People policy officer jobs

Birthrights is recruiting a Campaigns and Policy Manager to help drive transformative change in maternity care. This is a powerful opportunity to shape national policy and campaigns that centre human rights, racial justice and the lived experiences of women and birthing people.

Reporting to the CEO, you will lead our policy and campaigns strategy, shaping how we influence government, the NHS, regulators and professional bodies. You will identify leverage points for change, develop strong and persuasive policy positions, and deliver bold, creative campaigns that challenge harmful practice and shift power. Working closely with our legal, information & advice, training and communications teams, you will ensure our policy and campaigning work is grounded in evidence, lived experience and human rights law.

You will also contribute strategically to Communities Imagine — a core organisational initiative rooted in racial justice, community leadership and a radical re-imagining of maternity care — while working alongside and supporting dedicated roles focused on its delivery.

Birthrights is a small but mighty charity with a national profile and a strong track record of influencing maternity policy and practice. We offer flexible, remote working, a supportive team culture and generous benefits.

If you are a values-driven campaigner with a passion for racial justice, reproductive justice and human rights, we would love to hear from you.

Closing date: 12 noon on Monday 26th January – please refer to the candidate pack for full details.

About Us

Caritas Diocese of Salford is the principal social action agency of the Catholic Diocese. Our mission is to put Love Into Action. We help those across Greater Manchester and Lancashire experiencing poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination to transform their lives with dignity. We provide a practical response to those in crisis, suffering hardship or who are at risk. We rebuild lives for the long-term, enabling people to live in a safe, healthy, and secure environment. We call for a better, more just world, where the voices of the poor are heard and acted upon and positively influence the systems, decisions and resources that affect those in need.

About the job

We are looking to recruit a Grants and Foundations Officer to join Caritas Salford’s fundraising team. You will be part of a team that is passionate about tackling poverty and inequality, where your work will have a real and visible impact. Your focus will be on maintaining and growing income from charitable trusts and statutory agencies.

As a Grants and Foundations Officer, you will work closely with senior managers and service managers, researching potential funders, securing funding from trusts, foundations and other potential funding partners. As well as building and stewarding lasting relationships that will help sustain and grow Caritas’ mission. We will support your development, helping you grow your fundraising skills, take on complex projects and help shape bids for commissioned services.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills, strong research and analytical expertise, be highly organised and confident in using IT systems and digital tools for research, communication and data management. Additionally, you will have the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders, plus a willingness to learn from others about fundraising and social impact.

37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday with occasional evening and weekends required.

Part time would be considered

Flexibility to work remotely, with regular visits to Caritas services across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

If this sounds like the next step you are looking for and you would like to work for an organisation passionate about transforming lives, we would love to hear from you!

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we reserve the right to interview/ appoint before the closing date. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged.

To apply, please complete an application form and click the link in the advert to be redirected to the Caritas website. You will need to click Apply Now next to the Grants and Foundations Officer role, complete the necessary information and upload your application form plus any supporting documents.

Closing date: Thursday, 8 January 2026 at 9am

Interview: Monday, 19 and/or Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Caritas follows Safer Recruitment practices, and this post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service check. 

For full details please visit Caritas Diocese of Salford - Caritas | Diocese Of Salford – About - Careers

Caritas Diocese of Salford is an equal opportunities employer

Registered Charity Number: 1125808

Please note we do not accept applications via agencies or CVs

About Young Roots

Young Roots' vision is a compassionate and welcoming society for young people seeking safety in the UK.

We work alongside young people seeking safety in the UK, building trusted relationships, providing practical and emotional support and promoting young people’s rights and power.

Our youth clubs and casework are transformative for young refugees, allowing young people who have fled danger, had traumatic journeys and who are often here alone, to find community and connection, have a space to be a young person and access support in addressing the whole range of practical challenges they face. We also draw on our evidence from working every day with young refugees and asylum seekers to call for change to the laws and policies which are harming young people. 

About the Role

Young Roots is looking for an experienced and creative Trusts & Foundations Fundraising Lead to play a key role in securing income that transforms the lives of young refugees and asylum seekers. This is a rewarding part-time role (28 hours per week) designed to support work-life balance while leading Trusts and Foundations income generation with structured support from the Head of Fundraising and Development. 

You'll manage a defined portfolio of Trust and Foundation partners, working alongside colleagues overseeing other income streams. You'll develop compelling funding proposals, and proactively identify new opportunities aligned with our strategy. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you’ll place young people’s voices and experiences at the heart of every bid, helping to fund services that support belonging, wellbeing and futures.

