Research communication officer jobs in bexleyheath, greater london

Position: Programme Officer

Reporting to: Senior Programme Manager

Location: Sidcup, Greater London, and hybrid working of 1 day in the office and 4 days remote (subject to change)

Contract Type: Permanent and full-time

Starting Salary: £28,000 – £32,000 gross per annum (based on experience) plus benefits

Interested in supporting projects that make a difference to the lives of others? This is an exciting opportunity for a person to grow and develop within a challenging but fulfilling sector. The Programme Officer will work closely with both the project teams and the wider organisation to support the effective management and delivery of projects across from our London office.

Purpose

The Programme Officer will be responsible for supporting the effective implementation of project delivery activities across our portfolio, predominantly in Africa, Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The post holder will support project delivery, ensuring quality expectations (internal and client), delivering within the scope and budgeted resources of projects, and in line with project timelines. They will work closely with other members of the programme delivery team, our technical team, delivery partners, and consultants to ensure projects maximise their positive impact and will also support the Senior Programme Manager to disseminate good management practice across the organisation, and advise on delivery approaches. 

Main Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Programme Officer include the following:

1. Project Support

• Provide support to Programme Managers in the delivery of projects, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and scope and comply with client contracts
• Take on the project management of assigned select projects within a determined budget/complexity threshold, ensuring that they are delivered to time and quality
• Set-up and monitor project workplans, including change requests ensuring that approvals are formally recorded and filed
• Manage day-to-day relationships with delivery partners and internal team(s) and build a solid understanding of delivery needs and timelines across projects
• Monitor and support timely client and consultant billing and invoices attached to delivery
• Support onboarding of consultants for new projects, including due diligence checks and contract preparation based on set templates
• Ensure project management software and tools are accurate and kept up to date for allocated projects
• Provide timely responses to client queries and alert the Senior Project Manager of any potential risks
• Lead duty of care and travel planning for staff and consultants, working alongside administrative officers
• Liaise closely with technical colleagues and Project Managers on project support needs.

2. Project Financial Management

• Monitor project budget performance, capturing variances and liaising with the Finance Team and Senior Programme Manager
• Monitor and support the processing of consultants’ expenses/fees against contracts and client invoices against contracts.
• Make recommendations to ensure financial outcomes are met with respect to time, quality and cost, and provide early warning of project overspend
• Prepare internal project update reporting including finances and resourcing using required management tools.

3. Organisational Support and Business Development

• Provide support in strengthening policies, procedures, and management tools for Development Pathways
• Coordinate with wider project teams to ensure technical capacity is well planned across Development Pathways’ portfolio of projects
• Signpost colleagues to relevant project management tools and processes, when required
• Support project closure processes as required, capturing and sharing lessons internally
• Provide ad hoc input to evolving organisational requirements as directed by senior members
• Assist with the identification and monitoring of business opportunities in donor markets, as requested
• Update SharePoint and ensure project data sheets are developed and up to date to facilitate bids for tenders
• Collate and share project information to support the Business Development and Communications department.

Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours

The Programme Officer will require the following combination of applied skills, knowledge, and behaviours to successfully contribute to team goals:

Required:

• An undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject 
• Around 3 years’ experience working on project support or delivery within international development,  research and/or the consultancy sector
• Ability and confidence to work independently and manage their own workflows
• Good communication skills and an ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders at the individual level and in representation of the organisation 
• Excellent drafting skills
• Ability to understand and effectively analyse and utilise financial information
• Proven ability to resolve problems, anticipate barriers and create practical solutions
• High IT proficiency (Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, SharePoint, etc.)
• Demonstrated attention to detail ensuring quality standards are maintained
• Ability to travel internationally when required.

Advantageous:

• Up to 3 yeaers project management experience
• Proficiency in additional languages
• Commitment to social justice and gender equality.

Reporting Lines:

This post will report to the UK Office Senior Programme Manager.

Terms of Employment and Benefits

Recruitment will be at the junior level and is a permanent and full-time post. Along with basic salary, the successful candidate would receive an attractive package of the following:

• Fulfilling work - working to make a difference to some of the world’s most under-served communities
• Flexible working – Development Pathways offers employees flexible work hours and hybrid working
• Generous time off – recharge with 30-holiday entitlement plus public/bank holidays
• Excellent health and well-being provision – access to the company private health care scheme (after the satisfactory completion of the probationary period), pension scheme, long-term sickness benefits and Employee Assistance Programme
• Group Life Insurance
• Commitment to professional development opportunities – we encourage our staff to participate in professional learning and development
• Provision of a company laptop
• Yearly working at home allowance
• Reward Scheme for involvement in winning bid work.

How to Apply

We invite interested candidates to please apply for the post by including all of the following:

1. A cover letter explaining why you are applying for this position, and how you would meet the selection criteria for the post of Programme Officer
2. A detailed CV (curriculum vitae) specifying your qualifications, education, and relevant work experience
3. All applicants will be required to specify if they have the right to work and live in the UK.

Closing date for this post will be the close of business on the 20th June 2025.

Applications should be submitted by email.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we retain the right to close this role without notice. So, if you are interested, please apply early.

Due to the high number of applications expected, unfortunately only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Applicants, please note the Privacy Notice on our website.

Development Pathways is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate and support diversity and are committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications and abilitie without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, family or parental status, or disability status.

About us

Founded in 2010, Development Pathways has grown rapidly into an internationally renowned and respected consultancy business, providing high quality consultancies and project management throughout Africa, Asia, Middle East and the Pacific in social protection, inclusive programming and management information systems. We have offices in the United Kingdom, Kenya and Australia, focused on: social protection; social and economic analysis; research and evaluation; training and capacity building; and, digital technology.

