Research engagement manager jobs

Job description

Join our Community Fundraising Team and play an important part in stewarding some of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s most dedicated supporters. Line managing the Community Fundraising Assistant, you will effectively steward existing community and corporate supporters, identify new prospects and develop initiatives to engage our audiences.

No two days will ever be the same in this role: one day you might be visiting a golf club or meeting a supporter for a cheque presentation, the next you could be working to grow our ambassador programme, pitching to a corporate team, or finding a new way to engage our supporters. You’ll thrive on this variety and enjoy the meaningful, people focused work.

If you are a high performing fundraise with experience building long lasting relationships with supporters and engaging new audiences, this is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

What you’ll be doing:

- Deliver best in class stewardship to develop long term relationships

- Line manage a Community Fundraising Assistant to ensure they achieve their objectives

- Identify and develop fundraising initiatives to engage community fundraising supporters in line with the Charity’s strategy

- Identify opportunities to raise awareness of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity including giving talks and presentations, and attending local events

- Work with other teams within the Charity, including Finance, Data, PR, Marketing and other fundraising teams to maximise best practice and supporter experience

What we’re looking for:

We’re looking for someone who is:

- An experienced fundraiser with a proven track record of securing financial support from community fundraising supporters

- An excellent written and verbal communicator, able to engage effectively with a wide range of audiences

- Proactive with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to take initiative

- Able to build strong and effective working relationships and manage multiple stakeholders

Why join us?

We’re a values-driven charity committed to saving lives by funding world-leading research, treatment, and care at The Royal Marsden. You’ll be part of a collaborative, ambitious, and kind team, with plenty of opportunities for learning and development.

What we offer:

- Hybrid working between home and Sutton with occasional travel to Chelsea.

- Flexible working around our core hours of 10am to 4pm

- 27 days annual leave rising with length of service

- Up to 6% employer contributions subject to matched contribution from you (increasing with length of service)

- Training, support and development opportunities

- Access to the Blue Light discount scheme and other discounts opportunities

- Access to subsidised staff restaurants, on-site yoga and wellbeing classes, staff choir and much more

- Range of wellbeing initiatives including access to an employee assistance programme designed to save money and improve your physical, financial and mental health and wellbeing, access to free online GP appointments and free eye tests and contribution towards any glasses required for work purposes

- Opportunities for training and career development

Inclusion matters:

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Applications from all backgrounds are warmly welcomed

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Details

Position:Head of Community Support and Operations

Location:Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Hours:30 hours to be taken flexibly over Monday – Friday; 1 day wfh allowance

Salary:                                £50,562 FTE (£40,996 pro rata)

Contract type:Permanent

Reportable to: CEO

Direct reports: Volunteer Development Co-ordinator, Charity Advisor and Partnership Coordinator and any relevant roles that develop

Job Purpose

The Head of Community Support and Operations is a pivotal new role being introduced to the executive team at Barnsley CVS.  This person will be a key role in the growth and development of the executive team.  You will play an exciting part in the delivery and development of the recently developed 4-year strategy and theory of change. Your role will drive intention and focus on developing our support to the sector in a meaningful way to high standards, whilst ensuring our own internal operations reflect best practice.  You will need a strong knowledge of charity set up, management and governance along with a passion for what the VCSE sector does.  You will be confident in people management and development; have the ability to work inclusively with a wide range of people and backgrounds and the skill to see gaps and opportunities for service development.

You will work closely with the Head of Strategic Partnerships to identify gaps and opportunities to develop our offer of support to the sector whether through direct services, training, brokerage agreements or membership offers.  As you identify these opportunities, you will work collaboratively with the Head of Business Development to explore commercial income options that are also in line with our mission and vision.

Using your excellent people skills, you will act as the first point of contact for HR matters within the charity, overseeing the general management of our online HR system, policies and procedures.  You will work in collaboration with the CEO in any areas that need significant development or management.

You will keep up to date with new initiatives and ideas in the wider infrastructure sector, relevant legislation and modern thinking in relation to charity management best practice.

