Policy development jobs

Are you an experienced relationship fundraiser who wants to help secure transformational gifts that change the lives of dogs in the UK?
We’re looking for a Major Gifts Development Manager to build a pipeline of new and existing donors across the North of England and Midlands. This ambitious new position will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Dogs Trust’s work in the region.

What does this role do?
As Major Gift Development Manager, you will:

• build a pipeline of prospective supporters in the region, proactively arranging meetings and approaches with potential donors, identifying individuals who are passionate about animal welfare and may support our work,
• create memorable experiences that bring supporters closer to Dogs Trust by delivering bespoke, creative stewardship plans, underpinned by a deep understanding of donor motivations,
• be a key representative of Dogs Trust with high‑value supporters and senior volunteers and work closely with internal colleagues to create close relationships with donors, providing them with a compelling and fulfilling supporter journey,
• identify opportunities to develop relationships with senior volunteers and influential individuals to strengthening relationships in the region.

This is a hybrid role that will combine working from home and visiting local rehoming centres for meetings with donors across the region. The role will be contractually based at one of the following rehoming centres: Darlington, Leeds, Manchester, Merseyside, Shrewsbury, Kenilworth, Loughborough or Snetterton.

Interviews for this role are provisionally scheduled for Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th May and will take place on Teams.

Could this be you?
To be successful in this role, you’ll be a natural connector who thrives on meeting new people and building trust. You’ll have experience of fundraising and working with High Net Worth Individuals and making five-figure asks and above, or supporting senior colleagues with making those asks. You’ll need excellent communication skills, with the ability to write compelling proposals and build strong 1-1 relationships. While you’d ideally have experience in Major Gifts, we’d welcome applications from candidates who have fundraising or relationship management experience in other disciplines and are keen to develop their skills in this area. A commitment to the work we do at Dogs Trust is essential, as this must shine through while interacting with supporters.

About Dogs Trust
We love dogs. That’s why we do whatever we can to make sure every four-legged friend gets the love they deserve. We’ll never put a healthy dog down, so our work is focused on helping dogs in need, supporting owners every step of the walk, and creating a better world for dogs in the future. It’s what we’ve been doing since 1891 and how we’ve grown to become the UK’s leading dog charity, helping 12,000 loyal friends find their forever homes every year.

To apply for this position please click the APPLY NOW button. Our application process requires you submit a personal statement explaining your interest and suitability for the role.
 
Dogs are incredibly diverse, much like the humans that love them! At Dogs Trust we value diversity, and we're committed to fostering an inclusive culture. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, abilities, and cultures and believe that a diverse workforce helps us to achieve our mission. Our colleague networks give our people a voice, acting as vehicles for real and meaningful change within Dogs Trust. We truly want to see every candidate shine throughout the entire job application process, interview stages, and during their time with us. If there's anything on your mind or any adjustments you may need, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to support you every step of the way.

Job Title: Volunteer Development Manager

Team: People and Culture

Location: Hybrid (split between home-working and either London, Cardiff or Edinburgh) or home-based contract.

Status: Permanent

*The salary on appointment will be set between £47,845 to a maximum of £54,369 depending on the candidate's skills and experience. If you are internal and on the same grade then the salary will be as reflected in our pay policy. This approach aims to ensure fair compensation for new hires while maintaining alignment with the structured pay scale for the role.

Context and purpose of role

Volunteers are vital to the success of the Ramblers and the delivery of our strategic goals. That’s why we’ve launched a bold new initiative to enhance volunteer experience. We’re creating a journey that is inclusive, engaging, and genuinely impactful. Our aim is for The Ramblers to be a place where every volunteer feels welcomed, valued, and supported every step of the way.

We believe volunteering should be more than giving time. It should be about finding purpose, building connections, and being part of something meaningful. We are committed to creating an environment where people from all backgrounds and walks of life feel inspired to join us, confident in contributing, and motivated to stay and grow.

As volunteering lead, the postholder will play a pivotal part in bringing that vision to life.

You will work closely with key stakeholders to enhance the volunteer experience at every stage of the volunteer lifecycle—from attraction and recruitment through to development and recognition.

You’ll design and deliver innovative approaches to enhance the experience of our current volunteers, along with planning and implementing new approaches to attracting volunteers for the future.

This role provides the opportunity to create something lasting: a volunteer experience where people don’t just give their time —they feel a genuine sense of belonging, while making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.

The role will report directly to the Head of People Experience.

Key responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment and Onboarding

· Develop and implement strategies to attract and recruit a diverse pool of volunteers.

· Design and deliver comprehensive orientation programs to introduce new volunteers to the organisation and their responsibilities.

Training and Development

· Create and facilitate ongoing training programs to enhance volunteer skills and knowledge.

· Provide resources and support to ensure volunteers are equipped to perform their roles effectively.

· Organise workshops, seminars, and training sessions to foster continuous learning.

Volunteer Management and Coordination

· Ensure accurate records of volunteer hours, roles, and performance are maintained.

· Create a safe and supportive environment, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and best practices around safeguarding.

· Develop and implement policies and procedures for volunteer management.