We are committed to transformative social policies to promote social justice and gender equality, women’s empowerment and social inclusion. We work hard and are passionate about what we do. We find time to discuss important issues and how we, as a company, can support initiatives that we care about.

Please note our staff have a hybrid working arrangement of 4 days remote and 1 day working in the office per week although this may be subject to change

For more information about our organisation, please visit our website.

Are you passionate and curious about creating change in communities across the UK? We're looking for eight people to join our UK Portfolio Team as Portfolio Officers.

We have seven permanent roles available and one fixed term contract for 18 months.

At The National Lottery Community Fund, we are driven by our strategy, ‘It starts with community’ and its four community-led missions, as well as our equity-based approach to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.

The UK Portfolio supports the ambitions and potential of communities across the UK.We focus on scaling projects with a UK-wide benefit, through significant investments, which enable systems-level change for communities.Our funding is intended to complement the work of other country portfolios: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Portfolio Officers are at the core of what we do in the UK Portfolio and as we continue to develop in response to our strategy, we’re expanding our team. Our team is spread across the UK, and we're looking for people from a variety of locations within the UK.

This is a time of optimistic change and growth as we deliver our ambitious new strategy. 

As a Portfolio Officer you will:

• Work closely with grant seekers to support them through our funding processes, assess their applications and write and present high quality assessment recommendations to our decision-making Panels.
• Manage grants using best practice, thematic expertise, and the experience of customers and stakeholders to improve our grant making and inform our decision making.
• Manage your own caseload, liaise with grant recipients, undertake project visits, identify, and manage risk and support organisations to deliver their projects and measure their impact.
• Ensure our grant management and assessment play an effective part in contributing to the Fund’s knowledge and learning as a grant maker.
• Use your critical thinking skills, curiosity, interest and understanding of our community-led mission areas to support and inform your approach to assessment and grant management.
• Be responsible for supporting people and communities across the UK, you will have a strong understanding of our vision, our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and our funding products.
• Work with stakeholders at different levels, represent the Fund at events, project visits and share learning from conversations, events, grant holder reports with the wider team so that we can maximise our impact.
• Work within the Fund’s policies and procedures and within the necessary legislation, in a way that is aligned with our values, visions and principles.
• At times, have opportunity to get involved in other work such as, helping to develop new funding products or contributing to cross Fund activities
• Support the effective running of team meetings and be responsible for ensuring our data is accurate and of high quality.

You’ll be joining a dynamic and welcoming geographically dispersed team, working with impactful and fascinating projects that are responding to and addressing a wide range of topics across the Fund’s four community-led missions.

We are looking for talented and proactive team players from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences who share our values and are passionate about making a difference through our funding.

Whether through lived or gained experience you will really understand the communities we work with.  You could come to grant-making from a variety of backgrounds.

Whatever your background, the role would suit people who:

• are passionate about achieving social change and have a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• have skills and experience in presentation and report writing and basic accounting and budget management.
• can apply their research, data gathering, insight and critical analysis skills to learn quickly about complex and nuanced issues.
• can synthesise complex information and present it to others in a clear and concise manner.
• can work flexibly at pace and to tight deadlines, using their initiative to manage their time working comfortably with competing priorities and deadlines.
• are adept at building and maintaining relationships with people from a range of backgrounds and job roles.
• are strong team players committed to sharing learning with their peers and the wider Fund to improve our processes and practices.
• are comfortable working with an online and geographically dispersed team.
• are comfortable learning and working with different systems and data.

You’ll report to one of our Portfolio Managers and work with other Portfolio Officers across different areas of the team.

The role requires occasional (once a month) travel across the UK to observe and critically analyse the work of applicants and grant holders.

Interview Dates: 14-17 July and 22-23 July

Location: UK Wide - We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidates. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: these are Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Newtown.

Please note that only up to two of these roles can be based in London.

Any questions about the recruitment process or if you’re interested in learning more about the role, we’ll be hosting two online briefings webinars on 16 June at 12:30pm and 20th June at 12:00pm.To reserve a spot, please contact recruitment (the email address can be found on the advert on our website). 

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential criteria

• Communication skills: Excellent listening, written and verbal communication skills. Strong report writing skills to produce concise, written recommendations for assessment purposes to set deadlines, and with the ability to communicate complex ideas in an engaging and clear manner, tailored to different audiences.
• Analytical skills: Ability to absorb a wide range of information to make judgement-based decisions with confidence, offering challenge when appropriate and managing risk appropriately throughout the grant making lifecycle.
• Organisational skills: Ability to use your initiative and manage a complex caseload of assessments and grant management, dealing with competing priorities and deadlines and demonstrating strong organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Relational skills: Ability to build and nurture effective, collaborative relationships with colleagues, community organisations, customers and other external agencies.
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and the ability to apply this throughout the grant making lifecycle.

Desirable criteria

• Sector insight: Knowledge and understanding of communities and the voluntary sector in the UK, and the ability to spot trends and identify opportunities for our programmes at least across one of our four community-led missions.
• Continuous improvement: Ability to identify opportunities for learning and improvement across the team by taking a proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Data and finance: The ability to understand and assess data and financial information including business plans and accounts, and present this in a way that it can be accessible for others.

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.) 

Who are Spinal Research?

We are Spinal Research, the UK's leading medical charity focused on the repair and restoration of the spinal cord. Every two hours, someone in the UK will become paralysed. Globally, it is estimated that 15.4 million people are living with paralysis. It can happen to anyone at any time, changing lives instantly. We fund groundbreaking research that will cure paralysis, ensuring people living with spinal cord injuries will get life-changing treatments.