Benefits:

- 33 days annual leave increasing with years of service + annual leave given between Christmas and New Year that doesn't count against your annual leave

- Sick leave entitlement increases with years of service

- 5% pension contribution

- Paid leave to complete voluntary activity for up to 5 days pro rata

- Discount on local gym membership

- Flexible working with TOIL given for any additional hours worked

About Adolescent Health Study

The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) (Registered Charity Number 1213337) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants’ health, education and other administrative records.

There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.

Purpose of the post

The Engagement and Involvement Officer will play a central role in supporting meaningful engagement and involvement of young people, families, schools and other interest-holders in the process of designing, delivering and ensuring the best outputs from the Adolescent Health Study.

Primarily, the postholder will be responsible for the stewardship and coordination of the AHS Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG). The post-holder will provide ongoing support to YPAG members to ensure their active participation in opportunities to inform and shape the work of AHS. This will include working closely with the adults in the YPAG members’ lives, including parents/carers, teachers and other relevant adults or professionals. The postholder will also be required to build positive working relationships with other organisations and institutions that work directly with young people. They will support the Engagement and Involvement Lead to develop mechanisms to reach wider and more diverse groups of young people to take part in engagement and involvement activities at AHS.  

This is a role that requires confidence, autonomy, enthusiasm and skill. The post-holder will be a strong advocate for children’s rights, have a sound working knowledge and understanding of safeguarding practices, and demonstrate experience of co-ordinating youth advisory groups, youth councils or similar.

Main responsibilities

Coordination & facilitation

• Plan, organise, and deliver regular meetings, workshops, and consultation sessions with young people.
• Develop accessible, inclusive and engaging materials to support young people’s participation in activities and discussions.
• Ensure robust mechanisms are in place to facilitate a feedback loop, communicating to young people the impact of their input.
• Ensure safeguarding, wellbeing, and inclusion are embedded in all activities.
• Lead on and maintain communication with young people, parents/carers (where appropriate), and partner organisations.

Support for young people

• Provide guidance, pastoral support, and clear information to help young people take part confidently and safely.
• Facilitate training and development opportunities to build young people’s skills, knowledge, and confidence.
• Foster an environment where young people feel respected, valued, and listened to.
• Manage mechanisms for reward and recognition of young people’s input and contributions.

Strengthen and enable staff team

• Strengthen knowledge and understanding of youth engagement and involvement across the organisation.
• Enable the wider staff team to plan and conduct activities with the YPAG and wider groups of young people, supporting the design of involvement tasks that are age-appropriate, inclusive, and aligned with best practice.
• Provide feedback to colleagues on how to maximise the impact of youth involvement.

Administration & governance

• Manage recruitment and onboarding processes for YPAG members.
• Oversee consent processes, data handling, and safeguarding requirements.
• Coordinate payments, incentives, travel, and expenses for young people.
• Maintain accurate records, produce meeting notes, and ensure timely communication.
• Support the Engagement and Involvement Lead to track, document and report on outcomes and the influence of young people’s involvement on projects and workstreams.

Continuous learning and development

• Contribute to the development of the organisation’s engagement and involvement strategy.
• Contribute to the evaluation of engagement and involvement activities and gather feedback from young people, parents/carers and other relevant parties we work closely with.
• Maintain an interest and working knowledge of best practice in youth involvement, participation, and co‑production.
• Identify opportunities to share learning and reflections with the AHS team and wider colleagues to continuously improve practice and processes.

Interest-holder and partner engagement

• Build and maintain partnerships with schools, youth organisations, and community groups to recruit and support young people to engage in engagement and involvement activities.
• Provide verbal and written presentations of engagement and involvement work with young people to internal and external audiences.
• Represent AHS in meetings, workshops and events where appropriate.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential criteria

• Experience developing and delivering engagement and involvement activities with young people and other relevant interest-holders (such as parents, families, teachers and schools).
• A proven track record or professional background in working with young people – such as in youth work, counselling, mentoring, education, or a related setting.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, especially with young audiences.
• Understanding and experience of good practice in youth engagement and involvement, including the principles and implementation of safeguarding, data protection, and inclusive practice.
• Experience of co-ordinating a youth advisory group, council, board or similar structure
• Ability to work autonomously, prioritising tasks and manage own workload.
• Ability to design and deliver workshops, focus groups or meetings that encourage open dialogue and collaboration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills - able to communicate effectively and confidently with a range of stakeholders and to summarise and report key information clearly and accurately, both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated commitment to children’s rights, youth participation and the meaningful inclusion of young people’s views and perspectives.
• Confidence using online meeting tools (e.g. MS Teams, Zoom), and collaborative platforms (e.g. SharePoint, Microsoft 365).

