Policy and research assistant jobs in preston, lancashire
This is a key leadership role within the CSA Centre, central to our ambition to raise awareness of the true scale and nature of sexual abuse and to drive evidence-informed improvements in policy and practice.
About the role:
The CSA Centre aims to reduce the impact of child sexual abuse through improved prevention and better response, and effective internal and external communication is absolutely central to that mission.
Leading our Communications Team, you will play a key role in developing and delivering the CSA Centre's communication plans over the immediate and longer term, helping us to ensure that our evidence, learning and resources have the widest possible reach into policy and practice at both local and national level.
As a member of the CSA Centre's Senior Management Team, you will work closely with the CSA Centre's multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team, enabling you to draw on expertise from a wide range of different professional backgrounds. You will lead our engagement with communications colleagues from across Government departments and key stakeholder groups.
We are looking for a highly motivated leader with strong skills and significant experience in communication roles, and the ability to manage an extensive and varied workload to deliver multiple objectives. Communication activity at the CSA Centre is extremely diverse; in any given week you might find yourself developing a new strategic approach to disseminating CSA Centre resources throughout practice, leading a briefing session on new research findings for prominent national media outlets, advising senior Government leads on plans for a new awareness raising campaign, working with expert stakeholders to develop national media guidelines for the reporting of child sexual abuse… No two days are the same!
As Assistant Director, Communications, you will play a role tackling child sexual abuse alongside the work of our colleagues across practice, research, policy and training. This is important work - the CSA Centre conservatively estimates that one in ten children will experience some form of child sexual abuse before age of 16, and our ambitious programme seeks to improve the knowledge, skills and confidence of professionals (social workers, teachers, social workers, nurses etc.) in identifying and responding to child sexual abuse. We have already made great progress, but there is much more to be done – and we need your leadership to help us do it!
Although this contract has a permanent status, CSA Centre roles are subject to funding until 31st March 2026, in line with our current grant funding arrangements. This contract is due to expire on 31st March 2026 however this will be reviewed in late 2025, as future funding for CSA Centre from 2026/27 onwards is confirmed. If this funding is not extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement.
About us
We are the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre). Our aim is to reduce the impact of child sexual abuse through improved prevention and better response. To tackle child sexual abuse we must better understand its causes, scope, scale and impact.
Established since 2017, we are a multi-disciplinary team that is funded by the Home Office, hosted by Barnardo's and we work closely with key partners from academic institutions, local authorities, health, education, police and the voluntary sector. We're proudly independent and our team will challenge any barriers, assumptions, taboos and ways of working that prevent us from increasing our understanding and improving our approach to child sexual abuse.
We bring about change by:
- Collating and analysing existing research, policy, practice and the real experiences of those affected, and filling the gaps we identify with new research, insights and analysis;
- Using that evidence and insight to challenge and improve existing policy and practice, develop new approaches and increase everyone's knowledge and confidence to more effectively tackle the issue.
This role is home based with regular travel required, usually to London.
Salary:
The CSA Centre acknowledges that tackling child sexual abuse can feel challenging but is incredibly rewarding and positive when actively making change. Our open working environment ensures that there is support for all employees, across the team and with access to a therapist, if needed. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss any aspect of this further.
We believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore are open to offering flexible working arrangements.
The CSA Centre is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce. We actively encourage applications from disabled candidates and candidates from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as they are currently under-represented at the CSA Centre.
When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description.
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Senior Bid and Funding Officer is a new role for Involve as we seek to build the infrastructure to support the growth that we have experienced in recent years. This role will sit within our Finance & Support Services function and will work alongside colleagues at all levels in the Innovation & Practice, Capacity Building & Standards and Advocacy & Communications functions to identify and provide compelling proposals in response to fundraising and tender opportunities.
As Senior Bid and Funding Officer you will be responsible for identifying fundraising opportunities to bring forwards to the team for evaluation and coordinating the submission of returns ensuring high quality tenders are produced that meet the needs of funders and commissioners. You will support function leads in monitoring fundraising outcomes and comparing to income generation targets, developing a database of funders and improving tender response processes to reduce the administrative burden of tender responses without compromising on quality.
Our ideal candidate will have experience of managing the tender return process in other organisations, either in a commercial or charitable sector environment. You will bring strong project management skills, be able to coordinate tender submissions to set deadlines and have an inquisitive mindset to enjoy researching opportunities and thinking creatively how Involve can meet funder requirements while also advancing our mission.
We work across the UK, with offices in Belfast and London. Many of our staff work from home across the UK or in a hybrid pattern, rather than being based at one of our offices, though we meet up regularly as a team. We are flexible but you must be comfortable with regular travel both for project work and for Involve team activities. Must be able to travel to deliver work across the UK.
Please see our website for more details.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Purpose
To provide day-to-day coordination and delivery of key HR and operational processes, supporting the smooth running of the organisation. The role ensures effective administration across the employee lifecycle, contributes to policy and compliance work, and supports internal systems, procurement, to enable staff to work efficiently and confidently.
About Global Health Partnerships GHP
GHP is a global health charity working in partnership with governments, health institutions, and international bodies to train health workers and strengthen health systems across 31 countries.
