Press and external affairs officer jobs

Contract: Permanent, part-time contract.

Hours: 21 Hours, 3 days per week.

Salary: £20,000 - £23,000

Location: Hybrid, anchored to the Cardiff Carers Trust office 1 day a week. Flexibility to work from other Carers Trust’s offices around the UK when needed.

Working as part of the Wales team, the postholder will lead communications and marketing activity for both funds, ensuring carers’ stories, programme impact and opportunities for support are effectively communicated across Wales. The role will play a key part in building awareness, engaging stakeholders and delivery partners, and showcasing the difference these programmes make to unpaid carers’ lives.

The postholder will work closely with External Affairs colleagues in Wales and the UK-wide Communications and Marketing team to develop engaging digital content, media coverage, publications and social media activity. They will also coordinate learning and engagement events that bring together partners to share best practice and strengthen delivery across Wales.

As the postholder you will:

• Work with external suppliers including photographers, designers, translators and videographers.
• Lead communications and marketing activity for the Short Breaks Fund and Carers Support Fund in Wales.
• Coordinate learning, engagement and promotional events for stakeholders and partners.

Please download the attached recruitment pack to find out more. 

Charity People is delighted to be partnering once again with Maudsley Charity to recruit an External Affairs and Influencing Manager.

A hugely exciting new role within the Communications team at the charity, the postholder will work across media, external affairs and influencing to engage with key stakeholders, boost the charity's profile, and promote learning and adoption of the solutions the organisation funds. You will be responsible for sharing evidence and learning in order to influence the people who fund, adopt and commission mental health care and services, and will work closely with the CEO to increase engagement with policy work which the Maudsley Charity undertakes through it's work in coalitions.

External Affairs and Influencing Manager
Contract: Full time, permanent role
Salary: £48,000 per annum
Location: Hybrid role between home and London office, with two days per week in the Denmark Hill office
Closing date for applications: 9am on Tuesday 28th July

First round interviews will be held remotely on: Thursday 13th August
Second round interviews will be held in person on: Thursday 20th and Friday 21st August

About Maudsley Charity

Maudsley Charity funds and supports clinical, academic, and community partners to ensure that everyone experiencing mental illness can access the right care, while using insights from their work to drive wider improvements across the UK.

Recognising the profound impact of mental illness and the inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes - particularly those linked to social deprivation and racism - the organisation focusses on addressing gaps in care.

With an approach that combines evidence, lived experience, and a commitment to equity, the organisation backs impactful, evidence-based solutions, ensuring services are shaped by real-world insight, and prioritising support for those most underserved to drive improvements that benefit all.

About the role

This is a core role within the organisation's influencing strategy, and your primary responsibilities will include:

External Affairs & Influencing:

• Develop and deliver influencing plans to promote adoption of effective mental health care initiatives being funded by the charity
• Develop productive relationships with key stakeholders (journalists, NHS trust leaders, ICBs, ICSs, VCSE orgs) to gather intelligence and shape strategy to inform the charity's positioning
• Lead the charity's thought leadership development providing strategic advice to senior leadership on political, NHS and mental health policy developments
• Strengthen the charity's role in mental health policy and advocacy coalitions, by contributing to collaborative advocacy, media and communications outputs
• Lead the charity's response to government mental health care consultations and calls for evidence
• Monitor funder sector trends and conversations, and actively seek out opportunities for the charity to strategically engage and influence by sharing learning from its grant making practice

Media management

• Develop and implement integrated external affairs campaigns that support the charity's influencing work
• Create persuasive materials, including press releases, op-eds, spokespeople briefings, comment pieces, and digital content and pitch to relevant outlets
• Maintain and grow relationships with journalists, broadcasters and sector media to secure relevant high-quality coverage of the charity's activities, grant holders and their projects
• Act as first point of contact for media enquiries, managing proactive and reactive press activity
• This role is expected to grow and develop and the postholder will be fully supported from across the organisation as the position evolves, within an organisation that offers a friendly, values led culture.

