Policy jobs in bilston, west midlands
The Youth Endowment Fund
Senior Research Manager (Toolkit)
Reports to: Head of Toolkit
Salary: £52,700
Contract: 2-year fixed term contract
Location: Central London, Hybrid*
Closing date: 27th June 2025
About the Youth Endowment Fund
We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.
Last year, 244 people in England and Wales tragically died after being assaulted with a knife. Of these, 32 were children. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. Even beyond knife crime, we know that the fear of violence has a terrible effect on children’s daily lives.
The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We then need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed.
About the Toolkit Team
The Toolkit team is at the heart of our work to spread knowledge of what works to prevent children becoming involved in violence. We want research to lead actual changes in outcomes for children.
Our flagship resource, the Toolkit, is a free, online resource that summarises the best available evidence about the effectiveness of various approaches to preventing children becoming involved in violence. It explains the evidence, how confident we can be about the findings, and provides actionable guidance to help policy makers, commissioners, and practitioners to turn evidence into action. The Toolkit is influencing real world policy and practice: the Home Office requires Violence Reductions Units to allocate at least 30% of their funding to interventions that have an impact rating of ‘high’ or ‘moderate’ in the Toolkit. Over half of Youth Justice Services use the Toolkit to align their work with the latest available evidence. Our Change team use the Toolkit to influence systems, policy and practice across children’s services, education, health, neighbourhoods, policing, youth services and youth justice.
The Toolkit is a live resource that currently contains 35 approaches to violence prevention, and we will add at least ten updates to the content this year. New research is published every day around the world. We collate relevant studies in our YEF programmes evidence and gap map and YEF systems evidence and gap map, and we collate study results in our Effect Size Database. We are working in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau and the EPPI Centre to implement new technology and to use machine learning to create a ‘living platform’, that contains relevant studies and their results in one place. This is an exciting development that will significantly speed up our production of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to keep the Toolkit up to date.
Key Responsibilities
The Senior Research Manager will be an essential part of the YEF Toolkit Team and will develop a portfolio of impactful projects. The core of your role will be leading the commissioning of evidence synthesis, using our new methodology, across a range of topics and producing Toolkit content.
You will:
Commission new systematic reviews.
- You will lead the commissioning and management of systematic reviews of the evidence through our Toolkit and Evidence Synthesis Partners: the National Children’s Bureau, the EPPI Centre, and the Race Equality Foundation. This will involve scoping and prioritising violence prevention approaches, convening expert advisory groups, reviewing research protocols and technical reports, and ensuring that research products produce actionable insights.
Write accurate and actionable summaries of evidence for the Toolkit.
· You will use findings from evidence synthesis to write new summaries for the Toolkit, and to inform YEF’s guidance and implementation resources.
· You will ensure that Toolkit content is only ever easy-to-understand and written in plain English with incredible clarity.
·You will collaborate with our Research team and our Change team to feed insights from the evidence into systems, sector and practice guidance.
Lead Toolkit communications.
· Collaborating with the YEF Communications and Public Affairs team, you will produce accurate social media content, blogs, and briefings on new Toolkit content to facilitate accurate journalism and press coverage.
Become an expert on the Toolkit.
· You will be an advocate for Toolkit evidence, and you will ensure insights from this evidence are accurately communicated to policy makers and practitioners. You will do this by delivering presentations on Toolkit evidence and providing briefings.
· You will also ensure YEF colleagues are up to date on the topics and content in the Toolkit by providing training and updates internally and sharing guidance about how to accurately explain the evidence.
About You
You are this sort of person:
· You want to play a significant part in reducing children and young people’s involvement in violence. You care about having an impact.
· You share our belief that an evidence-based approach is our best hope of preventing violence. You are fascinated by research, but you’re not just interested in research for its own sake. You want to achieve actual changes in outcomes for children.
·You’re a confident reader of research and have strong critical appraisal skills. You know when research can be trusted and when it can’t and can confidently articulate your views on the strength of research. You might have gained this expertise through your academic studies, research, or professional experience.
· You have a proven track record of commissioning or conducting high-quality evidence synthesis. You have a good understanding of these methods and can discuss the pros and cons of them. You might have gained this expertise through your academic studies, training, research or professional experience. You can scrutinise a budget to ensure it provides value for money.
· You have at least three years’ experience working in a role that required you to think about research. This could include a range of roles in policy, academia, funding, and practice.
· You write in a way that people easily understand. You have that rare skill of writing in plain English. You have experience of translating complex research findings into plain writing that everyone can understand.
· You have excellent project and time management skills. You can work independently, quickly, and to a high standard.
·You are good with people. You are comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners, and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenges when required.
·You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You are very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more.
·You work well in a team. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work.
·You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values.
You may have:
·A good level of knowledge and understanding of crime or violence. You know the facts, understand the issues, know the key people, and can discuss the theories. You’re knowledgeable on this topic and very at ease discussing it with experts. Alternatively, you might have a strong understanding of a relevant area such as education, youth work or social care.
·Confident public speaking skills. You’re an excellent verbal communicator. You’ve delivered dozens of talks on complex topics. You’re calm and confident when answering challenging questions.
While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of violence.
It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or socioeconomic background.
Hybrid Working
The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.
To Apply
To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" button by 27th June 2025.
When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:
1. Briefly describe the key evidence synthesis projects that you have undertaken or commissioned and be clear about the role you played in the work.
2. Provide some clear examples of products, presentations, events, or other materials that you have produced to help explain complex research evidence to policymakers, commissioners, and practitioners.
You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. As part of our commitment to flexible working, we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.
Interview Process
Interviews will take place in the week commencing the weeks commencing 7th and 14th July.
If you are invited to interview, we will send you a systematic review ahead of the interview and we will ask you to prepare a 10-minute presentation to explain the main strengths and weaknesses of the review and its conclusions.
Benefits Include
- £1,000 professional development budget annually
- 28 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
- Four half days for volunteering activities
- Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support
- Volunteering days - 4 half days per year
- Death in service - 4 times annual salary
- Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm
- Financial support including travel and hardship loans
- Employer contributed pension of 5%
Personal Data
Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.
