Parliamentary and public affairs manager jobs

Join Diabetes UK as our new Senior Public Affairs Officer and play a crucial role in shaping the future of diabetes and health policy. In this position your expertise will help us influence policymaking, secure meaningful change, and improve the lives of millions of people living with or at risk of diabetes. 

You will take the lead in delivering a programme of political engagement, including parliamentary events, ensuring that diabetes remains firmly on the political agenda. Representing Diabetes UK with senior stakeholders, you will be trusted to communicate complex issues with clarity and to produce compelling public affairs materials. 

This is a role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is motivated by the opportunity to make a tangible impact on national diabetes policy. 

Be part of a team that ensures diabetes is heard, understood, and acted upon. 

Salary: £30,000 to £35,000 per annum

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week

Reports to: Public Affairs Manager

Direct reports: None

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.

About the role:

The Motability Foundation is seeking a proactive Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement professional to join the Communications team and help drive forward our public affairs and wider engagement activity.

Reflecting the current dynamic political environment, we are looking for a driven Executive to play a critical role in promoting and enhancing awareness of the Motability Foundation among key political stakeholders, as well as wider audiences across the disability sector, transport operators, and other relevant stakeholder groups. 

 
What you will be doing:

• Supporting the implementation of public affairs activities aligned with the Motability Foundation’s vision and overall strategy. 

• Amplifying the Motability Foundation’s voice in Parliament, across the devolved nations, by supporting political engagement work under the guidance of the Public Affairs Manager 

• Monitoring the political, legislative and regulatory landscapes in relation to the work of the Motability Foundation and providing timely updates to relevant internal stakeholders.

• Providing updates on relevant political developments and drafting briefings for Governors, Directors, senior management and a variety of audiences across the organisation where appropriate. 

• Supporting the delivery of a contact program with key stakeholders, raising awareness of the work of the Motability Foundation, supporting work to establish regular meetings for senior leaders and facilitating dialogue on issues relevant to our work. 

• Working closely with colleagues across the Public Affairs and Policy functions to prepare materials to support our work to communicate policy positions and outputs to the external world. 

• Building and maintaining external stakeholder relationships with key audiences, including disabled people’s organisations, disability charities, transport sector stakeholders, and wider industry bodies.

• Working with colleagues across Branding and Marketing to support the creation of written literature for key audiences to communicate the impact of the Foundation’s work.

Your experience:

Must haves

• Solid grasp of parliamentary processes in Westminster and the Devolved Nations, and familiarity with wider Parliamentary functions and vehicles – e.g. All Party Parliamentary and Cross-Party Groups. 

• Prior experience of working in public affairs or similar field. 

• Experience of regular political monitoring and familiarity with utilising political monitoring services - i.e. DeHavilland, Polimonitor or similar.

• Ability to advance projects independently with appropriate support from senior team members, while contributing effectively to team efforts. 

• Experience of producing briefing notes for stakeholder meetings and updating on policy developments for a variety of audiences.

• Comfortable drafting written communications designed for political audiences – i.e. emails, letters, briefing notes. 

• Ability to proactively identify opportunities to influence policy and shape political activity. 

• Strong communication skills, with an ability to grasp complex issues quickly and share information in an accessible way to a variety of audiences. 

• Ability to engage effectively with stakeholders in Government, industry, and other charities and foundations, particularly via written communications. 

• Highly IT literate with extensive experience of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. 

Nice to haves: 

• Understanding of key disability and transport issues, such as the social model of disability, inclusive micro mobility, or the transition to electric vehicles. 

• Experience of supporting the delivery of pre-election engagement and post-election political outreach activity to political stakeholders.

• Prior experience in working with third sector stakeholders.

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.

Barnardo's are seeking a Senior Public Affairs Lead Westminster. The postholder will be responsible for developing and implementing Barnardo's public affairs activity across the seven policy areas of our strategy, using intelligence and feedback to plan and deliver influencing activity that drives transformational change for children. This includes leading our work to influence legislation; managing our programme of Parliamentary events, including our high profile summer reception, and our party conference programme; and strengthening our relationships with Parliamentarians from both Houses as well as their advisors.

