Policy and communications officer jobs

Job Title: Communications Manager
Location: Remote
Salary: £38,000 per annum
Reporting to: Head of Fundraising and Communications
Responsible for: Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Full time, permanent

GFS is seeking a strategic, proactive and values-led Communications Manager to lead the delivery of our communications function and elevate our profile across audiences and platforms. The role will support the shaping and delivery of a communications strategy that amplifies our voice, showcases our impact, and builds trust and engagement with our community. You’ll work across all areas of the organisation to coordinate messaging, manage risk and lead communications activity that reflects our feminist values and purpose.

The Communications Manager will oversee digital content, media relations, marketing and digital fundraising campaigns, working in close collaboration with the CEO, Leadership team and wider team. You will line-manage the Marketing and Communications Coordinator, ensuring high-quality content, storytelling and messaging are delivered consistently across all channels.

Please see the attached documents for more information and details on how to apply. 

Timeline 

• Closing date for applications midnight on Sunday 26 April 2026 
• First stage interviews w/c 11 May 2026
• Second stage interviews TBC May 2026

How to apply

To apply for this role, please submit the following documents:

1. An anonymised CV Please remove your name and any other personal identifying details.
2. A personal statement Your personal statement should respond directly to the three application questions listed below. Please keep within the stated word limits.
3. The optional diversity monitoring form This is not seen by the hiring panel and is entirely voluntary.

Please send all documents by midnight on Sunday 26 April 2026 

Your personal statement should address the following three questions:

1. GFS is a feminist, values led organisation. Please tell us about a time you shaped or delivered a communications approach that reflected specific organisational values. What was your role, what actions did you take, and what impact did it have? 
   (300 words max) 
2. Describe a situation where you identified or managed a communications risk (e.g., media issue, sensitive messaging, reputational challenge). What steps did you take, who did you work with, and what was the outcome? 
   (300 words max) 
3. Tell us about a digital communications or fundraising campaign you developed or led. How did you use audience insight to shape it, what channels or methods did you use, and what results did it achieve? 
   (300 words max)

About us
The Microbiology Society is a membership charity for scientists interested in microbes, their effects, and their practical uses. It has a worldwide membership based in universities, industry, hospitals, research institutes, schools, and other organisations.

Our members have a unique depth and breadth of knowledge about the discipline. The Society’s role is to help unlock and harness the potential of that knowledge.

Our commitment to anyone who studies microbes is “whoever you are, wherever you are, we will amplify your voice”.

About you
The Head of Engagement and Storytelling will develop compelling content and channels for a wide range of audiences, to showcase the astonishing wonder of microbes, the transformative power of microbiology and the essential contribution of microbiologists.

This role reports to the Chief Communications Officer and will requires collaborative working with members of the Society's governance structure and the Heads of Scientific Programmes and Development Opportunities respectively, responsible for creating and delivering the society's overall communication strategy across all channels including social media and website, overseeing policy and membership engagement activities, promoting member expertise to policymakers in the UK and internationally and encourage member engagement through opportunities the the Society's 'Get Involved' campaign.

The postholder will have experience working within science communication, displaying strong scientific knowledge while delivering high impact engagement campaigns. It is essential to have experience in People Management as this role oversees the different branches of the Engagement and Storytelling theme covering Communication, Policy and Membership.

Please note that the organisation operates a hybrid working policy.

For more information about the Society, please visit our website.

Our generous benefits package includes;
• Flexible working hours
• Highly competitive salaries with an annual cost of living increase
• 23 days holiday + eight bank holidays and three additional days over the Christmas break
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Life insurance including free (health and wellbeing) employee support services
• Enhanced maternity pay to include 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave and 13 weeks of statutory maternity pay
• Enhanced Adoption pay to include 26 weeks of fully paid adoption leave and 13 weeks of statutory adoption pay
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• £50 contribution towards eye care

To Apply

Please attach your CV and Cover Letter.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Interviews will be held in-person at the Microbiology Society Office.

Closing date: 8th May 2026

It is important that you DO NOT include your Personal Information i.e. name and contact details in your CV or Cover Letter. This is because the Microbiology Society is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. We value, promote, and seek diversity.

The Society also takes the security of your data seriously. It has internal policies and controls in place to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused, or disclosed, and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties.

Please note that due to limited resources, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted therefore, if you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

“We are interested in every candidate who is eligible to work in the United Kingdom. However, we are not able to sponsor visas.”

Purpose of the Role:

The Senior Research, Policy and Influencing Manager will play a pivotal role in driving Cerebra’s mission to influence national and local policy and practice. You will lead on the translation of research into actionable policy recommendations, develop strategic partnerships, advocate for systemic change and influence, persuade and engage with policy makers to improve outcomes for children with neurological conditions and their families. Alongside this you will work with the Research and Information team on Cerebra’s research contracts and the development and dissemination of information.