Volunteer Retention and Engagement

· Design and execute recognition programs to acknowledge and celebrate volunteer contributions.

· Organise events and activities to keep volunteers engaged and motivated.

· Regularly communicate with volunteers to provide updates, gather feedback, and address concerns.

Program Evaluation and Improvement

· Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the volunteer program.

· Conduct surveys and assessments to gather feedback from volunteers and identify areas for improvement.

· Implement changes and enhancements based on feedback and best practices.

Collaboration and Partnership Building

· Work closely with teams to identify volunteer needs and opportunities.

· Build and maintain relationships with external partners and community organisations to expand volunteer resources.

Technology and Data Management

· Utilise technology track and manage volunteer information.

· Maintain up-to-date records and generate reports on volunteer activities and program outcomes.

· Leverage communication tools and platforms to effectively engage with volunteers.

Other

· Undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required of the post

· Engage and proactively develop excellent working relationships

The person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Knowledge

This section specifies the theoretical understanding or specific expertise needed for the role:

· Knowledge of the value volunteers add, and the impact they bring to organisations.

· Expert and up-to-date knowledge of the law relating to volunteering and volunteering best practice principles, and procedures, particularly around recruitment and retention.

· Demonstrable knowledge and experience of implementing best practice solutions to drive a volunteering involving ethos and culture.

- Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policies, and best practices.

Skills

This section details the specific abilities and competencies required to perform the job effectively:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Interpersonal Skills: Strong relationship-building and influencing skills

• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse data and use insights to drive decision-making

• Problem-Solving Skills: Proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues

• Project Management Skills: Ability to plan and co-ordinate activity across multiple teams to deliver project goals

Experience

This section specifies the practical, hands-on experience required for the role:

• Experience of ensuring Volunteer and Volunteer Role Manager journeys are accessible and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion.

Personal Attributes

· Active Listener: Listens attentively to others and values their input

· Collaborative: Values and leverages diverse perspectives and skills within the team

· Adaptable: Able to adjust to new situations and challenges with ease

· Problem Solver: Proactively identifies issues and works towards effective solutions

· Analytical Thinker: Analyses information thoroughly and makes sound decisions.

· Detail-Oriented: Pays attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and thoroughness in work

· Mentoring: Willing to mentor and support the development of team members

· Innovative: Embraces new ideas and technologies to improve processes

· Ethical: Upholds ethical standards and integrity in all actions

· Visionary: Looks outwards to anticipate trends and identify opportunities to enhance volunteer experience

Values and Behaviours

Our values are the core principles that guide us daily in our work and our membership of the Ramblers. We all share the passion that walking is for everyone and by living our shared values we can ensure the Ramblers is an organisation to be proud of. Our values will earn trust for the Ramblers brand which will allow us to open up a world of walking opportunities for even more people.

Inclusive

We make everyone feel welcome and part of the Ramblers community. We make sure we all feel respected and accepted and know our contributions make a difference in achieving our mission.

Inspiring

We strive to inspire people through the way we act and the things we say. We channel our passion and ambition so others are moved to help us achieve our mission.

Empowering

We empower and encourage each other to make a positive contribution to our teams and the Ramblers. We do all we can to make sure everyone has the ability, and feels confident, to take action.

Responsible

We take responsibility for ourselves and those around us seriously, by always acting in a safe and supportive way. We care about the environment and make sure we do what we say we will do.

As the school looks ahead to its next chapter, philanthropy will be central to expanding opportunity, enhancing facilities, and ensuring that RGS remains a place where talent and ambition can flourish. To support this vision, we are seeking an exceptional Director of Development to lead a modern, strategic, and inspiring development programme.  This post is funded by The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe Foundation CIO (Charity number: 1179234).

The Director of Development will lead the design, delivery, and growth of a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports the school’s long‑term ambitions. This is a senior leadership role requiring strategic insight, operational discipline, and the ability to build meaningful relationships across the RGS community.

A major priority will be to refresh, rebuild, and modernise the school’s fundraising data, creating a reliable, insight‑driven foundation from which to plan and execute fundraising activity. Alongside this, the postholder will lead a transformational capital appeal to deliver a new state‑of‑the‑art STEM facility by 2030 — a project that will shape the educational experience of future generations.

The role also includes developing a legacy giving programme, expanding regular giving among parents, and introducing innovative school‑based fundraising initiatives that engage pupils, staff, alumni, and the wider community

We are seeking an exceptional leader to be our next chief executive, leading a respected and influential membership organisation at the heart of a thriving grassroots movement.

You’ll be working to build on the success we’ve seen and strong position and voice we have established for ourselves and our members, as a leading force for inclusive and sustainable transport and communities.

You’ll bring an impressive track record in values-based leadership, a proven ability to engage and inspire grassroots change-makers, strategic partners and policy-makers, and a deep belief in the importance of community-led change towards a sustainable, equitable future.

About us

Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation, which is in the process of applying for charitable status, 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 77 community-based organisations, and around 1,300 station 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 dispersed locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.

About this role, and your main responsibilities

Our current CEO is moving on after nine years in role, leaving the organisation, team and wider movement in a strong and empowered position to deliver on the next phase of our development.