The role offers the opportunity to play a critical role in delivering Barnardo's strategy, making childhoods safer, healthier, happier, and more hopeful across the UK. You will work closely with our policy advisors, frontline services, communications team, and our voice and influence team to bring the voices of children and young people to decision makers in Westminster.  Barnardo's has built a strong reputation for putting the voices of children at the heart of our influencing strategy – we are looking for someone who can continue this work and deliver innovative and engaging opportunities for our children, and young people, including though our events programme. You will also be responsible for building our capacity across the charity for influencing; advising on Select Committee evidence sessions, and using intelligence to identify opportunities for building new relationships across all parties.

You will be part of a large, energetic and expert policy and public affairs team at Barnardo's, which spans the four nations. We value joint working, sharing knowledge, staff wellbeing and diversity. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups, especially those with lived experience of the issues that we campaign on.

We are looking for a colleague with strong interpersonal skills, who is strategic, and who is proactive at finding new opportunities for us to influence. We would like someone who knows Westminster well, who will be able to regularly attend in person events and briefings (including out of hours – for which you would accrue Time of in Lieu), and who will be constantly thinking about how we can maximise our influence, learn from others, and be more than the sum of our parts.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

The Race Equality Foundation is seeking a creative and highly organised communicator to help amplify our evidence-based work and deliver impactful events that support real change for Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities. Working closely with our Communications and Public Affairs Manager, you’ll gain hands-on experience in parliamentary engagement, media relations and strategic communications.

In this role, you will:

• Manage social media and create engaging digital content
• Lead planning and delivery of conferences, webinars & training
• Coordinate comms requests across project teams
• Produce newsletters, website updates & publications
• Build evaluation processes and track impact data

We’re looking for:

• Strong writing and digital content skills
• Experience managing social media & events
• Ability to prioritise in a fast-paced environment
• Commitment to race equality and social justice

Closing date: Monday 8 December 2025, 23:59 GMT

Interviews: 15-17 December 2025

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of racism and/or marginalisation. The Race Equality Foundation is committed to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive workplace.

How to apply
Apply via our online recruitment portal. We will require the submission of an application form and a supporting statement. We will not accept applications via CV. 

The Opportunity   

This role is central to shaping and delivering the Social Mobility Foundation’s media, public affairs, and campaigning work, alongside the Campaigns Manager. You will influence changemakers - including politicians and journalists - through strategic media, political, and social media interventions. You will also collaborate with our Young Campaigners to amplify their voices and co-create impactful campaigns with them that drive systemic change.

1. Helping to plan and deliver campaigns activity, both planned and reactive, including: 

• Organising campaign events e.g. Parliamentary receptions and communicating our campaigns online and on social media.
• Assisting the Campaigns Manager to commission research and polling support our campaigning.
• Monitoring parliamentary activity, and horizon scanning - considering how political developments may affect our campaigning work, providing opportunities and risks. 

2. Leading our media work to maximise the impact of our campaigning, building awareness of social mobility as an issue amongst influential and informed audiences: 

• Developing and executing media and communication plans to support our campaign goals.
• Monitoring the media and responding to stories that allow us to land our key messages, share our point of view and platform SMF young people.
• Responding to requests from journalists for comment and advising and briefing members of staff on how to respond.

3. Co-create campaigns alongside our Young Campaigners and engage them in delivering and designing campaign activity:

• Developing and facilitate spaces for our Young Campaigners to co-create campaign activities and take actions to influence changemakers.
• Working with young people to share their experiences, through speaking at events and other campaigning opportunities.
• Training and supporting young people to speak to the media, ensuring safeguarding processes are embedded and providing follow up pastoral support where needed.

See attached job description for more detail on the key responsibilities in the role

Person Specification

• Experience of working within a media, campaigning, public affairs or political environment.
• Excellent understanding of the UK political system and political processes and a thorough understanding of public affairs tactics.  
• Experience of planning and delivering projects or campaigns in a charity, political or media context. 
• Excellent copywriting skills, with experience of writing press releases, quotes, interview briefings, social media posts and opinion pieces.
• Experience of successfully influencing policy or practice.
• Experience of speaking to journalists, succinctly describing our positions, handling media enquiries and making recommendations to senior colleagues on next steps.