This is a senior role requiring strategic vision, strong analytical and communication skills, and an ability to build influence across government, academia, and the third sector.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

1. Policy and Influencing  

• Identify opportunities to influence national and local policy agendas, including legislation, guidance, and funding priorities related to childhood disability and neurological conditions.
• Develop accessible and compelling policy briefings, consultation responses, reports, speeches, and presentations for a range of stakeholders, including MPs, government officials, sector partners and the public.
• Monitor policy developments across the neuro-diverse landscape and lead on timely, evidence-led responses.
• Analyse data, trends and policy developments to produce insights and recommendations.
• Translate complex ideas into clear, persuasive communications that support positive change.
• Ensure our policy positions reflect the real experiences and insights of the neuro-diverse children and families we support.
• Develop and deliver Cerebra’s policy and influencing strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and research priorities.
• Develop and deliver influencing campaigns in partnership with Communications team.
• Work closely with the Communications Team by contributing to the drafting of responses to media enquiries on our policy and influencing work and act as the media contact if required.
• Liaise with the Legal Rights Team to assess the impact of current or proposed policies in terms of their actual or potential effects on children with neurological conditions at both national and local levels, and for their input into consultation responses.

2. Engagement and Relationship Building

• Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with decision-makers across government departments, policymakers, NHS bodies, local authorities, professional associations, and sector partners.
• Represent Cerebra at meetings and events, including engaging with MPs, civil servants, policy forums, advisory groups, and cross-sector coalitions and other key influencers, or brief the CEO or Directors if attending.
• Work closely with internal teams to ensure our policy and influencing work is grounded in practice and informed by those delivering services.
• Work closely with the Communications Team to ensure consistent, impactful messaging.

3. Research and Information

• With one of our Lead Research Officers leading, you will oversee the tendering process and delivery of our research contracts.
• Working with our Information Development Officer to ensure that we maintain our PIF Tick accreditation for our information resources.
• Carry out high-quality research and analysis.
• Use findings from Cerebra-funded and external research to produce policy briefs, consultation responses, and evidence-based recommendations.
• Alongside our Lead Research Officers carry out horizon scanning to identify emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in child health, neurodiversity, and public service delivery.

4. Budgeting, monitoring and forecasting

• Working with the team and Director to set income and expenditure budgets for Corporate, Philanthropy, Legacy and Trust & Foundations to assist with any funding applications.
• Monitoring and reporting on income and expenditure and KPIs throughout the year.
• Providing quarterly income and expenditure re-forecasts.
• Ensuring all relevant information is recorded in line with charity, fundraising and data legislation and best practice.

5. Line Management

• Line management responsibilities for a small team, currently comprising of 3 staff.
• Be responsible for the day-to-day management of the team.
• Complete regular supervision and team meetings.
• Provide effective performance management to the team.
• Promote a positive and inclusive team culture aligned with Cerebra’s values.

6. General

• Monitor and evaluate the impact the areas of work that leading on.
• Support collaboration across the different Cerebra teams.
• Experience using Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems or similar digital tools for recording and tracking work.
• Uphold Cerebra’s Data Protection Policy and all relevant confidentiality and safeguarding policies.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties in line with the needs of the team and organisation.

Please see attached job description for person specification.

About Kinship

We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to. 

Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.

About the role

The Research Officer supports Kinship in building a strong and coordinated evidence base about kinship families, and ensures our influencing work is grounded in real experience.

The role supports the design, delivery and communication of high-quality research, insights and evaluation that shapes policy, practice and service development. It also supports the coordination and operational delivery of research and practice activity, helping ensure projects, networks and events run effectively and that insights are shared across the organisation and the wider sector.

They will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, including Policy, Programmes, Peer Support and Communications. It will ensure that research and insight are gathered and used consistently and that the experiences of kinship carers, particularly those from underserved communities, are central to our work. This role could be hybrid or remote.

Key responsibilities include:

• Design and deliver qualitative and quantitative research that improves understanding of kinship families’ needs, experiences and outcomes.

• Lead data collection through surveys, interviews, focus groups and desk research.

• Carry out analysis using suitable methods to produce accurate and meaningful insight.

• Ensure research reflects the diversity of kinship carers, including carers from ethnic minority communities, mixed heritage families, informal kinship carers and carers experiencing additional barriers.

• Maintain strong ethical standards and follow GDPR requirements.

• Developing and supporting participatory research methods with carers, children and young people.

• Support evaluation of Kinship services including peer support, training and digital programmes.

• Develop tools and approaches that help gather feedback and evidence of outcomes.

• Analyse programme data to highlight trends, gaps and opportunities.

• Provide evidence that strengthens Kinship policy positions and external influencing activity.

• Contribute data and insight to briefings, consultation responses and reports.

• Support opportunities for kinship carers to participate in research in a respectful and inclusive way.