We exist to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the National Lottery Community Fund in a pivotal role in which you’ll shape the future of funding policy and practice across the organisation. Having a suite of effective funding policies is essential to the Fund, guiding our funding practice, enabling a consistent customer experience and alignment with relevant statutory frameworks. As Head of Funding Policy and Practice you will be responsible for maintaining and evolving the Fund’s suite of funding policies, playing a critical part in shaping the future of funding. The role offers an energising mix of strategic leadership, policy development, stakeholder engagement and cross-organisational collaboration, with the impact of your work being felt right across the organisation.
In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to lead a dynamic and important programme of work that is critical to the success of the Fund. The role will involve a variety of responsibilities, including:
- Lead and oversee the Funding Policy and Practice programme, ensuring that adequate resources, expertise, and capacity are in place to achieve successful outcomes.
- Develop a strategic roadmap for the programme, identifying key priorities and creating a plan to update existing policies and develop new ones as necessary.
- Gather insights from both internal and external sources to assess the current funding landscape and guide decision-making in policy development and support for good funding practice.
- Act as an ambassador for the programme, advocating for it at senior leadership levels, with the Board and across the organisation to ensure alignment with broader goals.
- Establish and maintain clear governance frameworks to manage decision-making processes and prioritise policy development.
- Foster collaboration across various teams to ensure seamless implementation of policies and initiatives.
Your day will be a blend of strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and practical execution, with plenty of opportunities to collaborate, influence, and drive change across the Fund.
We’re looking for someone with the expertise and passion to drive policy development and ensure our funding practices remain top-notch. You’ll bring a strong background in funding policy work in a grant-making environment. Excellent leadership and collaboration skills will be essential in building relationships at all levels, from senior management to external stakeholders and funding colleagues across the Fund. You’ll have a keen understanding of the funding landscape, the nuances of working within a public body, and a deep commitment to delivering policies that make a tangible difference. If you’re ready to take on a leadership role in an important organisation and have a genuine passion for supporting communities, this is the role for you.
Interview Date: Week Commencing 14th and 21st July - Virtual
Location: We have a hybrid approach to working, work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices, these are Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Newtown.
Briefing sessions: We will hold two briefing session to further outline the role and answer questions on the following dates:
- 10 June, 2-3pm
- 12 June, 10-11am
On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below
Essential criteria:
- Experience in leading the development and delivery of effective funding policy for a funding body or function.
- Strong leadership skills, able to establish a clear vision and set direction for a programme of work, drawing on evidence and engaging others to shape a direction of travel.
- Strong engagement and collaboration skills, able to work with a range of people both internally and externally, at all levels of seniority.
- Excellent analytical skills, able to draw on data and qualitative evidence from a variety of sources to shape priorities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to prepare informative, engaging and succinct policy on complex topics.
- Ability to translate corporate plans and strategies into tangible policies while balancing operational challenges.
- A strong understanding of the funding environment for civil society organisations and ability to understand the implications of developments in the wider environment for your work.
Desirable criteria:
- Good understanding of the implications of the Fund’s status as a public body for policy and practice
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)
It starts with community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The National Lottery Community Fund has two exciting opportunities available—we are looking to recruit one Public Affairs and Policy Manager each for Northern Ireland and England to join our newly restructured communications function.
Please be clear which role you are applying for when writing your supporting statement.
- Public Affairs and Policy Manager (Northern Ireland)
- Public Affairs and Policy Manager (England)
This role is part of our ambitious transformation as we implement a significant pivot in our communications approach – building on our support for grant-making to demonstrate the powerful impact communities have in strengthening society and improving lives.
This role offers an exceptional opportunity to shape our political engagement during a time of exciting change. You will build the Fund's influence with government and political stakeholders, advancing community priorities through evidence-based advocacy and public affairs that demonstrates how our funding strengthens communities and delivers policy objectives.
Your insight into the political landscape will help shape both regional funding decisions and national policy positions, as you drive engagement with elected representatives, ministers, and officials. By providing timely intelligence and analysis of policy developments affecting our work, you will position the Fund as an authoritative voice on social change. Your understanding of devolved politics will be crucial in helping colleagues navigate distinct policy contexts while maintaining a coherent UK-wide approach.
Working with colleagues across communications and funding teams, you will identify and act upon opportunities to demonstrate the impact of our funding on communities and how it aligns with government priorities.
The ideal candidate will bring strong political analysis skills combined with practical experience of public affairs and stakeholder engagement. You should have a solid understanding of parliamentary processes and government structures in either Northern Ireland or England and be able to translate complex policy into actionable communications strategies. Your background might include roles in public affairs, policy analysis, or government relations, ideally with exposure to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. You should excel at building relationships with diverse stakeholders and be adept at navigating complex political environments.
Key responsibilities
- Build and manage relationships with elected representatives and political stakeholders in your country
- Develop effective influencing strategies to advance the Fund's aims through stakeholder mapping and coordinated political engagement
- Create policy and positioning papers tailored to your country's context that drive positive change
- Provide high-quality briefings and messaging for senior stakeholders
- Monitor policy and political developments, providing actionable insights to colleagues
- Lead consultation responses that articulate the Fund's positions effectively
- Organise events that promote our objectives and celebrate community power
- Manage relationships with external political monitoring and specialist agencies
Location: You will be expected to be based in the country you will be supporting. We have a hybrid approach to working with work pattern and exact location agreed with the successful candidate. Our offices are in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Newtown.
Interview Date: Week commencing 23rd June - Virtual
On application, please be clear which role you are applying for and align your supporting statement to the criteria below
Essential criteria
- Significant experience working with elected representatives, officials and other public affairs activities
- Evidence of ability in political analysis with parliamentary and legislative knowledge
- Experience in analysing policy developments and horizon-scanning to identify relevant opportunities
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills that influence audiences
- Experience in writing public affairs and policy briefings for senior stakeholders
- Demonstrable experience of project management
- Experience working in a matrix organisation with competing deadlines
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable criteria
- Relevant professional qualification
- Understanding of VCSE sector in relation to public affairs
- Experience working in a devolved administration and/or with regional stakeholders
- People management experience
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)
It starts with community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Sightsavers is looking for an experienced international development, policy or education professional to help us influence the development of inclusive education and international development policy.
Salary: £29,123.00 - £34,262.00
Location: UK, remote
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time (35 hours) or part time (28 hours) with some flexibility around hours worked
About the role
We are looking for an experienced international development, policy or education professional to help influence the development of inclusive education and international development policy.