We would love to hear from individuals with the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrable track record of developing and implementing successful influencing strategies in the mental health sector
• Experience of stakeholder management within mental health care, including NHS Trust leaders, Integrated Care Boards, commissioners and senior clinicians, and with academics and researchers
• Strong experience in media relations, including briefing senior spokespeople, drafting press releases, media handling, and securing media coverage with a good understanding of the needs and expectations of different outlets and publications
• Keen understanding of the NHS, mental health policy landscape, and the related environment, key stakeholders and sector drivers
• Understanding of the key components and considerations of successful external affairs media and influencing
• Understanding of the sensitivities around mental illness, including working in an empathetic manner with people with lived experience
• Understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles and a commitment to apply them in your work and as an organisation
• Influencing skills including confidence and credibility in working with stakeholders,
• Communication skills and the ability to produce clear and effective communications and the ability to confidently and accurately represent the organisation externally
• Written and editorial skills including the ability to craft narratives for different external audiences and communicate the charity's work in press releases, articles, policy briefs

How to apply

Maudsley Charity is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented backgrounds. We welcome applications from non-graduates.

Applications are managed via Charity People and involve a structured, anonymised process focusing on your experience and potential. Please send your CV to Alice at Charity People in the first instance.

Please see full job pack and job description attached.

There is also an optional 'Ask Us Anything' Webinar via Zoom on Thursday 16th July at 12.30pm where the Maudsley staff will answer questions. Please get in touch with Reception at Charity People if you'd like to register for this and they will send you the link. Please submit questions in advance to reception at Charity People before 9am on Wednesday 15th July 2026 in order that we can ensure all of your queries are answered.

Equal Opportunities monitoring

We ask that applicants complete our DEI monitoring form when submitting their CV for this role.

Maudsley Charity is an equal opportunities employer, and makes no discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sex. Specifically, we will also oppose unfair discrimination of those with mental health issues.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Head of Communications & Public Affairs

The Head of Communications & Public Affairs is a pivotal role at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) promoting our world-leading work in science, conservation, horticulture, and education.

Working as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will lead the organisation’s approach to strategic communications, seeking opportunities to engage external audiences, disseminate key messages, and raise RBGE’s profile on a national and international stage through press and media engagement.

With oversight of the communications and publishing functions, this role will also provide key support to the Regius Keeper and the Executive Team in shaping engagement and communication strategies with political stakeholders across the Scottish and UK governments.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact in the next phase of RBGE’s corporate strategy, strengthening key policy relationships and promoting RBGE’s expertise to deliver real impact in the fight against the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Closing date:                            09:00am (BST) on Monday 20 July 2026        
First interview date:               30 July 2026
Second interview date: 5 August 2026

Recruitment information: 

Further details on the job description, person specification, and how to apply can be found in the candidate pack for the role on our website here: Head of Communications and Public Affairs Candidate Pack

External Communications Manager

Salary: £40,000–£42,000 FTE
Hours: 30 hours per week
Location: Remote, with regular travel to FitzRoy services, team and stakeholder meetings as agreed. The role requires attendance in London once per month and applicants must be able to commute to services in Norfolk, Nottingham and Hampshire.
Reports to: Head of Communications
Directorate: Business Development and Partnerships

FitzRoy is a national charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs to live lives rooted in choice, meaning and happiness.

We are strengthening our external voice and looking for a confident, perceptive and warm communicator to help more people understand FitzRoy’s expertise and impact and increase our influence.

This is a moment of change for social care. We want to play a more active role in shaping its future, ensuring the people at the heart of it are seen, heard and involved in the decisions that matter.

About the role

As External Communications Manager, you will help build FitzRoy’s profile and reputation by identifying the stories, insight and opportunities that show what good support looks like in real life.

You will work closely with the Head of Communications, fundraising, business development and operational colleagues to turn external communications priorities into practical plans, content and opportunities.

This is a delivery role with real influence. You will be expected to bring ideas, advise colleagues, shape practical plans and turn opportunities into action.

What you will do

You will:

• develop proactive external communications activity that raises awareness of FitzRoy’s work, expertise and impact
• spot opportunities for FitzRoy to contribute constructively to sector conversations
• identify realistic opportunities for media, sector press, partner or local coverage
• gather stories, photos, video and quotes that help people understand what good support looks like in real life
• use social media, website content, audience insight and analytics to strengthen FitzRoy’s external profile

About you

You may come from charity communications, PR, journalism, public affairs, stakeholder communications or another external communications background.