This is an ideal role for a confident Trusts fundraiser who enjoys building relationships, spotting opportunities, and taking ownership — while working collaboratively in a values-driven organisation.

To Apply:

To apply, please submit your CV alongside a personal statement by the closing date outlining how you would be a great fit for the role.

Your personal statement should be no more than 800 words, answering the following questions:

1. What is your motivation for working with Young Roots?

2. What is your motivation for applying for this role specifically?

3. What skills and experience would you bring that will enable you to be successful in this role?  Please ensure you refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and provide examples to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria.

Please submit your application via Charity Jobs.

No agencies, please.

Closing date: Midday on 5th January 2026

Interview date: 12th and 15th January 2026

Young Roots recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who can face disadvantage in employment, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities. As an organisation that supports refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, we particularly welcome applications from people within these communities. We offer a guaranteed interview for those with lived experience of the asylum system and those with disabilities, where they meet the essential elements of the person specification. If aspects of the application process create barriers to you applying and you’d like any adjustment to the process or you’d like an informal discussion or advice on your application, please get in touch. We would also like to alert you to the existence of organisations which support people from under-represented groups to access employment, who can advise you on applying for this role. For example, Scope, Young Women’s Trust and Experts by Experience.

Young Roots is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. We take this duty very seriously.

Our work is underpinned by policies and procedures which promote safe working practices. We have a framework of training and supervision which everyone is expected to comply with and systems for monitoring, quality assurance and gaining service user feedback. On joining you will be expected to be part of this approach to safeguard our service users.

All posts are subject to a safer recruitment process which includes vetting checks such as enhanced criminal records and barring, scrutiny of employment history, references and other checks.

FLEX is looking for a passionate advocate with a good understanding of the UK political system, of labour abuse and/ or exploitation and human trafficking in the UK, demonstrable experience of coalition working and building relationships with key stakeholders working in the anti-trafficking, employment rights, and/or immigration sectors and Project Management. This recruitment comes at an exciting and challenging time for our work at the intersection of employment rights and immigration policy and you will lead on the implementation of our Secure Reporting pilot funded by the GLA. This role will inform and support our work to influence and improve law, policy and practice affecting workers in high-risk sectors in the UK.

In this role, you will work on FLEX’s advocacy, lead on a London level Secure Reporting pilot and contribute to the joint research advocacy and project work of FLEX networks and and coalitions. These currently include the Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG) and the Taskforce on Victims of Trafficking in Immigration Detention, two networks made of expert organisations directly supporting people who have experienced or are at risk of exploitation. Above all this role requires someone with real passion and commitment to FLEX’s work to end labour exploitation and an excitement for working in a small, dynamic team. 

About FLEX: Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) is a research and policy organisation working towards an end to labour exploitation. FLEX seeks to achieve this vision through the prevention of labour abuses, protection of the rights of those affected or at risk of exploitation and by promoting best practice responses to labour exploitation through research and evidence-based advocacy. FLEX is a small organisation that packs a big punch in terms of policy change and influencing.

Job title: Policy Officer

Location: FLEX office, Vauxhall, London - Flexible hybrid working with a mixture of in person and home/office working.

Salary: £33,500 per annum subject to deductions for tax and national insurance contributions as required by law, pro-rated if part time.

Working hours: Full time, 5 days

Pension: 4%, incremental pension contributions.

Contract: 2 years, renewable subject to funding

Reports to: Head of Policy

Benefits: 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays (pro rata) with incremental leave (one extra day per year worked up to 5 days); extra paid days off over the end of year holiday period; enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay; occupational sick pay; Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling support; and opportunities for skills development.

Key responsibilities:

Policy and advocacy

• Supporting the implementation of FLEX policy strategy by developing and implementing advocacy plans;
• Developing targeted policy strategies for regional and/or local level work.
• Advocating for FLEX’s proposals and issues in relevant stakeholder meetings;
• Drafting position papers, reports and any other written materials as appropriate
• Ensuring effective dissemination of written material and research findings in conjunction with advocacy aims.

Project management

• Designing, planning, and delivering project activities against targets.
• Managing small project budgets
• Developing and implementing a monitoring and evaluation plan for projects under the management of this role
• Producing progress and learning reports for internal and external purposes.

Fundraising

• Scoping, drafting and supporting fundraising bids pertaining to network activities.