We believe quality, inclusive education is a human right and should be available to all children, irrespective of gender, disability, learning requirements, socio-economic background, geographical location, ethnicity and any other distinguishing characteristics.
As Policy Officer- Inclusive Education, you will Conduct Sightsavers' policy analysis and work with the Senior Policy Adviser on global influencing on education, with a particular focus on the inclusion of people with disabilities in line with Sightsavers thematic strategies. You will support engagement with key external stakeholders and influence the development of inclusive education and international development policy.
You will support Sightsavers work to ensure children with disabilities can access equitable and inclusive, quality education by:
- Conducting high quality policy analysis and generating evidence to support Sightsavers' policy objectives in education
- Contributing to the delivery of Sightsavers' education policy objectives, including through engagement with relevant national and international policies and processes
- Engaging with different networks and representing Sightsavers at relevant external forums to disseminate evidenced based analysis that influence target audiences
Whilst prior experience of education policy is not essential for this role, an understanding or background in International Development and an awareness of inclusion for marginalised groups is needed, as well as the ability to represent Sightsavers to external bodies.
This is an ideal opportunity to utilise your knowledge of education, international development, advocacy and / or policy to influence education and international development policy and champion every child's right to an inclusive and quality education.
There may be some travel required for this role but there is flexibility around this.
Requirements
To succeed in this role you will have:
Essential
- Experience of conducting policy analysis
- Working experience or educational understanding and awareness of the international development sector, including issues relating to education, inclusion and human rights
- Experience of supporting policy and influencing work at national or international levels
- Understanding of issues relating to education, inclusion, human rights, or social development
- Ability to represent the organisation to external bodies
- Strong analytical skills and ability to think strategically
- Effective English language communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to deal with complex ideas and concepts
- Relationship building skills with internal and external stakeholders
Desirable
- Experience of conducting education policy analysis would be highly beneficial.
- Awareness of the challenges faced by learners with disabilities
This is a varied role, please read the full for further details.
Benefits
Sightsavers offers some fantastic benefits. Our comprehensive benefits package includes generous annual leave allowance, pension, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships and wellness discounts. If you choose to work in or are visiting our collaborative, modern office space, you will find it an easy 20-minute train journey from Brighton or 45 minutes from London.
To apply for this exciting opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.
We anticipate that the evaluation process will include a two-stage verbal interview and a written task
As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.
Sightsavers is an employer that does not tolerate any form of harassment and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All potential candidates will be subjected to rigorous background checks and controls.
In line with its commitment to safe programming and recruitment, Sightsavers participates in the inter-agency (MDS) administered by the . Through collaboration with other MDS members, Sightsavers aims to ensure that there are no sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment issues relating to potential new hires and that we can respond systematically to checks from fellow MDS members. This ensures our work is accountable, delivered to a high standard and supports safeguarding across the development and humanitarian fields.
Policy and Public Affairs Officer - National Youth Agency
The National Youth Agency is looking for a new Policy & Public Affairs Officer to join our Policy, Insights and External Affairs Team.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £29,000 - £33,000 per annum (depending on experience and qualifications)
Remote: NYA is a remote working organisation. However, its home is in Leicester which is available for staff to work or host meetings. There is also the option of a workspace in London up to 2 days per week. This role will require regular travel to meetings, events and conferences in London and throughout England.
What we do
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
About the Role
As Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the National Youth Agency, this is a unique opportunity to shape the future of youth work in England. You’ll be part of influencing national policy and driving change that directly impacts young people’s lives. Working within a dynamic and supportive team, you’ll be at the forefront of monitoring and interpreting developments across Westminster - from government consultations to parliamentary debates. Your work will ensure NYA stays ahead of the curve, responding swiftly to emerging policy trends and helping to shape national conversations. You’ll work with the team to use these policy insights to develop our influencing and advocacy efforts. If you’re keen to develop your career in policy and public affairs and want to contribute to meaningful change for young people, this role offers the opportunity to do just that.
Key responsibilities for this role will include:
Policy and public affairs support
- Research and track policy developments, political landscape changes, and other relevant areas to identify opportunities to further NYA’s policy calls.
- Monitor and report on parliamentary activities, government announcements, and consultations relevant to youth work.
- Compile and analyse data from various sources to support policy briefs, reports, and other written materials.
- Draft policy briefings, research summaries, consultation responses, letters, reports, newsletters and stakeholder communications.
- Maintain and develop stakeholder relationships and record engagement on the CRM system.
- Work with the team with the preparation and delivery of youth participation activities to support our policy influencing objectives.
Event support
- Support the organisation, coordination and note-taking for meetings and events, including webinars, roundtables and political party conference activity.
- Support with planning and executing of large events including attendee registration, youth participation, materials preparation and using the CRM system.
Other
- Represent the Policy Team at external and internal meetings, policy forums and events.
- Work collaboratively with other teams and directorates to help build an understanding of the work of the Policy and Public Affairs team and effective working relationships across the organisation.
Please refer to our Candidate Pack for more information on the role and the requirements.
Why Work for NYA?
NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
How to Apply:
Please download our applicant pack to find out more about the role and requirements
To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Sunday 29th June 2025:
A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the About You section.
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.
Please note: the covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 30% AI generated content with be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
Youth Work changes lives
Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from it.As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.
We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.
REF-221910
Role: Senior Officer, Policy & Advocacy (Climate Change & Environment)
Reporting To: Policy & Advocacy Adviser (Climate Change & Environment)
Salary: £47,333
Location: Remote working (preference for GMT +/- 8h).
For non-UK candidates: Please note that you would be hired via Deel either as a contractor or as an employee with local national benefits.
Contract duration: 3 year fixed-term contract, renewable
Probation period: 6 months
Contract type: Full-time or part-time (minimum 4 days a week), compressed hours and flexible working arrangements available
Closing date: 13 June 2025 at 23:30 UK time
What does United for Global Mental Health do?
At United for Global Mental Health, we work with trusted partners to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and increase support for mental health worldwide.
The United for Global Mental Health team is made up of diverse, passionate and knowledgeable individuals based in the UK and in countries around the world. By combining our extensive in-house expertise in advocacy, financing and campaigning with the unique insights of our many partners, we’re making progress on ensuring that everyone, everywhere has someone to turn to in support of their mental health. You can read about our three-year strategy and our 2024 impact report here.
