Principal policy advisor jobs
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – The Eveson Trust
Location: Worcester (minimum two days per week in the Trust’s office; travel across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands)
Salary: circa £75,000
Contract: Permanent, 35 hours per week
Are you a judicious, outward-looking leader who can sharpen strategy and raise the profile of a regionally rooted grant-maker with a significant endowment?
About The Eveson Trust
The Eveson Trust is a Worcestershire-based, place-focused grant-maker established from the bequest of Violet Mary Eveson. With an endowment of approximately £100 million, the Trust supports an annual grants programme of around £5–6 million and in 2022 modernised its legal structure by becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation while retaining strong local roots.
We exist to relieve need and enhance quality of life across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands, prioritising support for people with disabilities, mental-health needs, children and young people in need, older people, those experiencing homelessness, and users of hospitals and hospices. Our next CEO will be central to translating stewardship into measurable local impact and sustainable grant practice.
As our next Chief Executive Officer, you will:
- Strategy & Impact: lead the development and delivery of a refreshed strategic plan and grant-making framework that focuses resources where they will make the greatest measurable difference.
- Governance & Finance: support and advise the Board and sub-committees, ensuring robust governance, high-quality committee papers and sound financial stewardship of the endowment.
- Operational Leadership: strengthen internal systems and processes, make effective use of Salesforce, and propose a right-sized resourcing model to deliver the Trust’s ambitions.
- Income & Investment Oversight: work with the investment advisers and Trustees to balance spending policy, long-term capital protection and responsible investment principles.
- Community & Partnerships: build regional funder partnerships, increase reach in under-represented areas and foster strong relationships with grantees and local stakeholders.
- Grants Quality & Safeguarding: ensure rigorous due diligence, proportionate monitoring and consistently high standards of safeguarding and risk management.
- Brand & Profile: establish and deliver a communications plan that raises the Trust’s visibility across urban and rural communities.
- Team & Culture: lead, mentor and develop a compact team and oversee high standards in HR, data protection and operational compliance.
Who you are
- A seasoned senior leader with demonstrable experience in grant-making, philanthropy or a closely comparable mission-driven setting.
- Financially literate and confident with investment reports, annual accounts, budgets and risk analysis.
- Experienced in modern grants processes, due diligence and impact-focused monitoring.
- Comfortable advising and constructively challenging Trustees, producing concise, evidence-based committee papers.
- A strong relationship builder with a track record of partnership development and external representation.
- Skilled in strategic analysis, clear judgement and using data (for example Salesforce reporting) to inform decisions.
Why The Eveson Trust?
- A rare leadership opportunity to steward a significant endowment and shape a strategic grant-making approach across a diverse regional footprint.
- A respectful, detail-focused Board and a compact, capable team who value proportionate, evidence-based practice.
- The chance to expand the Trust’s presence in under-represented boroughs and to develop meaningful funder partnerships.
- Competitive salary, defined-contribution pension, flexible working and a supportive, mission-focused culture.
- The role offers clear scope to design the team and systems needed to deliver a more impact-focussed future for the Trust.
For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill at via the apply button with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 2nd February 2026
As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.
Thank you!
Chief Executive Officer - The Brain Charity
Location: Liverpool-based - occasional travel across Merseyside and the UK
Salary: £75,000 per annum + 10% company pension
Contract: permanent, full-time
Are you ready to lead a values-driven charity that supports people affected by neurological conditions and their families across Merseyside and nationally?
The Brain Charity is a Liverpool-based national charity supporting adults, children and their families affected by any of more than 600 neurological and related conditions. Founded in 1993 by neurologists at The Walton Centre, we have grown a centre-based offer, hospital liaison roles and a national information, training and support service - from practical welfare and legal advice, counselling and rehabilitation (Neuro Gym) to peer connection via The Brain Food Café and employer/school training. We put lived experience, co-production and neuro-inclusive practice at the heart of everything we do: more than half of our staff and many of our volunteers have lived experience of neurological conditions.
As our next Chief Executive, you will:
- Strategic leadership: Develop and deliver a 3–5 year strategy and an operational plan with clear priorities that secures the charity’s long-term impact and sustainable growth.
- Values leadership: Model and embed the charity’s person-centred, inclusive and co-productive values across services and culture.
- Growth & income diversification: Lead development of diverse income streams — fundraising, legacies and commercial activity — to strengthen financial resilience.
- Partnerships & advocacy: Strengthen senior relationships with NHS partners, local authorities, commissioners and wider stakeholders; amplify the charity’s voice in neuro-health and community settings.
- Service quality & impact: Embed rigorous outcome measurement, quality assurance and contract compliance so our impact drives commissioning and service development.
- People leadership: Stabilise staff morale, lead and develop a high-performing Senior Leadership Team, and promote wellbeing and inclusive working practices.
- Governance & financial stewardship: Provide timely, high-quality reporting to the Board; oversee budgeting, forecasting and risk management to safeguard financial sustainability.
Who you are:
- An experienced Chief Executive or senior director with a minimum of three years’ experience at CEO or equivalent level.
- Proven track record of winning and managing commissioned contracts and delivering against local authority or health contracts.
- Skilled at building strategic partnerships and commanding credibility with senior stakeholders across health, local government and the voluntary sector.