Other

• Commitment to EDI and FLEX values
• Drafting communications outputs for FLEX channels
• Attending internal team meetings
• Participating in training
• Representing FLEX at external meetings as required
• Adhering to FLEX policies   

We are committed to being an inclusive employer, creating a culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive. This means we are committed to being an anti-racist, trans-inclusive, gender-equitable and intersectional organisation.

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures. In particular, those who have lived experience of the immigration system or who identify as part of marginalised communities.

If you are disabled or become disabled, we encourage you to tell us about your condition so that we can make reasonable adjustments and consider what support may be provided at the interview and task stage.

How to apply: Please download, complete and send the FLEX application form and equal opportunities from our website.

Deadline for applications:  21st January 2026 23:59

Shortlisting: Your application will be assessed against the criteria in specified in the Job Description. To ensure fairness and consistency in our shortlisting process, applications will be anonymised before being reviewed by the panel.

Interviews will be held for shortlisted candidates in person at FLEX offices, Vauxhall week commencing 5th February 2026. Please state in your application if you are not available to attend on these dates.

This is a brand-new role with big potential. We’re looking for an experienced community fundraiser who’s excited to build something meaningful for Possability People.

You’ll lead local community and corporate fundraising, spark supporter engagement, and drive income through events, partnerships, and donor initiatives. You’ll also coordinate trust and foundation applications, support individual giving, and play a part in major donor work.

Working closely with teams across the charity, you’ll help shape fundraising that truly reflects our values and fuels our future growth.

Why we’re recruiting

We’re creating our first dedicated Fundraising Officer role to boost community fundraising, grow local partnerships, and coordinate income from trusts, foundations, individual donors, and corporate supporters. You’ll be the go-to person for bids, working with project leads and the CEO to spot opportunities and move applications forward.

With strong local relationships and a respected reputation already in place, we’re ready for someone who can turn that potential into a steady, sustainable pipeline of support. This is a hands-on role with real autonomy, perfect for a fundraiser who enjoys building structure, nurturing supporters, and driving results while helping shape the charity’s wider fundraising direction.

Day-to-Day Overview

You’ll spend your time out and about in the community, planning and running fundraising events like fun runs, afternoon teas, and seasonal campaigns, while being the face of Possability People. You’ll also act as the central point for coordinating bids and grant applications, working closely with Project Leads and the CEO to ensure opportunities are identified, tracked, and progressed. Alongside this, you’ll manage local corporate partnerships and sponsorships, building relationships that support our events and wider fundraising activity. This is a hands-on, mid-level role where your experience and initiative will shape how our fundraising operates and grow our income locally.

Why work for us?

Working for Possability People means being part of something bigger than just a job. You’ll help improve the lives of disabled people while enjoying a supportive, inclusive workplace that values your wellbeing and development. We offer generous holidays, flexible working, a pension scheme, and excellent learning opportunities. You’ll be supported through regular supervision, wellbeing initiatives, and access to free counselling and mental health support. As a Disability Confident employer with strong quality standards and a genuine commitment to inclusion, we’re proud to create a place where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a real difference every day.

Salary:  £35,000 (pro-rata: £21,000 for 21 hours, £28,000 for 28 hours)

Department:Core

Line Managed by: Chief Executive Officer

Holidays: 28 days plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time staff: 21 hrs = 17 days, to 28 hrs = 22.5 days)

Working Hours: 21 hrs (0.6 FTE) to 28 hrs per week (0.8 FTE) (to be agreed)

We’re open to the role being between 21 and 28 hours a week because finding the right person matters most. We’re very happy to chat about how those hours could work for you while still meeting the needs of the role. Whether you’d prefer to spread your hours across five days, start a bit later, or work longer days over fewer days, we’re open to a range of options. The role includes attending events and travelling around the local area, and there are also opportunities to work from home for part of the week.

About Possability People 

Possability People is a pan-impairment disability charity based in Brighton. We work with people with a number of health conditions, including mental health and neurodivergent conditions, as well as with older people.

Contract type: Full time, Permanent

Salary: £31,242 per annum (+£5000, London area weighting if applicable)

Hours: 40 hours per week

Location: Hybrid, with regular travel to our Devonshire Square London office.