Your opportunity is to lead the organisation, and to deliver on our new five-year strategy setting an ambitious course for the future during a period of major transformation for our railways and the wider transport system. You will ensure that we are:

• clear in our identity and our independence, and seen as thought leaders in our field;
• are supporting our members and stakeholders to meet their changing and diverse needs; and
• ensuring the financial and operational resilience of the organisation in an environment that is undergoing a period of rapid change.

As CEO, you will lead a passionate and experienced senior leadership team with three direct reports, while working closely with and reporting into our Board, key partners and funders, and ensuing an engaging, empowering, tenacious approach across all we do.

Advocacy of community rail and its benefits will be high on your agenda, and you will be working closely across multiple stakeholders including UK and devolved national governments, regional and local authorities as well as forging collaborative partnerships with like-minded organisations.

Maintaining our community-centric ethos, you will need to ensure we're effective in enabling members to unlock greater value from the railways at a grassroots level, while drawing on their insights to affect wider change. With hundreds of member groups and organisations across Britain delivering life-changing, place-enhancing work, you will have a solid foundation to build on, to take community rail forward and expand our impact in the years ahead.

Last, but not least, you will be responsible for ensuring the strong and effective governance of the organisation, modelling our governing principles, values and behaviours, and ensuring that we have robust financial and resource management in place.

Skills, competencies and qualities

1. Exceptional leadership skills, including a proven ability to lead, develop and grow third sector organisations or multi-faceted teams delivering complex activities, projects and campaigns;
2. Excellent communication and external leadership skills: articulate, assertive, with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels;
3. Experienced in acting as the public face of an organisation, such as through the media, public speaking and high-level meetings, and using evidence and storytelling to articulate and champion a cause;
4. Politically astute, with knowledge of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a sound grasp of the importance of public transport, sustainable travel, and community-led action;
5. A proven ability to influence policy and decision-makers, and to identify influencing opportunities, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, including sharing community insights;
6. A strong track record in income generation and development, building strong funder relationships and delivery partnerships, managing programme or organisational budgets and controlling expenditure;
7. Experience of working with and/or reporting to a board, ideally in a not-for-profit and/or membership context;
8. An empowering, engaging approach to leadership, management and change-making;
9. Resilient, pragmatic and determined, with the ability to work under pressure, seize emergent opportunities, manage risk, and support others dealing with competing priorities.

Other information

The role will involve extensive travel within Britain as part of building your profile and that of the organisation with central and devolved government in Scotland and Wales, and increasingly with the devolved regions of England.

There is flexibility on location given the requirement to travel and that your office will be home-based. You will need to travel to in-person quarterly team meetings (usually in London or West Yorkshire) and to Board meetings which alternate between online and London. It is expected that travel will be by public transport and easy access to the rail network is therefore required to ensure journeys can 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. 

Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising up to 30 days, plus Bank Holidays, in line with long service); pension with employer contribution of 7%; and access to Employee Assistance Programme.

Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

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.

As Grants and Outreach Officer, you will play a key role in driving Electrical Safety First’s mission to reduce deaths, injuries, and accidents caused by electricity, particularly for the most vulnerable in society.

You will help manage the Charity’s grant scheme programme, which distributes £1,000,000 annually to fund community-based initiatives that raise awareness of electrical safety and reduce risks for those who face the most danger. Through this, you will help empower local organisations to create tangible change in their communities.

In addition to helping administer the grant scheme, you’ll support the Charity’s outreach initiatives, working closely with the Senior Grants and Outreach Officer to identify opportunities to expand the charity’s reach and partnerships. 

The charity’s outreach work goes beyond working with grant partners to maximise impact. It also involves identifying and developing partnerships with organisations that enable us to reach the most at-risk and hard-to-reach groups, working with them as trusted intermediaries, and supporting the development of longer-term, sustainable projects that deliver lasting impact.

This includes proactively engaging with grant recipients and partners, visiting funded projects to see first-hand the difference our work is making in educating people and saving lives, raising the profile of the charity, and ensuring outreach activity supports wider organisational objectives, including policy and public affairs priorities.

As this role sits within the Public Affairs and Policy team, there will be opportunities to connect grant and outreach work to the charity’s wider UK public affairs activity. This may include supporting work on key issues such as product safety, housing, and net zero, and occasional opportunities to support the team’s engagement with political stakeholders.

This is a unique opportunity to combine grant management and outreach, while gaining experience in public affairs, all with the goal of helping protect lives and making a real difference at a national and local level. 

Working With Us

This is a hybrid role, with the office located in Borough, a short walk from London Bridge. There are expectations for travel around the UK as part of supporting grant recipients and outreach work.

Additional Information

Applications will close on 17th May, though please note that we may close the application sooner depending on the number of applications received, so we would encourage you to apply as soon as you are able. 

Successful applicants will be contacted to arrange an interview, which will involve a task to be specified closer to the time. Unfortunately due to capacity, we will be unable to contact unsuccessful candidates.

Our Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday a year (plus bank and public holidays)
• Festive Break (Discretionary): Up to three extra paid days off between Christmas and New Year 
• Employee assistance programme
• Employee discount platform
• Hybrid working
• Learning opportunities
• Life assurance
• Loyalty awards
• Workplace pension scheme
• Private medical insurance (Optional)

Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates

We recognise that many candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Please therefore do not solely rely on AI for your application.