We do this through grants management and capacity building, alongside research, convening and advocacy towards the goal of Universal Health Coverage. At the centre of our approach, is the model of Health Partnerships, long-term relationships between UK and LMIC health institutions, which improve health services through the reciprocal exchange of skills, knowledge, and experience.
At the heart of our work is the vision of a world where everyone has access to healthcare.
You can learn more about our work on our website.
The team and role overview
The HR & Operations function is led by the HR & Operations Manager and includes two Coordinators and one Operations Officer. Together, the team is responsible for delivering effective people management processes, operational support, and internal systems that enable the organisation to function smoothly across both UK and international offices.
The HR & Operations Coordinator reports to the HR & Operations Manager and plays a key role in ensuring the smooth coordination of HR processes, internal policies, and organisational logistics. The post holder will work closely with the Finance team, senior management, and staff across both the UK Head Office and overseas Country Offices, supporting a wide range of activities that are vital to employee experience and organisational effectiveness.
Three things to be excited about
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You’ll play a central role in supporting a mission-driven organisation, contributing to the wellbeing and effectiveness of teams across the UK and internationally.
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You’ll work across departments—from Finance to Programmes to senior leadership—giving you exposure to a variety of functions and opportunities to shape how the organisation operates.
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This role offers hands-on experience across both HR and operations, with scope to strengthen your skills in policy development, recruitment, employee engagement, and internal systems—ideal for someone looking to grow in both breadth and depth.
Main responsibilities
Human Resources
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Act as the first point of contact for staff and managers (including secondees and contractors) on day-to-day HR queries, ensuring advice aligns with GHP’s policies, employment law and best practice.
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Support the HR & Operations Manager with complex employee relations cases (e.g. disciplinary, grievance or capability), maintaining accurate case records and timelines.
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Coordinate end-to-end recruitment campaigns: preparing job packs, advertising, shortlisting logistics, interview coordination and onboarding administration.
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Administer staff learning and development activity, including supporting appraisal-related training needs, tracking participation, and organising internal training sessions.
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Maintain accurate, compliant and confidential HR records, including management of absence data, holidays and TOIL via the online HR system.
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Prepare routine and ad-hoc reports on HR metrics for the HR & Operations Manager and SMT (e.g. turnover, diversity, absence).
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Contribute to embedding GHP’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion across all people-related processes and practices.
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Support country offices by providing guidance on HR compliance and operational documentation (e.g. contracts, handbooks, policy templates).
Operational and Administrative Support
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Manage key shared inboxes and ensure timely triage or escalation of messages to relevant team members.
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Maintain ongoing contact with travel agencies to coordinate bookings, ensure value for money, and support compliant travel planning.
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Procure and coordinate delivery of IT equipment and office supplies for new starters in line with budget and procurement processes.
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Set up and deactivate staff email accounts and systems access, maintaining accurate logs for compliance and security.
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Liaise with the outsourced IT support provider and/or Digital Transformation Team to resolve tech issues, improve systems, and ensure efficient digital onboarding.
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Oversee day-to-day office operations including booking meeting rooms and acting as key contact.
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Maintain internal email distribution lists, ensuring they are accurate, GDPR-compliant, and regularly reviewed.
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Draft consultancy and volunteer agreements using agreed templates, in collaboration with relevant managers.
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Maintain an up-to-date tracker of consultant contracts and supporting documents, ensuring files are audit-ready.
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Regularly file and update HR document templates (e.g. contracts, onboarding checklists, reference forms) to ensure they are current and accessible to the HR team.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Salary: £36,910 - £44,160 per annum, dependent on experience, plus excellent benefits package
Hours: 35 per week
Contract: Permanent
Based: Home based with some travel to services required (estimated to be 1-2 days per month)
Ref: 1566
Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity, working in the areas of substance use, domestic abuse, criminal justice, housing and young people. We deliver world-class services that rebuild lives. We’ve been making a difference since 1969 by combining our expertise with new, innovative approaches, and putting people at the heart of everything we do.
The Bid Writer will work in our Business Development Team, planning, developing and writing high quality bid submissions that convey the organisation’s mission, values and expertise to commissioners and funders.
You will be responsible for coordinating strong tender submissions, resulting in successful outcomes. You will help ensure Cranstoun retains all existing contracts and wins new business, in line with the organisation’s strategic plans and targets for growth.
Within this role, you will work collaboratively with a variety of internal stakeholders, using exceptional writing and interpersonal skills to capture and convey Cranstoun’s approach to delivering services across a variety of areas.
We are seeking a confident self-starter, with demonstrable experience of high quality writing and clear evidence of successful outcomes in a business development context (70% success rate). The successful candidate will welcome the opportunity to tackle challenges and adopt a solutions-focused approach.
Above all, you’ll be interested in becoming part of a diverse, energetic team, committed to delivering innovative, person-centred services that make a tangible difference to people’s lives.
This post is subject to a Standard DBS Disclosure.
To download an application pack, please visit the website via the apply button.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept CVs.
Closing date: Sunday 3 August 2025.
Anticipated first interview date: w/c 11 August 2025.
Anticipated second interview date: w/c 18 August 2025.
We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Registered Charity No. 1061582.