You do not need to have worked in social care before, but you will need to be interested in people, willing to learn quickly and able to handle stories about people’s lives with care, respect and good judgement.

We are looking for someone who is:

• an excellent writer and editor
• confident developing clear, accessible content for different audiences
• warm, curious and able to build rapport quickly
• able to spot strong stories, ideas and opportunities
• confident creating social media and website content shaped by audience insight
• comfortable working independently and managing competing priorities
• able to think strategically about audiences and influence, while being practical about what can be delivered in a small team
• confident gathering content including photos, videos and quotes
• willing and able to travel to FitzRoy services and meetings as needed

A full clean driving licence and access to a car for work travel are required, as some services are not easily accessible by public transport.

Working at FitzRoy

You will join a small, friendly communications team with big ambitions. This role will suit someone who enjoys a mix of planning, writing, relationship-building, story-gathering and hands-on delivery.

You will help us show the difference good support makes – and help ensure the voices, experiences and achievements of people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs are seen and heard.

How to apply

To apply, please submit your application and a covering letter.

We do not expect your covering letter to address every point in the person specification. We would like you to tell us:

• what interests you about this role and FitzRoy
• three things you would bring to the role
• a piece of communications work you are proud of and why
• how you approach using social media, website content and audience insight to build external profile
• how you would approach telling stories about people’s lives with care, respect and good judgement

If you are using AI tools to write your application, please use them with caution. We are looking for your own voice and writing style.

PR and Policy Officer

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced PR and Policy Officer to help secure high quality media coverage as well as supporting policy development and political influencing work.

Position: PR & Policy Officer

Location: Bradley, Huddersfield/Hybrid

Hours: Part-time, 27 hours per week

Salary: £30,000 - £32,000 pro rata dependant on experience

Duration: Permanent

Benefits: Include 26 days paid holiday (rising to 30 days with service increments) plus 8 bank holidays, Personal Pension Scheme, Healthcare Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, Staff Awards Scheme, Company Sick Pay Scheme, Flexible working patterns

The Role

The role is critical to ensuring that the organisation is at the forefront of the debate on early years education and childcare.

Working with the PR & Policy Manager, you will take responsibility for monitoring media coverage, creating engaging content for press releases and news features, as well as supporting the Director of Policy and Communications with stakeholder engagement and policy research.

Responsibilities include:

• Support the PR & Policy Manager to deliver the media relations strategy
• Identify and create print, broadcast and digital opportunities for maximising the reach and impact of key messaging
• Support work of the Director of Policy and Communications to increase awareness of early years policy priorities among politicians across all parties
• Develop work programmes and undertake research to explore policy issues
• Liaise with press and media contacts to maximise positive exposure and coverage across UK national and trade media
• Manage the day-to-day operation of media and policy contacts
• Support in finding suitable nurseries as case studies and spokespeople for the press and broadcast media
• Assist with internal and external speaking engagements
• Write and produce material for a range of member communications.

About You

As PR and Policy Officer, we are looking for someone who will bring enthusiasm and creativity to the role. You will be educated to degree level or have gained equivalent experience working in a similar role. You will have outstanding communication skills, have experience of writing for diverse audiences (e.g. newsletters, social media content, briefing papers, press releases) and have excellent editorial and proofreading skills with consistent accuracy. You will also possess strong data analysis skills to draw results, trends and conclusions from qualitative or quantitative data sources.

To apply you will be asked to submit your CV along with a covering letter detailing how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of the role.

About the Organisation

The organisation is a national charity and membership association specifically for nurseries working in partnership with nurseries, local authorities, national government and a range of partners to develop an environment in which early learning and care can flourish.

The organisation is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and is actively opposed to discrimination in society.