Desirable criteria

• Relevant qualification in youth participation, youth work, community engagement or similar.
• Understanding of public involvement in research or willingness to develop expertise.
• Understanding of key concepts and challenges in young people’s health and wellbeing and the transition to adulthood.
• Understanding and knowledge of key potential partners across the UK for delivering youth engagement in the sector.
• Experience using digital engagement and facilitation tools for online sessions (e.g. Miro, Mural, Mentimeter, Canva, PowerPoint).

Dimensions

• This has been designed as a full-time role, although part-time work could be considered for the right candidate.
• Flexible working may be required across several geographical locations in the UK.  Travel may be necessary to various AHS locations and partner organisations.
• Willingness to work hours flexibly including some evenings/weekends.

Additional Information

• Enhanced DBS/PVG or equivalent safeguarding check will be required.

Application Process

This post is subject to receipt of satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available). Please apply with a CV and a covering letter (of no more than two pages) explaining what you can bring to this role, and including your current salary.

The closing date for this position is midnight on End of Day Sunday 29 March.

Interviews are currently expected to be held during the weeks commencing 27 April and 05 May.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Beyond these protected characteristics, we acknowledge the importance of socio-economic background, childcare and caring responsibilities, educational background, neurodiversity, and any other factors that shape an individual’s identity and opportunities. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to contribute fully.

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.

About the team​

The Investment Team is responsible for selecting portfolio partners, managing our charity investments and supporting our portfolio partners to improve and scale their impact.

The Investment Team also leads the Impetus Leadership Academy, a leadership development programme to support talent from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK youth sector to progress into senior leadership roles.

The team is made up of 19 people, including former teachers, charity chief executives, charity impact leads, management consultants, social investment portfolio managers and impact consultants.

The team is led by a Portfolio Director who sits on the Senior Management Team. The Portfolio Director has 5 direct reports: a Deputy Portfolio Director, three Sector Leads (who lead our work in School engagement, School attainment and Employment Sectors) and an Impact Lead. Sector Leads line manage 6 Investment Directors. Investment Directors line manage Investment Managers (currently 6). Investment Directors and Investment Managers tend to primarily focus on a sector but might have mixed portfolios, depending on need, experience and interest.

The Investment Team has a good track record of role progression. All four Leads and a number of our Investment Directors were promoted from within the team.

The team is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We come from a range of backgrounds and bring a broad mix of perspectives.  We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.

​About this role

We believe that all young people deserve to succeed in school and in work, whatever their background. We are pleased to be able to expand our team to support our growing portfolio of charity and non-profit partners, in order to reach and impact more lives. The role of Investment Manager presents an exciting opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the organisations we serve, the team itself, and the whole of Impetus.

We support a portfolio of 23 high potential charity and non-profit partners in the youth sector, helping them deliver benchmark-beating employment and education outcomes for young people, and to grow.

We believe the strength of our approach resides in three things:
1. Building deep, trust-based sustainable relationships with charity leaders by, investing time, kindness, integrity and honesty
2. Providing our charities multi-year, unrestricted funding to help them become sector-leading organisations and scale their impact
3. Offering tailored advice to charity leaders’ most pressing and strategic questions, including their mission, programme design, performance management, growth planning, and financial resilience.

Working with our portfolio partners is a privilege. The leaders we support are incredibly talented, passionate and keen for external advice, and the issues we work through with them are stimulating and stretching. Our senior management relationships are some of the most fulfilling relationships many of us have had in our careers. The growth and impact performance of our partners are testament to their commitment to disadvantaged young people and the influence we have on their development.

Partners and funders often comment on the quality of our people. Our team is analytical and data driven; we are deeply relational, low-ego and collaborative. We actively invest in our colleagues holding regular training and community of practice sessions, and use skills-based assessments to tailor development.