We will be holding an online webinar to provide prospective applicants the chance to meet JRF staff and learn more about the role. 

Please register via our website if you are interested in finding out more about the role. 

About the role

We are seeking a visionary leader to join us as Principal Policy Adviser (Work and Care) to drive the design, development and delivery of programmes that generate influential arguments, policies and ideas addressing the social and economic challenges underpinning poverty and economic insecurity in the UK today. This role is central to charting a course toward a fairer and more prosperous future.

You will actively seek out and engage with individuals and organisations developing innovative ideas and strategies that align with our mission. You will take ownership of how our platform and resources can be best leveraged to support the development and diffusion.

In addition, you will lead the external projection of this work, shaping national conversations, influencing decision-making at the highest levels, building strategic alliances and partnerships and backing experimentation and real-world alternatives. Your leadership will help nurture longer term shifts in thinking and action, ensuring that our work resonates and drives meaningful change across society.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively across the wider organisation, drawing on different disciplines and perspectives to strengthen policy and ideas work and maximise potential for change. You will engage closely with colleagues in teams across devolved nations, considering the territorial implications of their work and exploring how to address issues where responsibilities are devolved.

About you

We are seeking a candidate with strong expertise in UK labour markets or systems of care and a clear understanding of how these relate to poverty and economic insecurity. You will have a sophisticated grasp of how policy making works across the UK including devolved and sub-national governments and be well engaged with current political and policy debates. You will also understand how a range of analytical approaches, both quantitative and experiential, can be applied to complex policy issues, alongside a commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture.

You will be skilled at navigating complex dilemmas, using evidence, research and lived experience to develop insightful and original ideas. You will think critically and creatively, communicate persuasively and identify and support new ideas and perspectives beyond JRF. You will also be an effective collaborator, able to build partnerships and work with a diverse range of stakeholders.

You will bring a track record of shaping influential ideas or policies and experience of engaging and influencing at senior levels. You will have led successful projects or programmes, supported others through coaching and development and contributed to building high-performing, positive teams.

How to apply

If you share our passion and this role sounds like you, then we’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Please submit your CV and supporting information via our website.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 10th May 2026.

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 20th May 2026.

We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward should enough quality applications be received prior to the current closing date.

Additional Information

Applications are welcome from all, regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or socioeconomic background.

We positively encourage applications from people from marginalised backgrounds, including but not limited to those with experience of living in poverty.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and operate an anonymised recruitment process so that bias is eliminated from the shortlisting process.

In support of our approach to flexible working, we are happy to receive applications from those seeking full-time employment, as well as those who may want to share the role on a part-time basis. When making your application, please state whether you want to be considered for either full or part-time work and, if part-time, the number of hours per week you would be looking for.

At JRF we’re at our best when we’re continually building on trust, showing we care and making a difference – and hope others will do the same. So, for those roles which allow it, we’re developing a more blended approach to how and where you work. This means you can expect to work flexibly between the office and home (with an expectation of two days a week in your home office).

We offer a supportive and flexible workplace. More information on JRF Benefits can be found on our online platform. 

We encourage you to read our EVP, which again is located on our online platform.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. This means that we are committed to the recruitment, progression and retention of disabled individuals. We shall also offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the job. If you have a disability, please tell us if you would like to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

If you have any additional needs and need reasonable adjustments to be made to the interview process, please let us know.

As Southwark Cathedral’s Audience Development Coordinator, your main responsibility will be to monitor visitor numbers and build new audiences. Leading on impact and evaluation, you will develop strategies to attract new visitors, engaging existing audiences, and improve the overall visitor experience.

You will collaborate on projects related to the Cathedral’s marketing, visitor engagement and cultural events programme.

If you have experience in:

• Developing and implementing strategies to attract new audiences 
• Collecting and analysing qualitative and quantitative data
• Working within a cultural, commercial or visitor attraction setting

And are:

• Customer focused, passionate about excellent engagement
• Flexible, positive and creative
• Results focused, self-motivator with an entrepreneurial attitude, with an understanding of and enthusiasm for the Cathedral’s overall vision and values, and sympathy with the Christian faith.

Then we would love to hear from you.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

· Develop and implement strategies to attract new audiences and deepen engagement with existing ones through various channels like social media, email, and events.

· Work with the Head of Engagement to improve the visitor experience to encourage repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth

· Work with the Communications Team to create and manage marketing campaigns to promote the Cathedral and its offerings

· Attend Cathedral public events and programming to gather relevant data and audience feedback

· Build creative and engaging forms of visitor feedback that captures qualitative and quantitative data key to the building of an audience-led Engagement programme

· Work with the Engagement team to plan and execute audience-led programming to attract visitors and enhance engagement, such as concerts, lectures, or tours, delivering on the new Engagement Strategy

· Track and analyse key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of audience development efforts

· Work with other departments, including marketing, fundraising, and education, to achieve the Cathedral’s vision and mission values

· Working with the Head of Engagement, CFO and COO to manage budgets related to audience development activities

· Develop and implement an audience development strategy and an evaluation framework that aligns with the Cathedral's overall goals

· Lead on data and feedback analysis and the building of reports to inform key stakeholders and SLT of Cathedral programming

Closing date: 11.59pm on Wednesday, May 13th

Interviews are planned for Friday, May 29th

Introduction to the Cathedral 

Southwark Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship for over 1400 years. Now it stands on the vibrant and exciting regenerated south bank of the Thames surrounded by cultural venues such as Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market, the offices of major companies as well as schools and diverse residential communities. It is an inclusive Christian community that offers a welcome to all. 