What will I be doing?
This role will support the delivery of several activities within our portfolio of activities on climate change, the environment, and mental health. The four main areas of work that the Senior Officer will be responsible for include:
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Leading work with national partners (50% of post)
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Integration of people with lived experience (hereafter referred to as PWLE) across the portfolio (25% of post)
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Developing our advocacy on the intersection of air pollution and mental health (15% of post)
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Developing our advocacy on the intersection of biodiversity loss and mental health (10% of post)
National level work (50% of post)
A key component of the current project will be to support national partners in a subset of countries globally (approximately 6 countries) to advocate for action on climate change and mental health. The final set of countries is yet to be defined but will likely include one country per WHO region and one country from the Small Islands Developing States. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Lead in the selection of national partners in each country. This will include supporting the running of a competitive process to select one civil-society organisation based in each country to conduct the work
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Strengthen the capacity of national partners to work on climate change and mental health (e.g., via training to national partners to be delivered by the Senior Officer), if required
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Support national partners in advocating for the integration of mental health into climate policies, including but not limited to Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans, Heat Health Action Plans etc.
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Lead in cohort-building activities for this subset of countries (e.g., organising regular meetings, ensuring shared learnings etc.)
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With the support of our Operations team, support in the logistics of sub-contracting national partners and monitoring deliverables
Involvement of people with lived experience (25% of post)
The meaningful engagement of PWLE of mental health challenges is central to all work at United for Global Mental Health. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Leading on setting up and coordinating a Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG), which will meet every two months to provide guidance to UnitedGMH and national partners on their work on climate and health. The Senior Officer will be responsible for recruiting approximately 12 PWLE (2 x WHO region), organising regular meetings, and ensuring that the feedback of PWLE is integrated across different projects
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Support the attendance of PWLE to key global advocacy moments in a meaningful, safe, and impactful way
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Support national partners on the integration of lived experience considerations in their work on climate change and mental health
Work on air pollution and mental health (15% of post)
The evidence on air pollution and mental health is a nascent, but rapidly growing, area of interest. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Scope what concrete opportunities exist for integrating mental health considerations into air pollution policies at the global, regional, and national levels
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Build connections with organisations working on air pollution and clean air policies
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Refine our messaging on air pollution and mental health
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Lead on the production of one advocacy brief on air pollution and mental health
Work on biodiversity loss and mental health (10% of post)
There is emerging evidence on the association between biodiversity loss and mental health, but very little work has yet been done in the policy space. The specific responsibilities of this component will include:
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Scoping what concrete opportunities exist for integrating mental health considerations into biodiversity policies at the global, regional, and national levels
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Build connections with organisations working on biodiversity, conservation, and nature
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Refine our messaging on biodiversity and mental health
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Lead the production of one advocacy brief on pesticide use and suicide
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Lead on our engagement with the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (biodiversity COP)
Is this job for me?
Requirements
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A minimum of 3 years of experience working on global mental health policy, advocacy, research, or practice
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Expertise in managing and engaging with multiple different types of stakeholders (e.g., civil society, UN agencies, governments etc.)
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Experience working on co-creation, patient and public involvement (PPI), or working with people with lived experience of mental health problems
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Excellent project management skills and strong planning skills including attention to detail, critical thinking, multi-tasking and problem-solving
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Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
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Ability to work collaboratively in a team
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Expertise in the development of funding proposals and ability to track and report on grant deliverables
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Expertise in organising meetings, events, and small gatherings of partners and other stakeholders
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Ability to travel 2-3 times a year internationally
Desirable
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Expertise in climate change and mental health is desirable but not required
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Experience of working in low- and middle-income countries on mental health is desirable but not required
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Experience of working on influencing policy within a government is desirable but not required
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Fluency in English is essential, the ability to work in a second UN language would be an advantage (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian)
Diversity and inclusion
Equity, diversity and inclusion are central to UnitedGMH’s core mission and values, and the organisation is dedicated to promoting this across our work and also within the workplace. We will ensure that this commitment is embedded in all operational aspects of the organisation and also implemented within our day-to-day working practices.
Reasonable adjustments statement
We aim to ensure that all applicants are provided with the same opportunities during the recruitment process. Should you have a disability and require a particular adjustment to be made to allow you to fully participate in the recruitment process, please ensure that this is made known to the person arranging your interview.
How can I apply?
To apply please submit your CV and a cover letter (800 words maximum) via Charity Job.
Selection process
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A subset of candidates will be invited to:
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Submit a short written assignment
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Participate in at least 2 online interviews between the 1st of July and the 18th of July
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Benefits
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28 days of holiday a year plus national holidays in your country of residency
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Possibility of being hired by Deel as a local employee (with local pension and social security benefits) or as a contractor (decision up to the employee based on personal preference)
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Up to 1000£ a year of allowance for office space
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Up to 500£ a year in personal development training allowance
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A minimum of 1 in-person team retreat a year
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Possibility to work from anywhere in the world (where you have the legal right to work from)
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Possibility to work compressed hours
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Access to Employee Assistance Programme via HealthAssured
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[For UK-based staff] You contribute 5% of your salary and we pay for 3% (8% total)
The National Lottery Community Fund is seeking a Senior Government Relationship Manager to lead our relationships with governments across the UK as part of our newly restructured communications function. This role represents a significant opportunity in our new function as we implement our ambitious communications strategy that shifts from traditional grant-making support to demonstrating the powerful impact that communities have across the UK.
As a senior member of the External Affairs team and a key part of our wider communications team, you will lead our relationship with DCMS as our sponsor department and build a coherent approach to government relations across the UK that recognises the needs of all of the devolved administrations. You will build connections with relevant government departments, acting as the key coordinator and source of knowledge and insight for all government-related activity at the Fund.
Your role as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on government relations and building our reputation will be critical to our success. Your political insight will help the Fund maintain its identity as a champion of community-led change while providing senior counsel on engaging with ministers and officials.
You will work in close collaboration with communications and funding colleagues to anticipate and mitigate risks in a structured way, handling sensitive issues when they arise. Your strong understanding of the political landscape and ability to build strong relationships will support the Fund’s wider strategic objectives.