As an organisation we seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work and actively challenge our assumptions to better deliver change. Over the past two years we have taken action to help reduce racial inequality in the youth sector. In 2021 we launched our Connect Fund to support diverse leaders and their robust solutions to the entrenched employment gap faced by young people from ethnic minority backgrounds compared with their white peers. We have also built a highly regarded Leadership Academy for emerging youth sector leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds, with generous from Bank of America and State Street Foundation.

If you are looking for a role combining strategic thinking, analytical insight and influencing emerging leaders, as well as the opportunity to work with a supportive team to transform young lives, I hope you will apply to work with us.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sebastien Ergas
Portfolio Director

Key responsibilities

Finding high potential charities and non-profit organisations to join our portfolio

• Supporting the annual cycle of identifying new investments - mapping the landscape of charities in thematic areas (e.g. Apprenticeships and Skills), conducting structured analysis of key impact and financial data and reviewing the current evidence base to identify high potential charities and inform options for Investment Directors.
• ​Contributing to due diligence of new organisations by reviewing quantitative and qualitative charity information ) and preparing clear assessments of suitability for investment; This includes considering impact and scale potential, financial stability and summarising risks and recommendations for senior review. Requires strong relationship management, in co-ordination with Investment Directors, when engaging with potential charity partners.
• ​Supporting Investment Directors in developing, preparing and presenting high quality investment propositions to our Investment Committee.

Supporting and managing relationships with portfolio partners 

• Working closely with Investment Directors to support portfolio partners across all areas of our work - leadership, impact and sustainability – owning defined(e.g. impact management or financial analysis).
• ​Building trust-based relationships with portfolio partners including senior leaders and  delivery staff, acting as a valued advisor on practice improvement contributing insight and support while escalating strategic issues to Investment Directors and Programme/Impact leads.
• ​Working with Impact teams at portfolio partners to develop and refine impact management practices; including data collection, dashboard development, performance review meetings, programme design and evaluation.
• ​Supporting portfolio partners functional leads (e.g. Director of Impact) to develop as leaders by contributing insights and tools to help drive and strengthen impact-led approaches within their organisations.
• ​Coordinating pro- bono projects leveraging our large network of corporate volunteers to provide targeted support for our portfolio partners in key areas (e.g. strategy, marketing advice, financial analysis).
• ​Supporting Investment Directors with the design and delivery of theory of change workshops, conducting preparatory analysis of charity impact data developing and analysing pre-workshop surveys and co-facilitating workshops.
• ​Supporting the coordination and delivery of Impetus’ quarterly peer learning forums for our portfolio partners, in particular the Impact Forum.
• ​Supporting investment governance by preparing clear and accurate reports for Investment and Steering Committees.

Support to Impetus​

• Developing knowledge and expertise in Education and Youth Employment domains, staying up to date on relevant sector developments and applying this insight to support analysis and decision making.
• ​Working collaboratively on Impetus’ public affairs and philanthropy objectives by contributing evidence, insight and content to case studies, research, policy campaigns, donor reports and events.
• ​Sharing the learning from our work across the team and organisation and supporting communication of insights externally where appropriate.
• ​Working within Impetus strategy, policies and procedures.

Person specification

​Essential​

• A commitment to Impetus’ mission and values
• ​Able to build productive, trust-based relationships internally and with senior external stakeholders including portfolio partners and co-investors, escalating strategic issues to Investment Directors as needed
• ​Strong relationship building and management skills
• ​Highly analytical and numerate, able to draw insights from a range of data sources, with good command of Excel or similar tools
• Clear and strategic thinker; able to clearly and concisely communicate insights and key messages via a range of mediums, including PowerPoint and Word
• ​Proven ability to work independently, within a defined scope and escalate risks promptly
• ​Clear and analytical thinker; keen to work collaboratively with Investment Directors and contribute evidence based insights to team discussions and decision making
• ​Strong planning and time management, able to balance between priorities 
• ​Displays tenacity and initiative in progressing work within agreed frameworks
• ​Growth mind-set; seeks out and acts on feedback
• ​A strong interest in partnering closely with organisations, supporting them to strengthen delivery and impact.
• ​A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in our work and our organisation

If you don't tick all these boxes, but still feel that you fit the profile, please apply anyway.

