Policy officer jobs in belfast

Job Title: Experienced Associate Independent Investigating Officers (IOs) for Stage 2 Complaints (This role sits within our Independent Person for Complaints (IPC) service)

Contract: Associate

Hours: Variable, according to demand for services/caseload and role in investigation

Salary: £25.25 per hour

Location: Associate Independent Investigating Officers for Complaints primarily work from home. Some travel may be required as part of an investigation – location will vary according to the referral received from the Local Authority. Cases will be allocated to Associate IOs living locally to the referring authority, wherever possible.

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity, founded by Thomas Coram in London, helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About the role

We are seeking additional experienced Associate Independent Investigating Officers (IO) for Complaints, to increase our capacity to respond to referrals from Local Authorities to provide an independent element to the formal Stage 2 investigations under the Children Act 1989.

The IO will lead investigations, and will give the complainant (who may be a child, young person or adult) the opportunity to express their view, ensure the child or young person’s rights and best interests are at the centre of the investigation and that the investigation/review process is open and transparent. They write a report on the investigation/review, which is submitted to the referring agency.

The Job Description document sets out the expectations for an Associate Independent Person for Complaints (IPC) who is approved by Coram Voice. IPCs are independent, freelance and responsible for their own work. Nevertheless, IPCs are accountable to the organisation for their professional standards and are expected to comply with Coram Voice Code of Ethics and Practice Guidelines.

Please note: the nature of associate work means that we cannot guarantee a regular amount of work, and complaints will be allocated dependent on the associate’s availability, location and the needs and demands of the individual case. Investigation work takes place Monday to Friday within working hours. This position is not suitable for applicants who already work or have commitments more than two days within the working week.

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing date: Please note this is a rolling recruitment campaign

Interview date: TBC

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBTQ+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

We are recruiting a Suicide Prevention Officer to facilitate the development, sale and delivery of high quality and impactful training and education programmes, upskilling individuals and organisations in suicide prevention.

What you will do:

• Facilitate in-person and online training sessions, ensuring interactive and impactful learning experiences.
• Develop and promote PAPYRUS’s training offer, tailoring to stakeholder needs and securing sales.
• Build relationships and partnerships to expand our reach and influence.
• Support the creation of e-learning and digital training resources.
• Prepare stakeholders for, and debrief them after, suicide interventions.
• Stay informed of best practice and national strategy, contribute to campaigns, and represent PAPYRUS in the media and at events.
• Champion safeguarding, health and safety, and equality across all activity.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• A degree or professional qualification in a relevant field such as Education, Counselling, Training, Psychology, Community Development or Youth Work.
• A recognised training qualification or willingness to work towards one.
• Experience in delivering and developing training programmes and community-based projects.
• Ability to manage sensitive conversations and facilitate learning in emotionally complex areas.
• Strong relationship-building, presentation and time management skills.
• Professional curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to safeguarding.
• Confidence in working independently and remotely, with ability to travel as required.

Please visit the careers site for the full job description and person specification for the role.

Salary: £30,559 per annum (SCP 18), progressing by increments to £33,366 per annum (SCP 23)

Hours: 36 hours per week  

Location: Although this role is home based, the applicant should be based in Cardiff due to the regular travel across the area and South Wales

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: You will receive 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time workers), hybrid and flexible working arrangements, an attractive pension scheme, Simply Health membership, enhanced sick pay and enhanced parental pay. Please visit our website for more details.

Closing date: 17th August 2025

We reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier if we receive sufficient applications so, please submit your application as soon as possible.

PAPYRUS is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its recruitment policies are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

PAPYRUS is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk that interact with the organisation. The organisation recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of these vulnerable groups by a commitment to procedures to protect them. The charity expects all staff and volunteers to fully support and promote these commitments.

We are recruiting a Suicide Prevention Officer to facilitate the development, sale and delivery of high quality and impactful training and education programmes, upskilling individuals and organisations in suicide prevention.

