Policy researcher jobs in cardiff

This is a fantastic opportunity to build and grow Molly Rose Foundation's lived engagement and youth programmes, and to push for a safer online world driven by the needs and perspectives of lived experience.

Working at the intersect of tech accountability, online safety and suicide prevention, Molly Rose Foundation was founded following the death of 14-year old Molly Russell.

Today we’re committed to building and amplifying the voices of those with lived experiences of online harm – and to challenging government, regulators and tech firms to listen to and act decisively on what they have to say.

MRF is grounded in youth and lived experience, and we will always ensure the lessons of Molly's death act as a catalyst for positive change. You’ll help us maintain and grow our networks to build and amplify the voices of youth, bereaved parents and young people directly impacted by harms, and have a track record in working in partnership across the sector.

As Lived Engagement and Youth Manager you'll build strong internal and external relationships and ensure lived experience and youth runs through everything we do.

You'll manage day-to-day relationships with youth and lived experience advocates and have a strong focus on safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.

This is a rare opportunity to build a lived experience programme that really counts. We’re looking for an exceptional individual who’s motivated by the chance to really make a difference. Your work will help to ensure that tomorrow’s young people live long and stay strong.

MRF is committed to flexible working and we know that a diverse team makes us stronger. While we are recruiting for a full-time position, we will actively consider part-time and flexible working requests.

Please submit your CV and a cover letter, no more than two sides each, to apply for this role. Please refrain from overly relying on AI in your application. 

White Ribbon is the leading organisation in the UK working to engage men and boys in ending violence against women and girls. Our mission is to prevent men’s violence against women through addressing its root causes, gender inequality and harmful gender norms and stereotypes. We do this by working with individual men and boys, organisations, and the community, helping them to understand the scale of the problem, and how they can be part of the solution.

This is an exciting time to join White Ribbon as our work and profile has grown significantly over recent years as the importance of engaging men in ending violence has become more apparent. We have an increasing public presence, through campaigning activities, policy influence, in the media and online.

Location: This is a London based post, with remote working.  Most frequent and regular networking and partnership meetings and events will be in London, with some travel throughout England and Wales, particularly around the White Ribbon Day period.  You will be required to attend occasional meetings with the staff team at various locations around the country, including quarterly in West Yorkshire.

You will lead our policy work to influence decision makers and our awareness raising campaigns, including our flagship White Ribbon Day and the following 16 days of activism, with ambitious engagement targets across a wide group of stakeholders.   Your work will bring about demonstrable societal and policy change.

Please see the full job description and person specification attached.

We’re looking for a creative and passionate person to lead on our policy and communications work for this maternity cover. This role offers a great opportunity to play a key role in improving impact across the charity and the lives of those affected

The Migraine Trust is the only UK migraine charity providing information and support, campaigning for awareness and change, and funding and promoting research.

One in seven people in the UK live with migraine, and this complex and debilitating neurological disorder significantly affects their lives. We have been leading and bringing the migraine community together to change this since 1965.

Every year we support millions of people through our website and support services on all aspects of migraine and for help in managing it at work, in education, and in accessing healthcare. We campaign for increased awareness and understanding of migraine, and national policy change to improve the lives of people who get it. We have funded over 140 medical research projects and hold an international symposium every two years to bring together the world’s leading experts on migraine.

The role

People living with migraine are at the heart of our organisation, while our research highlights the urgent need to reduce the inequity we see for those living with the condition. You will ensure their voices are heard by decision makers and the public and get closer to our vison of ‘a world where migraine doesn’t stop anyone from living the life they want’.

You should be able to deliver high-impact communication campaigns, and have a real interest in policy. A skilled communicator yourself, you will be able to manage a broad role with the ability to build and nurture relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Overall, you’ll bring a desire to create positive change.

