Policy manager jobs in edinburgh

At the heart of the 2027 programme is a paid, 12-month role within a leading foundation, trust, or social investment organisation. You’ll be employed full-time in a grant-making or related position with one of our dynamic host organisations across the UK. In this role, you’ll contribute directly to improving the communities your host serves while earning a salary of at least £25,000 (or £25,642 if based in London).

Alongside your placement, you’ll take part in an acclaimed development programme designed to build the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for a successful career in the funding sector. Through this, you’ll explore the challenges within grant-making and social investment, develop your leadership potential, and work alongside peers to imagine and create a more equitable and effective funding system. The programme supports you not only to thrive in your new role but also to grow into a future changemaker in the sector.

This unique blend of training, professional experience, and network-building will equip you to take the next step toward a decision-making role in a foundation, trust, or social investment organisation—helping to shape how resources are used to create lasting change in communities.

Why 2027 exists

Launched in 2017, 2027 was born out of a desire to shift power in the grant-making sector. It aims to bridge the gap between funders and the communities they serve—particularly by addressing the lack of people with lived experience of working-class communities in decision-making roles. 2027 helps change who is involved in making funding decisions and how those decisions are made.

The Job

In your placement, you could be:

• Managing parts of a grant portfolio
• Building relationships with community partners
• Making funding recommendations
• Preparing reports and updates for trustees
• Engaging with the funder’s broader organisation to inspire interest in community work
• Ensuring legal and compliance obligations are met
• Representing your host externally and bringing in outside learning

Each role will vary slightly depending on your host organisation. We’ll work with you to ensure a placement that aligns with your goals and development.

Who You’ll Work For
You’ll be matched with a respected host organisation—one of the UK’s leading foundations, trusts, or social investment organisations—based on your location preferences and interests. Previous hosts have included:

• BBC Children in Need
• National Lottery Community Fund
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Sport England
• Better Society Capital
• City Bridge Trust
• NHS Charities Together

The Development Programme
As part of your role, you’ll participate in a comprehensive professional development programme led by sector experts. It includes:

• Residentials: Two in-person events for deep learning and peer connection.
• Masterclasses: Online, expert-led sessions exploring key sector topics.
• Peer Support Sessions: Monthly confidential spaces to reflect and share learning.
• Mentoring: Each Associate is paired with an experienced sector mentor.
• Self-Directed Learning: Curated content for reflection and growth between sessions.
• Peer Coaching: Training and monthly sessions to build coaching skills and mutual support.
• 360 Review + 1:1 Coaching: Holistic feedback and personalised coaching to support your development.
• 2027 Connect: A mix of events to connect with the wider 2027 community, including alumni, hosts, and mentors.

Career Progression
By the end of the programme, you’ll have built the experience, confidence, and insight to take on more senior or decision-making roles in the funding sector—playing a meaningful part in shaping how money is invested for social good.

Job description

• Job Title: 2027 Associate
• Salary: Minimum of £25,000 (£25,642 if based in London)
• Employer: One of our host foundations, trusts, or social investment organisations
• Location: Opportunities across England and Scotland (you’ll share your preferences)
• Hours: Typically 9am–5pm, with some flexibility
• Contract: 12-month fixed term, starting October 2025

*Foundations and trusts are grant-making charities that fund individuals, groups or organisations to run projects that benefit communities. Social investment organisations provide repayable finance to charities and enterprises working to create long-term social change.

Job Title: Training and Development Officer

Location: Home-based, covering the South

Salary: £26,000 (pro-rata), you’d get £17,820 (gross)

Hours: 29.6 hours to be worked flexibly over 4 days

Contract: fixed-term to end of March 2028, Term Time Only

About us:

Learning through Landscapes is the UK’s leading school grounds charity, dedicated to enhancing outdoor learning and play for all. Our vision is a society where the benefits of regular time outdoors are valued and appreciated, and outdoor learning, play and connection with nature is recognised as a fundamental part of education, at every stage, for every child and young person.

We have unrivalled expertise based on three decades of experience, practical action and research. With offices in England and Scotland and staff based across the UK, our team and our accredited network of outdoor learning experts have the capacity to work nationally and internationally. Click HERE for more information.

What you’ll be doing:

As a Training and Development Officer, you will be working directly with teachers and other education staff supporting their journeys in taking curriculum learning and play outside and to utilise their school grounds. You will deliver LtL’s training and projects within diverse communities across a significant geographical area. This role is part of our exciting new climate change education initiative. It is essential that you are able and willing to travel across the South of England and throughout the UK, including overnight. For more details of the role see the Key Responsibilities document.

What you’ll need:

· To be based in Hampshire/Hampshire borders

· To be able to cover early evening training sessions throughout the area this role covers

· Experience of delivering projects with diverse communities

· Experience of training and advising educational staff in primary or secondary schools.