What you will do:

• Facilitate in-person and online training sessions, ensuring interactive and impactful learning experiences.
• Develop and promote PAPYRUS’s training offer, tailoring to stakeholder needs and securing sales.
• Build relationships and partnerships to expand our reach and influence.
• Support the creation of e-learning and digital training resources.
• Prepare stakeholders for, and debrief them after, suicide interventions.
• Stay informed of best practice and national strategy, contribute to campaigns, and represent PAPYRUS in the media and at events.
• Champion safeguarding, health and safety, and equality across all activity.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• A degree or professional qualification in a relevant field such as Education, Counselling, Training, Psychology, Community Development or Youth Work.
• A recognised training qualification or willingness to work towards one.
• Experience in delivering and developing training programmes and community-based projects.
• Ability to manage sensitive conversations and facilitate learning in emotionally complex areas.
• Strong relationship-building, presentation and time management skills.
• Professional curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to safeguarding.
• Confidence in working independently and remotely, with ability to travel as required.

Please visit the careers site for the full job description and person specification for the role.

Salary: £30,559 per annum (Scale SCP 18), progressing by increments to £33,366 per annum (Scale SCP 23)

Hours: 36 hours per week  

Location: Although this role is home based, the applicant should be based in Birmingham due to the regular travel across the area and West of England

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: You will receive 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time workers), hybrid and flexible working arrangements, an attractive pension scheme, Simply Health membership, enhanced sick pay and enhanced parental pay. Please visit our website for more details.

Closing date: 31st July 2025

We reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier if we receive sufficient applications so, please submit your application as soon as possible.

PAPYRUS is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its recruitment policies are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

PAPYRUS is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk that interact with the organisation. The organisation recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of these vulnerable groups by a commitment to procedures to protect them. The charity expects all staff and volunteers to fully support and promote these commitments.

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that builds the capacity of developing countries to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM), a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that developing countries should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions.

This is a unique opportunity to shape global conversations on climate science by empowering researchers in developing countries to publish and communicate their work, collaborating with some of the world’s leading SRM experts.

We are looking for a candidate with strong digital skills and social media experience. The ideal candidate will have experience creating content for social and web, managing website content and systems, and working with digital media (photos and video). 

The Digital Communications Officer will report to the Communications Manager and collaborate with teams across the organisation (Policy Engagement, Programmes, Fundraising) and with our researcher teams across the Global South. 

Responsibilities will include:  

Social media 

• Manage day-to-day social media posting across current channels (LinkedIn, X, Bluesky), posting content that aligns with our tone of voice and brand guidelines  

• Monitor social media and traditional media for mentions of Degrees and the wider topic of SRM, identifying trends and opportunities 

• Evaluate social media performance and recommend potential new strategies and platforms, driven by data as well as awareness of Degrees’ position

Content creation 

• Edit short videos of our researchers for social media and the website 

• Design graphics for social media, reports, presentations and events, using tools such as Canva or InDesign 

• Write news, profiles, and announcements for the website 

Website 

• Act as primary website administrator, keeping the website up to date by editing and adding new pages as required 

• Maintain content consistency across the website, especially as we redevelop our site and move to a new platform (WordPress, with Gutenberg editor) 

• Assist with website content migration using a good understanding of website database management systems (e.g. Jet Engine, ACF) 

• Use analytics to monitor website performance and suggest SEO improvements (Google Analytics) 

Team support 

• Create and maintain templates for documents, presentations, etc., to ensure consistency across visual products 

• Compile and deliver the quarterly newsletter (using MailChimp) 

• Organise and maintain media asset folders (photos, videos, recordings) with clear tagging 

• Support other teams (policy engagement, programmes, fundraising) with communications products as required 

Remote position with some preference for London UK, Freetown Sierra Leone, Cape Town South Africa or Nairobi Kenya

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Grantmaking Due Diligence & Onboarding

• Coordinate the collection, review, and secure storage of due diligence documentation from prospective grantees.

• Assist with risk screening checks and internal reviews in alignment with Purposeful’s grantmaking policies.

• Prepare grantee onboarding documentation, including grant agreements and orientation materials.

• Track submission of required onboarding documents (e.g., bank forms, MoUs, safeguarding policies).

• Monitor and keep track of the grants due for payment.

• Respond to grantee and applicant inquiries and proactively update them on the status of their grant awards.

2. Grant Compliance & Documentation

• Monitor compliance status of all active grants, flagging outstanding requirements and follow-up needs.

• Ensure that compliance-related deadlines (e.g. reporting dates, grant conditions) are met and documented.

• Maintain clean, well-organised, and accessible digital grant files, using existing tools or systems (e.g., Google Drive, Netsuite, Salesforce, etc.) to ease retrieval and generation of reports.