The Role:

The Office Manager and HR Admin will be responsible for overseeing onboarding, health & Safety and human resources functions pertaining to all employees. The role holder will also be responsible for maintaining the office space, administration and any related governance. This role will provide administration support to the Board of Trustees and act as Company Secretary to the Trust. 

Responsibilities:

Office:

• Develop and implement office policies and procedures to ensure smooth operations and compliance with company standards.       
• Ensure the office space meets all Health & Safety regulations, including correct up-to-date H&S information made available to staff via noticeboard or similar.
• Owns and maintains positive and productive relationships with property management and third-party vendors and is point of contact for the building management team in case of any issues and for building information sharing.
• Perform other administrative or office-related duties as required to support the effective running of the organisation.

Health & Safety:

•  To assume the role of the Health & Safety Officer.
•  Responsible for all Health and Safety matters, ensuring that up-to-date legal requirements are met and put in place to ensure the Charity meets the criteria for the yearly Health & Safety assessment.
•  Liaise with building management, contractors, and suppliers and escalate any risks or issues as appropriate.
•  Provide up to date information and documentation to the team confirming First Aiders and Fire Wardens, ensuring this information is kept up-to-date on SharePoint, in the office and relevant documentation
•  Attend training regularly as necessary in keeping with any new legislation.

Human Resources:

• Assist with the recruitment process, including posting job openings, scheduling interviews, and coordinating candidate communication.
• Create and maintain employee HR accounts.
• Onboard and offboard employees adhering to correct processes & procedures, ensuring payroll and benefits information is shared with respective external companies.
• Responsible for sharing all updates relating to new employee training and employment law updates.
• Responsible for ensuring correct relevant policies are in place and filed away correctly.
• Working alongside the legal team to instigate and resolve any employment disputes.
• Responsible for the Charities' insurance renewals & cost reviews, ensuring adequate cover is always in place.
• Keeping up-to-date with employee benefits, reviewing the team’s needs and providing a plan of any recommendations.
• Managing the in-house learning portal and ensuring all employees training is up to date and relevant.

Company Secretarial:

• Administrator to the Board of Trustees.
• Field and action all incoming emails relating to the Charity Commission and Companies House.
• Provide support to ensure all submissions are made ahead of deadlines and recording of tasks in the allocated SharePoint areas.
• Coordinate and schedule all Trustee meetings ensuring all documents are returned ahead of deadlines.

Skill set requirements:

• Proven experience as an Office Manager or similar senior administrative role.
• Excellent organisational and multitasking abilities, with a keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with employees at all levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) SharePoint and other relevant software applications.
• Knowledge of HR processes, resourcing, and Health & Safety regulations is desirable or the willingness to train in these areas.
• A proactive and adaptable approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
• This role requires a proactive individual with excellent organisational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Flexibility to work occasional additional hours as business needs require.

Benefits:

• Five weeks annual leave plus bank holidays (adjusted for part-time staff).
• Flexible working, with core hours between 10am-4pm.
• Hybrid Remote working. (1 day a week expected in the office).
• Private health insurance cash plan.
• 8% Pension plan.
• Cycle to work Scheme.
• Onsite Gym in office.

If you would like to apply and join our friendly team at this exciting time, please submit your CV and a covering statement (no more than 2 pages) outlining your interest in the role and why you feel you are right for the job.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Spinal Research is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. We provide equal opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or gender. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.

ShareAction’s Banking Standards team works towards holding financial institutions accountable for their impact on climate change. We have a history of campaigning on key aspects of banks’ climate strategies – such as their emission reduction targets or fossil fuel policies – and we are gradually expanding our work to include other sustainability themes and banking regulation. We have achieved significant wins, such as contributing to HSBC becoming the world’s largest bank to cease financing for new oil and gas fields, Barclays dramatically reducing its oil sands financing, and mobilising investors to call on Societe Generale to set a renewable energy target.

What you’ll do

Working alongside two other researchers, you will assess banks’ positions on climate change and other sustainability themes. This involves collecting information from banks’ disclosures and external databases, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, and translating insights into actionable steps for banks and investors engaging with banks, among other stakeholders. You will have many opportunities to challenge banks and shape sustainability standards for the banking sector by contributing to:

• Investor briefings and short research notes reviewing climate commitments made by individual banks.
• Banking sector benchmark, ranking European banks on their approach to climate change and other sustainability themes.
• Thematic reports and internal position papers reviewing how the European banking sector aims to address specific issues and/or the relevant standards banks rely on.

This role would be perfect for someone with strong analytical skills who enjoys making sense of complex information and translating it into actionable insights. You’ll thrive if you’re curious about how banks are responding to the climate crisis, eager to get stuck into analysing sustainability data, and excited by the idea of shaping how banks are held to account on their environmental and social impacts. Whether you’re helping design our flagship banking benchmark, writing investor briefings, or supporting engagement with financial institutions, you’ll be using your critical thinking and communication skills to contribute to real-world change. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to grow their expertise in responsible investment and develop a unique understanding of how research and campaigning can work together to influence some of the world’s most powerful financial institutions.

What you’ll bring to the team

• A broad understanding of how the financial sector works and how financial institutions can impact sustainability issues, particularly climate change.
• A keen interest in driving the banking sector to better serve people and the planet.
• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail, and a proven ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative research.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to adapt your writing style for a range of different audiences and to present ideas and concepts effectively and persuasively.
• Excellent organisational skills, with a proven ability to manage competing demands while still meeting deadlines.
• Comfortable planning or leading sub-areas of research as agreed, with oversight from the Senior Research Manager.
• A great team player, willing to support projects for the banking campaign on an ad-hoc basis, such as filing resolutions and drafting AGM questions (if needed).
• A passion for ShareAction’s vision and mission.