· Experience of delivering outdoor nature-based and curriculum linked learning activities

· A passion for nature

· Experience of producing written materials; educational resources, reports, and similar project related communications

· Competent IT skills (particularly Microsoft Office, Teams and Outlook)

· Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to manage and deliver a varied workload

· Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to find creative solutions

· Good interpersonal skills

· An understanding of the role safeguarding plays in education

· Ability to work from home or suitable office-type venue

If you don’t have all of the above but feel it could be the role for you, talk to us!

What we offer:

· Flexible working

· Holiday, 28 days + bank holidays + a “birthday gift” day

· Laptop, phone and all travel & subsistence expenses

· Family & carer friendly policies

· Annual training package including: LtL Professional Accreditation in Outdoor Learning and Play, LtL Climate School 180 Network Training package

· Sick pay

· Pension scheme – 5% employer contribution

· Subsidised Christmas meal

· A supportive and welcoming team of colleagues, including our 20+ Delivery Team members.

We’re an equal opportunities employer. All suitable applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We are actively seeking to increase diversity within our workforce and are committed to recruiting the best people on the objective basis of their skills, ability and experience. We offer a guaranteed interview to eligible applicants who choose to opt-in to the scheme and can demonstrate that they have at least 6 out of the 11 from the “what you need” list. To be eligible to apply via the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, you must be from an ethnic minority. Please state clearly in your covering letter if you are applying under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

We are happy to support with any reasonable adjustments that are needed within the recruitment process.

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is looking to hire a new member of staff to help co-ordinate and deliver the Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches project.

Working closely with Scotland’s Churches Trust, this role will assist the Research Officer to work with communities to collate existing country-wide information on both the heritage and community value of Scotland’s churches. The role will help identify knowledge and data gaps, carry out heritage surveys and engage community-representative groups to undertake a community value assessment applying the University of Stirling’s Social Value Toolkit. It will also involve supporting the set up and administration of a network of key stakeholders.

The National Landscapes Association represents the UK’s 46 National Landscapes – legally protected places where nature and people thrive together. We lead and champion action to protect and restore these special landscapes for the benefit of everyone.

We’re looking for a Data and Evidence Officer to support our work on the Gower Landscape Connections project and across the wider Association. If you’re passionate about using data to tackle the climate and nature crises, and can turn complex information into powerful insight, this could be the role for you.

You’ll be responsible for sourcing, analysing and mapping ecological, climate and socio-economic data to inform practical conservation planning. Working closely with the Gower team, as well as the Association’s Nature-based Solutions programme, you’ll help develop systems that drive landscape-scale action. You’ll also play a central role in maintaining and evolving our GIS tools, supporting bids for major nature recovery funding.

We’re looking for someone with experience handling both statistical and spatial data, who communicates clearly and can collaborate across teams. You should be as comfortable working with detailed evidence as you are thinking strategically about long-term impact. If you care deeply about nature, evidence, and equitable solutions, we’d love to hear from you.

Swyddog Data a Thystiolaeth – Cysylltiadau Tirwedd Gŵyr

Mae Cymdeithas Tirweddau Cenedlaethol yn cynrychioli 46 o Dirluniau Cenedlaethol y DU – lleoedd sydd wedi’u diogelu’n gyfreithiol lle mae natur a phobl yn ffynnu gyda’i gilydd. Rydym yn arwain ac yn hyrwyddo camau i ddiogelu ac adfer y tirweddau arbennig hyn er budd pawb.

Rydym yn chwilio am Swyddog Data a Thystiolaeth i gefnogi ein gwaith ar brosiect Cysylltiadau Tirwedd Gŵyr ac ar draws gwaith ehangach y Gymdeithas. Os ydych chi’n angerddol am ddefnyddio data i fynd i’r afael â’r argyfyngau hinsawdd a natur, ac yn gallu troi gwybodaeth gymhleth yn fewnwelediad pwerus, gallai’r rôl hon fod yn addas i chi.

Byddwch yn gyfrifol am ddod o hyd i ddata ecolegol, hinsawdd a chymdeithasol-economaidd, ei ddadansoddi a’i fapio i lywio cynllunio cadwraeth ymarferol. Gan weithio’n agos gyda thîm Gŵyr, yn ogystal â rhaglen Atebion yn Seiliedig ar Natur y Gymdeithas, byddwch yn helpu i ddatblygu systemau sy’n sbarduno gweithredu ar raddfa dirwedd. Byddwch hefyd yn chwarae rhan ganolog yn y gwaith o gynnal a datblygu ein hoffer GIS, gan gefnogi ceisiadau am gyllid ar gyfer adfer natur.

Rydym yn chwilio am rywun sydd â phrofiad o reoli data ystadegol a gofodol, sydd yn cyfathrebu’n glir ac yn gallu cydweithio ar draws timau. Dylech fod cystal wrth weithio gyda thystiolaeth fanwl ag ydych chi wrth feddwl yn strategol am effaith hirdymor. Os ydych chi’n poeni’n ddwfn am natur, tystiolaeth, ac atebion teg, hoffem glywed gennych.