• Support internal checks to ensure that funds are disbursed in line with compliance protocols and funding agreements.

3. Finance Coordination

• Liaise with the finance team to prepare and verify payment documents, banking instructions, and payment schedules.

• Support alignment between grant budgets and payment disbursements.

• Track the movement of funds across grants, ensuring appropriate documentation is in place for each transaction.

4. Donor & Internal Reporting

• Assist in preparing compliance-related sections of donor reports and internal grantmaking summaries.

• Track reporting obligations by donor or partner, and ensure all documentation is collected and filed on time, including any relevant country-specific compliance requirements.

5. Audit & Policy Support

• Prepare documentation for internal and external audits, including sampling, document summaries, and data extractions.

• Assist in developing and maintaining internal tools (templates, checklists, trackers) related to grant compliance.

• Contribute to ongoing improvements in Purposeful’s compliance systems, bringing in lessons learned and audit feedback, and emerging regulatory or legal considerations relevant to our work.

This is a remote position with some preference for London UK, Freetown Sierra Leone or Nairobi Kenya

Scope of Work

1. Financial Data Entry & Reconciliation

• Enter and reconcile day-to-day financial transactions in the accounting system, including expenses, transfers, payments, and receipts.

• Ensure all entries are accurately coded to the appropriate cost centres, grants, or funding streams.

• Review and reconcile staff expense claims, payment vouchers, and supporting documentation.

2. Budgeting & Grant Allocations

• Support the allocation of expenditure to budget lines across multiple funding sources, ensuring compliance with donor requirements.

• Maintain the habit to monitor actual spend against budgets using existing systems (Netsuite), highlighting any anomalies or risks.

• Assist in the preparation of internal budget summaries and financial snapshots for program and leadership teams.

3. Financial Reporting

• Assist in compiling donor financial reports by collecting, reviewing, and formatting financial data in line with donor requirements.

• Liaise with grants and programme teams to ensure alignment between financial and narrative reports.

• Maintain up-to-date and audit-ready documentation to support all reporting outputs.

4. Managing Fiscal Sponsorship Financial Reports

• Ensuring that income from fiscal sponsorship partners are accurately recorded

• Preparing regular income and expenditure reports for fiscal sponsorship partners and addressing reconciling items. 

• Represent the Finance team in update meetings with potential  or current fiscal partners.

5. Audit & Compliance Support

• Organise financial documentation and support sampling processes during internal and external audits.

• Maintain orderly and accessible digital and physical filing systems for all financial records.

• Support implementation of financial policies, templates, and compliance checks, working closely with the Head of Finance.

The vacancy

We are seeking to appoint one lay member to sit on our GOC Council.

About the GOC

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website:optical. org.

About the Council

The role of Council is to lead on the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services.  The Council is composed of six lay members (including the Chair) and six registrant members (i.e. registered optometrists and dispensing opticians).  At least one member of the Council must work wholly or mainly in each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  One Council member acts as a Senior Council Member whose role is to carry out the Chair’s appraisal as well as provide a sounding board for the Chair and serve as an intermediary for Council members, Executive and stakeholders as necessary. 

The successful candidate will contribute to Council by exercising oversight, ensuring effective corporate governance, and making high-level policy decisions. They will be able to operate strategically and impartially; listen, communicate, and influence effectively; exercise judgment; and inspire confidence and support amongst our stakeholders. 

Remuneration and time commitment

Council members are remunerated in accordance with our member fees policy (£13,962 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses).  The member fee includes time for reading and preparation.

The appointed member will be expected to commit approximately 2-3 days per month.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices at Level 29, One Canada Square, London, E14 5AA. There are occasional online catch-up meetings - these are currently scheduled on a Tuesday evening every 6-8 weeks, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.

How to apply:

Please email the the following to appointment@optical. org

· your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic or vocational qualifications;

· the application form, stating how your experience matches the criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and

· complete the EDI monitoring form linked in the candidate pack (this is an online form and does not need to be included in the email with your CV and application form).

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  midnight on Sunday 10 August 2025.

Online interviews will be held on between Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as these are currently under-represented on our council and committees.

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity and geographical locations outside of London.