We're looking for a government relations professional with significant experience who can build influential relationships across all levels of government and who can provide expert analysis of policy developments. The ideal candidate will bring a sophisticated understanding of the UK political landscape and the workings of government. You will be politically astute with experience navigating complex stakeholder environments and balancing diverse priorities. Your background might include policy development, stakeholder or government relations or public affairs in a government department, a public body or a large mission-driven organisation.
Key responsibilities
- Design and deliver a consistent approach to government relations across the UK, maintaining systems and processes for ensuring effective delivery
- Lead our sponsor relationship with DCMS and build relationships and connections with relevant departments, managing and co-ordinating responses to departmental requirements and identifying opportunities to demonstrate our value.
- Provide strategic horizon scanning and expert policy analysis, disseminating information and advice to senior leaders
- Coordinate the Fund's interactions with governments across the UK
- Develop engagement plans for ministers and senior officials
- Create high-quality briefing materials for senior leadership for meetings with government ministers and senior officials, attending meetings as appropriate
- Lead on policy positioning papers on key issues
- Support Communications colleagues to ensure country and regional government relations are aligned
Location: We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Newtown.
Interview dates: Week commencing 30th June and 7th July
On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below
Essential criteria
- Significant experience in government relations, policy and public affairs, working with government departments, ministers and officials
- Understanding of DCMS and its broader universe, particularly related to VCSE sector
- Strong background in political analysis skills, parliamentary and legislative knowledge
- Demonstrable success in influencing policy outcomes
- Experience advising senior leadership
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, evidence of ability to turn complex policy into useful briefings at short notice
- Ability to engage diverse political and other stakeholder audiences
- Project and matrix management experience, particularly in complex organisations managing competing deadlines.
Desirable criteria
- Experience with devolved administrations
- Background in non-departmental or arms-length public bodies
- Relevant professional qualification
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why the National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)
It starts with community.
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!
Venn Group is delighted to be working with a leading membership organisation to recruit a HR Advisor on a 4 month interim contract. This role will play a key role in reviewing and updating HR policies and procedures aligned with best practice and employment law.
Key responsibilities of the role:
- Draft and revise HR policies and procedures in line with UK employment legislation and best practice, collaborating with key HR stakeholders.
- Identify, prioritise and update outdated policies based on significance and time since last review
- Work with the Governance team to keep the policy register current and compliant
- Engage with staff representatives in the consultation process for all new and revised HR policies, and complete equality impact assessments as required
- Prepare documentation for policy approval and ensure timely scheduling for review by the Risk Management Board and other relevant decision-making groups
- Work alongside the Head of HR to present policies for approval at senior leadership or committee level
- Communicate policy updates across the organisation, share them with the HR team, and publish final versions on the staff intranet
- Support managers and HR business partners in applying new policies in practice and help develop a regular review schedule
Ideal candidate profile:
- CIPD Level 3 or equivalent qualification (desirable)
- Proven experience in generalist HR roles with a solid understanding of UK employment law and diversity and inclusion practices
- Strong written communication and interpersonal abilities to build relationships and produce professional documentation
- Skilled in conducting research and applying findings to inform HR practices and policies
Agency reference number: J88726
Duration: 4 month interim contract, subject to further extension
Pay rate: £22-£25 per hour
Working hours: Full time
Working pattern: Remote
Start date: ASAP
This vacancy will be actively shortlisted so early applications are encouraged to avoid missing out.
Venn Group is an equal opportunities employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates.
This role will play a leadership role in delivering our ambitious policy influencing programme, helping to shape and implement influencing plans to bring about the changes needed to reduce, prevent and eventually end the need for food banks in the UK. It will provide management and oversight to some of our strategic projects.
Role responsibilities
· Developing and implementing Trussell’s influencing strategy
Working with teams across the organisation to ensure key groups, including our community of food banks, corporate partners, churches and church-related organisations have a clear role in our policy influencing approach.
· Planning and delivering impactful public affairs activity
Ensuring systems are in place to help plan, monitor and evaluate public affairs activity and maximise opportunities to engage with key audiences, including Parliamentarians, advisers, and UK Government Ministers; and support close working with colleagues in all UK nations and regions. Managing the development and delivery of public affairs activity to support high profile influencing campaigns.
· Building and managing strong relationships with key external stakeholders
Developing relationships, partnerships and networks to help raise the profile, credibility and influence of Trussell and our policy positions, particularly in the UK Parliament. Representing Trussell and promoting the organisation’s policy position to key audiences, including in meetings and events with Parliamentarians.
· Developing public affairs support to the food bank community
Working closely with a small team of Network Policy and Research Officers and the Organising and Local Mobilisation team to support our community of food banks to build and maintain strong relationships with their local MPs. Ensuring public affairs activity is well aligned to campaign strategies involving the food bank network.
· Embedding participatory approaches across our public affairs and wider influencing activity
Supporting further development of a participatory approach to policy influencing to ensure it is rooted in the lived experience of individuals affected by poverty. This includes ensuring an ethical approach in line with our values.
· Providing advice and line management
Have line management responsibility for individuals within the team, providing pastoral and development guidance along with task management on key projects. This includes regular 1:1s, objective setting and collaborative monitoring, and support with development needs.
Person Specification
Technical skills and minimum knowledge:
· Track record of successfully influencing politicians and key decision-makers to achieve strategic goals at different levels of government.
· Track record of delivering strategic public affairs activity based on robust evidence, from development to evaluation.
· Can explain components of effective policy influencing, including knowledge of the machinery and structure of government (UK, devolved, local) and experience of informing campaigns activity to mobilise support for policy change.
· Demonstrates a good understanding of policies that affect UK poverty and hunger. Can explain policy motivations of main political parties and can advise on how to influence them most effectively.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in demonstrating enthusiasm and experience when communicating complex topics to non-specialist audiences.
· Experience of line managing, including dealing with performance issues and supporting team development.
Behaviours and competencies:
· Works collaboratively, managing challenges in a constructive manner
· Balances competing priorities and work to tight deadlines
· Demonstrates a dedication to the values of Trussell
· Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantages, marginalised or socially excluded backgrounds
· Role models inclusive behaviour, values and leadership
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
At the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) we are dedicated to helping the billions of people worldwide suffering from untreated caries. This suffering disproportionately affects people from disadvantaged population groups and costs the global economy an estimated $245 billion USD.