Desirable​

(candidates with one or more of the following may be particularly well suited to the role)

• Experience in consulting, investment management, or other in-depth grant making and capacity building work
• ​Previous experience working with charities. Could be in a previous role, pro-bono volunteer or Trustee capacity
• ​Experience in charity impact management or monitoring, evaluation and learning
• ​Experience working in, or deep understanding of, UK education and youth employment sectors 
• ​Experience facilitating workshops or presenting to larger groups
• ​Financial acumen – including experience supporting financial analysis and modelling, fundraising pipeline development and review of financial information e.g, annual accounts, to assess and identify financial risk
• ​Project Management experience  

​About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.​

We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today: ​

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment ​

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.​

Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life. ​

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.​

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.​

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.​

Our Values​

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are brave and curious

We are bold and brave in our pursuit of better outcomes for young people. We lead with curiosity and stay open to new perspectives. We support one another to take considered risks and learn together.

We bring high trust, high challenge

We build strong, long-term relationships through honesty, kindness, integrity, and respect. We create the space for open, constructive challenge, where colleagues, partners and supporters feel safe to speak up, hold each other to account, and bring their best in pursuit of our mission.

We are evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

We thrive through diversity

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

We always seek collaboration

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnerships with others to achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.​

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.​

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.​

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.​

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

​Our employee benefits ​

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button.​

You will need to:​

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form)
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement.​

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.​

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.​

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.​

The deadline for applications is Sunday 29th March 2026, 11:59pm.​

Interviews:​

1st Interviews will take place on w/c 13th April 2026.

2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 20th April 2026.​

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

Purpose of the job

UK Youth exists to widen the reach and deepen the impact of youth work and outdoor learning. ​

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To do this, we work with a network of youth organisations delivering youth work and outdoor learning youth work across the UK, as well as national, regional and specialist infrastructure bodies that collectively strengthen the impact and sustainability of the sector.​

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Together, this network forms a connected system focused on one shared aim: widening the reach and deepening the impact of youth work and outdoor learning.​

As our Network Manager, you will live and breathe our network, developing a deep understanding of the makeup, needs and priorities of network members to lead effective engagement and establish a high quality experience. You’ll drive a number of projects and steward relationships as part of our evolving offer, focusing on listening, moving from a transactional to a relational approach to supporting and learning from our network, equipping leaders with the skills, networks, and confidence to deliver exceptional support to young people.

You’ll support the Head of Network Development and the Senior Leadership Team to evolve UKY’s network offer as part of our new strategy. You will be a key advocate for the sector, ensuring our network remains responsive, resilient, and well equipped to meet emerging opportunities and challenges.

The role requires deep understanding and experience  of the youth sector, the ability to confidently build relationships with leaders of practice and organisations, as well as a highly organised, and proactive individual with strong project management and excellent stakeholder management skills.

Why work at UK Youth?

UK Youth exists to widen the reach and deepen the impact of youth work and outdoor learning. We support a network of thousands of youth organisations across the UK to improve young lives every day. At the same time, we are transforming the policies, investment, and ideas needed to future-proof youth work and outdoor learning for generations to com e:

• We back youth work leaders with the evidence, connections, and investment they need to thrive.

• We keep youth work effective with research, large-scale pilot programmes, and professional development initiatives.

• And we work with young changemakers to inspire lasting change in the attitudes of the public and funders.

Key responsibilities

• Relationship Building, Network Onboarding and Partnerships

• Network Engagement, Experience and Capacity Building

• Planning, Budget and Resource Management

• Leadership and Management

Experience we're after

• Experience delivering youth work practice with young people.

• Understanding of youth policy, workforce challenges, and sector-wide trends including the changing aspirations and needs of young people and the impact of youth work in supporting these.

• Knowledge of youth sector infrastructure organisations and their roles at national, regional, and local levels.

• Strong programme and project management expertise, including a demonstrable track record of successfully leading and managing large-scale or complex programmes and projects in a previous role.

• Excellent relational and stakeholder engagement skills, with proven experience building and maintaining relationships across diverse organisations.

• Proven experience in network development, membership engagement, or partnership management within the charity, youth, or community sector.