See attached job description for more detail on the person specification

Benefits

• 36/37 days (England & Wales and Scotland respectively - includes bank and public holidays and three days to be taken between Christmas and New Year) plus up to 3 days additional annual leave increasing with length of service.  
• Time off in lieu for work outside contractual hours
• Employer pension contributions of 5% plus salary sacrifice contribution the equivalent of Employer National Insurance after a satisfactory completion of your probationary period 
• Flexible work options such as hybrid working, flexitime, part-time
• Cycle to Work scheme

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please head over to our website by 23:59, Tuesday 2nd December and submit:
 

a) A cover letter (no longer than 700 words) outlining your previous experience, your motivation and your suitability for the role.
 

b) A 500-word op-ed written for our CEO, Sarah Atkinson on why the government should make large employers report on their class pay gap, linking this to a recent news hook, relevant events or political moments happening soon.
 

c) A short email pitching your op-ed to the comment editor of the Guardian.

Please note that generic applications and CV’s will not be considered.

As a cross-border, cross-culture children’s charity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of what we do. We are committed to fostering a workplace that promotes mutual respect and allows equal opportunity for all. We seek applications for candidates with diverse backgrounds including, but not at all limited to, family overseas, experience being raised by non-biological parents, ethnic minority communities and people with health conditions or impairments. 

Job Outline:

CFAB supports children on the move between the UK and other countries and children who are separated from their family in another country. The complexities of migration and international separation can make many of these children particularly hard to support and particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. We ensure that children in these circumstances enjoy the same care, protection and right to a family life as we would want for any child.

We are the only UK representative of the International Social Service network, and the only charity in the UK with a dedicated international social work team. We are proud to have royal patronage from HRH, Princess Alexandra.

You will lead CFAB’s programme of campaigns, research and advocacy. You will raise awareness of our work to protect children who are separated from their families across international borders by developing key relationships with Government departments, drafting policy briefings, developing campaigns and leading on our public affairs work. You also will produce newsletters, create compelling content for our social media channels, maintain our website and promote our campaigns to key stakeholders.

We are looking for a highly motivated, creative individual who has excellent written skills and is positive, proactive and eager to learn. You will be working in a small team so a hand-on, solution focused approach is a must.

Key responsibilities:

Policy

• Draft policy positions, briefings and internal and external reports as appropriate.
• Identify and cultivate parliamentary and ministerial contacts sympathetic to our cause.
• Monitor Parliamentary inquiries, Bills, debates, parliamentary questions, and government consultations and draft submissions in a timely manner.
• Monitor and analyse government statistics.
• Work with Experts by Experience to shape advocacy and amplify the voices of those with lived experience of our work.

Campaigns & Communication

• Lead on developing our public-facing campaigns, tailoring our key messages for different audiences and identifying ways to push forward our issues through presentations, meetings, social media and other channels.
• Lead on our Public Relations work, maintaining our database and relations with relevant media, trade press and sector leads to raise awareness of our work and our policy campaigns.
• Write and produce CFAB's digital newsletters.
• Produce and track the efficacy of email marketing campaigns.
• Responsibly use digital and AI tools to enhance communication strategies, ensuring alignment with organisational values and safeguarding data privacy and integrity.

Marketing

• Contribute to the updating and maintenance of CFAB’s website as required.
• Design and produce other marketing materials as needed.

Social media

• Manage all activity on our social media channels including the creation of posts, videos and images and ad hoc engagement.
• Track online engagement with CFAB and regularly monitor performance to enable an effective assessment of our communication tools and outputs. 

Other duties commensurate with the role as required by CFAB.

Person specification: (Skills, Abilities, Knowledge and Experience)

Essential:

• Excellent written English, with proven ability to research and write accessible, clear policy documents and reports for a range of audiences.
• Passionate about CFAB’s mission.
• A ‘self-starter’ with a willingness to learn about CFAB’s complex cause. • Sound knowledge of the political system and policy making in the UK.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to juggle multiple priorities. • The ability to engage and build relationships internally and externally to CFAB
• A clear commitment to CFAB’s values and beliefs, including the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Desirable:

• Educated to degree level.
• Experience of providing strategic and tactical political and/or policy advice, including to senior management.
• Experience in a marketing or communications role, preferably within the third sector. • Experience using Mailchimp and website management.
• Sound working knowledge of window-based software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, and the internet.
• Graphic design skills and experience working within brand guidelines. • Experience in building relationships with journalists and placing stories.
• Familiarity with Salesforce.

