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Help us achieve our vision that fewer people die by suicide.
Suicide can be prevented but urgent action is needed. We are looking for an experienced Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager to lead our work to mobilise our campaigners and maximise our political relationships to push for action to prevent suicide.
Samaritans is the UK and Ireland’s leading suicide prevention charity. While we are best known for listening to those who need us, we also work to influence change through our policy, advocacy campaigning and relationships with political stakeholders.
The Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns team of five works alongside people with lived experience, our campaigners, supporters and volunteers to push for the public policy and legal changes that will help us achieve our vision. We work to achieve system change through our work with the Westminster parliament, UK Government departments, policy makers and service leads, alongside our offices in the nations. We're looking for a Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager to lead this area of work.
We know that to make a real difference to those who are affected by suicide, we need to drive meaningful change in UK legislation and policy, funding and research.
If you're a strategic thinker with a track record of successfully influencing for change, we'd love to hear from you.
Contract terms:
- £42,000 - £44,000 per annum, plus benefits
- Permanent
- 35 hours per week (full-time)
- We are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences
- Hybrid, linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office
- We value meeting in person and working collaboratively. We work in person around 2 days or more per month. This role will also involve regular travel to Westminster.
- 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
What you'll be doing:
You'll lead our public affairs and advocacy campaigns work focused on influencing decision-makers and driving advocacy campaigns.
Your key responsibilities include:
- Overseeing our advocacy campaigning activity across England and line managing the Public Affairs and Campaigns Officer, ensuring that our advocacy campaigns are rooted in lived experience, and that our supporters have a positive ongoing experience.
- Leading the implementation of our public affairs and campaign strategies to achieve change on Samaritan’s key influencing priorities
- Identifying, creating, and evaluating opportunities and mechanisms to increase political engagement and persuade decision makers to take positive action on suicide prevention
- Identifying, cultivating and maintaining excellent relationships across the UK parliament and key political decision makers.
- Working across the charity to connect all of our relevant work to Parliamentary audiences, including support for Samaritans branches and volunteers on public affairs activities
- You’ll play a pivotal role in leading our efforts to drive meaningful change to help prevent suicide.
What you’ll bring:
- Great people skills with the ability to turn contacts into action
- Proven experience in successfully influencing within the UK Parliament
- Experience of leading effective advocacy campaigns and trialling new and exciting campaign tactics
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences effectively
- A passion for involving people with lived experience in your campaigns and public affairs work
For full details, please see the Job Description and Person Specification
Why Samaritans?
At Samaritans, you’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission. You’ll be part of a collaborative and supportive team where your voice matters, your expertise makes a difference, and your work helps save lives.
We offer flexible hybrid working, great benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland. To find out more about Samaritans, please read our recruitment brochure.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the people we support and who support us. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels seen, heard and supported, at all levels of the organisation.
Apply now
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, we’d love for you to apply. You will be asked to answer some short application questions and to upload your CV. If you require adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.
Applications close: 20th September 2026
Interviews: w/c 28th September
At Samaritans, human connection is at the heart of everything we do.
We do not use AI at any stage during the selection process. Your application will always be carefully reviewed by the recruiting manager or a member of the Talent Attraction Team.
We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to generate your application or interview answers. We want to hear your own ideas, insights, and writing style so your unique strengths can shine through. We recognise that some candidates may use assistive technology or tools to help with accessibility, structure or grammar.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
We prevent suicide through the power of human connection. Connecting people in crisis with trained volunteers who will always listen.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
About Woman's Trust
The charity was established in 1996 to meet the gap in specialist mental health services. Woman’s Trust is led by and for women and aims to ensure that women affected by domestic abuse can live a life free from further harm and abuse. Our approach is trauma-informed and person-centred, empowering survivors on their journey to recovery from the trauma. We are committed to a positive, inclusive and equitable environment for our staff, service users and volunteers.
Alongside delivering our existing 1-1 counselling, self-development workshops and therapeutic support groups for women who have experienced domestic abuse, we are focused on developing our innovative mental health services for young women and girls, delivering new peer-led support groups and providing therapeutic groups to children and their mothers. We are also committed to developing further awareness-raising workshops and training for professionals, building on our research and policy to improve systems nationally.
About the role
The Policy and Public Affairs Manager will establish and lead Woman’s Trust’s policy and public affairs function. She will grow the organisation’s influence with UK and London government, Parliament, NHS systems, commissioners and sector partners so that the voices and experiences of women and children affected by domestic abuse shape policy, commissioning and practice.
The postholder will develop and deliver an evidence-led influencing strategy; own a focused portfolio of policy priorities; build and manage senior stakeholder relationships; produce high-quality analysis, briefings and consultation responses; and provide timely political and public affairs advice to the CEO, Chair, trustees and senior colleagues.
Working across services, data, communications and fundraising, she will ensure Woman’s Trust’s external positions are grounded in frontline expertise, robust evidence and appropriately supported survivor involvement. She will identify opportunities for the organisation to influence debate and policy at the intersection of domestic abuse, women’s mental health, health inequalities and public services.
Hours: 35 hours per week. A four-day/0.8 FTE arrangement will be considered.
In return, we can offer:
- 25 days' holiday + 3 days at Christmas + Public holidays (pro rata for part-time working)
- Hybrid & flexible working - office based with minimum of 50% of working hours in Woman’s Trust London office, we also support mutually agreed flexible working arrangements
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Mandatory job-related training
- Individual staff professional development budget
- A caring, committed and highly collaborative environment
- Several social events/lunches per year
- Friendly, all women team
To find out more and apply with your CV, please visit our website via the apply button.
Please note, CVs and cover letters should be sent in Word format.
Closing date: Monday, 7th September 2026.
First stage interviews: Friday, 11th September 2026.
Second stage interviews: Wednesday, 16th September 2026.
Please note, this post is open to female applicants only – Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1 applies.