• Experience in workforce development, training, or skills enhancement within a sector-focused setting.

• Excellent line management skills, with experience developing staff and effectively managing performance.

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage diverse audiences in a variety of settings.

• Experience in budget management and financial planning.

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: 7th April 2026 at 09:00am

Provisional Interview Dates: 13th and 14th April

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

We have created an exciting new position in our UK team for an ambitious and confident relationship fundraiser to contribute to ambitious fundraising targets and enable Human Practice Foundation’s (HPF) impactful education programmes.  Working closely with the UK Country Manager, the position will build on existing relationships with individuals who make significant personal donations, aiming to grow their contributions, as well as making approaches to new prospects, through compelling, donor-centred approaches and excellent stewardship. 

We are seeking a motivated, creative and confident individual, who thrives on getting out and about and meeting with supporters and can work proactively within a small team.You will have experience of securing gifts from high net-worth individuals making gifts privately or through family trusts, donor advised funds and corporations.

We welcome applicants from within and outside the charity sector. 

About the Human Practice Foundation

Founded in 2014 in Denmark, the Human Practice Foundation works in some of the most marginalised regions in Nepal and Kenya, where poverty and lack of opportunity keep children from reaching their potential. Our goal is simple but powerful: to empower children through education, so they can shape a better future for themselves and their communities. We take a long-term, holistic approach to this goal. Through our Child Empowerment Model, we build and upgrade school infrastructure, train teachers, support parents in creating sustainable incomes, and help students bridge the gap between education and employment. Every project is co-designed with local communities and aligned with public authorities, ensuring it meets real needs and builds lasting ownership.

Our supporters and the communities HPF works with deserve complete transparency about donations and how funds are spent. Thanks to the support of a group of Founding Partners who cover all administrative costs, 100% of project donations go directly to our programmes.

Conditions and Benefits:  

• Salary: £24,000 - £27,000 (£40,000 - £45,000 FTE) 

• Part time (3 days/week).
• 27 days holiday (pro rata) + bank holidays

• Remote working/home-based, accessible for travel to London for meetings. Occasional travel to Copenhagen.

• Flexibility to work outside of normal ‘office’ hours for events and meetings.
• Reports to UK Country Manager. 

• Works closely with other colleagues across HPF and with committed and well-connected HPF Boards. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Donor Identification, solicitation and management 

• Work with the UK Country Manager to grow the donor portfolio in the UK by identifying prospects, building relationships and secure gifts from high net-worth individuals and other philanthropic donors. 

• Identify and deliver unique stewardship and cultivation opportunities for donors.

• Manage a portfolio of major donors through various personalised approaches, including face-to-face meetings, phone calls, events and written and verbal communications. 

• Ensure excellent and timely response to enquiries and stewardship and acknowledgement of gifts. 

Events coordination 

• Work with the UK Country Manager to help shape and deliver events and other engagement opportunities to generate income, cultivate and steward donors. 

• Take responsibility for tailored and timely event follow-up to maximise relationships and using learnings and data from past events to develop donor engagement, referrals and gifts. 

Research, communications and administration  

• Research potential new donors and funding streams.

• Support the production of proposals, pitches, reports and general supporter communications. 

• Use Salesforce to manage the accurate recording of interactions and progression related to all donor relationships 

• Provide executive assistance to the UK Country Manager and senior stakeholders in relation to scheduling supporter meetings, drafting communications and provision of information to underpin successful supporter engagement. 

• Maintain strong knowledge and understanding of HPF’s programmes. 

• Carry out administrative activities and other duties, as required, to maximise fundraising. 

Skills, Qualifications and Experience 

• Experience developing relationships with and securing funding from high-net-worth individuals and other philanthropic donors. 

• Entrepreneurial approach to relationship management and creating new fundraising initiatives. 

• Experience in coordination and delivery of bespoke, high-quality events for influential audiences. 

• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, and a proactive networker, able to act as a spokesperson and ambassador for HPF. 

• Experience of writing inspiring, emotive, and technically fundraising communications and materials tailored to a major donor audience. 

• Exceptional organisational and time management skills to prioritise and manage own workload. 