The Cathedral’s mission, ministry and musical tradition are core to its life as a Cathedral and a parish church serving the community. It also relies on the valuable financial contribution made by its income generating activities such as its shop, café, conference rooms, corporate events and concerts. It is a very busy place, attracting 200,000 visitors a year to the Cathedral, its churchyard and medieval herb garden. The Cathedral relies on a small but dedicated team to be inclusive and welcoming to all.

Southwark Cathedral is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer. We believe in promoting and building a diverse and inclusive team, and workplace, culture and governance structures that are welcoming to and respectful of all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people whatever their ethnicity, background, age, disability, long term condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Southwark Cathedral is committed to a culture of safeguarding, especially for children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The Cathedral has adopted the Church of England policy statement ‘Promoting a Safer Church (2017)’; Safeguarding Learning and Development (2024) and the Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance (2021). Every member of our team is recruited according to these policies and is required to complete safeguarding training.

Research Policy and Partnerships Officer

We’re looking for a Research Policy and Partnerships Officer to join the team.

Applications from individuals who are seeking flexible working options, including reduced hours or job shares are welcomed.

Position: CE402 Research Policy and Partnerships Officer

Location: Home-based, UK Nationwide. However, occasional travel will be required as part of this role (may include team meetings or other work related meetings)

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week

Salary: Circa £35,500 (inner London weighting £3,950 per annum or outer London weighting £2,457 per annum may be applied in accordance to where you live)

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (this will increase with service up to 30 days, full time equivalent) cashback and discount scheme, employee assistance programme, learning and development, pension scheme, Life Assurance, Eye Care vouchers, Long Service Award, Tax-free childcare, Health Cash Plan, Working Pattern Agreement, flexible working opportunities available.

Closing Date: 8 May 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

Interview Date: 26 May 2026

The Role

The Research Policy and Partnerships Officer monitors UK research policy and governance developments, synthesises evidence and supports preparation of clear internal briefings, policy statements and consultation responses.

Reporting to the Research Policy and Partnerships Manager, the role helps ensure the Association’s research portfolio and the Research Academy remain well aligned to national frameworks and governance standards, and that lived experience is appropriately reflected in system facing outputs.

The role also supports the Research Policy and Partnerships Manager in building and maintain partnerships with research funders, medical research charities, academic institutions and health system leaders.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Conduct structured horizon scanning across NIHR, UKRI, REF, AMRC guidance and other charity funders to identify opportunities.
• Maintain a stakeholder and policy activity map; coordinate inputs for meetings with key partners, funders/sector bodies.
• Collate and integrate lived experience evidence in policy work (with Involvement colleagues).
• Support partnerships with research funders, medical research charities, academic institutions and health system leaders, coordinating meetings, shared resources and monitoring commitments and agreements

About You

You will:

• Be educated to degree level in a science, health, social science or related discipline
• Have experience of collaborative working with senior internal and external stakeholders, supporting partnership building in research, clinical and/or voluntary sectors

To fulfil the role, you must be a resident of the UK and have the right to work in the UK

Please state any preferences for flexible options in your covering letter.

Finding strength through support

The organisation is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. Providing tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year. This support includes one-to-one and group support, funding vital scientific research into stroke prevention, acute treatment, recovery and long-term care, and campaigning to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke. 

They are here for stroke survivors and their loved ones, from the moment they enter the new and frightening post-stroke world, supporting them every step of the way as they find their strength and their way back to life.

It’s only thanks to the generosity of supporters and donors that they can provide vital support. 

The Association is driven by an ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by stroke. This means they’re determined to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that benefits from the difference, and thrives on the diversity, of our people. Guided by an approach to solving inequity in stroke, the team are prioritising listening to, and learning from, lived experience across the charity.

The charity are working to improve the representation of this lived experience at all levels within the Association and are eager to recruit applicants from a variety of communities and backgrounds. We are keen to receive applications from people affected by stroke, people of colour, members of LGBT+ communities, and disabled people because these identities and experiences are underrepresented and would add enormous value to how the organisation work.

A Disability Confident employer, the organisation is making great progress focusing on flexible working, reasonable adjustments and access to work.

You may also have experience in areas such as Research Officer, Research and Policy Officer, Partnerships Officer, Research Policy and Partnerships Officer, Research and Policy, Policy and Partnerships.

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

Senior Public Affairs and Policy Manager 

London 

£50,956 to £53,000

Working hours – full time (35 hours a week) - you’ll agree your working pattern with your manager (core working hours are 10:00 - 16:00).