It would also be great – but not essential – if you have:

• Experience using financial databases such as Eikon and Bloomberg or the ability to pick up new types of technologies or software quickly.
• Experience developing and/or managing databases using Excel or other applications.
• Knowledge and interest in biodiversity or human rights and how the financial sector can help address these issues.
• Experience with CRM systems, ideally Salesforce.

While we hope we’ll find someone with the majority of these skills and experience, we’re keen to hear from you, even if you don’t have them all. We appreciate lots of skills are transferable and we welcome opportunities to explore different ways of achieving our goals.

We have a hybrid working policy in place, and the Banking team meets in the office every Tuesday as we find this helps with team bonding and productivity. We expect candidates based in London to come into the office at least once a week every Tuesday and candidates based outside of London to come into the office at least twice a month on a Tuesday.

What we will do for you

We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.

Currently, we are pleased to offer:

• A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
• Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
• Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
• The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
• A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
• Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
• An 8% non-contributory pension invested with NEST and their green funds.
• A healthcare plan with BUPA.
• An employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
• Death in service cover of 3x salary.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
• Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
• Enhanced sick pay starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day 1.
• Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 9.00 am on Monday, 9 June 2025.
First-round interviews: Between 18 and 24 June 2025.
Second-round interviews: w/c 7 July or 14 July 2025.

To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Sands exists to save babies’ lives and ensure that anyone affected by pregnancy loss or baby death receives the support and care they need.

Bereaved parents and families are at the heart of why Sands exists. Sharing their experiences of pregnancy and baby loss, and what connects and involves them with our work, is both an important part of their bereavement journey and a way to demonstrate the need for our vision and mission to succeed. This role will help us to show in a real and human, authentic way, what Sands is doing to save babies’ lives and support bereaved families.

Sharing these personal stories in external communications will help us reach more people, bringing to life the work we do in a way that engages diverse audiences, and increasing the likelihood of their taking actions in support of Sands.  

This new role has been developed to support the Communications & Engagement team to develop our story-telling function, build our real stories library and ensure the associated consent and stewardship processes are compassionate, efficient and effective. The Stories Officer will ensure wherever possible, that external communications assets and content created by teams across Sands includes the voices of people touched by pregnancy and baby loss – including those who have been personally affected, and those who are allies of Sands, such as healthcare professionals, corporate partners, research partners, fundraisers and more.

You will have experience of working in a charity stories or communications team, or in a stories-led environment such as journalism.

A good knowledge of compliance and safeguarding issues, including experience of working with vulnerable people in a communications context is required.

With excellent written communication and creative skills, you will be able to produce work that captures and conveys real life experiences in a sensitive and compassionate tone.

You will be highly organised with the ability to multi-task and work across more than one project simultaneously.

We are seeking an employment law adviser to fill the post of National Officer Employment Law. As a professionally qualified Solicitor or Legal Executive with 2 years post-qualified experience you will lead our legal team and provide professional legal advice on employment law matters. The National Officer Employment Law role is pivotal in supporting our Senior Management Team, staff, and members, ensuring that our legal services are effective and aligned with the union's objectives of building union power.

Salary and Location

• Band 5, London Spine points 21-17 or Regional Spine points 23-19
• London Starting salary: £63,279 p.a. rising to £72,098 p.a. or Regional Starting salary: £58,877 p.a. rising to £67,689 in annual increments
• London or Region

Successful candidates for the National Officer Employment Law will be able to demonstrate:

• Proven experience in employment law and legal management.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities.
• Commitment to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace.
• Ability to work collaboratively and manage complex legal issues.

The main duties of the National Officer Employment Law role include:

• Delivering expert legal guidance and representation on employment law issues.
• Conducting legal research, drafting claims, and other legal documents.
• Managing a team of legal professionals, overseeing casework management and ensuring alignment with the union's strategic goals.

You will be committed to developing your team, through training, appraisal and the use of technology and you will be able to show how you maintain and share your up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation. An understanding of the political processes in the UK and the role and work of trade unions is essential for the National Officer Employment Law role.

Closing date: at 12 midday on Friday 13 June 2025

Interviews will be held by Zoom: Wednesday 2 July 2025

Selected applicants may be invited to a second interview on Friday 4 July 2025

About PCS

PCS is the Public and Commercial Services Union, representing many thousands of members working in the civil service and related areas.

Employer Benefits

You will have access to a generous package of staff benefits including

• flexible working (including hybrid working)
• childcare and family support
• generous maternity/paternity leave
• 32 days leave and Christmas closure
• pension scheme
• employee assistance programme

Learning and Development

The union offers a wide range of learning and development opportunities. We will work with you to support your continued professional development.

PCS Recruiting Process

We use CVMinder to manage all recruitment activities. It helps us to maintain our commitment to equality and diversity by ensuring that we are fair and compliant with our recruiting practices.

Applications must be received by the closing date and time specified.

Candidates invited for interview are required to make themselves available on the date/s specified. Interview dates cannot be changed to accommodate candidates who are unavailable to attend on the specified date.

• CVs will not be accepted. Please see the job description/person specification and follow the application process.
• PCS is working towards equal opportunities and is positive about disabled people.
• All posts can be considered on a full-time, part-time or job share basis.

