertised closing date.

Overview

Race Against Dementia is a global charity founded by three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE to find preventions, treatments and cures for dementia – faster.

We fund and support pioneering early-career scientists around the world, giving them the tools, mentoring and Formula 1-inspired mindset to accelerate breakthroughs. From the UK to the USA, Australia to South Africa, our researchers are rethinking how dementia research is done – applying data science, AI and engineering to neuroscience in bold, collaborative ways.

This role sits within Race Against Dementia’s small, dynamic Operations team, who oversee the charity’s research programmes and internal processes. The team is responsible for managing Race Against Dementia’s research portfolio – from coordinating funding calls and supporting the selection of the projects we fund, to delivering the training and development programme for our researchers.

Purpose of the role

The Research Officer plays a central role in delivering Race Against Dementia’s research activity, helping to strengthen our research programmes and support the researchers we fund. The role combines strong organisational skills with clear science communication: coordinating processes, systems and partnerships to ensure smooth delivery, while translating research progress into accessible updates for internal and external audiences.

Duties and Responsibilities

Research administration:

• Manage the administration of all grant calls and related processes.
• Coordinate all incoming communications regarding research matters, ensuring timely, professional responses.
• Maintain team calendars and shared resources to support smooth team operations.
• Set up review sessions with Race Against Dementia Fellows to monitor progress.
• Support preparation of updates and progress reports for charity Trustees, funders and supporters.
• Work with the Research Manager to coordinate training activities for Race Against Dementia researchers.
• Support the planning and delivery of the annual in-person training event for Race Against Dementia researchers.
• Work closely with Race Against Dementia’s research partners and training partners to coordinate joint activities, communication, and ensure smooth delivery of collaborative projects and training activities.
• Undertake research to identify new organisations aligned with our mission.

Science communications

• Track key developments in dementia research and emerging trends in the field.
• Support the creation of research related social media content for the charity’s social media channels.
• Support the development of press materials to announce research updates and milestones.
• Contribute to copywriting and content development for the Race Against Dementia’s website.
• Work with the Research Manager to ensure the wider team is kept up to date with research developments across our network and the wider field.
• Help build and maintain a network of key dementia research stakeholders across academia and charities. 

Other duties

Carry out any other duties as required by the Research Manager, CEO and Board of Trustees including:

• To attend, where appropriate, local, regional and national meetings/events.
• To maintain a good knowledge of national and local initiatives which are of benefit to Race Against Dementia.
• To administer your own workload, including meeting targets and deadlines in line with the Race Against Dementia appraisal system.
• To attend relevant CPD training events as required.
• To undertake responsibility, as part of the team, for all Health and Safety work related matters.
• To work within the guidelines of Race Against Dementia’s policies and procedures.

All team members are expected to uphold and actively demonstrate Race Against Dementia’s values and purpose, fostering a culture of integrity, innovation, and shared ambition to accelerate progress in the race against dementia.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Communications to come and join our team providing maternity cover until January 2027 during a period of organisational growth.

Location – This role is mainly working from home with one day a week in our London office (usually a Monday). Occasional travel to our other programme sites (currently Stoke-On-Trent, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Scotland) will also be required.

Salary – Circa £60,000

Employment Type – Fixed term until January 2027, 35 hours per week

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:

· Strong experience in strategic communications, ideally within a start-up, growing, complex or place-based organisation.

· Experience setting up and embedding communications functions, including establishing foundations and building approaches as priorities evolve.

· Significant experience in people leadership, including developing others and building a strong, collaborative working culture.

· Experience influencing senior stakeholders and working with an SLT, including supporting government policy, media, funding and influence related activity.

· Strong content, storytelling and copywriting expertise and the ability to communicate a clear organisational narrative.

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include:

· Overseeing and ensuring the delivery of national and local communications strategies and plans, including national content activity and priority local campaigns and stakeholder engagement.

· Leading the set-up and embedding of new place-based communications functions.

· Leading and overseeing the planning and delivery of Thrive at Five’s 2026 Impact Report, communications relating to evaluations and learning, and our fifth-year anniversary, working closely with evaluation and fundraising colleagues.

· Maintaining and strengthening relationships with key national and local stakeholders in line with our communications strategy and goals.

· Providing professional and operational leadership and coaching to the wider Communications team to ensure they deliver to a high standard.

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities.

About our benefits

· Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST.

· Hybrid working with one anchor day a week in our central London office near to Victoria train station, coach station and underground.

· 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.

· In addition to your laptop and phone provided by us, you can also receive a £100 contribution towards your home-working set up.

· £100 contribution towards your professional body membership

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK.

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Applications will be reviewed and shortlisted as they are received. While the closing date is midnight on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, we may close the vacancy earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

Leading national policy strategy

As Head of Policy and Public Affairs, you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan.  Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall. 

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services

• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits

• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups

• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people

• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level

• Professional development standards for school inclusion

Developing implementation expertise in the middle tier

In your first six months, you will advise on the internal development of a new programme for middle tier policy actors: multi-academy trust and local authority leaders.  You will support the Programme team in its design, to plan strategically for the recruitment of trusts and local authorities, and you will plan the research and influencing work which will seek to share their success nationally.

Building the evidence base

In your second six months, you will work with the CEO to build out our research function. Your influencing plan will include how The Difference can learn from the work across our multi-academy trust, local authority and internal AP pioneer partners over the next four years, to develop influential publications. Research work ahead will include publishing sector-facing publications of The Difference’s own research, carried out by our research lead and associates; alongside managing external contractors and internal colleagues to bid for and deliver aligned research disseminating our ideas.

Raising your voice

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to inclusive policy change. The Difference has always punched above our weight in national and sector press reach. In post,  you will publish blogs and comment pieces, disseminating our shared ideas.  You will be a prominent voice on inclusion.

The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being highly autonomous, reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 
We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.