About the Role

Nacro is looking for a Policy & Public Affairs Officer – Young People to support the delivery of our influencing strategy. This role will focus on developing Nacro’s policy positions on issues affecting young people and delivering proactive and reactive public affairs activity to influence decision-makers.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Public Affairs and colleagues across the organisation, you will help ensure that the voices and experiences of young people inform policy development and public debate.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor and analyse the political and policy environment relating to young people’s issues to identify opportunities for influence.
• Develop evidence-based policy positions, working with service users, frontline staff and research colleagues.
• Draft policy briefings, reports and responses to government consultations.
• Develop and deliver public affairs plans aligned to Nacro’s influencing objectives.
• Identify, build and maintain effective relationships with parliamentarians, government officials and regional decision-makers.
• Represent Nacro at external events, including APPGs, parliamentary events and meetings with MPs.
• Produce parliamentary briefings and contribute to legislative scrutiny as required.
• Organise and support parliamentary and stakeholder events that advance influencing objectives.
• Build strong working relationships with sector partners and external organisations.
• Act as the internal point of contact for expertise on young people’s policy.
• Provide content for media comment, blogs and wider external communications.
• Prepare briefings for the Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Director of Engagement & Impact and the CEO.
• Support wider campaigning and influencing work across the organisation as required.

Skills and Experience

• Significant knowledge of policy issues affecting young people.
• Strong understanding of Westminster, Whitehall and political processes.
• Experience of designing and delivering public affairs activity.
• Proven experience of influencing decision-makers and working with parliamentarians.
• Experience of building and maintaining productive external relationships.
• Strong experience of writing policy papers, briefings and campaign materials.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of political awareness and sound judgement.
  
   

Our Expectations

You will take ownership of your learning and development, always promote Nacro positively, and work collaboratively as part of an integrated team. You will adhere to safeguarding, data protection, health and safety, equality and diversity policies, and demonstrate professional behaviours aligned with Nacro’s values.

 

Why Join Nacro?

We believe that everyone deserves a good education, a safe and secure place to live, the right to be heard, and the chance to start again, with support from someone on their side.

That’s why our housing, education, justice, and health and wellbeing services work alongside people to give them the support and skills they need to succeed. And it’s why we fight for their voices to be heard and campaign together to create lasting change.

We see your future, whatever the past.

How to Apply

If you are passionate about influencing policy and improving outcomes for young people, we welcome your application. Please submit your application

Do you want to make a real difference in the lives of older and vulnerable people in our community? Are you a strategic, values-driven leader looking to make an impact?

At WECHI, our purpose is to support older people to remain living comfortably and independently in their own homes for as long as they choose. If you are passionate about applying your skills to a meaningful cause, the Head of Central Services role offers a unique opportunity to lead and make a difference, guided by our values of care, respect, integrity, and collaboration.

In this senior leadership role, you’ll work closely with the CEO, Management Board and management team to shape our financial strategy, strengthen governance, and ensure effective management of our people, data, IT and facilities functions. This is a fantastic opportunity to bring your expertise to an organisation with a big heart, a strong social purpose and a team that genuinely cares.  

What you’ll lead on

Strategic Finance & Planning

• Lead the development of financial and commercial strategies that support WECHI’s long-term vision.
• Oversee annual budgets, forecasts and business planning.
• Provide clear, insightful financial information to support Board and Executive decision-making.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Lead all financial reporting, including monthly reviews, cashflow management, quarterly management accounts, BVAs and year-end accounts (including subsidiaries).
• Manage the annual audit and maintain strong relationships with bankers, insurers and auditors.
• Ensure robust financial controls, policies and procedures across the organisation.

Operational Performance & Growth

• Partner with operational teams to improve performance, efficiency and financial sustainability.
• Provide financial modelling and support for bids, business cases and new service development.
• Contribute to revenue growth, including development of commercial opportunities and private income streams.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Act as Company Secretary, ensuring statutory and regulatory compliance.
• Strengthen organisational governance and risk management, including maintenance of risk registers.
• Ensure compliance with data protection, information governance and financial regulations.

Corporate Services Leadership

• Manage the People Support Lead, providing line management and oversight, while working collaboratively to ensure HR compliance, develop people strategy, and coordinate on key operational matters including payroll and budgets.
• Lead IT oversight and the outsourced IT function, ensuring systems are maintained and improved.
• Oversee facilities management and represent WECHI as a Director for Hide Market Management.

For a full description of duties, person specification, and benefits, please see the attached JD.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Head of Central Services to shape the future of WECHI, make a lasting impact, and champion our values of care, respect, integrity, and collaboration. If you think that's you,we’d love to hear from you!