You’ll work closely with the CEO and be a key member of The Migraine Trust’s Senior Management team, leading our strategic direction on communications activity alongside targeted public and political campaigns.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of the organisation’s 2026 policy and communications plans and coordinate the development of plans and budgets for 2027
• Oversee development and delivery of the charity’s policy and public affairs strategy, ensuring a strong evidence base and meaningful involvement of people living with migraine
• Manage work our public affairs agency to deliver targeted influencing projects to improve migraine care, workplace support, and parliamentary engagement
• Shape policy recommendations and develop strategies to engage key stakeholders including parliamentarians, policymakers, clinicians, employers and partner organisations
• Monitor the external policy environment identifying risks, opportunities and emerging issues relevant to migraine
• Work with the team to develop and execute creative and impactful communications campaigns to raise the profile of the charity and tackle misunderstanding around migraine
• Ensure content across all channels – including media, digital, social and publications - is on brand and reflects our values and core messaging
• Ensure our online presence meets the needs of our stakeholders, and is fit-for-purpose for current and future organisational needs
• Oversee production of relevant reports, marketing materials and key publications working with freelance agencies and designers as required
• Work closely with Fundraising colleagues to identify and develop opportunities that support organisational growth
• Ensure all those living with migraine and their voices are central to our policy, campaigning and communications work
• Act as a spokesperson when necessary, representing the charity externally

The above is provided for guidance and is not an exhaustive list of all accountabilities that the post holder may have over time.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• A creative and experienced communications leader
• Wide experience working in the field of communications (in house or agency) and able to demonstrate knowledge of a broad range of communications activities
• Demonstrable experience of developing media strategies and managing media relations to achieve results
• Ability to deliver policy and public affairs strategies that create change
• A strategic thinker able to develop new ideas and turn these into action
• A strong leader and manager
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills and the ability to communicate, engage and build relationships with a wide range of audiences across the organisation and externally
• Calm under pressure with sound judgment
• Confidence to represent The Migraine Trust externally including public speaking as necessary
• Ability to manage a diverse workload and work under pressure.

Desirable

• Experience working within a health, disability, or long-term conditions context
• Experience of the voluntary sector and/or lived experience engagement
• Knowledge of digital transformation or digital communications best practice

The Migraine Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably experienced persons regardless of their race, socioeconomic backgrounds, gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion/faith, sexual orientation, or age.

How to apply

For the full role description, and to apply, please visit our website. Interviews will be week commencing 5th January. If you would like an informal discussion to find out more about the role before submitting an application, or have any other queries, we encourage you to get in touch.

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that strengthens the capacity of the Global South 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 the Global South should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for over a decade, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim. 

This is a unique opportunity to inform conversations on SRM in Africa. Rather than lobbying for outcomes, Degrees aims to support informed, independent policymaking by fostering connections between researchers and policymakers and strengthening institutional expertise. Degrees promotes regional research, creates spaces for policy-science dialogue, and supports the dissemination of Global South research.

Responsibilities

The Policy and Engagement Manager, Africa will strengthen the voice of the Global South in discussions and potential negotiations on SRM research and governance with relevance to Africa by connecting experts to policy processes. Accordingly, the successful candidate will: 

• Identify and engage key policy actors (e.g. national delegates and legislators, scientific advisors, intergovernmental officials) in Africa, connecting them to local SRM experts and providing them with information, where appropriate, while remaining neutral regarding the potential use and governance of SRM;
• Work with SRM researchers from the region to support the ongoing development of a coordinated community of experts; 
• Build informal and formal partnerships with like-minded organisations, helping to inform discussions and counter misinformation about climate and SRM.
• Share expertise and experience gained from Africa with staff and researchers and participate, as appropriate, in activities in Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean to gain similar expertise;
• Identify the most impactful international forums and regional SRM discussions, and work to connect local experts into these; 
• Identify a core group of researchers interested in policy engagement, and facilitate and join their participation in governance fora such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNFCCC COP, UN Environment Assembly, and meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• Support the execution and coordination of the Degrees policy engagement strategy in collaboration with other policy and programmatic staff; 
• Contribute to budgeting and alignment with programmes;
• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities by contributing to tracking, documentation, and reporting of policy engagement outcomes;
• In cooperation with the communications staff, ensure the development of clear, contextualised briefing materials for policy makers and other audiences. 