Additional Requirements

1. Ensuring adherence to necessary legislation e.g. Data Protection Act, Health and Safety Act
2. Participation in evening and/or weekend events, networking and meetings

This job description is a non-contractual document and may be changed at any time by CFAB. All employees are expected to be flexible over the tasks/duties and responsibilities of their roles in order to meet the needs of both of CFAB and our service users/partners.

Are you a dynamic and creative PR professional with experience working in a fast-paced press office? Do you have experience of using media to campaign for change? Are you confident with spotting a great story and delivering high-impact PR campaigns across a range of media? If yes, then keep reading!

Mencap is looking for a Senior Media Officer to join our Media team on a full time (37.5 hours per week) fixed term basis (until end March 2027)

We are challenging the way the UK understands learning disability and are paving the way for even more impactful change to the way learning disability is portrayed in the media.

Do you have the skills and experience to be a Senior Media Officer?

*This is not an exhaustive list of the role and its requirements, please look at the full job description for further information. 

This vacancy closes on Monday 8th December, with interviews to be held soon after.

Here at Mencap we operate a blinded recruitment process for a lot of our roles, please ensure you apply with a full application and covering statement. 

• You will have experience of working in a busy national press office
• You will have outstanding communication skills
• You will have worked on campaigning issues
• You will work well with different stakeholders and have experience of advising others on media opportunities and sensitivities

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated. Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings. For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in. At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues. Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere. · Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation. · Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes · Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves. We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies. We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

The Head of Policy and Advocacy will lead the strategic development and delivery of MCF’s policy, advocacy and research agenda.Join the UK’s leading network for Muslim-led charities, strengthening the capacity, voice and impact of nearly 300 organisations.

Job role: Head of Policy and Advocacy

Employer: Muslim Charities Forum

Salary:£42,000 – 45,000 per annum

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week (4 days office-based, 1 day hybrid/remote)

Position: Fixed Term Contract, 3 years.

Location: London SE1.Nearest stations Waterloo, Lambeth North

Closing date for applications:16th December 2025, 5.00pm or until a suitable candidate is identified.

About Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) 

Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) is the UK’s leading network for Muslim-led charities, strengthening the capacity, voice and impact of nearly 300 organisations. Guided by our pillars of Support, Connect and Represent, we champion excellence, transparency and social justice through resources, capacity-building, research and advocacy. 

We work to tackle structural and funding barriers, influence government, policymakers and the wider sector, and build a more sustainable, equitable Muslim-led charitable landscape. Through strategic partnerships and collaborations, we drive systemic change and amplify the contributions of Muslim-led organisations across society. 

Role Purpose 

The Head of Policy and Advocacy will lead the strategic development and delivery of MCF’s policy, advocacy and research agenda. The role involves shaping long-term strategy, building a robust evidence base, influencing government and policymakers, and representing MCF at senior levels across the charity, public and political sectors. 

The postholder will engage proactively with central and local government, devolved authorities, and regional mayors, ensuring that the voices and experiences of Muslim-led organisations are represented in policy development and decision-making. 

They will work collaboratively with MCF’s Communications, Partnerships, and Systemic Change and Sector Capacity teams to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach that delivers sustainable, long-term impact. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Strategy and Leadership 

• Develop and deliver the next three-year Policy and Advocacy Strategy aligned with MCF’s organisational objectives. 

• Provide strategic advice to the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board on policy opportunities and risks. 

• Lead and develop the Policy and Advocacy team, fostering a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative culture. 

2. Policy, Research and Insight 

• Monitor and analyse UK policy and regulatory developments affecting Muslim-led civil society. 

• Oversee research, consultations and data-driven insight to inform MCF’s policy positions. 

• Produce high-quality policy outputs, including reports, consultation responses and position statements. 

3. Influencing and Stakeholder Engagement 

• Lead MCF’s engagement with central government, local authorities, devolved administrations and regional mayors, as well as regulators and sector networks. 

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with ministers, parliamentarians, senior officials, think tanks and sector leaders. 

• Coordinate MCF’s public affairs activity, including roundtables, Select Committee and APPG engagement, and representation at high-level external forums. 