• Manage the Kinship Professionals’ Network and the Kinship Care Researchers’ Network, working with the Practice Lead to plan and schedule meetings, coordinate agendas, record and minute meetings and share insights across the organisation. 

• Support the planning and delivery of research and practice events, from consultations to knowledge exchange events.

Essential requirements include:

• Experience completing mixed methods research including design, fieldwork, analysis and reporting.

• Experience working in a research, evaluation or insight role in a charity, academic or public sector setting.

• Experience producing accessible research outputs for different audiences.

• Experience engaging with underrepresented communities and understanding barriers to participation.

• Experience of kinship care or social care research in the UK or comparable settings

• Excellent project management skills with an ability to manage multiple projects and tasks with accuracy and attention to detail.

• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills with experience of R or equivalent statistical languages.

What we offer you:

• Flexible working - we understand how important it is to balance family and work life.
• ​30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (1 April to 31 March) pro rata (3 to be taken at Christmas shutdown)
• Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice line and counselling)
• Charity Worker Discounts.

Key dates:

• Application deadline: 11.59pm on Sunday 19 April 2026
• First interview: w/c 27 April 2026 (online)
• Second interview: w/c 4 May 2026 (if required)

How to apply:

Please apply for the role of Research Officer by sending a CV (max 2 pages) and cover letter (max 1 page). The deadline is 11.59pm on Sunday 19 April 2026. Any applications arriving after the closing date will not be considered for shortlisting unless there are exceptional reasons. Please ensure you have read the application timelines.

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work.   We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

This is a varied, outward facing role focused on building strong relationships with police forces (particularly Police Scotland), federations, benevolent funds, donors, ambassadors, patients, and local stakeholders. The post holder will act as the primary engagement lead for Castlebrae, helping to raise awareness, strengthen partnerships, support income generation, and ensure our work is visible, understood, and accessible.

Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as the main point of contact for engagement activity at Castlebrae
• Building and maintaining relationships with police forces, federations, donors, and stakeholders
• Delivering presentations and attending events, conferences, and wellbeing forums
• Supporting donor recruitment, fundraising activity, and identification of funding opportunities
• Recruiting and supporting charity ambassadors and working with Police Scotland Wellbeing Champions
• Sourcing testimonials and contributing to communications and media content
• Supporting external events, hospitality, and engagement activity at Castlebrae

The role involves regular travel, with occasional evening, weekend, and overnight work.

About you

You will be confident, professional, and relationship‑focused, with experience in engagement, partnerships, fundraising, or a related field. You will be comfortable representing an organisation externally and passionate about making a positive difference.

Are you looking for a pivotal role which will shape the future of a CIC and Charity working on key challenges in housing, education and employment? Are you excited to take on a strategic post which will demonstrably improve the charity’s work with its service users, supporters and other key stakeholders? If so, we’d love to hear from you! 

Kineara is looking for an experienced Communications Manager who can grow our fundraising potential and engage key stakeholders across the sector, while shaping and delivering communications and outreach campaigns that demonstrate our social value proposition and grow our support base. They will play a key role in helping Kineara grow our communications channels, increase audience engagement, expand our fundraising potential through data-driven campaigns and powerful storytelling; and build strategic relationships with existing and potential funders.

You will work closely with project managers and the Senior Leadership Team to shape communications around our key delivery areas including identifying how support services can reduce barriers to secure housing, work and school; prevent evictions and homelessness; and improve health and wellbeing of people facing challenges. You’ll use this understanding and data to shape impact storytelling and communications with existing and new stakeholders.

You will feel real ownership over your work and need to be self-starting, flexible and hungry to grow within an already impactful charity with a strong social mission and vision. You will be keen to understand how our work makes a difference to people and use our impact to demonstrate our social value.This role crosscuts a range of key specialisations, so you may have experience working in communications and be keen to widen your skillset; you may have a background in impact evaluation, you may have experience in curating digital content for charities; or you may have worked in fundraising or development for a non-profit. We are keen to invite candidates with a range of experience from a variety of non-profit roles and are especially interested to meet candidates who have been part of, or are ready to be part of, the strategic growth of a social organisation. 

Why us, now? Kineara is going through exciting changes as we rapidly expand our service user base and are opening up new avenues of finance, engagement and growth. Our most recent projects have put us at the forefront of innovative ways of delivering support to private renters or those living in temporary accommodation, working in partnership with housing services, private landlords, local authorities, solicitors and health services to envision secure housing for all. We are also a team with lived experience and are a culturally diverse, spirited and mission-focused team that takes care of each other. 

Why you? You are motivated by seeing people who have experienced marginalisation or vulnerability thrive and you have the drive to grow the reach of our organisation so that more people in need can access our support. You have a wide skillset and open attitude, ready to learn what you don’t already know and confident to lead on your projects but understand the value of listening, collaboration and working towards joint and shared ambitions.