Would you like to join an organisation that is striving for systemic change? We believe it is not enough to reform structures and systems which are foundationally discriminatory. We are calling for a complete overhaul, and for people with lived experience to lead that change.

If that appeals to you. We are seeking a Policy and Communications Officer to play a vital role in shaping public understanding of migration and influencing policy. 

As part of our dedicated team, you will have the chance to make a real impact, engaging with diverse audiences and advocating for positive change. If you're motivated by social justice and have skills in policy engagement, digital campaigning, media, and stakeholder engagement, we want to hear from you.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in contributing to a vision for intersectional campaigns that call for systemic change, and for those with lived experience to be instrumental in these campaigns.

As a lived experience and values-led organisation, and diverse team, we are looking for candidates with a:

• Commitment to upholding the rights of ALL migrants

• Real vision as to how this can be done in the current political, social and economic climate 

• A commitment to MRN's vision and values

The salary will be £32,414 per year. In addition, MRN contributes up to 6% of salary to pensions.

Closing date for applications: 9am, 14 January 2026

Date for candidate interviews: 22-23 January 2026

This is an exciting opportunity to join our highly motivated and passionate team as a Senior Finance Officer. This role is at the heart of the charity and perfect for someone who wants to develop their financial skills in the not-for-profit sector.

The successful candidate will have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, and good knowledge of financial systems and processes. You will manage the day-to-day financials, produce financial reports and analysis, work across teams to produce the annual budget and quarterly reforecasts and be instrumental in the annual audit.

If you are pro-active, analytical, and excited about working in a growing organisation, we would love to hear from you.

At Sarcoma UK, we are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, communities and experiences. We are happy to discuss flexible working arrangements and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Benefits:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• 25 days holiday entitlement per annum plus bank holidays and the working days between Christmas and New Year
• Additional day off for your birthday
• Volunteering day per year
• Enhanced sick, maternity and adoption pay
• Sarcoma UK Life Insurance Scheme
• Health and wellbeing:
  • Health Cash Plan
  • Therapy sessions
  • Wellbeing Group
  • Team activities throughout the year
• Interest-free season ticket and bicycle loan

Our Values: 

• Pioneering we are leading the way to a better future for the sarcoma community.
• Together we are creating a community to make a difference for all those affected by sarcoma.
• Expert we use our expertise in understanding sarcoma to deliver better outcomes. 

Duties and key responsibilities

Financial Administration and Bookkeeping

• Responsibility for maintaining all financial records and data accurately and within agreed systems, to include:Maintaining up-to-date records in Sage 50.
• Importing bank receipts into Sage from Raiser’s Edge NXT.
• Processing purchase invoices, card transactions, and payments, ensuring correct coding to nominal and departmental ledgers.
• Maintaining payment records and reconciling grant payments within Sage 50 and grant management software.
• Generating sales invoices and carrying out credit control on a regular basis.
• Ensuring prompt payment of invoices and preparing payments with the bank for review by the Director of Finance & Resources.
• Maintaining the expense management system in line with policies and ensuring timely authorisation and reimbursement.
• Ensuring accurate records of authorisation and financial approvals.
• Preparing and posting all month-end journals.
• Completing monthly reconciliations for all bank accounts.
• Working with the Database and Finance Officer to reconcile income between Sage 50 and the income spreadsheet on a quarterly basis.
• Maintaining organised financial files to support monthly reporting and the year-end audit.
• Updating and monitoring the VAT threshold spreadsheet, ensuring the organisation remains compliant and alerting the Director of Finance & Resources to any potential threshold issues. 
• Reconciling and maintaining restricted funding and expenditure for projects.
• Covering the following duties when the Database and Finance Officer is on leave: monitoring income and updating the income spreadsheet daily; paying cheques and cash into the bank account in a timely manner.
• Supporting fundraising events, e.g. preparing card readers, paperwork, and reconciling cash.

 Financial Reporting

• Producing timely and accurate monthly management accounts, accompanied by analysis, commentary, and project-level breakdowns.
• Providing analysis and ad-hoc financial information as required.
• Maintain and regularly update the restricted fund spreadsheet, ensuring accurate tracking of income, expenditure, and balances in line with donor and grant requirements.

Budget Management

• Supporting the preparation of the annual Excel-based organisational budget and quarterly forecasts.
• Participating in budget meetings with managers to ensure robust and realistic financial plans.
• Assisting project managers with the preparation of Excel-based project budgets.