Role Summary

The UN Policy Manager (all genders) supports our ambitious efforts to engage with international institutions to bring food system transformation and sustainable diets to the heart of the global policy agenda. They will work within our UN team to mainstream a shift towards plant-based diets as a proven climate change adaptation and mitigation solution. 

We are looking for a candidate to lead our biodiversity policy and advocacy workstream, including our engagement with the UN CBD. The ideal candidate is a biodiversity expert with demonstrated experience of influencing policy outcomes at national or international level. A strong understanding of relevant financial mechanisms, instruments and entities, and experience in engaging with international policy processes and UN agencies is a plus.

The UN Policy Manager (all genders) will report to the Head of UN Affairs and will work collaboratively with other teams including programmes, communications, research, impact, and country policy managers. The successful candidate will also work closely with external partners and stakeholders. 

Job Details

Reports to: Head of UN Affairs 

Department: INT UN Policy & Public Affairs

Location: Remote, preferably based in Germany (Berlin), UK or Kenya (Nairobi)

Hours: 40 hours per week (35 if UK based)

Duration: 2 years contract, with possibility of extension
 

Responsibilities

Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement (60%)

• Establish and maintain effective collaborative relationships with external stakeholders and identify opportunities and strategies to improve engagement with policy-makers, environmental and other aligned organizations, healthcare officials, corporate leaders, scientific bodies, and grant-making organisations.

• Identify opportunities to influence policy narratives and (climate) agenda on biodiversity issues (international events, calls for contribution of UN agencies, coalitions work etc.)

• Collaborate with ProVeg country teams to develop a targeted outreach to national policymakers and spread our Diets Toolkit contributing effectively to our global policy impact.

• Develop ProVeg’s positions and advocacy strategy regarding biodiversity and agriculture/food systems. 

Partnership & Coalition Coordination (20%)

• Build a strong network of organizations and individuals in support of our advocacy work at the different UN bodies, specifically the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and participate in coalitions and joint advocacy campaigns.

• Maintain a database of activities, contacts, and external engagements in Hubspot. 

Event Planning & Logistics (10%)

• Coordinate talks, press conferences, and networking events in the lead up to different events (SB64, COP17, COP31).

• Speak at public events, fora, and other platforms, and serve as a representative of ProVeg to the public and the media.

• Support planning of logistical arrangements for different events (badging, travel, accommodation etc.).

Communications & Outreach (5%)

• Raise the profile of ProVeg online and offline by writing compelling content (e.g. Op-Eds) for targeted websites, campaigns, social media, mainstream media & PR (including broadcast media) with the support of our Communications team

Impact Tracking (5%)

• Support maintenance of up-to-date record of our engagements, activities and impacts.

• Assist with funding reports or donor updates.
   

Qualifications

• You hold at least a Master’s degree in political science, public affairs, law, or a similar subject. 

• You bring 3-5 years of relevant experience in policy work, and a demonstrated track record influencing international or national policy outcomes on biodiversity or a related field.

• You have a good understanding of international multilateral processes and entities (e.g., United Nations, IPCC), especially CBD COPs (advantage).

• You demonstrate excellent command of English, both oral and written; additional languages are a plus.

• You possess excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and a strong international policy network.

• You have a good understanding of food system transformation and protein diversification, particularly as they relate to biodiversity.

• You are passionate about ProVeg’s mission and believe in the power of impact-driven decision-making for achieving social change.
   

Benefits of working with us

Depending on working location these will differ. Here are some benefits we offer at ProVeg: 

• Strong organisational focus on personal development with a designated training budget
• Flexible, trust-based working arrangements and remote work. 
• Mental health & wellbeing support via access to the OpenUp platform and a free Headspace (Mindfulness app) subscription
• Provision of a work laptop and other necessary equipment
• A workplace that encourages everyone to bring their whole selves to work. We are an inclusive workplace for our diverse employees around the world.
• And last but not least: Become part of a great team and work with us towards a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet

When?