Key Responsibilities 

Communications & PR 

• Develop, contribute to and implement impact-driven and strategic communications campaigns that build Kineara’s presence across its wide audiences and expand its fundraising potential

• Manage digital content strategy for Kineara, including producing short from video content, promotional videos, infographics, interviews, thought leadership, impact storytelling, case studies etc. to grow Kineara’s digital and social media footprint 

• Work collaboratively with practitioners and the housing projects manager to regularly develop and publish information sheets, resources and content on Kineara’s website

• Plan and manage campaigns and petitions that influence policy and shape key decisions affecting our client group 

• Ensure consistent implementation of Kineara’s brand messaging across all organisational engagements, campaigns, and materials, in alignment with Kineara’s identity, mission, vision, and core values. 

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and media outlets to proactively promote Kineara’s work, including identifying relevant media opportunities, pitching compelling stories, responding to media inquiries 

• Work closely with IT and business managers to ensure smooth running of internal communications 

• Maintain and expand Kineara’s website and its functionality to meet the growing needs of the organisation 

Fundraising 

• Develop positive relationships with a range of stakeholders providing funding to charities, including in the third sector, public sector, and the business sector, to raise awareness and promote our work 

• Contribute to grant and tender applications, and manage and coordinate work of external consultants supporting grant writing process where applicable 

• Manage and administer online fundraising platforms, and develop accessible, persuasive campaigns for public donations. 

Impact 

• Work closely with Operations Manager and practitioners to embed outcomes, utilise and optimise frameworks for monitoring and evaluate Kineara’s projects; and produce yearly evaluations and Impact Report of Kineara’s services 

• Utilise CRM software such as Advice Pro to generate data-driven impact analysis and develop evidence-based communications materials for donors, funders and stakeholders

• Use learning from impact analysis to share with team and deliver impact-driven communications and to share our social value to funders and other stakeholders. 

Business 

• Contribute to development of business plans and strategic decision-making, working with the CEO, Finance Lead and Operations Lead (SLT) 

Person Specification 

With a strong alignment with Kineara’s values, you will be: 

• An outstanding communicator who can engage, inspire and support colleagues, donors, trustees, volunteers and other stakeholders. 
• Confident in promoting thought leadership to share our knowledge to develop external alliances and discuss topical issues online
• Passionate about addressing poverty and inequality, and commitment to equality and diversity
• A self-starter and a team player, with a flair for building relationships.
• A creative communicator with a strong awareness of current and emerging trends in the charity communications sector, who proactively develops innovative and effective ways to communicate charitable causes, drive engagement, and inspire support. 
• Adept at big picture thinking and project management, but also be able to engage with the detail to ensure projects are successfully completed. 
• Comfortable with and skilled at change management and relish the strengths and challenges of a small and dynamic team in an evolving organisation.
• Analytical and reflective, but with excellent time management and ability to work under pressure.

  

Experience and Skills 

We’d like to see a strong track record that is relevant to each of the key components of the role, although we recognise that you may have stronger experience in one or more areas. You will be able to demonstrate that you could deliver in:
 

• Planning, executing, achieving targets to grow income streams, including donor prospect research, developing new donor relationships, and grant writing.
• Working on effective online or offline fundraising campaigns that influence a range of stakeholders, with a reflective, creative and innovative approach. 
• Using impact and outcomes to engage and promote services to funders, partners and other stakeholders.
• Developing brands and brand awareness in line with organisational objectives 
• Creating communications plans in support of strategic objectives, and executing these to a high standard, reflecting and improving these to achieve greater impact. 
• Familiarity with social media channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook and solid experience of content creation and website management
• Creating and executing community, outreach and fundraising events. 
• Strong IT skills and familiarity with CRM databases, MS Office, Word Press.
• Ability to put together and manage project budgets.
• Creating, developing and adapting outcomes tools such as survey, questionnaires, and focus groups 
• Planning, creating and executing evaluations of projects, including creating surveys, events, questionnaires and feedback tools 
• Managing communications/fundraising officers and external consultants

How to apply 

To apply for the role, please send an up-to-date CV and a cover letter (up to two pages). Please provide concrete examples and experience where possible, however we are open to hearing how you might develop or demonstrate these abilities or attributes if you have not yet had many years of experience in the field. You can also include:  

• Why you wish to apply for this role   

• Your relevant experience, knowledge and skills, based on the person specification above.   

• What other qualities you have that you could bring to the role   

Please note we will be shortlisting candidates as we receive applications and reserve the right to close the advert before deadline date if the right candidate comes along.

Are you an experienced HR professional with a passion for creating clear, inclusive and impactful people policies? Join Shelter as our HR Policy Officer and play a key role in shaping policies that support our people and our mission to end the housing emergency

About the role

As part of the Employee Relations and HR Business Partnering Team, you will be responsible for developing, reviewing, re-writing and maintaining Shelters HR policies, ensuring these are legally compliant, particularly with new legislation, aligned with strategic goals, and reflective of best practice. A core part of this role will be to work collaboratively with our employee affinity groups, trade unions and key internal stakeholders to ensure policies reflect diverse perspectives, promote inclusion and support positive employee relations.
 