You may have experience in areas such as PR Officer, Policy Officer, PR and Policy, PR and Policy Executive, Public Affairs Officer, Planning Policy Officer, Public Affairs and Policy Officer,  Public Relations Officer, Planning Policy Officer, Public Relations and Policy Officer, Marketing Officer, Communications Officer, Marketing and Communications Officer, Marketing and Communications Executive, Marketing and Communications Assistant, Marketing and Communications Policy Officer, Social Media Officer, Digital Marketing Officer, Print Media, Broadcast Media, Media and Policy Officer, EYF.

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

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

This role will also work closely alongside the Living Wage Foundation communications function. The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011. Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting over 475,000 people and winning over £4bn of better wages for people who need it most. 

Purpose 

At Citizens UK, our staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training. 

1. Content & Marketing Officer role:

Main responsibilities

• Create engaging written, graphic and video content.

• Deliver integrated marketing campaigns across digital channels.

• Support website, email marketing, SEO/PPC and media activity.

• Produce creative assets and support fundraising and internal communications.

• Use audience insight and AI to improve communications.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree/training in communications, marketing, media or community organising (D)

Experience

• Communications, marketing or digital content (E)

• Managing multiple priorities (E)

• Campaign experience (D)

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong communication skills (E)

• Digital communications and marketing knowledge (E)

• Adapt content for different audiences (E)

• Organisation and attention to detail (E)

• Data insight (D)

• Creative tools (D)

Personal Qualities

• Proactive and takes initiative (E)

• Commitment to Citizens UK's values (E)

• Passion for storytelling (E)

• Strong relationship-building skills (E)

• Adaptable and responsive to feedback (E)

2. Digital Communications Officer role:

Main responsibilities

• Lead social media and digital communications.

• Create engaging digital content and campaigns.

• Manage website and email communications.

• Grow audiences through digital engagement.

• Monitor performance and support colleagues with digital communications.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree/training in communications, marketing, media or community organising (D)

Experience

• Digital marketing campaigns (E)

• Digital content creation (E)

• Social media management (E)

• Marketing, design or filming (D)

• Crisis communications (D)

Skills & Knowledge

• Digital storytelling (E)

• Social media platforms and scheduling (E)

• Website CMS/UX (E)

• Excellent communication (E)

• Project management (E)

• Paid media (D)

• Photography/video/design software (D)

• Fundraising communications (D)

Personal Qualities

• Adaptable and takes initiative (E)

• Commitment to Citizens UK's values (E)

• Passion for community organising (E)

• Strong relationship-building skills (E)

• Willingness to travel (D)

About the application process 

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role.

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.   

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role and requirements.

Salary: £62,415 - £64,058 (if UK based) / Competitive Birches rated salary for the
local market if based outside of the UK
Location - London, United Kingdom or the following Start Network countries of operation: DRC · Pakistan · India · Somalia · · South Sudan · Philippines · Kenya · Bangladesh
Team - Communications
Line Manager - Director of Impact and Change
Line Reports - Manage the Communications team, including line management of, Communications Manager and Digital Communications Manager.
Hours - 35 hours per week
Contract - Permanent

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Head of Communications is a senior role responsible for shaping and delivering Start Network’s communications strategy—externally and internally—to strengthen organisational influence, impact and coherence across all audiences. The role provides leadership to a global hybrid and remote working communications team, including direct line management responsibilities.

The role is responsible for ensuring an integrated, audience-led approach to communications that effectively engages key stakeholders and advances organisational priorities. The role will also oversee the delivery of key publications and act as our brand champion, ensuring that our outputs, messaging and communications are consistently on-brand, clear, compelling and aligned with our values and strategic objectives.

As part of the Impact and Change Directorate, the role will work with colleagues across Policy, Advocacy and External Affairs, Evidence and Learning, and Systems Innovation and Change in positioning Start Network as a leading agent of change, translating evidence and learning into compelling communications that influence policy, practice and funding across the humanitarian system.

The role plays a critical part in strengthening Start Network’s profile, influence and thought leadership across the global humanitarian system.

WHAT IS START NETWORK?

Our purpose is to be a catalyst for system-level change that improves the efficiency, effectiveness and ethics of humanitarian action. We do this by working as a network to develop, test & spread new ways of collaborating and resourcing locally-led crisis response and anticipation.