Application deadline: 12.12.2025

Start date: 01.03.2025

Timeline: 

25.11.-12.12. Published

08.12.-12.12. Screening (please note that we will first get back to you within this week)

15.12. - 22.12. First interviews with P&C

until 09.01.2026:. Trial tasks

12.01. - 23.01.: 2nd interview with the team

Final decision

Start date: Between 1 and 16 March

The Royal Meteorological Society is the UK’s professional and learned Society for Weather and Climate and is respected around the world for its contribution to meteorology.  The Society is a charity and its programmes of work include providing professional accreditation, developing educational resources and skills, producing scientific publications, holding public and professional meetings and events, giving advice to Government and policy makers, and a growing role in providing information to the public on the science of weather and climate change.

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Research Assistant to support an exciting project called the State of the Climate for the Agri-Food Sector, which we are delivering in partnership with the Met Office. This project aims to contribute to the evidence base of current impacts of climate change on the agri-food sector in the UK. This role is ideal for someone with strong research skills and an interest in weather and climate and the influence on the agri-food sector.

Roles and Responsibilities

The candidate will be responsible for the following but will be expected to meet with the project team once a month and come to the kick-off meeting and launch event. There is also scope for involvement in the communication and dissemination of the work throughout the program.

The responsibilities and timeline are set out as follows:

• Update the research protocol with the project team (Q1)
• Evidence and Data Synthesis from publicly available data sources and data provided by project partners (Q1):
  •  Carry out evidence synthesis
  •  Compile results from synthesis
  •  Share results with stakeholders
• Indicator co-production workshop (Q1)
  •  With the project team identify key stakeholders for an indicator workshop
  •  Share results from evidence and data synthesis to support the discussion
  •  Co-deliver the running of the workshop
  •  Write a draft report of the outcomes and agreed indicators
• Develop Agri-Food Case Studies which will form part of a resource hub (Q2/Q3)
  •  Run online focus groups
  •  Develop case studies of transformative adaptation taking place in the UK
  •  Share case studies with stakeholders
• Final Report and Roadmap (Q2/Q3)
  •  Lead the write up of the final technical report
  •  Develop roadmap of the annual process
• Project wrap up feeding into planning for 2027 cycle (Q4)

Required Skills and Competencies

The required skills and competencies that the Society view as important for this role are:

Essential:

• Hold or carrying out a research degree and be either a student or an early career researcher/professional (i.e. MPhil, MSc, PhD); Background or strong interest in agri-food, weather and climate is highly preferred.
• Experience in academic or applied research including with quantitative analysis. Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce clear, professional documentation for external stakeholders
• Self-starter with excellent organisational skills and the ability to work independently and manage time effectively
• Confidence to chair and organise focus groups and workshop with stakeholders
• A friendly and open-minded approach, with strong interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with indicator development
• Skilled in programming in R and/or Python
• All applicants are required to demonstrate the right to work in the UK.

Desired:

• Experience working on a project with multiple stakeholders

Recruitment information and timetable

Funding: The salary range is £30,000 - £35,000 per annum depending on experience. This is advertised as a full-time position; however, we are open to flexible arrangements. For example, the role could be structured as a secondment from industry or academia; or offered on a part-time basis for a set number of days per week.

Closing date: The deadline for applications is 3pm, Tuesday 6th January. Interviews are expected to take place w/c 19th January 2026 with some flexibility for interview times outside of core working hours.

Start Date: February 1st, 2026

Duration: 12 months, with the possibility of extension dependant on funding.

Location: This will be a remote working role, with opportunities to visit Society headquarters and attend relevant RMetS events. There may also be an occasional requirement for in person meetings with the Met Office and our funding partner.

Support: The role will be supervised by the RMetS Science Engagement Business Development Manager. Expenses will be reimbursed in line with the RMetS Expenses Policy.