Role Summary

We are looking for a passionate and effective Autistic Lived Experience Trainer to support us to deliver an exciting new programme of work. We have been commissioned by an NHS organisation to deliver and support the roll out of autism-informed care training to all staff working in their mental health inpatient settings. This programme of work will run for 9 months, and will include the delivery of various half day and full day autism-informed training sessions both in-person and online. We will also be working closely with Experts by Experience to become skilled and confident in delivery of this training to support the organisational sustainability of this knowledge. The programme of work will also embed an evaluation of the training to demonstrate learning and impact.

The Autistic Lived Experience Trainer will be working closely alongside our Lived Experience Lead to deliver all aspects of the programme, with support from our wider staff team.

Role Description

• Co-facilitate training sessions both online and in-person to staff from various professions and in various roles across mental health in-patient settings.
• Deliver pre-prepared content and facilitate reflective conversations.
• Monitor feedback and adjust content and delivery as necessary.
• Collect and analyse feedback data, both qualitative and quantitative.
• Support Experts by Experience to become confident with delivery of content.
• Ensure training content remains relevant and includes the latest research, alongside lived experience insight.
• Use own lived experience insight to supplement content and support reflection and catalyse change.
• Liaise with NHS colleagues to support training session logistics
• To represent Neurodiverse Connection nationally, regionally and locally as appropriate and to promote the work that we do.
• To work alongside the Neurodiverse Connection staff and associate team to ensure delivery of high-quality work.
• Frequent travel within Norfolk and Suffolk to deliver in person training.
• Some national travel may also be required to support training and delivery on other projects.

​Recruitment details

Recruitment Timeline

1. Deadline for applications: Monday 7th July, 9am
2. Applicants notified if shortlisted no later than: Friday 11th July, 5pm
3. Dates of interviews: Friday 18th and Monday 21st July
4. Interviewees notified if they have been appointed no later than: Monday 28th July, 5pm

Proposed start date for successful applicant: Start of September

How to apply

The application process is two stages.

Stage 1: download and complete application form.

• You will be asked to confirm you met some of the essential criteria.
• You will be asked to enter your contact details and details of previous work.
• You will then be asked to answer 4 questions.
• Email the completed form to our recruitment email address.
• You will also be asked to complete an equity and diversity form. This is optional.

Stage 2: If you are shortlisted you will be invited to attend an online interview. You will be sent the interview questions 5 days ahead of the interview date.

As part of the interview, you will be asked to deliver a 15-minute virtual training session. We will share the training topic when we invite you to attend the interview.

About Neurodiverse Connection

Neurodiverse Connection is a neurodivergent led Community interest Company.

Our mission is to:

• Listen to and amplify neurodivergent views and voices.
• Give additional consideration to intersectionality and how we can support the amplification of views and voices that are often unseen and unheard.
• Support people from different neurologies to understand each other, facilitating solutions to the double empathy problem.
• Lead on changing understanding of sensory and social processing differences, particularly in relation to the built environment.
• Challenge the common misunderstandings and misconceptions of autism and support an improved understanding of neurodiversity within health and social care.
• Promote an improved understanding of neurodivergent culture and communication.
• Support neurodivergent people to have equal opportunities in life.
• Support neurodivergent people to have equal opportunities and outcomes in health.
• Support neurodivergent employment, including in leadership positions and facilitating change for the neurodivergent community.

How we work

Neurodiverse Connection is a new Community Interest Company. We are working to be a neurodiversity affirming and supportive organisation. We want to support you as an important team member to work on projects that you love, that align with your interests and skills and enable you to have a balanced and rewarding work and personal life. We welcome you working with us and providing gentle challenge if we don’t get this right, so we can learn together. We want to see neurodivergent people treated better, and that starts with us. We hope you’ll work with us to champion this approach for other people, too.

Our commitment to you

It’s part of our mission to be a great place to work and to demonstrate how to work in neurodivergent affirming ways. We believe this is beneficial to everyone, regardless of neurology.

We aim to:

• Enable you to shape your role to your strengths and interests.
• Offer flexibility in delivery hours, within agreed parameters.
• Work to make Neurodiverse Connection an organisation that you enjoy being part of, that supports you in your role, that recognises your contribution and that delivers great outcomes for the neurodivergent people we work to support.
• Support to develop in your role through access to training, shadowing and mentoring.
• Access to supervision and a reflective space to support you in a lived experience role.
• Involve you in shaping and directing the organisation.
• Listen when we don’t get it right, and welcome constructive feedback.
• Involve team members in development opportunities and spending the social value we’ve accumulated together.
• 35 hour working week (pro rata).
• 4% work place pension contribution.
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata).
• Access to a wellbeing fund.

Application deadline: Monday 7th July, 9am