Location – London and homeworking (minimum 6 days a month in the London office, anchor day in the office every Wednesday)

Purpose and scope

Are you looking for a policy role where you can make a difference? Our client is looking for a Senior Public Affairs and Policy Manager to grow their influence with government and in UK parliament to ensure the voice of physicians effectively influences the national policy agenda.

You’ll be part of the policy and campaigns team, responsible for ensuring they maintain its position as a credible, influential stakeholder in the eyes of government, NHS systems and their physician members.  

You’ll join the organisation just as it publishes a new strategy and decides new areas of policy focus. You’ll play a critical role in developing and delivering the public affairs strategy to ensure that the organisation is an effective advocate for its members.

You will lead and manage our public affairs work, designing and delivering influencing strategies and contributing your expertise to policy development and campaign planning for a range of policy issues. You’ll maintain a proactive awareness of issues within the UK health sector, politics and the media and identify opportunities for influencing and policy development. You will have demonstrable experience of developing and delivering successful influencing strategies, using a range of parliamentary influencing tactics to achieve policy change.

You will lead and manage the organisation’s stakeholder engagement. You will ensure we have the right relationships at the right level to achieve our influencing aims and maintain a network of contacts across the sector, in parliament, including political advisers, and the civil service.

You will be as comfortable speaking to parliamentarians and briefing senior leaders for meetings as you are writing consultation responses and policy briefings. You will be able to engage with the policy detail, while appreciating the bigger political picture and the organisation's place in it.

You’ll need a sharp eye for detail and be able to quickly and accurately interpret and communicate complex information. You will provide the president, senior officers and senior staff with public affairs advice, brief them for meetings and play an active role in engaging external stakeholders in NHS systems and the wider sector yourself.

The policy and campaigns team – which is part of the wider communications, policy and research directorate – is a fast paced, collaborative and innovative environment. You will help us shape our objectives and continuously improve how we work.

Responsibilities

• Maintaining a proactive awareness of issues within the UK health sector, politics and the media and identifying opportunities for influencing and policy development
• Working proactively to identify opportunities for parliamentary engagement to grow the profile of the organisation.
• Building and owning relationships with Ministers Parliamentarians, their staff and civil servants, arms-length bodies and other sector stakeholders organisations relevant to their policy and campaigns aims.
• Providing public affairs advice to senior officers and staff, as well as their boards, committees and other activities as appropriate
• Managing a robust horizon scanning and political intelligence monitoring service to the senior officers, senior staff and the organisation as a whole.
• Owning a policy portfolio and developing proactive and reactive policy positions, working in partnership with senior officers, their members, communications colleagues and other staff and organisations. 
• Working flexibly and proactively without close supervision, undertaking a range of work such as writing briefings, letters, policy positions and consultation responses.
• Working with the media team to develop our client's voice with communications approaches that ensure high impact for their influencing and campaigns work.
• Preparing senior officers and staff for stakeholder meetings, supporting them in those meetings and yourself representing the organisation at meetings and events.
• Managing an adviser and developing them to the best of their ability.
• Any other duties commensurate with your post, including deputising for the head of policy and campaigns and executive/deputy directors of communications, policy and research, and managing budgets.

Experience

You will

• a strong background in public affairs, policy development and effective influencing in Westminster and UK government
• significant experience of developing and delivering successful influencing campaigns and having used a range of public affairs tactics, including the media, to achieve policy change
• significant experience of the policy development process and understanding of how to influence national and/or arms-length body policy processes. 
• excellent writing skills and experience of producing briefings, consultation responses and other communications on behalf of an organisation and senior people
• strong experience of giving advice to senior people, getting buy-in for your ideas and influencing opinion internally
• strong experience of successfully managing competing views, priorities and interests to achieve your aims. 
• be able to quickly develop positive and effective working relationships with a diverse range of people, including those at senior level
• experience of successfully managing high profile issues, relationships and events
• acting on your own initiative to develop new work, proposing reasonable and realistic solutions
• understand the importance of and be committed to involving a diverse range of organisations and people in developing and delivering campaigns.

You may have experience of

• health and/or social care policy
• influencing the Senedd
• communications management
• working in a membership organisation and involving members in advocacy
• budget management

Closing date: 05 May 2026

Interviewing date: 18 May 2026

Our client positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity. 

Our client is all about their people – their members, staff, volunteers and leaders. They educate, influence and collaborate to improve health and healthcare for everyone and know they can only do this by being inclusive, encouraging and celebrating diverse perspectives. Welcoming into their community people who represent the 21st-century medical workforce and the diverse population of patients they serve is a priority for us.

Location: London or Birmingham

Assessment Centre: 12th of May

Are you ready to make a real impact on the lives of young people? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where every day is a chance to make a difference? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

At The King's Trust, we're on a mission to empower our young people to reach their full potential. And right now, we're on the lookout for someone who's as passionate about this mission as we are. If you're up for the challenge, join our team as a Youth Development Lead, and let's make a real difference together. As a Youth Development Lead, you'll be the driving force behind our Development Award Programmes. These programs are all about giving young people aged 16-30 the boost they need to enhance their skills, find their path in education, training, or employment, and build a brighter future. It's not just a job; it's an opportunity to be a mentor, a guide, and a champion of change.