Please view our guidance for applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION: NATIONAL OFFICER EMPLOYMENT LAW

Ref: 0325

Grade: Band 5, London or Region

Salary:

London Spine points 21-17

London Starting salary £63,279 p.a. rising to £72,098 p.a.

Regional Spine points 23 -19

Regional Spine points £58,877 p.a. rising to £67,689 p.a.

Location: London/Region

Purpose of the job:

To lead on and deliver professional legal advice, guidance, and representation on employment law matters to the Senior Management Team, Staff, NEC and members.

To undertake a management role with direct responsibility for two Legal & Employment Rights Managers (Senior Paralegals).

Responsible to: Band 6, Head of Legal & Equality

Responsible for: Band 4 Legal & Employment Rights Managers (Senior Paralegals /Junior Lawyers)

Contacts

External:

PCS Members, elected officials and potential members. Employers, Legal and other advisors. TUC, Members of other trade unions and related bodies. MPs, pressure groups, campaigning bodies and media.

Internal:

PCS Staff and managers across Regions, Senior Management Team, National Management Team and other PCS Departments.

Main duties and responsibilities

1.Key areas

• Conduct legal research into past cases and documents
• Draft and prepare claims or other legal documents
• Provide legal advice to SMT, NEC, members
• Negotiate settlements on behalf of PCS members
• Keep up to date with new developments in employment legislation
• Provide employment law briefings to PCS staff about changes in employment legislation
• Advise members and Reps on wrongful termination and unfair dismissal claims, including reviewing dismissal procedures and advocating for members' rights
• Assist members and reps in cases of workplace discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on factors such as age, gender, race, disability, or other protected characteristics
• Contribute to the development of the Unions policy objectives including the PCS planning process
• Provide leadership in delivering the unions Legal and Employment Rights strategy
• Provide support and have direct involvement through the National Management Team (NMT) in the unions bargaining, organising, campaigning, equality, learning and digital agendas
• Manage people and resources in the Legal and Employment Rights Unit
• Provide advice to relevant committees including the preparation and presentation of reports
• Monitor and report on issues and initiatives as requested
• Provide input into budgetary processes including bid preparation, monitoring and control where relevant

2.People Management

• Manage work allocation and workflow, future planning and support for officer team/line manager
• Motivate and manage individuals and the team as a whole to provide a high standard of service
• Check work standards and maintain consistent quality of delegated tasks
• Seek to continuously improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the team
• Through induction, the appraisal system and one-to-ones, identify staff training and development needs, train or organise formal/informal training
• Proactively promote diversity in line with the wider PCS approach
• Apply the staff conduct policies as and when required e.g. discipline, grievance, capability, dignity at work and IT security policies
• Provide advice and deal with complex issues related to staff management including disciplinary or grievance in consultation with Line Manager
• Ensure that the health, safety and welfare of staff is maintained and improved, in accordance with PCS and statutory policies
• Work effectively with lay officials
• Deputise for Line Manager when required

3.Communication

• Ensure digitalisation, information & communication methods are effectively implemented and used to generate improvements
• Draft complex communications including briefs and reports
• Communicate with members by producing circulars and briefings, and by addressing meetings and conferences etc
• As necessary, represent PCS and liaise with outside bodies

4.Casework Management

• Advise in the handling of personal casework
• Liaise with Solicitors, internal and external bodies on the handling of personal casework
• Represent PCS or PCS members at official bodies such as employment tribunals, Civil Service Appeal Board, etc.
• Maintain and improve own knowledge of the developments in employment law and practice

5.Team Working

• Proactively promote team working
• Initiate, organise, lead and participate in team meetings as appropriate
• Maintain high levels of confidentiality of sensitive issues at all times
• Provide assistance to team members

6.Equality

• Contribute to PCS policies on equal opportunities by developing innovative workplace strategies to tackle inequality and discrimination

7.General

• Participate and input information into PCS planning and budgeting processes
• At all times implement and promote the PCSs equal opportunities policy and adhere to the PCS Values
• Take due and reasonable care of self and others in respect of health and safety at work
• Participate in appraisal, training and development systems
• Act in a manner that enhances the work of the PCS and its overall public image
• In all work activities, comply with data protection legislation and PCSs requirements for the protection of personal information and the privacy of individuals
• Staff at this grade may be assigned or transferred to posts within grade. A training & development programme will be provided to assist with this, where required such other duties that may reasonably be required and that are within the level of the responsibility of this post
• Willing to work outside normal office hours and location on occasion (e.g. attendance at Annual Delegate Conference, where required)

Person Specification: NATIONAL OFFICER EMPLOYMENT LAW

Ref: 0325

Date: May 2025

Location: London/Region

ESSENTIAL FACTORS

QUALIFICATIONS

• Qualified Solicitor/Legal Executive with 2 years post-qualified experience

EXPERIENCE

• Proven experience in employment law and legal management, including advocacy and representation
• People management including induction, work allocation, appraisal and conduct
• Leading committees and teams
• Industrial relations and negotiations
• High level project management, problem solving and decision making

TRAINING

(including continuous professional development)

• Evidence of ongoing training and continuing professional development
• Commitment to undertake job-related training
• Commitment to participation in appraisal and development review process
• Commitment to staff development

KNOWLEDGE

• Understanding of the political processes in the UK and the role and work of trade unions
• Budget monitoring and control processes
• Employment rights, equality legislation, discrimination law and working practices
• Impact and use of Digital and IT applications in a trade union

SKILLS

• Ability to communicate effectively using written and oral channels, including reports and presentations, with a variety of audiences
• Ability to negotiate and form effective working relationships internally and externally
• Ability to work collaboratively and manage complex legal issues
• Ability to identify and set standards and priorities
• Ability to provide strategic and policy implementation advice and guidance