Role specifics

As our HR Policy Officer, you will be CIPD qualified, up to date in UK Employment Law, ERA and HR best practice. You will draw on your HR experience to understand detail, and how ER processes are applied in a busy and diverse organisation. You will be able to write clear, consistence policies, procedures, management guides and flowcharts. 

You’ll play a key role in developing and maintaining clear, inclusive and legally compliant people policies that support Shelter’s work. You’ll research and draft policies, guidance and tools, ensuring they reflect legislation, best practice and organisational needs, while working closely with colleagues, trade unions and affinity groups to gather insight and build engagement. You’ll provide expert advice to managers and HR colleagues on how policies are applied, helping to ensure consistency and confidence across the organisation. You’ll also support the rollout of new policies through clear communications, training and accessible resources, and help keep our HR systems up to date and easy to use. 

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.

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by 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.

Full Time – Fixed Term (24 months) | £32,258 per annum plus benefits | Location: Fully Remote (UK based)

We’re a dedicated, inspiring and forward-thinking healthcare charity. Our mission is to improve the bone health of the nation and prevent osteoporosis by influencing healthcare providers and professionals, supporting services to help our beneficiaries and driving research.

We’re also proud to have a committed, highly engaged workforce, as shown by our employee engagement rating, and we want to attract the brightest and the best to help us beat this condition and change society for the better.

About the role

This is a policy and public affairs role focused on influencing UK Government, Parliament and the NHS.

You will support our work by combining policy analysis with hands-on political engagement. This includes:

• Drafting briefings, parliamentary questions and stakeholder communications 
• Monitoring political and policy developments and advising on their implications 
• Supporting engagement with MPs, peers, civil servants and NHS stakeholders 
• Contributing to consultations and policy submissions 
• Helping deliver parliamentary activity, including APPG work and events 

This is a fast-paced role with shifting priorities, linked to the political cycle.

Do you have…

• A good understanding of how UK politics and policymaking works in practice, and how organisations influence it 
• Experience in a policy, public affairs or political role (for example in Parliament, a charity, consultancy or government) 
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise material for political audiences 
• The ability to interpret complex information and explain what matters and why 
• Strong organisation skills and the ability to manage competing priorities

If this is you, and you’re looking to join a fantastic organisation and team where you can really make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Location - In this role, you would benefit from the flexibility of working on a fully remote (UK based) basis. If you are local to the Bath area, there is the option to work on a hybrid basis from our central Bath office at least 20% of your time each month.

How to apply

To apply, applicants should provide a comprehensive CV, including details of relevant experience and achievements. This should be supplemented by answering the supporting questions, demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the person specification.

We particularly welcome qualified applicants from the global majority, as they are under-represented in the team.

Want to know more? For more details on this exciting role, please download the job description. The closing date is Friday 24th April at 9am.

REF-227 847

What you will be achieving

As a key member of the Academy’s Policy Team, the Senior Policy Officer will play an important role at a critical moment for the organisation. This role will help the Policy team to plan and deliver a new set of priorities for 2026/27. Relevant priorities for this role include, but are not limited to:

• Improving health outcomes in the UK and internationally.
• Mobilising the UK health research system to turn discovery into practice.
• Making the UK the best place in the world to have a career in medical sciences.

Within these overarching priorities, there are some distinct policy programmes the incoming Senior Policy Officer is likely to work on, which could include:

• Maximising the impact of medical sciences in prevention and early detection.
• Transforming the generation and application of clinical evidence to speed up translation from discovery to patient impact, ensuring equitable inclusion of underserved groups.
• Making the UK a global leader in responsible, effective and equitable AI and data use across the biomedical sciences.
• Conducting a foresight exercise to identify high-impact innovations that will be critical within the near future and ensure the health system is enabled to support them.

The Senior Policy Officer will be line managed by a Policy Manager.

What you will be doing

As Senior Policy Officer, you will lead on or support a range of policy projects and activities to inform and influence the policy landscape in accordance with Academy priorities. This work may include leading on or supporting the following:

• Major working group studies and corresponding outputs.
• Informing and responding to Government set pieces and announcements.
• Consultations and rapid responses, and shorter position papers.
• Roundtables, workshops, and other relevant policy events.
• Correspondence and briefings for senior stakeholders.
• Working closely with Fellows and other experts to identify and analyse key policy issues, gather data and expert opinion. Construct impactful conclusions and recommendations to advise internal and external stakeholders.
• Delivering implementation and follow-up activities on policy recommendations across external audiences and stakeholders.
• Maintaining an excellent understanding of the policy landscape by monitoring developments and key policy issues, including the use of animals in research (please see the Academy’s statement on the use of animals in research).
• Scoping potential new areas of policy work, and/or identify opportunities for the Policy Team.