The Royal Meteorological Society values diversity of background and perspective and is committed to treating all people equally and with respect irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We value diversity of background and perspective.

We are particularly committed to the employment and career development of disabled people. As part of this commitment, we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role they have applied for and we will proactively consider all reasonable adjustments to facilitate employment with us. If you wish to apply under this scheme, please indicate this in your covering letter.

Community Fundraiser - Home Counties

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Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research? ​

Brain Tumour Research is seeking an experienced and motivated fundraiser to join our team. As a key part of our fundraising efforts in our high-performing East region, you will have the opportunity to drive income generation through a variety of initiatives, including challenge events, fundraising groups, and corporate partnerships such as charity of the year. You will also be responsible for driving initiatives to increase our profile and supporter base within Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Essex. 

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Key Responsibilities: ​

• ​Generate income across a range of community fundraising initiatives and events, with the opportunity to lead on key projects 
• Steward supporters to help drive the charity’s fundraising activities and growth 
• ​Work with the fundraising team to develop and maintain strong relationships with fundraisers, donors, partners, and key stakeholders ​
• Contribute towards the growth and success of fundraising efforts, ensuring a sustainable income stream for the vital ongoing funding of brain tumour research ​

​

Requirements: ​​

• At least one year of fundraising experience, with a proven track record in income generation 
• Strong experience in supporter stewardship  
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire supporters and partners alike ​
• Passion for Brain Tumour Research and its mission to fund research and ultimately find a cure 

​

If you are looking for a fulfilling and impactful role and have the level of experience and skill we are looking for, we welcome your application.

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​We will give preference to those candidates living in the Bucks, Beds and Northants areas of this region.​​​

​We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.​

We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process.  Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.

Closing Date: 14th December 2025

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We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

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Community Fundraiser - London​

Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research? ​

Brain Tumour Research is seeking an experienced and motivated fundraiser to join our team. As a key part of our fundraising efforts in our high-performing East region, you will have the opportunity to drive income generation through a variety of initiatives, including challenge events, fundraising groups, and corporate partnerships such as charity of the year. You will also be responsible for driving initiatives to increase our profile and supporter base within London.​

Key Responsibilities: ​​​

• Generate income across a range of community fundraising initiatives and events, with the opportunity to lead on key projects 
• Steward supporters to help drive the charity’s fundraising activities and growth 
• ​Work with the fundraising team to develop and maintain strong relationships with fundraisers, donors, partners, and key stakeholders ​
• Contribute towards the growth and success of fundraising efforts, ensuring a sustainable income stream for the vital ongoing funding of brain tumour research ​​

Requirements: ​​

• At least one year of fundraising experience, with a proven track record in income generation 
• Strong experience in supporter stewardship  
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire supporters and partners alike ​
• Passion for Brain Tumour Research and its mission to fund research and ultimately find a cure 

​

If you are looking for a fulfilling and impactful role and have the level of experience and skill we are looking for, we welcome your application.​​

​For this role, the successful candidate must live in the London area.​​

​We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.

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We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process.  Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.

Closing Date: 04th January 2026

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We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

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About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Communications, you’ll join a small, creative, and supportive team working to make a real impact for Scotland’s seas. This is a maternity cover position, offering an exciting opportunity to step into a dynamic role where you can quickly make a difference.

You’ll help craft engaging digital content and drive public campaigns that raise awareness of seafood sustainability and marine protection — inspiring both people and policymakers to take action.

A key part of your work will be supporting collaborative external campaigns and finding imaginative ways to grow Open Seas’ reach and influence. From storytelling through film and design to building our online presence, your creativity will help showcase Scotland’s incredible marine life — and the urgent need to protect it.

You’ll contribute across a range of activities, from managing social media and improving SEO, to developing new website content and visual communications.

We’re looking for someone who’s agile, proactive, and comfortable working in a fast-moving environment. You’ll be a positive self-starter and a collaborative team player who enjoys bringing fresh ideas to life and adapting as priorities evolve.