- Confident at leading turnaround and financial sustainability work - experienced in budgeting, forecasting and making difficult decisions when needed.
- A values-led, collaborative leader with high emotional intelligence, resilience and a commitment to co-production and inclusion.
Why The Brain Charity?
- Lead a respected, person-centred organisation with a unique, wide-ranging offer across advice, emotional support, rehabilitation, social connection and national training.
- A high-impact role where you can stabilise the organisation, professionalise fundraising and scale services strategically.
- Liverpool-based centre with hybrid working and national reach — a chance to influence neuro-health practice and commissioning across the UK.
For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill via the apply button with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 19th January 2026
As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.
Thank you!
Director of Finance and IT
London (Camden) | Hybrid working
Salary £90,000
Full time (37.5 hours) or 4 days per week considered
Thomson Foundation is an independent, globally respected organisation with over 60 years’ experience supporting free, ethical and trusted journalism around the world. At a time when reliable information has never mattered more, Thomson’s work is both impactful and deeply values-driven.
They are now seeking a Director of Finance and IT to join the senior leadership team at an exciting point in the organisation’s evolution.
This is a rare opportunity for a senior finance leader who enjoys combining strategic leadership while also being able to provide hands on support. You will work closely with the CEO, Board and senior colleagues to shape future strategy, while also getting into the detail to understand how things work today and where they can be improved tomorrow.
You will thrive in this role if you enjoy making your mark: strengthening systems, improving automation, streamlining processes and building robust, proportionate controls that suit a small, international organisation. This is not a role where you sit at arm’s length from the detail – you will be curious, practical and comfortable rolling up your sleeves, whether that’s reviewing processes, posting journals, improving reporting or driving smarter use of technology.
Alongside financial leadership, you will oversee IT, risk, compliance and governance across the Thomson Group, working with outsourced providers and internal colleagues to ensure systems are secure, efficient and fit for purpose. You will play a key role in delivering the Finance and Technology Transformation Plan, helping the organisation operate more effectively and sustainably as it continues to grow and adapt.
Thomson has a small, welcoming team and a collaborative, non-hierarchical culture. You will be joining an organisation where people are trusted, ideas are welcomed and impact really matters. The role is based in Camden, with hybrid working two days per week in the office.
This role will suit someone who is:
• equally comfortable thinking strategically and working hands on
• motivated by improving systems, automation and ways of working
• curious, detail-oriented and happy to implement change
• values-led and excited by working in a mission-driven, international charity
If you are looking for a senior leadership role where you can genuinely influence, improve and help shape the future of a highly respected organisation, this is an outstanding opportunity.
How to Apply
For more information, please contact Rosemary Pini at Allen Lane who is supporting on this role and happy to answer any questions.
Please apply by sending CV and supporting statement before 1st February
Thank you!
Are you a creative and curious relationship builder with an interest in science and technology, and its ability to change the world?
University of Oxford’s world-leading Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Development team is looking for their next aspiring fundraising professional, offering the chance to learn, grow and hone their skills in the role of Development Officer.
Offering an exceptional salary and benefits package along with unrivalled opportunities for professional development, this is a unique early-career opportunity for a driven individual with fundraising, marketing or transferable relationship skills looking for a stimulating and nurturing learning environment.
About the role:
From climate science and robotics, to drug discovery and surveying and conserving tropical rainforests, Oxford scientists are at the forefront of international research and their work has global impact. You’ll join the country’s most successful higher education Development team working closely with academics and researchers with an international reputation for excellence.
You will help to raise funds for cutting-edge, innovative and life-changing research, scholarships, access and outreach, and a number of key capital projects.
You’ll also develop your skills and experience across a range of income streams: regular giving, stewardship, legacies and major gifts, including gaining experience facilitating gifts up to six figures.
About you:
You’ll already have some fundraising, business development, alumni relations, or marketing experience. We’re looking for you to be able to positively and confidently engage and build rapport, both in conversation and writing.
You’re naturally curious and keen to learn more about the potential for scientific developments impact world issues, and change people’s lives.
We’d also love to see you demonstrate the following skills and qualities:
Think strategically and tactically about the relations between potential donors and fundraising goals.
· Be creative in producing materials, with an understanding of how to articulate projects for donors.
· Able to manage, prioritise and adapt to a diverse workload, meet deadlines, and work calmly under pressure.
In return for your passion and commitment, you’ll receive a generous salary and benefits package, joining a supportive team that will encourage and nurture you to thrive.
What we offer:
Your happiness and wellbeing at work matters to us, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including:
· Flexible hybrid working
· An excellent contributory pension scheme
· 38 days annual leave
· Membership to CASE
· Training and development opportunities
· A comprehensive range of childcare services
· Family leave schemes
· Cycle loan scheme
· Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
· Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
Application process
· Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions on our Application portal.
· Applications must include of a CV and a letter of application, in your own words (in PDF format), outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
Only applications received before 12.00 noon on 14 January 2026 can be considered.
Interviews are currently scheduled to take place 22 January 2026, in person in Oxford.
Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.
The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic.
Non Charity Employer
101 - 500
We raise funds in support of the University’s academic priorities, securing donations for all aspects of academic and student endeavour.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.