You'll work closely with our Outreach and Marketing colleagues and our customer service centre to ensure that young people are not only safely recruited but also engaged effectively. Your teamwork will be the driving force behind our mission.

If you've got a knack for staying organised and thriving in a fast-paced environment, this role could be perfect for you! Picture yourself as a catalyst for change, making a real impact on the lives of young people as they navigate their way through education, training, and work. Additionally, it presents an excellent opportunity for Youth Development Leads to foster meaningful connections with local colleges and organisations.

We’re also a massive advocate of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion so it would be amazing if you could lead the charge in creating an environment where everyone feels seen, by implementing a local action plan that supports our big-picture EDI goals. Let's make positive change happen!

If you feel you are flexible and someone who is ready to step in wherever needed within The Trust, including deputising as necessary in activities relevant to your area of responsibility, you could be just what we are looking for.

If you're a passionate advocate for young people, have an eye for detail, and a knack for turning challenges into opportunities, we want to hear from you.

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV, and Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferrable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need Youth Development Leads? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with every three in four moving into a positive outcome for either work, education or training. Youth Development Leads play a crucial role in supporting young people, no matter the young person's background or current circumstances, to fulfil their full potential. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives and we couldn’t do this without the important work of Youth Development Leads! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Unless the location of the role is remote, the Youth Development Lead role requires a combination of office days and working from home. 
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary) 

We’re looking for an experienced, proactive fundraiser who can think strategically and deliver hands-on. Someone confident writing bids, building partnerships and spotting opportunities for growth.

This is a key role at a pivotal moment for AudioActive, offering the chance to build on strong foundations and shape a diverse, sustainable income model and power a team that is dedicated to empowering young people through music.

What you’ll do

• Lead and deliver AudioActive’s fundraising and development strategy
• Grow income across trusts & foundations, tenders, contracts and partnerships
• Write high-quality bids, proposals and pitches
• Develop new business partnerships aligned with our mission
• Build strong relationships with funders, partners and supporters
• Work closely with the CEO and team to align income with programmes
• Track performance, manage targets and identify new opportunities

Contract Type: Fixed Term until 01/07/2027

Interviews: 6th of May

Are you ready for an adventure-filled role that makes a real difference? As a Youth Development Lead, you can expect to spend four days a week outdoors, delivering life-changing programmes to vulnerable young people, rain or shine. With activities like bushcraft, paddling, climbing, and hill walking, you’ll use your skills to inspire confidence and build resilience. Your hands-on approach will help break down barriers and empower young people to reach their potential.

Ideal candidates will have experience working with vulnerable individuals and delivering outdoor learning programmes. While your week will be spent mostly delivering sessions outdoors, expect one day a week at a desk planning sessions and recording data. If you thrive in dynamic environments and are passionate about supporting young people through meaningful, adventurous experiences, we want to hear from you!

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV, and Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferrable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need Youth Development Leads? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with every three in four moving into a positive outcome for either work, education or training. Youth Development Leads play a crucial role in supporting young people, no matter the young person's background or current circumstances, to fulfil their full potential. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives and we couldn’t do this without the important work of Youth Development Leads! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Unless the location of the role is remote, the Youth Development Lead role requires a combination of office days and working from home. 
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary) 

We are looking for a skilled and proactive Media & PR Manager to lead and deliver our media activity at a pivotal time for animal-free science.

This is an opportunity to shape how Animal Free Research UK is represented across national, sector and digital media. You will operate as a standalone role, responsible for building our reputation as a credible and authoritative voice on human-specific medical research, strengthening understanding of alternatives to animal testing.

Working across science, policy and communications, you will translate complex ideas into clear, compelling stories, secure high-quality media coverage, and support the organisation to respond effectively to emerging opportunities and challenges.

What you’ll be doing

• Setting direction and priorities for all media and PR activity
• Shaping how animal-free research is represented in public and policy conversations
• Building and maintaining an effective media presence, including securing coverage, developing media materials and managing media relationships
• Using judgement and insight to guide activity, including responding to media enquiries, advising colleagues and identifying opportunities and risks

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who can combine strong media instincts with sound judgement and the confidence to both shape and deliver media activity in a standalone role.

You will bring:

• Proven experience in a media or PR role, with evidence of securing meaningful coverage
• Experience operating with a high degree of autonomy, setting direction and managing delivery of media activity
• Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex topics clearly
• Confidence in building relationships with journalists and stakeholders
• Experience handling both proactive and reactive media work
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively under pressure

You don’t need to come from a scientific background, but you should be comfortable engaging with complex subject matter and motivated by our mission.

Why join us?

Animal Free Research UK is working to accelerate the transition to human-specific research methods that deliver better treatments for patients without the use of animals.

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Contribute to a mission-driven organisation creating meaningful change
• Work at the intersection of science, policy and public engagement
• Shape media narratives around an important and evolving area of research
• Take ownership of a key organisational function within a collaborative and supportive team

The essentials …

• Permanent, full-time (part-time considered)
• £28,000 per year
• Hybrid working with 2 days a week in our Bath office

The Geological Society Publishing House has an exciting opportunity within the publishing operations team for a ‘Publishing Coordinator - Journals’ to maintain the smooth running of the submission and peer review process for the Society’s journal publishing programme.