We work for better oral health for all through a number of interconnected programmes including advocating at global conferences and meetings, local groundwork throughout 28 volunteer Chapters, designing and recommending better oral health policies for national governments through our Policy Labs and more.
We are looking for a freelance Director of Operations and Finance to work for an average of 4 days a week for a total of 180 days a year. They will be part of the senior leadership team alongside the Chief Strategy and Advocacy Officer and the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategy
● Deliver our Operations and Finance KPIs as outlined in the Charity’s strategy; as well as being jointly responsible for the successful implementation of the full strategy.
● Lead and shape the Operations department, making sure it’s fit for purpose and maximising resources.
● Work collaboratively with senior management to maximise the success of the charity.
● Work closely and liaise regularly with the Chief Strategy & Advocacy Officer
● Work closely with the Chair of Trustees to ensure sound charity governance and compliance with HMRC and OSCR regulations.
● Ensure sound risk management strategies are in place.
● Manage the finance and operations input to grant bids and negotiation meetings.
● Liaise with external solicitors for advice to the Board.
● Project and logistics management, e.g for events and meetings
Finance
● Set and manage the charity’s annual budgets, supporting senior management in the process
● Report regularly on the charity’s finances, tracking the charity’s income, expenditure and reserves, and liaising with the Board of Trustees.
● Oversee the Charity’s bookkeeping and payroll; input journals as needed and closely monitor cashflow.
● Manage the end of year accounts and audit process, liaising with the external accountants.
Operations, IT and Data
● Manage the office and future office needs
● Manage the technology and data strategy, keeping staff tech secure and up to date, and acting as key liaison with third parties
● Be responsible for upholding our data privacy obligations. Work in partnership with senior management and charity lawyers to ensure GDPR obligations are followed, data security and use of data for internal and external reporting
● Oversee the efficient usage of our database, systems and key platforms (including Xero, Wordpress, Microsoft Office Suite) ensuring we are collecting and analysing relevant data in line with our goals to grow income and impact, ensuring proportionate resourcing and training
● Leadership of ad hoc Operations as required.
People Management
● If needed, oversee the recruitment of new staff, coordinating the process managing the staff journey including inductions, staff surveys, annual reviews, and exits.
● Oversee the communication with and distribution of work with freelancer and contractor staff.
● Maintain our policies and staff handbook, researching and writing/updating policies as required.
About you
Essential Criteria
● Must have a comprehensive knowledge of relevant systems, processes, policies, and procedures involved in the effective management of not-for-profit organisations.
● Demonstrable experience of financial management including, but not limited to, budget creation and reprofiling, forecasting, financial strategy, payments and invoicing, reconciling cashbook and bank accounts, VAT submission, and working with accountants on annual accounts.
● Requires possession of, or ability to quickly acquire specialist or professional knowledge of dental caries, and engagement in appropriate professional activities to keep knowledge base and skills up to date and develop them further.
● Ability to communicate effectively with a global stakeholder base.
● Ability to influence the strategic direction of the organisation and collaborating on the development and implementation of global impact strategy.
● Able to decide own pattern of work, manage own workload and resources.
● Requires the ability to use own judgement, creativity and initiative to resolve complex problems (for which an immediate solution might not be clear).
● Able to take both collaborative and independent decisions that have implications on their own work and that of others and have global, complex and long-lasting impact.
● Ability to advise others on recommended actions, including the creation of guidance documents and training procedures as well as introduction of new policies.
● Able to act independently in order to adapt the service offered based on research and investigation of the needs and requirements of stakeholders
Desirable Criteria
● Have an understanding of international development and sensitivity for ensuring appropriate and effective relationships are built across cultural and geographic barriers.
● Experience running communications campaigns using social media.
● Experience with Xero finance management software.
● Experience with Microsoft 365, especially Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
Applications
Please apply by submitting a CV (no more than two A4 pages) and Supporting Statement (no more than two A4 pages) addressing your suitability against the Essential and Desirable Criteria.
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!
One of our fantastic clients is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Head of External Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive external affairs strategy. This pivotal role will be instrumental in strengthening societies and changing lives, working closely with senior leadership to lead government relations across the UK and cultivate relationships with elected representatives, the Civil Service, and key partners within the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors.
The successful candidate will lead a team of public affairs, policy, and influencing professionals, contributing to the wider communications strategy. They will leverage an extensive network of stakeholders and a deep understanding of policy and public affairs to stay abreast of significant developments, ensuring the organisation remains proactive in its positioning and sensitive areas.
This role requires a leader who can inspire and develop a team of External Affairs professionals, devising and executing projects in a fast-paced environment while ensuring alignment with strategic goals. The External Affairs mandate is exceptionally diverse, spanning devolved governments across the UK and increasing regional devolution within England. Regular travel to attend meetings and spend time with colleagues across the UK will be required.
The Head of External Affairs will provide a professional, consistent, and expert service, supporting strategic activity across the organisation. They will oversee tailoring outputs to effectively reach key external affairs stakeholders and play a senior role in assessing areas of reputational risk.
Key responsibilities
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As a member of the communications leadership team, take ownership of, create, and implement a comprehensive external affairs strategy to deliver the organisation's missions and strategic objectives, including significant activity in the national portfolios, integrated and aligned to its communications strategy.
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Provide strategic oversight of government relations, public affairs, and strategic engagement across the UK, including relationships with sponsor bodies, working closely with the CEO Office and Portfolio Directors. Offer strategic guidance, sound judgement, and advice to senior leadership and other teams, driving a consistent organisational approach to relationship management.
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Take responsibility for strategic horizon scanning for external affairs activity across the mission areas, ensuring information and advice is shared directly with the CEO and senior colleagues, and opportunities for stakeholder engagement and influencing are maximised.
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Devise and lead a programme of external engagement with key policy, political, and mission-related stakeholders for the Chair, CEO, Board Members, and other senior leaders. This includes owning and coordinating key messages and briefings, attending meetings as appropriate, and ensuring actions are followed up.
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Oversee the design and delivery of engagement programmes that measurably increase engagement with key political and other audiences. Identify and manage risks, trends, or opportunities to protect and enhance the organisation's reputation and ensure successful influencing among key stakeholders.