Our current membership is made up of nearly 145 local, national and international NGOs based all around the world. We also support 10 national and regional hubs made up of civil society organisations and NGOs as our vehicle for devolving power, resources and accountability.

OUR VALUES

WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST: Communities come first in our decision-making and programming.

WE ARE BRAVE: We have great ambition and are willing to explore new things and take risks to achieve it

WE OPERATE COLLECTIVELY: We leverage the value of working as a network, sharing risk and resources, and learning together.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We see the value in diverse perspectives and work to remove the barriers that prevent voices from being heard.

WE ARE OPEN: We work transparently and with integrity, building mutual trust in all levels of our work, from governance to programming.

WE ARE ETHICAL: We behave and operate based on key principles of anti-racism, non-discrimination, and anti-colonialism. This is a work in progress.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

• Being a part of a network involved in bringing change to the humanitarian sector.
• Hybrid working with options to work from home and remotely to support your work/life balance
• Employee Assistance Programme through Smart Health (depends on the country based)
• Family friendly policies, e.g., flexible working, maternity policy, parental leave and more!
• 25 days’ holiday (if UK based) plus 2 company days over the End of Year period for all staff (depends on the country based)

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Our roles are open to discussion about flexible working. For part-time working and job-shares, please get in touch with us before putting in an application.

Start Network is committed to protecting people, particularly children, at-risk adults and affected populations from any harm. We are also committed to safeguarding staff from any forms of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of power as outlined in the Dignity at Work policy. Start Network embraces diversity, promotes equality of opportunity and eliminates unlawful discrimination. We are an equal opportunities employer and treat every application on merit alone. We particularly encourage applications from disabled, BAME, LGBTQ+ and non-binary candidates. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our essential selection criteria set out in the Person Profile.

APPLICATION

Please contact the People and Culture Team if you have any questions or need support with your application. 

We use Recruitment+ IRIS Cascade as our online recruitment platform. Recruitment+ IRIS Cascade allows you to demonstrate your skills and abilities through blind-review by our team to reduce bias.

 Closing date: 26th July 2026

Date for 1st Interview: 18th August (Subject to change)

Date for 2nd Interview: 25th August (Subject to change)

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications and we may review candidates on an ongoing basis, so please apply early where possible to avoid disappointment.

Any offer of employment will be conditional subject to relevant checks. Please refer to our privacy candidate privacy notice regarding treatment of your data. Start Network also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. The core of the scheme is that participating organisations share information about safeguarding-related misconduct (i.e., sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment) that a candidate has been found to have committed during employment, or incidents under investigation when the candidate left employment. For more information regarding this scheme, please visit their website.

The Company

Start Network is made up of more than 90 non-governmental organisations across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to local and national NGOs. Our programmes allow members to deliver humanitarian action around the world.

Our mission is to create a new era of humanitarian action that will save even more lives. We aren’t driven by media headlines or political will, we’re here for the communities affected by and at risk of crises.

We are an organisation committed to doing things differently. For some roles, we need more technical humanitarian expertise, but for other roles, we are looking for relevant transferable skills, the right attitude, and a passion to bring change.

Why this role matters
Good ideas, strong evidence and inspiring stories only create change if the right people understand and act on them. This role exists to ensure that the case for physical activity reaches the right people, in the right way, at the right time, and that it moves them to act. You’ll develop compelling narratives grounded in insight, evidence, and behavioural science, helping partners across the system create greater impact and supporting Yorkshire  Sport Foundation in leading and influencing far beyond its own boundaries.