OTHER

• Commitment to the application of Equal Opportunities policies and practices at work
• Understanding of own role in maintaining legal compliances within PCS (e.g. data protection; health and safety)
• Flexible approach to work and willing to work outside of normal office hours and location on occasions

Job Title: Training and Development Officer

Location: Home-based, covering the South

Salary: £26,000 (pro-rata), you’d get £17,820 (gross)

Hours: 29.6 hours to be worked flexibly over 4 days

Contract: fixed-term to end of March 2028, Term Time Only

About us:

Learning through Landscapes is the UK’s leading school grounds charity, dedicated to enhancing outdoor learning and play for all. Our vision is a society where the benefits of regular time outdoors are valued and appreciated, and outdoor learning, play and connection with nature is recognised as a fundamental part of education, at every stage, for every child and young person.

We have unrivalled expertise based on three decades of experience, practical action and research. With offices in England and Scotland and staff based across the UK, our team and our accredited network of outdoor learning experts have the capacity to work nationally and internationally. Click HERE for more information.

What you’ll be doing:

As a Training and Development Officer, you will be working directly with teachers and other education staff supporting their journeys in taking curriculum learning and play outside and to utilise their school grounds. You will deliver LtL’s training and projects within diverse communities across a significant geographical area. This role is part of our exciting new climate change education initiative. It is essential that you are able and willing to travel across the South of England and throughout the UK, including overnight. For more details of the role see the Key Responsibilities document.

What you’ll need:

· To be based in Hampshire/Hampshire borders

· To be able to cover early evening training sessions throughout the area this role covers

· Experience of delivering projects with diverse communities

· Experience of training and advising educational staff in primary or secondary schools.

· Experience of delivering outdoor nature-based and curriculum linked learning activities

· A passion for nature

· Experience of producing written materials; educational resources, reports, and similar project related communications

· Competent IT skills (particularly Microsoft Office, Teams and Outlook)

· Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to manage and deliver a varied workload

· Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to find creative solutions

· Good interpersonal skills

· An understanding of the role safeguarding plays in education

· Ability to work from home or suitable office-type venue

If you don’t have all of the above but feel it could be the role for you, talk to us!

What we offer:

· Flexible working

· Holiday, 28 days + bank holidays + a “birthday gift” day

· Laptop, phone and all travel & subsistence expenses

· Family & carer friendly policies

· Annual training package including: LtL Professional Accreditation in Outdoor Learning and Play, LtL Climate School 180 Network Training package

· Sick pay

· Pension scheme – 5% employer contribution

· Subsidised Christmas meal

· A supportive and welcoming team of colleagues, including our 20+ Delivery Team members.

We’re an equal opportunities employer. All suitable applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We are actively seeking to increase diversity within our workforce and are committed to recruiting the best people on the objective basis of their skills, ability and experience. We offer a guaranteed interview to eligible applicants who choose to opt-in to the scheme and can demonstrate that they have at least 6 out of the 11 from the “what you need” list. To be eligible to apply via the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, you must be from an ethnic minority. Please state clearly in your covering letter if you are applying under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

We are happy to support with any reasonable adjustments that are needed within the recruitment process.

The Food Foundation is an award winning charity with a vision of a sustainable food system which delivers health and well-being for all. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every team member feels valued and empowered. We believe that embracing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is fundamental to our success and the positive impact we make.

An exciting opportunity has arisen at The Food Foundation. This position will expand the capacity of Food Foundation Communications Team, delivering engaging, high-impact external communications. The focus will be on brand and design and managing the development of creative content to enhance our digital presence, visual storytelling and brand awareness.

The role requires a creative thinker with a strategic approach to content who will promote our key messaging across a range of platforms and mediums. The role will entail preparing and delivering innovative and compelling content in both written, visual and video production formats, which showcase the work of the Charity and its collaborators. Using platforms such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva and Flourish, this role will help tell the important stories which emanate from the work of the Food Foundation. This could include publicising events, communicating report findings and raising awareness and addressing interesting topics that are relevant to the work of the charity. The role will be responsible for overseeing the creation and execution of design deliverables such as marketing materials, briefing documents, social media assets and webpages.

This role will also play a part in putting together content strategies, posting across our social media channels and supporting with the running of the busy press office when needed. They will ensure there is a vibrant, creative and relevant tone across all platforms and mediums. Working closely with the Senior Communications Manager, this person will be responsible for providing creative direction and guidance for design projects, ensuring they align with brand guidelines and the charity’s goals.

For further information please view our full job pack which you can find attached. 

Would you like to be part of a young and vibrant charity that is dedicated to supporting those who have been bereaved by suicide?

We are looking for a Grants and Major Gifts Executive to develop and manage a portfolio of grant-making trusts, foundations, and major donors. Reporting directly to our CEO, you will play a crucial role in helping us to grow our income and support more people.

We are a small, dynamic team, so there is also plenty of scope to get involved with other things and gain an insight into all areas of the charity, with opportunities for growth and development. 

We have really ambitious plans for 2025 and beyond so we’re looking for an individual who has a hands-on approach and a can-do attitude!

About the role

As Grants and Major Gifts Executive you will:

• Develop and implement strategies to secure funding from trusts, foundations, and major donors.

• Identify and research potential funding opportunities aligned with organisational priorities.

• Work closely with the Leadership Team to align funding needs with donor interests or relevant trusts and foundations. 

• Prepare and submit high-quality grant applications and tailored grant applications to prospective funders. 