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Plan and deliver a continuous review and evaluation of activities, including external benchmarking, measurement of engagement levels, and performance standards to ensure effective delivery of the External Affairs strategy across the four nations.
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Lead and develop a high-performing team, delegating work effectively, ensuring appropriate use of resource across the team, and providing and commissioning external suppliers and internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality plans.
Person Specifications
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Substantial experience leading government relations, public affairs, policy, and advocacy in a large, matrix organisation, ideally interacting with devolved administrations (national and mayoral).
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Experience in building and maintaining relationships with senior political and other stakeholders, fostering collaboration across diverse communities and perspectives.
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Experience of planning and executing strategic engagement across a range of high-profile audiences and activities, including responsibility for Chair/CEO/Board-level engagement.
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Experience of strategic planning and decision-making at a local, regional, and national level, including with peer organisations and local governments.
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Excellent interpersonal, networking, and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences with clarity and inclusivity.
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Experience of briefing and working with senior leaders in support of organisational and engagement objectives, often at short notice, including providing counsel in times of reputational risk and navigating complex organisational dynamics.
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Demonstrable leadership and project-management ability, with experience developing high-performing teams, resource management, and working in a matrix-management and collaborative environment.
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Experience commissioning agencies and third-party suppliers to work with internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality plans.
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Experience of continued professional, managerial, and personal development within the relevant discipline.
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If this role is based in Wales, or supports customers or colleagues in Wales, an understanding of Welsh language legislation and the Welsh Language Standards of the organisation is required.
What’s on Offer:
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Salary of £54,277-£60,000 outside London or £59,000-£66,500 inside London
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Full time role
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12 month contract
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Immediate start
How to Apply: To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the “apply now” button via our website.
The process: If your experience aligns with what we're looking for, a member of our team will be in contact to discuss the role with you in more detail before presenting your profile to the client. We will also ensure that all applicants receive an email to inform them of the outcome of their application.
To avoid any potential delays or your application being missed, please apply solely via the 'Apply Now' button.
Commitment to Diversity: The Talent Set and our partner organisation are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or gender. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced strategic lead to drive the next phase of our Right to Health campaign. This new role will work with our experienced and well respected team and our extensive network, to make the political case for the better legal recognition and real-world protection for the right to health.
An ideal candidate
You will be a passionate and experienced advocate for health, human, social or environmental rights, committed to driving meaningful change in the UK. You will bring proven expertise in leading policy, advocacy, or parliamentary engagement work - ideally within health, human rights, social or environmental justice sectors - and thrive in building strong, strategic relationships with government, civil society, and community stakeholders.
You have a good understanding of the structural causes of health inequality and the power of human rights frameworks to address them. You will know how the UK political and parliamentary systems work, and you are skilled at influencing these processes through clear, compelling narratives backed by evidence.
You are able to communicate with clarity and impact, tailoring your message to diverse audiences - from policymakers to grassroots activists. You are confident working independently and collaboratively within a small, flexible team, balancing strategic vision with practical delivery. Your approach is solutions-focused, inclusive, and grounded in the lived realities of people affected by health inequalities.
Most importantly, you are motivated by the opportunity to join a dynamic and well respected organisation and lead a strategic campaign that challenges the status quo and contributes to a fairer, more just UK.
You have the right to work in the UK and be able to work from home in London or within easy reach of London. A minimum of weekly attendance in London will be required.
This opportunity is open to applicants wishing to deliver the work on a self-employed freelance or employed basis.
For application, please complete:
- the Application Form
- a CV outlining your career (including paid and unpaid work), with any academic and professional qualifications, to date.
Applications that do not include both documents will not be considered.
We are currently looking for a Principal Legal Adviser (Maternity cover) to drive forward opportunities for strategic legal and policy advocacy. This is an exciting opportunity to help build an ambitious movement to phase out oil and gas extraction in the UK.
About us
Uplift supports efforts to create a rapid and fair transition away from oil and gas production in the UK. We strategically support, connect and elevate ideas and voices to set in motion a just transition away from fossil fuel production commensurate with the scale of the climate crisis.
The Role
As Principal Legal Adviser (Maternity cover), you will collaborate with Uplift’s team and key partners to ensure that our collective work is underpinned by robust and forward-thinking legal and policy analysis. From identifying strategic litigation opportunities to advancing law reform advocacy, this is a diverse role that is key to our work.
Uplift has taken and supported high-profile climate litigation and used legal insight to generate front-page headlines linked to our campaigns. Most recently, we have won the legal case against the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea. We have also generated legal analysis to support a wider network to participate in vital public consultation processes.
The successful candidate will have exceptional legal and advocacy skills, an ability to think strategically about law and policy opportunities, and a keen interest in climate and energy-related policy and campaigns. A strong commitment to Uplift's mission and core values is also required.
Responsibilities
Core responsibilities include:
Strategy and leadership
- Responsible for the development and implementation of Uplift’s legal strategy.
- Lead the development of Uplift’s strategic legal work, including litigation, law reform advocacy, and legal advice and analysis, that advances Uplift’s objectives.
- Lead the delivery of work programmes - including management of diverse and complex litigation and associated legal campaigns/communications - in line with Uplift’s legal strategy.
- Identify and shape strategic litigation opportunities, providing legal analysis and support to external lawyers and experts throughout.
Analysis and legal advocacy
- Develop legal analysis to support campaign, communications and research strategies, including support for key partners.
- Analyse, interpret, and synthesise legal and policy developments to support the politics team and advise our network.
- Track ongoing legal and policy developments across Uplift’s core areas of interest to identify key opportunities and gaps.
- Provide fact-checking and ad-hoc legal research for the Uplift team to ensure accuracy in Uplift’s public communications.
Management and staff support
- Manage a team to deliver Uplift’s legal strategy and objectives, including Legal & Policy Adviser and Legal Campaigns Coordinator.
- Manage sub-grants, sub-contractors and arrangements with external lawyers where relevant.
- Oversee financial and budget management of key legal work programmes and campaigns, with support from Uplift’s senior management team.
- Provide ad hoc high-level legal guidance and advice to Uplift’s senior management team on operational matters.
Our ideal candidate will have:
- Experience in a similar or related role.