POST DETAILS:

Job Title: Finance Officer

Location: Belfast or Sligo (with responsibilities in both regions)

Salary: £28,000/€32,200 per annum pro rata

Hours: 18 hours per week

Role Brief:

The Rio Ferdinand Foundation are recruiting an experienced Finance Officer to oversee the financial monitoring and reporting of an  exciting new cross-border PEACE Academy programme in Belfast and Sligo, funded by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) PEACEPLUS programme https://www.seupb.eu/

The aim of this new three-year programme, is to deliver and evidence a PEACE Academy pathway of engagement, learning, social action and employability that will inspire young people from communities in Northern Ireland and Ireland to create shared experiences and build a long-term response to sectarianism, racism and hate on a cross community and cross border basis.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role will:

§ Work with Director of Development and Programme Manager to implement appropriate financial processes around the programme.

§ Oversee all expenditure requests, in line with the Foundation’s Financial Controls Policy

§ Be the key point of contact for any finance related queries relating to the programme.

§ Track and monitor all expenditure for the programme, in line with agreed budgets and cashflow forecasts.

§ Collate and send the Director of Development monthly actuals reports reconciled against forecasts alerting them to any deviations from planned budgets.

§ Collate monthly invoices and expenditure receipts to share with the bookkeeping team ahead of monthly payment run deadlines.

§ Collate monthly timesheets, cross-reference for final sign off and send to payroll for processing ahead of the monthly deadline.

§ Ensure all programme expenditure is shared with the bookkeeping team for uploading to our accounting software Xero clearly marked to aid filing under the appropriate cost centre and category.

§ Oversee financial reporting and income draw down under the PEACE Academy programme.

§ Provide regular financial reports to the Programme Manager and Directors as required

§ Work with our Admin Officer on the financial administration of the programme.

Person Specification/Key skills:

§ Degree level education in finance/accounting or similar experience

§ At least two years finance officer experience

§ Experience of financial administration for complex projects working in multiple currencies.

§ Experience of third sector financial reporting for a range of funders

§ Experience of working on SEUPB PEACEPLUS programmes (desirable)

§ Ability to build positive working relationships with young people, community stakeholders, colleagues and partners

§ An interest in youth and community development work

§ Ability to prioritise and manage workload in a fast-paced environment

§ Competent working independently as well as part of a small team

§ A confident communicator with good written and spoken English

§ IT skills including Microsoft office and XERO accounting software (essential)

§ Experience in writing financial reports and financial draw down processes

§ Positive and enthusiastic with a can-do attitude.

 Role Requirements

At Rio Ferdinand Foundation, we are committed to working in a diverse organisation and strive to provide equality of opportunity for all. We encourage and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or identity, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnership.

If as a disabled applicant (as defined under the Equality Act 2010) you would like to request that your application is considered under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) please let us know.

The Estate Officer will ensure the delivery of the regional maintenance programme, comprising routine, periodic, planned and urgent works, and the delivery of time limited maintenance consultancy and estate management projects. Working alongside the Conservation Projects Manager, the post holder will ensure regional estate compliance with CCT policies.

The post holder will be the main contact for all maintenance related matters and will maintain the property management records for the estate, develop volunteer projects and training on maintenance reporting and conservation cleaning and will assist with fundraising.

If you would like to apply for this role, please visit our recruitment portal to begin your application. You will be asked to submit a CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining why you’d like to apply and how you fulfil the person specification for this post, so you’ll need to refer to the job description.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 8am on Monday 11th August 2025.

The interviews will take place in Birmingham on Tuesday 19th August 2025. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.

We are seeking a compassionate, visionary, and strategic Chief Executive Officer to lead Mermaids through the next stage of its evolution, dedicated to improving the lives of gender-diverse children and young people, and those who are important to them. As CEO, you will be responsible for driving the charity’s mission, shaping its strategic direction, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, affirming support services. You will act as a visible and credible advocate for trans and 
gender-diverse youth, build strong relationships with stakeholders, and influence public policy and sector practice. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will oversee a small committed team, ensure robust financial management with the Chief Operating Officer, and lead fundraising efforts to secure a sustainable future. This is a unique opportunity for a values-driven leader who brings both strategic acumen and a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and lived 
experience. 
Service Delivery:
• Provide strategic and operational leadership across all service delivery areas, including support line services, group work,  advocacy, external communications, and policy.
• Ensure services are high quality, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of trans and gender-diverse children, young people and the special people in their lives.
• Lead the continuous improvement and development of service delivery models, ensuring impact, effectiveness, and alignment with the charity’s mission.
• Champion a culture of safeguarding, accountability, and young person-centred practice throughout all service delivery. 
• Act as the organisation’s Safeguarding Lead, with oversight of on-call, safeguarding training, and ensuring appropriate escalation mechanisms are in place.
• Oversee the design and implementation of advocacy and policy activities, ensuring the charity’s voice is informed by lived 
experience and is impactful at local and national levels.
• Act as a visible and hands-on leader for frontline teams, providing support, supervision, and inspiration to staff and 
volunteers.
• Monitor performance, outcomes, and feedback to ensure services are meeting objectives and delivering positive change 
for beneficiaries.

