Reception jobs in Cardiff

Lead a national charity at a pivotal moment of change and make a life‑changing impact for individuals and families affected by rare craniofacial conditions. 

Headlines Craniofacial Support is a UK-based charity providing information, advice and support to individuals and families affected by craniosynostosis and other rare craniofacial conditions.  The charity works closely with professional partners, including the 5 NHS Designated Specialist Craniofacial Units across the UK.

Craniosynostosis is a condition where two or more of the plates in the skull fuse prematurely, requiring medical support from a young age. Around 350 children are born with craniosynostosis each year in the UK.

Established by group of parents in 1993, Headlines now has over 2,500 members.  Within our charity offer we send out regular newsletters and an annual magazine, Headline News.  We also support families to connect through events such as an annual Family Weekend, conferences and Days Out, and provide information through our helpline and access to psychological support.  We have private social media groups and specific groups within our membership who meet regularly including Cranio Dads, Young Persons Network and a Teens Group.

After 8 successful years, our current Director will be retiring in 2026 and we are now seeking an enthusiastic, inspirational and proactive individual to take up the reins.This is a rare opportunity to lead a well-established, respected national charity at an important moment of transition.

Strategic priorities for us, moving forward, include increasing our fundraising activities to ensure sustainability of the charity alongside the smooth running of our core activities in providing support, facilitating research and raising awareness.

Key responsibilities

The Executive Director will hold day-to-day responsibilities, working closely with the Chair and Trustee Board to provide effective leadership and operational management of the charity. Specifically, they will:

• Act as an ambassador for the charity, liaising with members, health professionals and with wider community and provide day-to-day management of Headlines staff and activities, setting objectives in line with the operational plan.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, data protection and other legal, statutory and regulatory requirements and responsibilities.
• Work on behalf of and with the Trustees to deliver the charity’s mission, goals, operational plans and long-term strategy,  and act as a positive leader and role model, managing and motivating Headlines staff,
• Ensure effective financial management of Headlines working closely with trustees and the treasurer to ensure financial security and appropriate allocation of funds.
• Manage and enhance the event programme to meet charity objectives, including identifying and meeting members’ priorities and raising awareness of craniofacial conditions.
• Develop opportunities for collaborative working and partnerships with other organisations for the benefit of people with craniosynostosis and rare craniofacial conditions.  This also includes work overseas, predominantly in Europe with our medical and charity partners.
• Oversee communications and marketing activities to raise the profile of Headlines, its work and the needs of its members.
• Identify opportunities for growth, developing projects and keeping policies relevant, to enhance and expand the work of Headlines.
• Be responsible for generating funds through innovative and cost-effective fundraising activities and grant applications to maintain the long-term success of the charity.

Person specification 

Essential criteria

• An understanding of the importance of the charity’s values and priorities.
• Evidence of inclusive, innovative and proactive leadership, with demonstrable experience of fundraising and income generation.
• Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills with experience organising events and activities.
• Experience of successfully managing budgets and developing new and sustainable funding streams.
• Excellent organisational, presentation and communication skills and the ability to write reports for public consumption and for statutory obligations.
• A high level of digital literacy skills with an understanding of online technology and the application of social media.
• Proven track record in managing, leading and motivating staff and volunteers.
• Willingness to operate a hybrid model of working with most work taking place from home, working remotely with stakeholders and across the UK/ internationally for specific events.
• Experience of working within the charity sector, ideally at a management level and/or within  financial management of the charitable sector, with sound knowledge of the relevant legal requirements and regulations applicable to a charitable organisation.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working effectively with a Chair and Board of Trustees.
• Experience of working for a health-related organisation.
• An awareness of the principles of inclusivity, accessibility or experience of working with individuals with visible differences.
• Degree or equivalent.
• Experience of commissioning research and liaising with research bodies.

Other information

Headlines hosts events and fundraising activities throughout the whole of the UK. All Headlines staff are expected to work flexibly to support those activities as required, e.g. attendance at Annual Family Weekend, conferences, member events, supporter receptions and other related scientific meetings and conferences. This may occasionally require travel and overnight stays. In addition, all staff are expected to be self-servicing in terms of administration and basic digital skills. Please note that the list of duties is not exhaustive and additional responsibilities might occasionally arise and the workload can vary across the year

About The Role
Would you like to play a key part in influencing national decisionmakers across Wales, England and Northern Ireland to drive major, positive change in the dementia policy space? Then this could be the role for you. 
Sitting within Alzheimer’s Society’s National Influencing team, as our new National Influencing Officer you would be instrumental in delivering innovative, engaging, collaborative, and evidence-based influencing work. You’d be ensuring that political and health system stakeholders are acting on the biggest issues affecting people living with dementia, working closely with other teams to drive work that is integrated locally and nationally. 
While this role is predominantly focused on delivering national influencing activity in Wales, you’ll also be part of a fluid and flexible team that operates across boundaries and supports with our political work in England and Northern Ireland. 
This is an exciting time for dementia policy in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We have the chance to ensure that governments are prioritising dementia and the needs of all those affected by the condition. Our National Influencing Officer will be at the forefront of taking on this vitally important challenge. 
About the role 
Every day, people affected by dementia tell us what matters most to them. We listen, learn, and use what they share, alongside evidence and research, to influence real change. 
What would it take to make sure those voices are truly heard by the people making decisions? 
As our National Influencing Officer, you will help make sure those voices are heard by the people making decisions. Working across Wales and as part of a three nations team, you will build relationships with politicians, decision makers and health leaders to help improve support and services for people affected by dementia.  
In this role, you will: 

- Lead or support political engagement across Wales and potentially other UK nations, using your knowledge of parliamentary structures and influencing routes to drive change. 
- Provide oversight and coordination of political monitoring and stakeholder engagement activity. 
- Plan and deliver impactful public affairs (or similar) events, including parliamentary receptions, breakfast meetings, roundtables, and party conference activity. 
- Translate evidence-based policy positions into compelling and effective influencing strategies that achieve real-world impact. 
- Build delivery plans focused on meaningful outcomes and measure their success through evaluation and learning. 
- Produce high-quality, accessible content to inform and engage stakeholders, using strong presentational and communication skills. 

About you 
You care about improving the lives of people affected by dementia. You are curious, proactive and enjoy working with others to make things happen. 
What motivates you to turn complex issues into clear action that leads to change? 
You may already have experience in public affairs, policy, advocacy or a related field. Or your experience may come from a different route, such as community work, lived experience, or another role where you have influenced change. 
You will bring: 

- Excellent knowledge of the political and health system and how to influence national decisionmakers. 
- A strong understanding of the external political environment and a proven track record in political or similar stakeholder management at a national level. 
- Experience engaging proactively with national politicians and decisionmakers, acting as the first point of contact for their teams. 
- Confidence and credibility in working with both internal and external stakeholders, with the ability to influence across geographical and organisational boundaries. 
- A proven ability to operate and thrive in fast-paced, multi-dimensional environments, and to adapt well to change and ambiguity. 
- Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex data into accessible, impactful content and recommendations. 
- Experience working across multiple UK nations in complex influencing environments. 
- A commitment to involving people with lived experience – such as those with dementia or long-term health conditions – in your work. 

We welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences. You do not need to meet every requirement to apply. If this role excites you and you want to make a difference, we would love to hear from you. 
Welsh language is not essential for this role, but we welcome applications from Welsh language speakers. 
Interviews are provisionally scheduled to take place on the 10th July via MS Teams.

About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We 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 Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

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. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.