Audit

Preparation for the annual audit and compliance with statutory financial reporting requirements, including:

• Preparing audit documentation and working papers in collaboration with the Director of Finance & Resources.
• Acting as the primary point of contact for auditors, coordinating documentation requests before and during audit week.

Other

• Ensuring financial policies and processes remain fit for purpose, recommending and implementing improvements where needed.
• Acting as the main point of contact for financial queries, with support from the Director of Finance & Resources.
• Carrying out any other duties reasonably required to support the effective financial management of Sarcoma UK.
• Adapting to the needs of a developing organisation and undertaking additional responsibilities as necessary.

Employer: Community Rail Network 

Salary: £43k-£51.5k pa, full time 

Location: Home based / flexible or Huddersfield 

We are seeking a dynamic director of policy and communications, to lead and develop our increasingly impactful external affairs activity. You’ll be sharing community insights and evidence with policy and decision-makers at national and devolved level, supporting a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable transport and mobility, while overseeing high-quality, inspiring member communications and thought-leadership, drawing on grassroots experiences.  
  

About us 

Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation supporting a growing ‘community rail’ movement, which helps communities get the most from their railways, promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making, and brings people together.

Community rail is made up of 76 community-based partnership organisations, and c.1,300 station friends volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects for young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence among marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener tourism by rail.

Our enthusiastic team of 24 works from home in different locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support our members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in developing our team and helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.

About this role 

This role is crucial for us, our members and their communities, especially at the current time, with our need to seize on the opportunities of rail reform and devolution, promote wider use of sustainable transport, and bring communities together. You will spearhead our external affairs strategy and plans, building political relationships, influencing decision-making and raising awareness of community rail and its insights, while ensuring effective communications with our members and helping them to have a voice locally and regionally. You’ll be striving to put community rail at the forefront of a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable mobility.

As a member of our senior leadership team, reporting to and working closely with our chief executive, you will manage a passionate team of four, ensuring collaboration with our other teams, partners and funders, and drawing on members’ insights.

 
Main responsibilities 

• Lead the review, development and delivery of our communications, policy and insights strategy, working to position the community rail movement effectively, use its insights to influence policy change, and ensure our members are well-informed and have a voice; 

• Further strengthen our advisory and influencing work with national, devolved and regional government, transport bodies, parliamentarians and other decision-makers, especially around rail reform, transport devolution and integrated, inclusive, sustainable transport; 

• Ensure we’re engaging effectively with policy developments and opportunities, taking forward a programme of relationship-building, and identifying and engaging in relevant consultations, events and speaking opportunities, enabling community rail’s insights and experiences to be shared; 

• Collaborate with partners in rail, government and the third sector to feed in our expertise on community engagement with rail, amplify our campaigns, and build opportunities for joined-up communications and policy work;

• Continually develop and disseminate our evidence base and insights on the social, environmental and economic value community rail delivers, and opportunities to create greater benefits for communities from rail and transport; 

• Oversee high-quality, coherent and inspiring communications with our members and partners, promoting our work, and sharing news, opportunities, and good practice across the movement; 

• Manage production of high-quality resources, case studies and reports that our members can use to enhance their impact and which showcase community rail’s impact; 

• Lead and develop our media relations and awareness-raising PR, championing community rail and its messages on sustainable, inclusive travel and communities at national and regional level, while supporting members on local PR; 

• Develop our online presence and reach, making full use of our website, social media, our Scenic Rail Britain campaign, and partners’ channels to celebrate and position community rail and grow its reach and impact; 

• Oversee a calendar of creative and impactful campaigns that involve and empower our members, creating PR and engagement opportunities, including Community Rail Week;

• Play a key role in collective leadership, strategic focus and organisational development as a member of our senior leadership team, including through internal communications and cross-team working, annual planning, funder liaison and reporting, upholding our strategies and policies, and pursuing opportunities for continuous improvement. 