- A formal legal qualification, with a strong preference for previous experience in strategic litigation. Legal expertise in an area relevant to Uplift’s legal work is essential: environmental or climate law, public law (including administrative law) and/or just energy transitions.
- Experience of working and advising on policy areas linked to Uplift’s agenda would be a significant asset.
- A demonstrable ability to provide compelling and novel analysis, including defining and executing strategic legal projects.
- Motivation, initiative, exceptionally high standards, a collaborative approach, and associated qualities are needed to work in a dynamic organisation with an ambitious agenda.
- A strong commitment to Uplift’s mission and core values of equity and climate justice.
Application
Accessibility and Anti-oppression are at the core of Uplift’s values and therefore we strongly encourage applications from candidates whose backgrounds or accessibility/support needs mean they have been traditionally under-represented in the climate and environment sector. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements or feel you will be disadvantaged by the process then please email us so we can see how we might provide support.
Unfortunately, we can only consider candidates who are already eligible to work in the UK.
Other:
- Location: UK
- Contract: 12 months - Fixed Term Contract
- Hours: Standard working hours 9.00 - 17.30
- Benefits: Annual Professional Development Allowance, Employee Assistance Programme, home office set up allowance, consideration of flexible working requirements and work/workplace adjustments, and organisational focus on employee wellbeing.
- Starting date: 1st September (with some flexibility)
- Closing date: 11pm,Sunday 15th June
- Proposed interviews: Interviews will be conducted w/c 2nd July 2025
Please submit a CV (2 pages) and cover letter (2 pages). We can only accept applications with both a CV and a cover letter. Please use the cover letter to say why you want to work for Uplift and how you could use your experience to meet the responsibilities of the role. Should you have any specific questions you wish to discuss about your application then send us an email. We will ask successful applicants to complete a written test along with a standard interview.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are looking for a Finance Officer to join our team to administer the financial affairs of the District. This role will include working closely with the District Secretary and Treasurer to implement financial policies and controls, assisting with preparing budgets and accounts, managing payroll, processing receipts and payments and maintaining appropriate accounting records.
Role Purpose and Objectives
To administer the financial affairs of the District including preparing budgets and accounts, managing payroll, processing receipts and payments and maintaining appropriate accounting records.
Responsibilities
Financial Controls and Policies
- Support the District Treasurer to implement proper financial policies and controls, ensuring appropriate accounting codes for churches and charities are complied with.
Budgets and Accounts
- Assist the District Secretary, Treasurer and Resourcing Mission Committee to prepare budget and circuit assessments for the District with reference to the District Mission Plan.
- Work with the District Secretary and Treasurer to prepare annual accounts for the District, including liaising with the auditors and helping to draft the Trustees’ Annual Report, particularly with regard to accounting practice and policies.
- Support the District Secretary as needed to ensure compliance with the Methodist Church and Charity Commission requirements, including supplying the information for HMRC P11D forms.
Payroll
- Ensure District employees’ and ministers’ payroll information is correct and liaise with the central Methodist payroll bureau so that staff are paid on time.
Administration of Bank Accounts
- Monitor cash flow and administer transfers between bank accounts.
- Set up approved payments in online banking and liaise with signatories to authorise these for payment.
- Liaise with the Treasurer and/or District Secretary on transactions with the Central Finance Board and Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes, preparing paperwork to facilitate drawdown of funds.
- Administer changes to banking mandates.
- Administer changes to Direct Debits and Standing Order instructions.
Receipts and Payments/Book-keeping
- Check invoices and expenses claims for accuracy, before sending to authorised persons for approval.
- Record all bank transactions for all bank accounts on a monthly basis.
- Produce monthly fund summaries, with detailed analyses.
- Provide monthly ‘sub-accounts’, where required, for specific projects
Other key tasks
- Manage the District’s Financial Record systems, including archiving information as necessary
- With the District Secretary, review and renew the District’s Insurance Policies.
- Maintain the District’s Asset Register.
- Other duties commensurate with the role as agreed with the District Secretary.
For an informal conversation about the role please contact Lisa Murphy, District Secretary. To apply, please complete the application form and submit by the closing date and time. CVs will not be accepted.
Interviews to take place during the week beginning 7th July 2025.
A growing, evangelistic, justice-seeking and inclusive church without walls.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Programme Officer to work as part of our National Programmes Team.
This is a 25 hour a week fixed term position until July 2026
Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.
Mental Health UK brings together the heritage and experience of four charities from across the country who’ve been supporting people with their mental health for nearly 50 years.
With our local service delivery and national expertise in supporting people whose lives are affected by mental health problems, we have been able to mark a significant footprint in the areas that deeply challenge our mental health and stability.
We provide support and services for some of the biggest societal challenges that pose a threat to people’s mental health, including money problems, navigating through the system to get the right support, understanding mental health, loneliness and isolation, and resilience in young people.
The Mental Health UK programmes team is responsible for the delivery of high-quality programmes and projects that: meet the aims and objectives of Mental Health UK’s 2025-2030 Strategy, strategically align with the needs and expectations of our four founding charities, deliver for all stakeholders including funding partners and beneficiaries.
We design, deliver and measure the impact of our projects and services, ensuring that they meet the needs of people living with mental health problems and have a positive impact on the lives of individuals and communities across the UK.
One in four people in the UK have experienced a mental health problem. At Mental Health UK, we won’t stop until everyone has the tools they need to live their best possible life.
How you will make a difference
As Senior Programme Officer, I will support the Head of Commercial Insight & Development to ensure Mental Health UK delivers high quality projects and programmes that:
- Meet the aims and objectives of our 2025-30 strategy.
- Are strategically aligned with the needs and expectations of our four founding charities.
- Deliver for all stakeholders, including funding partners and beneficiaries.
In this role, I will support the Head of Commercial Insight & Development to identify opportunities to grow and expand our existing programmes. I will work with the Communications and Marketing Team to identify opportunities throughout our programmes to demonstrate our impact as an organisation.
I will oversee the day-to-day delivery of projects within Mental Health UK’s portfolio, supporting colleagues across Mental Health UK and the four founding charities to ensure outputs are delivered on time and to budget, and outcomes are achieved as planned.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here.
We’re Rethink Mental Illness and no matter how bad things are, we can help people severely affected by mental illness to improve their lives.
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