Governance:
• In partnership with the board of trustees, set and articulate our vision, mission and strategy, and keep this under continual 
review.
• Lead the development and implementation of Mermaid’s strategic plan, ensuring sustainability and growth.
• Liaise with the board of trustees to ensure the charity’s governance, structure, policies and procedures are appropriate 
and effective, taking remedial measures and implementing change as necessary. This includes supporting board 
development.
• Work closely with the Chair and Board of Trustees to support strong governance and informed decision-making.
• Provide accurate and timely reporting on organisational performance, risks, and impact.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory guidance and legislation, including the Charity Commission and the Fundraising 

Finance & Fundraising:
• Working with the Chief Operating Officer and the Board of Trustees, ensure Mermaids has robust, deliverable fundraising 
and finance strategies in place, and subsequent action plans are embedded throughout the organisation to support their 
delivery.
• In partnership with the Chief Operating Officer, ensure Mermaids has robust finance, HR, IT, data privacy and governance processes and procedures are embedded.

People and Culture:
• Line manage senior staff including the COO and service delivery managers.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, inclusive internal culture that values lived experience and wellbeing.
• Continue work to embed a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion across the organisation, as well as a focus on accessibility.
• Work to define and drive trans-centred leadership across the organisation, including ensuring that the organisation is a trans-positive, supportive employer.

External Engagement and Advocacy:
• Represent Mermaids publicly, including acting as the key spokesperson and strategic policy stakeholder, ensuring 
organisational awareness of the external landscape and the changing needs of trans children, young people and their 
families, and advocating for these needs to be met.
• Lead communications strategy, and lead press engagement by responding to media inquiries, interviews, press conferences and media events.
• Lead on stakeholder engagement, including with funders, supporters, community partners, and policy influencers.
• Advocate for the rights and needs of trans and gender-diverse children, young people and the significant others in their lives at a national level.
 

The National Lottery Community Fund is recruiting for two External Affairs Officers, key roles in our External Affairs Team within our newly restructured communications function.

The External Affairs Officer 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.

You will help position the Fund as a convening force in civil society, supporting our sectoral and political engagement during a time of exciting change.

Working across the External Affairs team, you will research and analyse policy, political and sectoral developments that affect our work, helping create clear briefings for meetings and events and arranging visits as appropriate. By horizon scanning and monitoring the external landscape, you will help the Fund respond proactively and effectively to emerging issues.

You will build and maintain relationships with parliamentary staff, officials and sector peers. By gathering intelligence, managing and supporting internal and external events, you will contribute to the Fund's engagement with decision-makers and opinion leaders. Your research and analysis will strengthen our policy positions and advocacy work.

Our External Affairs Officers play an important role in supporting the External Affairs team to deliver an effective, insight-driven strategy that articulates the Fund's missions (nationally and regionally) to critical stakeholders across the UK.

Key responsibilities :

• Responsible for providing public affairs, policy and stakeholder engagement support across the External Affairs team, working on the development and delivery of our External Affairs plan, including management and delivery of events.
• Lead the development of briefings and other assets to support the delivery of external affairs work through high quality research and analysis
• Monitor the external political and policy landscape for developments that are relevant to the Fund and advise colleagues on these as appropriate
• Represent the Fund at networking and stakeholder events
• Develop a network of key internal and external contacts in the public affairs and policy space to further the Fund's aims
• Work collaboratively with the other External Affairs Officers to share skills and intelligence
• Cross-collaboration with the Communications Strategy and External Affairs teams to ensure our engagement strategy across the full communications function (media, corporate communications, brand, campaigns and public affairs) is impactful and cohesive
• Support the effective use of the Stakeholder Relationship Management (SRM) system

Location: Hybrid working

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.