External engagement

• Collaborating with organisations from academia, Government, healthcare, industry and the charity sector.
• Maintaining and developing an effective network of contacts across the sector (including our Fellows) to inform and increase the impact of policy work.
• Representing the Academy at external meetings, parliamentary engagements (such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Life Sciences) and political events (such as party conferences).

Supporting the Academy’s wider functions

• Supporting the Academy’s briefings and parliamentary monitoring functions.
• Coordinating across a wide range of Academy functions, including its Briefings, Impact, and Events capabilities, to maximise the effectiveness of policy work.
• Working with the Communications and Engagement teams to co-develop relevant outputs and activities.
• Briefing senior stakeholders for high-level meetings and events where necessary.
• Supporting the development of core scripts on priority policy topics across the Policy team.
• Supporting the Monitoring and Evaluation team with monitoring the policy team’s impact.

Budget and line management

• Occasionally managing policy budget lines.
• Occasionally supervising policy interns and placement students.

Benefits

We provide our staff with a comprehensive benefits package outlined as follows:

• Generous pension scheme with flexible contributions – we contribute between 8% - 13% of your gross salary (with employee contributions of 3% - 8%).
• Life assurance at three times your salary.
• Hybrid and agile working. 50% office attendance.
• 26 days annual leave, plus Christmas closure days and bank holidays.
• Buying and selling leave.
• Family-friendly policies including enhanced maternity and paternity leave (subject to a qualifying period).
• Complimentary subscriptions to Headspace and Classpass to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Support through tailored learning and development.
• A range of enhanced benefits become available once you’ve completed your probation period.

For more information and to apply, please visit our careers portal.

Closing date: 9.00am on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

Interview date: Thursday, 7 May 2026 (held online).

Policy Officer

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

We currently have employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new strategy, On a Mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.

Job Sumnmary for Policy Officer 

We are looking for a Policy Officer to join our Policy and Influencing team. You will build on your policy experience, responding to and shaping policy to ensure it drives real change for people affected by bowel cancer. You will turn complex issues into clear, actionable insight for colleagues, partners, and decision-makers, and contribute to evidence-informed positions that support the charity in influencing health policy. You will also lead on your own policy areas and work closely with our bowel cancer community to ensure their experiences inform and shape our work.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience

• We welcome applicants from a broad range of experience and background, specifically spanning policy, science or health
• Some direct experience of working on policy issues in health, or a relevant sector, and a willingness to develop these skills further, alongside an interest in those issues affecting bowel cancer patients.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Good verbal, written communications and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively and adapt style to different audiences. Including the ability to explain information clearly and encourage colleagues to understand different points of view
• Proven ability of strong analytical and research skills to identify and solve a range of problems
• Good interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
• Understanding of the health policy and political environment
• Excellent organisational, time and project management skills with the ability to prioritise work, handle conflicting demands and meet tight deadlines on defined work areas
• Proven ability to support the day-to-day management of specified projects, proving some technical input in the project planning stage.
• Knowledge of the health service and health service policy issues. Awareness of cancer issues and bowel cancer in particular is desirable

Please refer to the Job Description for further details. 

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

At Your Place, we have one simple goal: to solve homelessness, one person at a time – and this role plays a vital part in making that possible. Based in Newham, where the levels of homelessness are the highest in the country, our work has never been more needed.

We are looking for someone with experience in communications within the charity sector. If you have a passion for telling stories that matter, and are skilled in content creation, social media and email marketing, we’d love to hear from you.

This role is at the heart of our efforts to increase awareness and inspire action through the power of storytelling. You will create compelling content across digital, editorial and creative platforms, helping to engage our supporters, build our community and contribute to the growth of our charity.

Your work will directly support our fundraising efforts and enable us to reach a wider audience, making a lasting impact on the lives of people experiencing homelessness.

People like Darren, who said, "Because of Your Place, I’ve got the strength and the support to progress." Darren, who was living in a shed after losing a loved one, is now in stable housing and completing a course to get a role in construction. His journey is just one example of the many lives we’ve positively impacted. You’ll be at the heart of gathering and sharing these stories in a way that is ethical, trauma-informed and always respectful of the individual’s journey.

Job details 

Salary: £32,965-£39,350 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm. Open to part-time or flexible working requests

Location: Hybrid. 2/3 days per week in East London office (Canning Town, Newham)

Job closing date: Monday 13 April 2026

First‑stage interviews will take place remotely on 15 and 16 April.

Candidates who progress may be invited to a possible second‑stage interview, held in person on 21 April (and 23 April if required).

Key responsibilities:

• Identify and create powerful stories from across the charity, leveraging key moments, events and milestones to raise awareness and engagement.

· Develop and deliver a content plan that brings our mission to life and shares stories across multiple channels and formats.

• Lead social media, web and email marketing activity to inform, engage and motivate supporters to take action.