• Develop and implement a communications strategy for active grant funders, keeping them informed, engaged, and connected to the impact of their support.

• Oversee the reporting requirements of all active grant funders, ensuring timely submission of high-quality reports that demonstrate accountability and impact.

• Collaborate with the internal service team to gather impact data and stories for donor communications and grant applications. 

• Manage relationships with donors of auction and raffle prizes for major fundraising events, ensuring thoughtful stewardship, timely recognition, and securing ongoing support for future campaigns. 

• Track and report on fundraising performance.

• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions and funding outcomes on our CRM.

About you

Based within easy commuting distance of our office in Westminster, our ideal candidate would have a proven track record of securing funding from trusts, foundations, and major donors. 

Key attributes we are looking for include:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A high level of organisation and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• An enthusiasm to learn and to develop knowledge and skills
• Confidence in using digital technology

We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and as such are actively seeking candidates of all backgrounds to represent the diverse population of people that we serve.

This role requires eligibility to work in the UK and a Basic DBS check.

About the Role

We are seeking a Digital Marketing Officer to join our Development and Communications directorate and contribute to the ICR’s digital marketing needs – in particular, to support fundraising across all digital touchpoints. The successful candidate will play a key role in producing and editing digital fundraising content for the ICR’s website and donation platform; creating content for digital ads, including writing copy, working on video briefs, and collating appropriate imagery; our email marketing by writing compelling copy, building templates and working with data.

Key Responsibilities

• Creating fundraising content for the ICR's website
• Developing effective digital supporter journeys
• Writing copy for email marketing
• Creating and optimising content for digital advertising

About You

We are looking for someone with experience in writing engaging copy for email marketing, social media and paid advertising, and have good knowledge of email marketing and digital platforms including Mailchimp, Google Search Ads, Ad Grants and Meta. 

What We Offer

• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Competitive salary and pension

Directorate Information

The role of the Development and Communications directorate is to tell the ICR’s story and focus on income generation. The ICR is world-renowned for its outstanding cancer research – and it deserves communication to match. We believe that communicating effectively about the ICR's work can help us build on our successes – attracting donors and supporters, the best staff and students, commercial partners and collaborators.

We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. 

Are you a talented communications and event management professional who cares about improving local communities through the power of business? Heart of the City is looking for a proactive communicator, who is comfortable working in teams and on their own to communicate and deliver an engaging calendar of activities that drive impact and support income generation. You will need to be able to formulate messaging to appeal to different types and sizes of businesses to partner with us or take part in our training programmes, all the while ensuring effective delivery of our events.

Details of Job

The Events and Communications Officer will work across the team to plan, produce and deliver a calendar of in-person and on-line events. They will also communicate our work to external audiences to drive the participation of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in our programmes and attract potential funding from corporates, grant-makers, and government bodies.

The post holder will work with the programme team to manage a calendar of online and in-person events and oversee the event process from beginning to end. The post holder will manage ticketing platforms, oversee event budgets and logistics and create event briefings to ensure alignment between external speakers and team members. This will include overseeing the set-up of IT and technology to ensure smooth event delivery and acting as a main contact point for external event partners. After events, the post holder will manage communications with external partners and audiences, log their participation in the CRM system and produce timely reports on event outcomes for the programme team contributing to evaluation and learning cycles.

The post holder will also work with the Director and programme team to deliver the charity’s marketing and communications plan. They will maintain and grow our brand identity and tone of voice by using social media platforms, paid advertising campaigns and creating original content for our website to share our impact, drive participation and grow our partnerships. They will also work with a variety of external stakeholders to share Heart of the City’s impact, grow our network and drive greater participation and engagement in our work.

Position: Social and Paid Media Manager
Type: Full-time (35 hours a week), Maternity Cover – Fixed term until 26th September 2026
Location: Office-based in London with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £35,825 per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 2, Profession/ Technical

*you’ll start at our entry point salary of £35,825* per annum, increasing to £38,065* after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £40,304 after a further 6 months.

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

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and driven Social and Paid Media Manager to shape the strategic direction of our social media channels with an audience of over 190,000 followers and our paid media activities.

• You’ll look after our dynamic and busy – and very lovely! - social media team, provide strategic leadership, guidance and advice. 
• You’ll help deliver an ambitious programme of digital campaigns and appeals, oversee strategies for organic and paid media and ensure our activities and campaigns achieve against objectives and KPIs.
• Collaborating with colleagues across the digital and content team, you’ll commission or create engaging content and ensure best practice and our accessibility standards are followed.
• Acting as a champion for our brand, you’ll also oversee moderation across our channels and lead on crisis and reputation management, ensuring all appropriate escalation processes are followed. 

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Friday 20th June 2025

Interested?

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

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority 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 employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 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.

Salary: £36,000
Contract Type: Permanent, full-time (35 hours).
Location: We fully support flexible working, from our superb offices in Holborn and from home. We do require staff to spend 20% of their time in the office. This is subject to role requirements.

About us

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is one of the best known professional membership organisations in the world, with a name and reputation that speak for excellence in the UK and across the globe. We provide education, assessment and development to nearly 30,000 surgeons, dental surgeons and members of the wider surgical and dental teams at all stages of their career; we set professional standards, facilitate research and champion world-class surgical outcomes for patients.

About the role

We are looking for an outstanding Senior Press Officer to work in our fast-paced press office, helping run it to the highest standard. RCS England is one of the most high-profile health commentators in the UK. You will regularly see us advocating for patients and the surgical workforce in the national press. Candidates should have experience of successfully pitching stories to national media and know what makes a good health story. You will have a fluent writing style and be confident working with senior stakeholders to brief them before interviews. 