Interview date: Week commencing 11th August

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential criteria

• Excellent persuasive communication skills, oral and written
• Confident in writing briefings, positioning papers and other materials to support political and non-political stakeholder engagement
• Strong skills in political analysis and advising senior stakeholders
• Strong project management skills; the ability to produce high-quality work against competing priorities in a complex environment
• Experience in managing events and other stakeholder engagement activities

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of, or background in the VSCE sector
• Understanding of public affairs at a national and regional level and/or in civil society
• Experience in using and developing customer relationship management (CRM) systems

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.) 

The Senior Bid and Funding Officer is a new role for Involve as we seek to build the infrastructure to support the growth that we have experienced in recent years.  This role will sit within our Finance & Support Services function and will work alongside colleagues at all levels in the Innovation & Practice, Capacity Building & Standards and Advocacy & Communications functions to identify and provide compelling proposals in response to fundraising and tender opportunities. 

As Senior Bid and Funding Officer you will be responsible for identifying fundraising opportunities to bring forwards to the team for evaluation and coordinating the submission of returns ensuring high quality tenders are produced that meet the needs of funders and commissioners.  You will support function leads in monitoring fundraising outcomes and comparing to income generation targets, developing a database of funders and improving tender response processes to reduce the administrative burden of tender responses without compromising on quality.

Our ideal candidate will have experience of managing the tender return process in other organisations, either in a commercial or charitable sector environment. You will bring strong project management skills, be able to coordinate tender submissions to set deadlines and have an inquisitive mindset to enjoy researching opportunities and thinking creatively how Involve can meet funder requirements while also advancing our mission.

We work across the UK, with offices in Belfast and London. Many of our staff work from home across the UK or in a hybrid pattern, rather than being based at one of our offices, though we meet up regularly as a team. We are flexible but you must be comfortable with regular travel both for project work and for Involve team activities.  Must be able to travel to deliver work across the UK.

Please see our website for more details. 

About SOFT UK

SOFT UK is a national charity supporting families affected by Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome). We provide emotional support, information, advocacy, and community connections to ensure no family faces this journey alone.

Purpose of the Role

The Regional Engagement Officer (REO) for Northern Ireland will build and strengthen SOFT UK’s presence in the region. This includes supporting families, developing local community networks, enhancing relationships with healthcare professionals, and coordinating volunteer and fundraising activities to reduce isolation and improve support access for families affected by Trisomy 13 and 18.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Engagement and Support

• Build meaningful relationships with families affected by Trisomy 13 and 18 across Northern Ireland.
• Develop and facilitate local support meetings, coffee mornings, and family gatherings.
• Provide emotional support, signposting, and information in line with SOFT UK’s values and safeguarding policies.

2. Volunteer Support

• Identify, recruit, and train new volunteers within the region.
• Provide ongoing guidance, resources, and encouragement to existing volunteers to strengthen their impact.

3. Healthcare Professional Engagement

• Develop and maintain relationships with regional healthcare providers to increase awareness of SOFT UK’s services.
• Encourage and facilitate referrals of families to SOFT UK by healthcare professionals.
• Share resources and information to improve understanding of Trisomy 13 and 18 among professionals.

4. Event Coordination

• Organise and deliver regional events such as awareness campaigns, remembrance gatherings, and local fundraising events.
• Support national SOFT UK events by promoting and representing the charity locally.

5. Fundraising and Awareness

• Assist with regional fundraising activities by promoting events, supporting local fundraisers, and identifying new funding opportunities.
• Raise awareness of SOFT UK’s mission through local networks, media, and community engagement.

6. Administration and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of activities, contacts, and outcomes to report impact effectively.
• Work collaboratively with the national SOFT UK team, contributing to meetings, strategic development, and evaluation.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Proven experience in community engagement, outreach, or support roles.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with empathy and understanding for families experiencing complex medical and bereavement journeys.
• Ability to work independently and organise time effectively.
• Experience in planning and delivering community events.
• Confidence in engaging with healthcare professionals and external stakeholders.
• Basic IT skills, including email, social media, and Microsoft Office.
• Commitment to SOFT UK’s mission and values.
• Willingness to travel regionally and work flexible hours where required (some evening or weekend meetings).