Responsibilities
Strategic comms leadership
• Develop and lead a long-term strategic marketing andcommunications approach aligned to our Active Partnership role
and Sport England priorities
• Use behavioural science, audience insight and evidence to shapehow the system understands physical activity and inequality
• Identify the beliefs, motivations and barriers of key audiences anddesign communications that influence action
• Ensure all communications activities support YSF to influencestrategic stakeholders
• Advise the organisation on how messaging can support policy, investment and system change
• Develop Yorkshire Sport Foundation’s reputation as a trusted strategic voice

Influence & stakeholder engagement
• Shape communications that influence policy, investment and practice across local authorities, health and education systems
• Support senior leaders to land key messages with senior stakeholders
• Equip partners with messaging that helps them to demonstrate and amplify the impact they make
• Translate complex insight and evaluation into clear narratives and messages
Insight-led communications
• Embed audience insight and behavioural science into messaging
• Combine data, evaluation and lived experience to demonstrate impact whilst ensuring communications reflect communities
authentically
• Build a learning approach to testing, adapting and improving messaging effectiveness

Organisational leadership
• Lead and develop the strategic marketing and communications function
• Set standards for when communications activity should, and should not, happen
• Maintain humility while strengthening clarity of impact and purpose

Channels & delivery
• Plan and deliver integrated marketing and communications campaigns across digital, media, content and internal channels, ensuring activity aligns with organisational objectives and brand standards
• Produce and oversee high-quality content (copy, press materials, web, social, email and collateral) while coordinating agencies, suppliers and internal stakeholders to meet deadlines and budgets.
• Monitor performance using analytics and insight, report on outcomes and continuously optimise campaigns and messaging to improve engagement and reach.
Other
• To lead on YSF public affairs and policy work in partnership with the CEO
• Strategic comms planning with the Active Partnership National Organisation and other leading Active Partnerships ensuring consistency of messaging across England
• To support the marketing of events across Yorkshire
• To work flexibly to respond to changing organisational requirements and carry out any other duties which may arise from
time to time
• To follow policies and procedures in relation to other matters, e.g.Health and safety, safeguarding, GDPR, financial procedures, etc.

What we’re looking for
We know great candidates rarely tick every box. If you have strongskills across most of the areas below and believe you can add value, we’d love to hear from you.
• Skills in both operational and strategic marketing and communications
• Ability to influence policy, investment or organisational behaviours
• Ability to design and deliver communications strategies that change decisions
• Skills in translating evidence and insight into persuasive narratives
• Understanding of behavioural science and audience-centred communications
• Able to operate with credibility and humility in partnership environments
• Comfortable working where success means others receive recognition
• Strategic thinker who challenges activities that lack purpose
• Commitment to reducing inequalities
• Strategic narrative and messaging development skills
• Senior stakeholder influencing and facilitation skills
• Ability to simplify complex evidence and communicate in engaging ways
• Leadership and team development skills

Other
• Ability to travel independently around West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.
• Ability and willingness to work to our organisational values

Please make sure you demonstrate your ability to meet therequirements of the job by giving clear, concise examples of how you meet each of the requirements in the What We’re Looking For section of the job description.

We recognise and welcome our responsibility to remove any barriers in our Recruitment and Selection process for disabled people. We have tried to do this, but if you have a disability and identify any barriers in the job description or employee specification, please tell us of these in your application. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments
to the job wherever possible and it would help us to know your needs to do this.

Position: Head of Research
Hours: Part-time, 14 hours a week – job share
Contract: Permanent
Location: Office-based in London N4, with flexibility for hybrid working
Salary: £66,421 per annum FTE (£26,568 per annum, actual for 14 hours per week) plus excellent benefits
Salary Band: Band 4

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

The Head of Research enables successful delivery of the organisation’s ground-breaking Research Strategy. They will provide vital leadership, strategic direction and day to day management of the MS Society’s research programme as well as leadership of the Research Team.

This varied and exciting role also involves developing and maintaining strategically relevant partnerships, annual grant round, new research strategy and acting as a spokesperson for the MS Society as well as being a key ambassador – inspiring internal teams about the MS Society’s research programme.

Please note this is a part-time 14 hours per week position. This could be worked across either 2 or 3 days.

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Tuesday 21 July 2026

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled people and or people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our recruitment and selection process 

• The first round of our recruitment and selection process includes an interview with competency-based questions.
• Our recruitment and selection process might also include extra tasks. For example, a written or Microsoft Excel test or making a presentation.  
• We’ll let you know what the selection process will include when we invite you to interview. You can ask for any more reasonable adjustments for the interview as part of the invitation.
• You might also be invited for a second interview. We’ll let you know about this during the selection process.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 39 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.