Responsibilities

• Handle incoming enquiries and provide accurate, timely and appropriate responses, briefing journalists in line with RCS England key messages and priorities.
• Participate in an out-of-hours rota for media enquiries. Time off in lieu is offered for significant out-of-office hours worked.
• Research, write and distribute press releases, features, letters and other editorial material.
• Draft articles, quotes and opinion pieces on behalf of RCS England spokespeople.
• Provide press office support to the Faculty of Dental Surgery and its Dean, as required.
• Brief the President, Council Members and senior managers on issues arising in the media.
• Act as the press lead for key projects such as RCS England guidance or campaigns. Devising and implementing communications plans, sharing project updates with the wider communications team, and maintaining a good understanding of surgical and wider health issues.
• Horizon scan for media opportunities and develop your own ideas for health coverage based on data, insights or RCS England priorities.
• Brief, support and prepare RCS England spokespeople for media interviews.
• Establish and maintain professional and trusted relationships with national and trade journalists.
• Represent the RCS England at internal and external meetings, and maintain professional relationships with press and communications leads at stakeholder organisations.
• Monitor daily media coverage relevant to surgery and the RCS England. This includes pulling together the team’s daily press cuts to be shared with Council members, Trustees, and key RCS England staff by 10am (subject to urgent media enquiries).
• Maintain and update the media sections of the RCS England website, working with the web team to develop rich digital content. Actively participate in developing our social media profile using Twitter, Facebook, and commissioning and editing relevant blogs.
• Produce evaluation reports of media coverage and communications activity.
• Undertake such duties appropriate to the grade, as required by your line manager.

About you

• Degree educated or proven extensive experience that can demonstrate the essential criteria below.
• At least two years’ experience of working in a press office.
• Experience of writing and editing for a variety of media including print and the internet.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint packages.
• Demonstrable experience of placing stories in the media.
• Rigour in researching and reviewing content: able to identify key points, summarise findings and report data
• and conclusions accurately.
• Excellent writing skills: able to write fluent, compelling copy free from grammatical or other errors.
• Excellent telephone manner: diplomatic and persuasive verbal communication skills.
• Able to prioritise effectively and deliver work to deadlines.
• Demonstrable understanding of journalists’ needs and priorities.
• Ability to understand policy documents and formulate a media response.
• Collaborative and inclusive approach to build relationships with colleagues across the organisation, to
• encourage timely information sharing with the press office.
• Diplomacy and persuasiveness, to foster the trust of senior spokespeople you are briefing and advising.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and integrity, to protect the College’s reputation for providing accurate and
• reliable information to the media.
• Strong prioritisation skills and a flexible approach to respond to changing priorities and needs and manage
• reactive queries.
• Enthusiasm and creativity to seek out interesting stories and pitch them.

What we can offer you

• 27 days paid holiday + bank holidays and up to 4 college closure days
• Flexible working
• Enhanced contributory pension scheme & other leave entitlements
• Variety of learning and development opportunities
• Wellbeing programme & Employee Assistance Scheme

Interested Candidates:
If you wish to apply or if you have any questions about this position please email your CV together with a cover letter.

Any personal data collected from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us in accordance with our recruitment processes. If unsuccessful in your application, your information will be held by us on our database for a period of 6 months before deletion. If you would like your information removed sooner, please contact us.

Closing date: Sunday 15th June 2025

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are open to all talent and we actively ensure that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regards to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to protecting your privacy. We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). All College employees are responsible for records held, created and used as part of their work for the College including patient/client, corporate and administrative records.

Records are managed according to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 and ensure confidentiality. The College ensures that staff are trained to handle the information you submit to us with care and discretion, seeking advice where necessary.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Programme Officer to work as part of our National Programmes Team.

This is a 25 hour a week fixed term position until July 2026

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

Mental Health UK brings together the heritage and experience of four charities from across the country who’ve been supporting people with their mental health for nearly 50 years.

With our local service delivery and national expertise in supporting people whose lives are affected by mental health problems, we have been able to mark a significant footprint in the areas that deeply challenge our mental health and stability.

We provide support and services for some of the biggest societal challenges that pose a threat to people’s mental health, including money problems, navigating through the system to get the right support, understanding mental health, loneliness and isolation, and resilience in young people.

The Mental Health UK programmes team is responsible for the delivery of high-quality programmes and projects that: meet the aims and objectives of Mental Health UK’s 2025-2030 Strategy, strategically align with the needs and expectations of our four founding charities, deliver for all stakeholders including funding partners and beneficiaries.

We design, deliver and measure the impact of our projects and services, ensuring that they meet the needs of people living with mental health problems and have a positive impact on the lives of individuals and communities across the UK.

One in four people in the UK have experienced a mental health problem. At Mental Health UK, we won’t stop until everyone has the tools they need to live their best possible life.

How you will make a difference

As Senior Programme Officer, I will support the Head of Commercial Insight & Development to ensure Mental Health UK delivers high quality projects and programmes that:

• Meet the aims and objectives of our 2025-30 strategy.
• Are strategically aligned with the needs and expectations of our four founding charities.
• Deliver for all stakeholders, including funding partners and beneficiaries.

In this role, I will support the Head of Commercial Insight & Development to identify opportunities to grow and expand our existing programmes. I will work with the Communications and Marketing Team to identify opportunities throughout our programmes to demonstrate our impact as an organisation.

I will oversee the day-to-day delivery of projects within Mental Health UK’s portfolio, supporting colleagues across Mental Health UK and the four founding charities to ensure outputs are delivered on time and to budget, and outcomes are achieved as planned.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here.