• Strengthen MCF’s profile as a credible and influential voice for Muslim-led civil society across all tiers of government and the voluntary sector. 

4. Sector Capacity and Member Support 

• Engage MCF’s members and Muslim-led organisations in collective policy development and advocacy. 

• Design and deliver tools, training and resources to build members’ influencing capacity. 

• Identify and advocate for structural solutions to sector-wide challenges, including funding inequality, regulatory barriers and intersectional disadvantage. 

5. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting 

• Develop and implement frameworks to assess the effectiveness and impact of MCF’s policy and advocacy work. 

• Provide regular progress reports to the CEO. 

• Ensure compliance with charity law, lobbying and regulatory requirements. 

Person Specification 

Essential Criteria 

• Significant experience (5+ years) in senior policy, advocacy or influencing roles within the UK charity or voluntary sector. 

• Demonstrable success influencing government at national, local or devolved levels, achieving measurable policy or funding change. 

• Strong understanding of the UK charity policy, funding and regulatory environment. 

• Knowledge of the UK Muslim-led and/or faith-based civil society landscape. 

• Experience amplifying marginalised voices and embedding lived experience into policy and advocacy work. 

• Proven ability to lead teams and deliver organisational strategy. 

• Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills, with strong political acumen. 

• Commitment to social justice, equity and strengthening Muslim-led civil society. 

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience working with Muslim-led, faith-based or minority-led organisations. 

• Understanding of intersectionality and its impact on underrepresented communities. 

• Experience of research collaboration with academic institutions or think tanks. 

• Proven track record in building partnerships for policy or advocacy initiatives. 

Values and Behaviours 

• Strategic and forward-thinking leadership. 

• Collaborative and inclusive approach to diverse stakeholders. 

• Resilience and adaptability in complex, fast-changing environments. 

• Integrity and credibility in representing MCF and the wider sector. 

• Strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

• Excellent communication skills, particularly in amplifying underrepresented voices. 

Additional Information 

This is a senior leadership position. Occasional evening or parliamentary activities may be required, along with UK-wide travel. 

What We Offer 

• The opportunity to lead impactful change within one of the UK’s most dynamic faith-based networks. 

• A collaborative, inclusive, and supportive working environment. 

• Opportunities for professional growth, leadership, and innovation. 

Application Information 

To apply, please send a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a covering letter (max 1,000 words) explaining how you meet the essential criteria and your motivation and suitability for the post.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from candidates with lived experience of marginalisation and an understanding of Islamic ethos.  

We reserve the right to withdraw this role once a suitable candidate is identified. 

If you have not heard from us concerning your application within 6 weeks, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. 

Interviews: Initial online short interview (stage 1), face-to-face in-office interview (stage 2). 

No agencies.

UK residents only.Sponsorship is not possible for this post. References will be taken up prior to appointment including relevant ID checks. 

Community Fundraiser - Home Counties

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Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research? ​

Brain Tumour Research is seeking an experienced and motivated fundraiser to join our team. As a key part of our fundraising efforts in our high-performing East region, you will have the opportunity to drive income generation through a variety of initiatives, including challenge events, fundraising groups, and corporate partnerships such as charity of the year. You will also be responsible for driving initiatives to increase our profile and supporter base within Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Essex. 

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Key Responsibilities: ​

• ​Generate income across a range of community fundraising initiatives and events, with the opportunity to lead on key projects 
• Steward supporters to help drive the charity’s fundraising activities and growth 
• ​Work with the fundraising team to develop and maintain strong relationships with fundraisers, donors, partners, and key stakeholders ​
• Contribute towards the growth and success of fundraising efforts, ensuring a sustainable income stream for the vital ongoing funding of brain tumour research ​

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Requirements: ​​

• At least one year of fundraising experience, with a proven track record in income generation 
• Strong experience in supporter stewardship  
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire supporters and partners alike ​
• Passion for Brain Tumour Research and its mission to fund research and ultimately find a cure 

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If you are looking for a fulfilling and impactful role and have the level of experience and skill we are looking for, we welcome your application.

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​We will give preference to those candidates living in the Bucks, Beds and Northants areas of this region.​​​

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

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.

Closing Date: 14th December 2025

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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.

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