• Monitor and evaluate communications, using insights to continuously improve content and engagement.

• Create visually compelling assets, (including imagery for socials, reports, leaflets and more)

• Collaborate with fundraising team to ensure content aligns with fundraising goals and drives supporter action, including supporting events and appeals

• Record and update consent for stories, photos and videos, ensuring content is collected and shared ethically and respectfully.

About you:

· A skilled communicator who understands the power of everyday stories.

· Relevant experience in communications within the charity sector

· Exceptional storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to create clear, engaging content

· Creative approach to content creation, with strong visual design skills and understanding of how to tell stories through various media.

· Ability to manage social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), use content management systems (e.g. Wordpress) and email marketing platforms (e.g. Mailchimp) to distribute and assess effectiveness of communications

· Highly organised with strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

· Committed to continuous personal development and seeking opportunities to expand your skills.

You can download or request the full job description for more information.

Employee Benefits

We support you so you can do your best work. Here’s some of what we offer:

• Holiday: 25 days leave, rising to 30 with service, plus bank holidays and an extra day for your birthday.

• Health & Wellbeing: Weekly Wellbeing Hour, 2 Wellbeing Days, gym membership reimbursement, 24/7 helpline, cycle-to-work, and more.

• Pension: We match your contributions up to 7.5%.

• Career Development: Training, qualifications and professional memberships.

• Flexible Working: Tailored to help balance work and life.

• Discounts: Access to discounts on shopping, holidays, and events.

Commitment to inclusion

At Your Place, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that the different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of peoples age, disability, sex, gender, identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

Our client, a well-known anti-poverty charity is looking to recruit a Director of Policy & Engagement on a maternity contract of up to 12 months. This great charity provides front-line advice, advocacy and campaigning and policy work on behalf of people in London beneath pension age, who are experiencing issues around benefit payments, disability and housing or who are at risk of homelessness. The services they provide have become even more essential during the current cost of living crisis.

The role:
As Director of Policy & Engagement, you will lead the organisation’s policy, public affairs, and campaigns function, shaping and delivering local and national influencing to drive change on social security and housing issues. You will ensure the voices of people with lived experience are central to all of the organisation’s work, embedding meaningful participation across the organisation, in governance, services, policy and campaigns.

You will also oversee strategic external communications to support the organisation’s influencing, brand and fundraising objectives and will direct all fundraising for your department including managing funder relationships, identifying opportunities and leading on bid writing and reporting.
 
This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for influencing policy and practice locally and nationally and representing the charity as a spokesperson in the media, with government ministers, MPs, and other senior stakeholders. 
 
You will manage a small multidisciplinary team of four, ensuring integrated effective delivery across the organisation. 
 
The role will cover strategic leadership, policy, public affairs & campaigns, stakeholder & media engagement, external communications, embedding participation, fundraising leadership, team leadership and cross-organisational Integration.

The person:
The successful candidate will be a strategic, politically astute leader with experience of leading policy, public affairs and campaigns at a senior level. They will have experience of integrating research campaigns, participation, external communications and fundraising to deliver impact locally and nationally. They will have excellent media stakeholder and political engagement skills, with experience of acting as a spokesperson for an organisation. This person will value and embed lived experience in all aspects of their work and will have a strong understanding of social security and housing policy. 

This person will also have substantial experience of leading on research for social policy influencing purposes in addition to having developed and shaped policy  for an organisation in a charity which works towards combatting poverty and other social justice issues. Having managed political and media engagement and external influencing activities in the past, this person will be an effective relationship manager both internally and externally, in addition to having provided knowledge based leadership to small teams in the charity sector. In addition to being a highly effective project manager, this person will be a very strong communicator both verbally and in writing, and will be fully committed to the aims and objectives of this anti-poverty charity.
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This organisation is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of poverty, from global majority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and disabled people are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome evidence of experience from both work and non-work settings such as volunteering and personal life. 
 

Policy Officer

Join a nature restoration charity, whose mission is to restore beavers to regenerate our landscapes.

We are looking for a Policy Officer to influence national policies and strategies that enable the restoration of beavers, rivers and wetlands.

Position: Policy Officer

Location: Remote, resident in mainland Britain

Hours: Full or part-time. 4 days per week (30 hrs), 4.5 days per week (33.75 hrs) or 5 days per week (37.5 hrs)

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £29,403 per annum, pro rata

Closing Date: 9:00am on Monday 20th April 2026. We reserve the right to interview candidates and close the ad ahead of the closing date, should a strong candidate be identified.