 
Skills and competencies 

1. Strong leadership and management skills, including experience managing, developing and drawing on a multi-faceted team delivering complex campaigns or projects, and budget management; 
2. Excellent communication and external leadership skills; articulate, assertive, and with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels; 
3. An understanding of public affairs, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, and a demonstrable ability to identify influencing opportunities, deliver thought-leadership, and engage with policy-makers, including sharing community insights; 
4. Politically astute, with awareness of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a good grasp of the importance of public transport sustainable travel, and community-led action, to these agendas; 
5. Understanding of political processes and experience of engaging with policy and decision-making, ideally at national, devolved and local levels; 
6. Sound knowledge of communication and marketing methods and channels, and ability to oversee messaging and targeting of public and professional audiences, and to align content across multiple channels; 
7. A demonstrable ability to think analytically and draw on statistical and qualitative research to construct robust, evidence-based arguments; 
8. Experience of working with the media and achieving coverage at national, regional and local level; 
9. Experience working collaboratively with partners and ideally funders to deliver communications and policy activity and forming professional networks; 
10. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while dealing with competing priorities, and to support team members to do so; 
11. IT literate with a good working knowledge of Office, the internet and social media; 
12. Appropriate qualifications and professional development demonstrating knowledge and skills in line with the above, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.

Other information

As you will be home-based, we are flexible about your location. However, you will be expected to travel to in-person full team meetings quarterly (usually in West Yorkshire), and you will need to bring your team together (currently all West Yorkshire based) with similar regularity in between. Attendance at in-person events and meetings is also important. We therefore welcome applications from those with decent public transport links, not too far from a railway station, to enable journeys to be made sustainably.   

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months.   

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.  

Join a movement transforming how communities create lasting change. This isn't a typical charity role—it's a chance to shape the future of place-based working across the UK and help lead a growing organisation.

Place Matters is a small, entrepreneurial charity punching above its weight. We work at the intersection of communities, public services, funders, and policymakers to tackle the root causes of inequality and create changes that communities want to see. Our approach? Empower communities to lead change in their own places, learn from what works, and influence the systems that hold them back.

Why this role matters

This is a senior position on our Executive team, reporting directly to a co-CEO. You'll play a leadership role in developing our organisation—shaping strategy, building our team, and deepening partnerships. We're looking for someone colleagues and Trustees trust to make sound decisions on behalf of our mission.

Learning and practice development is at the heart of everything we do. You'll design and lead learning partnerships that build the capabilities of communities and organisations to work differently. You'll capture insights from the ground and turn them into accessible tools, frameworks, and resources that make place-based working more effective for everyone.

You need to be a team player, confident and with strong opinions, but low ego and collegiate

What you'll do

• Lead the development and delivery of Learning and Practice Development Partnerships
• Initiate, convene and participate in ‘field-building’ efforts that aim to influence the broader place-based change sector, bringing together community organisations, public sector organisations, policy makers, foundations and businesses to build broader support for community centred place-based change
• Develop Place Matters thought and practice leadership
• Draw together the themes and patterns from learning into regular blogs and publications to make the learning as widely accessible as possible and influence key policy makers and funders
• Initiate and convene field-building efforts to influence the broader place-based change sector
• Build a wide network of place-based practitioners from all sectors
• Play a key role in business development, securing new partnerships, fundraising, and improving organisational efficiency

See job description (JD) for full details

What makes this role special

• Executive leadership: Part of the leadership team shaping organisational direction
• Real autonomy: Lead your own projects, design new partnerships, represent Place Matters externally
• Learning culture: We practice what we preach—continuous learning and innovation are built in
• Flexible working: Hybrid arrangement, negotiable location, with UK travel (up to 50 days annually)
• Competitive salary: £65,000-£75,000 (negotiable based on experience)

Practical details

Ideally 37.5 hours per week (flexible) but we'll consider part-time. UK travel required, including occasional overnight stays and some evening/weekend work.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from disabled people and people from diverse backgrounds.

We'll conduct interviews on 19th and 21st January.

We are a charity representing and advocating for people living with dyslexia. Our mission is simple but powerful: to influence government and institutions so that society becomes truly dyslexia-friendly – enabling individuals of all ages to reach their full potential.

This is a key role leading our parliamentary engagement and policy development, ensuring that dyslexic children, young people, families, and adults have a strong voice in Westminster, Whitehall, and across the UK. Working closely with senior leaders, campaigns and media colleagues, and external partners, you’ll help shape policy and drive change in education, health, and employment.