Who are we?

Founded in 1807, we are the oldest geological society in the world. Today, we are a world-leading communicator of Earth science – through publishing, library and information services, cutting-edge scientific conferences, education activities and outreach to the general public. We also provide impartial scientific information and evidence to support policy-making and public debate about the challenges facing humanity.

We have a membership (Fellowship) of c. 12,000, more than 2,000 of whom are based outside the UK. Approximately 3,000 are Chartered Geologists or Chartered Scientists - professionals who have demonstrated a high level of technical competence in their field and a commitment to professional ethics.

We have been a major publisher within the community since 1811. An independent and international publisher, we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service to geoscientists globally and any surplus is invested to support our discipline. We publish a diverse range of books and journals on the Lyell Collection, with over 10,000 pages of new peer-reviewed geoscience literature being made available every year.

Overall responsibilities / requirements … 

To oversee the article submission and peer review process for the Society’s journal publishing programme. Alongside the Publishing Coordinator for Books, implement agreed workflow and development updates across our submission, reviewing and licence management publishing operation systems and contribute to the operational side of the research integrity in house team. Reporting to the Head of Publishing Operations.

Peer-review

• Manage peer review on the Society’s journal portfolio
• Management of editorial freelance services
• Maintain peer review turnaround times and acceptance levels
• Liaison and support of key stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills, teamwork and collaboration across team
• Accountability to meet competing deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Ensure that manuscripts meet requirements and follow current policies and procedures
• Uphold excellent contributor experience for authors, editors, and reviewers
• Work with different teams to identify key articles for promotion and improve journal visibility

Operational systems

• Develop system configuration skills required to become an operational systems specialist for the Society’s manuscript submission and production system (currently Editorial Manager and Production Manager) and its third-party integrated systems (such as licence and open access management and research integrity tools)
• Work with colleagues to troubleshoot persistent manuscript, workflow or system issues, providing expertise and advice, and exercising judgement to resolve the issue
• Developing an understanding of XML tagging would be desirable

Research Integrity

• Work with colleagues to maintain guidance and use of tools to comply with industry research integrity standards
• Research integrity operational checks and assessments

The duties and responsibilities highlighted in this Job Description are indicative and may vary over time. As required, post holders are expected to undertake other duties and responsibilities relevant to the nature, level and scope of the post.

What we’re looking for …

Essential

• Experience with STM publishing workflows
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work well as part of a team
• Experience in communicating with internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent attention to detail and decision-making ability
• Excellent IT proficiency and full familiarity with the normal range of office/publishing software
• Organized, deadline-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities

Desirable

• Experience with STM submission and production systems
• Experience working with suppliers
• Working knowledge of XML and HTML
• Experience with research integrity issues and systems
• Good troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience collaborating across teams and an ability to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement
• Degree level education
• Experience of working for a learned or professional society (or other charitable organisation with trustees, committees and volunteers)

Person Specification

• Excellent interpersonal skills, and a commitment to collaborative working across the Society
• Self-motivated, proactive, with the confidence to act independently and with a flexible approach
• A commitment to personal development and learning
• Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines, prioritising work accordingly
• Positivity and enthusiasm

A bit about us …

The Geological Society is a registered charity and employs just under 60 staff at its offices in London and Bath. The Society Publishing House is based in Bath, from where we provide a full publishing service to an international geoscience community across a portfolio of books, journals, and associated products.

As an employee conscious company, we invest in our staff by emphasising training, growth and progression in every role. We firmly believe in creating a positive workplace wellbeing culture and offer a range of benefits to our staff including:

• 25 days basic holiday entitlement, increasing up to 30 days with continued service (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• Option to purchase up to 2 days extra holiday days per year
• Contributary pension scheme with 10% employer contribution
• Access to 24/7 online GP with mental health & wellbeing counselling
• Free premium Headspace account for you and 2 members of friends/family
• Discounts and recognitions scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Season Ticket Loan scheme
• Life Assurance and Income Protection schemes
• Free access to Royal Academy exhibitions
• Free Geological Society Fellow membership for qualified staff

The Society is committed to fostering an inclusive culture that promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a harmonious inclusive environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members visitors and staff are respected. We are an equal opportunities employer and the post-holder will be expected to adhere to and support the Society’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

How to apply …

To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply' button to be re-directed to our website. Please ensure that your cover letter highlights your experience in no more than 500 words.

As part of our inclusive recruitment initiative, we have introduced the concept of anonymous recruiting in order to evaluate applicants solely on their skills and experience. With this in mind, we encourage you to:

• Anonymise your application by stating only your initials in your CV (including your file name) and cover letter
• State your initials only and job title you are applying for in the subject line when sending your application
• Ensure that you have included your contact email and number, as well as dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable

Please let us know if you will require any special provisions to be made should you be called for an interview. We regret that unsuccessful candidates will not be contacted.

All applicants must have the right to work in the UK.