This maternity cover role is a fantastic opportunity to use your digital and creative skills for good — contributing to progressive, solutions-focused campaigns that help shape the future of Scotland’s seas.

About Open Seas

Open Seas is a small environmental charity working in Scotland and beyond to promote environmental recovery in our seas and champion sustainable seafood. Established in 2016, we conduct environmental and policy research to inform consumers, markets and decision-makers as well as generate campaigns to drive positive change for the environmental health of Scotland’s seas. 

Ygam is seeking panel members to join our Lived Experience Advisory Panel. We are looking for individuals with either direct or indirect experiences of gambling harms to provide the organisation with an increased knowledge on the issues that children and young people face in today’s society.

We are particularly keen to hear from individuals who can bring a range of skills, knowledge and experience to the panel, including the ability to communicate clearly, reflect thoughtfully, and contribute respectfully to group discussions. Experience of engaging with education, safeguarding, treatment, peer support, research or policy is valuable, as is an understanding of the wider impacts of gambling harms on young people, families and communities. Above all, we are looking for people who are motivated to use their experience to help shape meaningful change for children and young people.

Role Requirements

Duties will include but not be limited to:

· Contributing to panel discussions and activities

· Sharing knowledge and areas of expertise

· Keeping up-to-date with current developments in the risks and emerging themes surrounding young people’s exposure and experiences with gambling.

· Submitting expenses

· Reading through minutes

· Completing any relevant actions pre and/or post meeting

· Declaring conflicts of interest whilst participating on the advisory panel

Person Specification 

Essential

· Demonstrable experience and knowledge in the fields of education, safeguarding and lived experience

· Understanding of issues related to gaming and gambling harms among children and young people

· Excellent communication skills

· Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of stakeholders

· Passionate about safeguarding children and young people from gaming and gambling harms

· Ability to commit time to attend regular meetings and contribute to the panel

· Open-minded and respectful of different perspectives and experiences

Desirable

· Previous experience serving on advisory panels or boards

· Knowledge of the charity sector

Senior External Affairs Adviser 
Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (12 months) 
Full time: 34.5 hours, we are open to a conversation about how you work these hours  
Location: Home based
Salary range: £43,000 - £48,000

About us 

At Macmillan you'll find talented people working together to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. We're going all out to find even better ways to help even more people who need our support. Our values are at the heart of who we are and everything we do, inspiring our thinking and guiding our actions. 

Our new organisational strategy sets out how we’ll fight even harder to make every pound raised count for even more. With your help, we’ll transform cancer care for good. 

About the role

Join Macmillan Cancer Support as a Senior External Affairs Adviser, where you will play a vital role in shaping and delivering impactful change propositions and external affairs strategies across the UK. Your work will focus on delivering at-scale change for people with cancer, particularly the most marginalised groups. 

Key responsibilities:

• Provide senior-level advice to develop external affairs strategies aligned with Macmillan’s mission. 
• Lead cross-functional external affairs projects that are evidence-based and impactful. 
• Develop and manage relationships with political stakeholders, policymakers, civil servants and healthcare providers. 
• Provide high-quality insight and briefings to senior colleagues on the political landscape, and what the external opportunities and risks are. 
• Anticipate shifts within the external environment and adapt approaches to maintain our relevance and influence. 
• Collaborate with teams to ensure policy positions are strategic and evidence-based. 
• Represent Macmillan at external events, advocating for improvements in cancer care. 
• Coordinate campaigns to influence public policy and funding decisions. 

About you 

The successful candidate will have... 

• Proven ability to manage complex and sensitive external contexts, making sound judgements on tone and messaging. 
• Strong understanding of operating within a four-nations context and engaging with diverse stakeholders, including senior politicians and civil servants.
• Expertise in analysing complex policy issues and developing impactful, evidence-based policy positions. 
• Strong organisational skills and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and emerging issues. 
• Excellent communication skills which are adaptable for external and internal audiences. 
• Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams or on multi-disciplinary projects. 