Interview Date: Online interviews will be held on Tuesday the 12 May. You will be asked to give a short presentation to the interview panel and may also be given a task to undertake during the interview

About the Role

Working closely with and supporting the Policy Lead, the role involves engaging with stakeholders to build strong, effective relationships and help drive policy change in support of the charity’s mission. Sitting in the Influencing team, the Policy Officer will collaborate across the organisation, including with Restoration, Communication & Education, Fundraising, and Support & Governance teams.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Research and monitor changes in policy and legislation with direct and indirect impacts on beaver restoration across Britain.
• Draft relevant responses, policy documents and political briefings.
• Organise policy events and meetings to support influencing work.
• Monitor the policy positions and activities of stakeholder organisations, including partners and those with opposing views.
• Cultivate and maintain stakeholder relationships, including with politicians, government officials, and partners to bolster support for the trust’s policy positions.
• Represent the organisation at meetings and events, including those of Wildlife & Countryside Link, Wales Environment Link, and Scottish Environment LINK coalitions.
• Support delivery of campaigns.
• Personal data administration to ensure compliance with the GDPR
• Work closely with the wider team to ensure cross organisational working to maximise influencing impact.

About You

You will have an understanding of the environmental policy landscape - including agri–environment schemes - across Britain at both local and national levels. With strong influencing and communication skills, you will have the ability to articulate policy positions clearly and persuasively to support policy change.

You will have proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders, including those who may hold differing or opposing views. For example government officials, NGOs, partners, and landowners.

With the ability to synthesise, interpret and apply scientific research to inform policy development and advocacy, you will have:

• Experience of producing high-quality reports, briefings and written communications for diverse audiences.
• Highly organised, proactive and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to the organisation’s mission and values.
• IT and visual content creation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Britain for work, including frequent overnight stays, with access to transport to get to areas not covered by bus/rail.

All shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Thursday the 30 April. If you have not heard from us by this date, please accept our thanks for applying and assume that you were not shortlisted on this occasion.

About the Organisation

Join a nature restoration charity, restoring beavers to regenerate our landscapes. Our client’s team is small with a diverse skillset and extensive experience in beaver ecology and restoration, human-wildlife coexistence, and policy. They provide practical solutions to help people to co-exist with beavers and influence legislation in Scotland, Wales and at Westminster that rebuilds ecosystems, improves river health, and strengthens climate resilience in a time of ecological and climate crisis.

Benefits include:

• 25 days holiday, plus Christmas day through to New Year’s Day paid, plus 6 days of floating holidays.
• Flexible approach to hours of work.
• Travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses will be met by the trust in
• Pension contribution of 3% of your total pay each month
• One-off contributions toward the cost of an ergonomic office chair and toward purchases of essential devices (laptop, mouse and smartphone)
• Monthly home working allowance, plus an annual contribution toward the maintenance and/or replacement of the essential devices.

We are committed to inclusive recruitment and are happy to make reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the environmental sector, including people of colour, disabled people, those from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities and all other protected characteristics

You may have experience in roles including Policy, Policy Officer, Policy Executive, Grants and Policy, Environment, Environmental, Environmental Policy, Environmental Policy, Nature. #INDNFP

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client – Not For Profit People. 

About Emmaus

Emmaus Merseyside is an award-winning charity that empowers people to overcome homelessness for good. We provide people with a stable home and life-changing tailored support.

We’re here for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We see the person and their strengths – and help them get their life back on track, based on the future they want to create. As part of a nationwide movement of local Emmaus charities, we equip people with valuable skills, training and work experience to achieve their goals.

No one’s life should be defined by homelessness. In our caring community, we build on each individual’s abilities, increasing their confidence and self-esteem. The people we support have a purpose and a chance to make a real contribution to their community.

About the role

As Chief Executive Officer, you will be the heartbeat and guiding force of Emmaus Merseyside. This is a role for a leader who believes deeply in people and the power of community.

You will champion our mission, inspire our companions, staff and volunteers, and ensure our organisation continues to grow in strength, resilience and impact. Balancing strategic vision with hands‑on leadership, you will help shape a future where every person we support has the opportunity to thrive.

We are seeking a visible CEO who is grounded in the Emmaus values and passionate about supporting others to succeed. This exciting role is suited to someone who can balance strategic thinking with day-to-day involvement; who listens, brings people with them and leads with empathy, clarity and purpose.

This is an exceptional opportunity to make a tangible difference, lead an established charity, and shape the future of a community that changes lives every day.

Please find attached the Applicant Information Pack below, which includes the job description and person specification.

How to apply

To apply for the role, please download the attached Applicant Information Pack below, which includes the job description and person specification.

You are invited to submit a CV and a tailored covering letter outlining your suitability for the role, along with your alignment to our values and mission. Please apply before the closing date for applications, 10am on Friday 17 April.

Following an initial longlisting process, selected candidates will be invited to an informal conversation with a trustee. This provides an opportunity to learn more about Emmaus Merseyside, the role and our community. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to attend a formal interview and deliver a presentation on Thursday 23 April. 

This staged approach is designed to provide a supportive and transparent experience, enabling both candidates and the Board of Trustees to explore mutual fit and leadership alignment.