Desirable:

• Experience working within the charity or health support sector.
• Knowledge of the healthcare and perinatal loss support systems within Northern Ireland.

Additional Information

This role requires occasional travel across Northern Ireland. Mileage and travel expenses will be reimbursed in line with SOFT UK policies. The postholder will be expected to work from home and maintain confidentiality, safeguarding, and data protection standards at all times.

Are you an outstanding Christian leader with a track-record of collaborative international working? Are you looking for the next opportunity to use your skills and experience for the benefit of a global organisation? If this is you, then you are invited to apply for the role of Chief Finance Officer at Open Doors International.

The global Chief Financial Officer of Open Doors International has a key leadership role both within the line-managed Open Doors International entity, and more widely across the Global Finance Network of development and field offices. The CFO reports to the CEO and works closely with other executives on all strategic and tactical matters as they relate to Financial Planning & Analysis, Financial Accounting (including transactional management and audit), Risk & Compliance, Treasury & Cash Management, Financial Data & Systems, Field Finance, Development Finance and Transformational Programs.

The CFO ensures Open Doors International is known for its excellent stewardship by delivering world-class and well-coordinated financial functions that contribute to excellent operations, risk management, forward-planning and mature governance.

You will:

• Be an experienced CFO with a strong track record of operating in international organisational structures, with exposure to developing markets, complex treasury and money transfer functions, and high-risk environments.
• Have experience of leading strategy formation, team supervision and timely delivery in a complex network or matrix style structures.
• Enjoy and have a matured gift of forward-planning, helping the Board, Executive Leadership Team and colleagues benefit from transparent budget plans in a dynamic missional context that will demand agility.
• Employ wise risk assessment in a context of faith, so that Open Doors can, with effectiveness and great sophistication, deliver its ministry in very challenging and at times restrictive environments.
• Bring a servant-hearted leadership gifting, including the ability to lead through influence and build consensus amongst divergent senior stakeholders; inspire trust; and take a highly relational and capacity-building approach with their colleagues.
• Have excellent communication skills - written, verbal and able to deliver insights with data; effective with a range of audiences from local staff to Board level
• Exhibit grace, to patiently but persistently mature a complex organisation moving through significant phases of growth in a rapidly evolving external environment

Your responsibilities are under the following headings (for a full explanation, please read the attached pdf):

• Strategic Financial Leadership
• Management Reports & Communication
• Accounting & Financial Controls
• Treasury and Cash Management
• Risk Management & Compliance
• Innovation & Transformation
• Leadership and People Management

Person Specification

KEY QUALITIES

Open Doors believes that spiritual maturity, character and behaviour are as important as financial competence, therefore the CFO is:

• A devoted follower of Jesus with a heart to strengthen persecuted Christians.
• Prayerful and able to take financial decisions, founded on faith in God.
• Able to build strong relationships across national cultures.
• Able to empower others and intentionally develop future finance leaders.
• Prepared to make difficult decisions and have honest conversations with grace.
• Active in a local church that supports their vocation and provides spiritual support.
• Emotionally intelligent and aware of the impact of their leadership on people.
• Experienced in negotiating and influencing at a senior level, combined with strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES

• A highly skilled Finance professional, who demonstrates an appetite for continued learning and personal development.
• Approximately 15 years of senior finance operational leadership experience prefered in multi-national commercial sector and/or international charity sector.
• Significant team management experience, including remote working across different time zones.
• Proven ability to lead change, including working well across many operational disciplines (Field programs, IT, Legal and HR teams, for example).
• Oversight of a complex treasury function providing financial access across geographical locations.
• Experience communicating and providing reports to Board Audit & Finance Committee.

Open Doors International will offer a competitive salary for the post. We are open to applications from anyone who is suitable for this role, regardless of their current location, with a willingness to be located within -6hours/+2 hours Central European Time zone for ease of communication within a dispersed global ministry.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an MS Teams Interview with the Open Doors International search panel. Finalist Candidates will be asked to come to Netherlands for in-person interviews on 5 September. The Open Doors International search panel members are very aware that this is a two-way discernment process, therefore we encourage each applicant to pray to the Lord and consult their trusted and closest fellow Christians as they consider this opportunity. The successful candidate will be expected to take up the post of CFO as soon as is reasonably possible.

Thank you for taking the time to prayerfully consider this opportunity and to learn more about the work of Open Doors International.