Recruitment process 

Application deadline: 23:59 on Tuesday 16th December 2025 

Interview date: Virtual interviews will be held on 8th January 2026 

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. 

So we can support you to be your best during the application or interview process, please contact Macmillan's TA Team for advice and reasonable adjustments.  

We welcome applications from everyone who meet the criteria and strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Macmillan. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy along with our internal employee representation body, ‘Our Voice’ and 8 Employee Network groups help us promote fairness and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

We are recruiting three Funding Strategy Development Managers, two Permanent roles and one Fixed-term for 12 months. Please state clearly in your supporting statement if you wish to be considered for the Fixed Term or Permanent role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the National Lottery Community Fund’s, Funding Strategy, Innovation and UK Directorate at a key moment in the delivery of our strategy. If you are up for playing a central role in a new team, which will be vital in enabling the Fund to deliver for communities in the years ahead, then this role could be for you.

We are approaching the midpoint of implementation of our strategy “It starts with community”. Over the last few years our funding portfolios in each of the nations of the UK and corporate functions have worked hard to embed the strategic ambitions we set ourselves. We are looking to take stock of our progress, understand how a changing world may impact our work and explore how we can grow our ambition to address the issues that will impact communities over the years ahead. Building on what we have achieved so far, we want to make greater progress including:

• Ensuring the fund has a thorough and live understanding of its collective response to the strategy, where our successes are and where there are opportunities to go further.
• Supporting our senior management team to come together to understand and explore our progress and shape the strategic direction for the organisation together
• Supporting greater engagement and collaboration between funding portfolios to enable sharing and learning, to build a better collective understanding of our missions and commitments and grow our impact
• ​Delivering ambitious and impactful projects to address common opportunities and challenges, for example to support the embedding of partnership working across the Fund, or to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies.
• Supporting ongoing strategy development, including horizon scanning to maintain a collective picture of key developments related to our missions, cross cutting commitments and wider factors impacting communities.

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. You will be one of two permanent managers in a small new team led by the Head of Strategy Development.

As this is a new team roles and responsibilities will be defined as the Team comes together. However, responsibilities may include:

• Drafting Senior Management Team (SMT) and Board reports on strategy implementation to update on progress and promote discussions on areas for development.
• Monitoring of funding portfolio strategy development and delivery activity, including maintaining regular engagement with portfolio representatives.
• Reviewing progress reports, identifying risks and issues and shaping recommendations to meet challenges and opportunities to go further in meeting strategic ambitions.
• Working closely with the Fund’s Governance Team to ensure the appropriate use of governance fora to provide oversight of strategy implementation and development work and maintaining an effective forward look of key priorities.
• Leading on engagement with key corporate functions, such as analytical, communications, legal and Human Resources, to support alignment with strategic ambitions.
• Engaging with funding teams across the Fund to support strong alignment between strategic ambition and operational realities.
• Leading discreet projects to explore emerging shared opportunities and challenges, undertaking desk research, engaging internal and external stakeholders and shaping proposals.
• Identifying opportunities for further alignment, internal partnerships and new ways of working.

Interview Details:

• Interview Date: TBC - 22 and 23 of January
• Format: Virtual
• Location: UK-Wide

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 session: We will be hosting a briefing session to further outline the role and answer questions on the following date: 15 December 2025, 3:15- 4:00pm. To register or ask any questions about the recruitment process, please contact the recruitment team.

​How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working with civil society, either working in a civil society organisation or in a supporting function (e.g. in a funding, consultancy or policy making body) with a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
• Experience of managing competing priorities to ensure successful delivery of key pieces of work.
• Strong collaboration skills, able to work with a range of people at different levels within an organisation to shape plans and projects that reflect the interests of the organisation.
• Strong external engagement skills, able to proactively identify a range of relevant stakeholders, build and maintain relationships, and draw on knowledge and expertise to inform proposals and projects.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to draw on data and qualitative evidence to understand complex topics and shape evidence led proposals. 
• Strong communication skills, able to present complex topics clearly using a range of communication tools, in particular, able to write clear and succinct formal papers for senior leaders. 
• Strong project management skills, able to use a range of tools to set out clear and timely delivery plans, identifying appropriate milestones, risks and issues.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of working in a policy or strategy team, helping to set direction for an organisation or major programme of work

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).