Your work will make sure policymakers understand the barriers dyslexic people face - and the evidence-based solutions we champion. You’ll ensure our positions are grounded in lived experience, research, and best practice, and that our engagement is proactive, impactful, and aligned with our mission.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and deliver a parliamentary engagement strategy to advance our policy priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships with MPs, Peers, Ministers, advisers, and civil servants.
• Provide timely briefings and strategic advice to senior leaders.
• Monitor political developments and identify opportunities for early influence.
• Lead policy research and produce clear, evidence-informed recommendations.
• Represent the charity at events, roundtables, and forums.
• Work collaboratively across teams to ensure policy insights inform campaigns and communications.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven, up-to-date experience in public affairs, parliamentary engagement, or a related policy-influencing role, with a  strong track record of delivering impact.
• Strong understanding of UK parliamentary and governmental processes.
• Excellent communication skills—able to translate complex issues into clear, compelling messages.
• Political awareness, strategic thinking, and confident networking ability.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and a passion for improving outcomes for dyslexic people.

Please review the full job description for complete details about the role, responsibilities, and person specification before applying.

Why Join Us?

This is your chance to make a real difference – shaping policy, influencing decision-makers, and helping create a society where dyslexic people can thrive. You’ll work in a collaborative, supportive environment with colleagues who share your passion for positive change.

Closing date: 14 January 2026 (5pm). We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received, so we encourage you to apply early.

Use of AI in Applications
We value the unique experience and perspective each candidate brings. While we understand that AI tools can be helpful in drafting applications, they can sometimes result in responses that feel generic or impersonal. This makes it harder for us to get a true sense of you.

To help your application stand out, we encourage you to write your responses in your own words. If you do use AI tools to support your writing, please treat the generated content as a starting point rather than a final answer. Make sure your application genuinely reflects your experience and voice.

Do you have the skills to develop clear, impactful policy that helps drive meaningful change? We’re looking for a Policy Officer to play a vital role in shaping Shelter’s policy agenda and strengthening our voice in the fight for home.

About the role

This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to use their policy skills to help end homelessness and improve housing in England. Working as part of Shelter’s Policy Team, you will be responsible for helping to develop Shelter’s policy and responding to government initiatives on a range of housing policy areas. It includes helping to develop innovative and workable proactive policy solutions to fix the housing emergency.

Role specifics

You’ll bring strong knowledge of social or economic policy and the ability to analyse complex issues in a wider context. You’ll have experience working with both quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify trends and develop clear, evidence-based solutions to structural social problems. You’ll also be confident in producing policy analysis that supports communications, campaign goals and the wider political landscape. A passion for tackling inequality and insight into the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, and an anti-racist approach to your work would all be valuable. 

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society. 

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team 

The team is seven people strong and sits within the Advocacy and Activism branch of the Communications, Policy and Campaigns division.  Using the latest data, research and intelligence from our services, and working with people with lived experience, we analyse the problems in our housing system and identify effective and creative solutions. 

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people engaged in the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement 

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies. 

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them. 

Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - Glasgow
Hours: 35 hours per week, Full-time
Salary: £40,295 per annum (rest of UK)
Benefits: Read more about the
Contract type: Fixed-term until August 2026
Travel: Travel between our Glasgow office and the Scottish Parliament will be required on a monthly basis with additional occasional travel around Scotland.
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Monday 05 January 2026

Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.

About the role

As part of Scotland's policy and influencing team, you will play a critical role in shaping and influence policy thinking, managing time-sensitive projects across our policy priority areas, and building relationships with stakeholders and decision-makers across Scotland.

You will gather, analyse, and share information about external policy developments and their implications for people with arthritis, developing policy positions, producing evidence-based briefings and reports and contributing to consultation responses.

As well as working closely with nation influencing colleagues and teams across the Services and Devolved Nations Directorate, you will work closely with the UK Advocacy and Health Intelligence team, Research Directorate and Strategic Communications teams, including representing us on cross-sector policy groups and participating in events and conferences.

We'll give you autonomy, variety and challenge with opportunities to lead projects, to work together with inspirational campaigners and people with arthritis, as well as collaborate with senior Scottish Government and NHS Scotland stakeholders. We're a supportive team who will value your well-being and professional development.

About you

You will have ready-made resourcefulness, be a creative thinker, with strong analytical, written and verbal communications skills. An enthusiastic, adaptive and flexible approach is important, together with an ability to work with autonomy and across teams as well as:

• Experience of influencing external policy and decision making within Scotland.
• Understanding of current healthcare policy issues relevant to people with long-term conditions or disability.
• Experience of drafting policy papers and briefings, and the ability to understand and articulate academic research and policy papers.

*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings.

As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.

Application deadline and shortlisting 

• We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date.  
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales. 

Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.

Interview

First interviews expected in week commencing Monday 12 January 2026 at Edward House, Glasgow.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.

About us

We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.

There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life - affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.

Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.