Bid Writer

Service: Business Development Team

Salary: £32,635 - £36,158 + £480 homeworking allowance FTE per annum (£26,108 - £28,926.40 per annum for part time, 29.6 hours per week + £384 homeworking allowance)

Location: Homebased

Hours: 29.6 hours per week (part-time, 4 days) to be agreed upon successful appointment

Contract: Permanent

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

Main Responsibilities:

The Business Development Team provides a specialist support function to enable the organisation to achieve its growth objectives. We promote the strategic growth of the organisation by supporting the retention of existing work and securing new contracts via competitive tender, trusts, grants and statutory fundraising.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Bid Writer or someone with equivalent writing experience/knowledge to join us and write applications that fully articulate Family Action’s offer.  The post works closely with other organisational functions and the rest of the Business Development team to convey service models and content to funders.

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):

• Produce quality written material in easy-to-understand ways; convey ideas graphically and tailor documents to specific audiences
• Ability to establish effective working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
• Experience relevant for your effectiveness in the role might be from various sectors and disciplines.  If you are passionate about supporting us to submit high-quality tenders and applications, achieving success rates whilst engaging with our services to contribute and evidence the impact of their work for inclusion in submissions then we would like to hear from you

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement of 30 working days plus bank holidays pro-rata

- up to 6% matched-pension contributions

- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions

- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers

- cycle to work scheme

- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

·       Apply via our website by following the link and clicking the ‘Apply’ link to fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: Monday 5th January at 9am

Interviews are scheduled to take place w/c 12th January virtually

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates. We are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action because we know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and we strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Role

The Events Manager will lead the planning and delivery of Degrees’ international events, including workshops that bring together funded researchers and the biennial Degrees Global Forum conference. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, they will design and manage high-quality events that strengthen collaboration, showcase research outcomes, and advance Degrees’ mission to support equitable SRM research in the Global South. This role requires strategic oversight, attention to detail, and the ability to deliver complex international events from concept to completion. 

Key responsibilities

Lead planning and delivery of events 

• Be responsible for the planning, coordination, and successful delivery of Degrees’ international events, including the biennial Degrees Global Forum and—in cooperation with the programmes team—quarterly regional research workshops.
• Support the delivery of policy engagement and fundraising events.
• Develop event concepts, agendas, and formats that align with organisational priorities. 
• Work closely with colleagues across other workstreams—particularly the Fundraising and Policy Engagement teams—to ensure that events are aligned with strategic priorities, that logistical planning complements programme content and policy objectives, and that participants and speakers are appropriately supported.
• Be responsible for end-to-end event budgets, forecasting, variance reporting; lead procurement;

Operational and logistical management 

• Ensure the smooth delivery of all event logistics, including venue selection, letters of contribution to participants, travel and lodging arrangements, visas, supplier contracting, budget management, insurances and risk assessments.
• Ensure events run smoothly, on schedule, and within budget, whilst maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and participant experience.

Collaboration and stakeholder engagement 

• Work closely with colleagues across Degrees’ teams (programmes, policy engagement, communications, fundraising, and operations) to ensure events support strategic goals.
• Liaise with external partners, funders, and speakers to build strong relationships and deliver impactful, collaborative events.

Monitoring, learning, and continuous improvement 

• Capture lessons learned from each event and contribute to refining Degrees’ event strategy and processes.
• Support post-event communications, reporting, and knowledge sharing to maximise the impact and visibility of Degrees’ work.

Key relationships

• Within the Programmes team forge close working relations with the Programmes Manager and the three Programme Officers.
• Develop strong working relations with colleagues from the following teams i) Operations, ii) Policy & Engagement and iii) Communications
• Depending on future organisational growth, the role may require managing an Events Officer