• Results driven self-starter, able to operate independently and under pressure, whilst also able to engage meaningfully in a virtual team. 

• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels, across multiple teams and geographies. 

• Strong IT skills, including an understanding of CRM systems. 

• Strong affinity with HPF mission, values and approach.  

Desirable: 

• Experience working in an international organisation. 

• Experience working with a fundraising board or high value committee. 

• Experience of working closely with and reporting to Boards of Trustees. 

• Experience using Salesforce, or another fundraising database. 

Acorns Children’s Hospice provides specialist care and support for babies, children and young people who are life limited or life threatened. Supporting over 750 children and nearly 1,000 families annually, Acorns is a vital lifeline for families across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire during unimaginably difficult times.

Over the past three years, Acorns’ leadership has strengthened collaboration and innovation across the charity and embedded an organisation-wide fundraising culture. With an integrated fundraising structure and an ambitious £5m appeal ahead, Acorns is continuing to invest in the systems, insight and stewardship that will deepen relationships with supporters and grow long-term income.

Acorns is now seeking a Donor Experience Manager to play a key role in delivering an exceptional supporter experience across the fundraising directorate. Reporting to the Head of Donor Experience, the Donor Experience Manager will lead the delivery of engaging, insight-led donor journeys across multiple fundraising channels.

You will work closely with fundraising, marketing and care teams to ensure that every supporter interaction – from initial engagement through to long-term stewardship – is consistent, personalised and meaningful. Through effective stewardship, compelling communications and strong operational delivery, you will help strengthen supporter relationships and drive long-term retention.

The role will also oversee supporter care operations, ensuring high standards in donation processing, thanking, pledge management and supporter communications. Using CRM data (Donorfy), supporter feedback and insight, you will continuously refine stewardship activity and donor journeys to improve engagement and lifetime value.

As Donor Experience Manager, you will:

• Line manage and develop the Donor Experience Officer, ensuring high standards of supporter care and operational delivery
• Design and deliver multi-channel donor journeys that strengthen engagement, retention and supporter lifetime value
• Manage the annual fundraising communications plan and identify meaningful stewardship opportunities across fundraising activity
• Develop and maintain a central fundraising content library including case studies, stories and impact materials
• Work with fundraising, marketing and care teams to produce compelling supporter communications and impact reports
• Support bespoke stewardship and recognition activity for major donors and high-value supporters
• Champion digital engagement, automation and personalisation across supporter communications
• Lead supporter satisfaction surveys and use insight to continuously improve donor journeys
• Oversee supporter care processes including donation processing, thanking, pledge tracking and supporter enquiries
• Use CRM data (Donorfy) and insight to monitor engagement, retention and supporter behaviour and inform fundraising activity
• Support the delivery of supporter events and contribute to financial monitoring and campaign reporting.

About you

You will bring a strong commitment to excellent supporter care and a passion for delivering meaningful donor experiences.

Organised, collaborative and creative, you will be confident working across teams to deliver engaging stewardship activity while maintaining high operational standards.

Essential skills and experience include:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience producing engaging supporter communications
• Experience planning and managing projects or complex workloads across multiple stakeholders
• A strong commitment to delivering outstanding supporter care
• Experience working within a fundraising or supporter-focused team
• Understanding of donor motivation, stewardship and supporter retention
• Experience using CRM systems such as Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, Donorfy or similar
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and work effectively across teams
• An analytical mindset with the ability to use insight and feedback to improve supporter engagement.

Employee benefits

Benefits include:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 5 days holiday buyback scheme starting from April 2026
• 7.5% employer pension contribution
• Life assurance scheme (2 x annual salary)
• Retail discounts (including the Blue Light card)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted gym membership
• Access to expert financial health and wellbeing support

About us

We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. We’re the place to turn to for anything and everything to do with breast cancer. However, you’re experiencing breast cancer, we’re here. 

The brightest minds in breast cancer research are here. Making life-saving research happen in labs across the UK and Ireland. Support services, trustworthy breast cancer information and specialist nurses are here. Ready to support you whenever you need it. Dedicated campaigners are here. Fighting for the best possible treatment, services, and care for anyone affected by breast cancer.

About the role

Do you live in Glasgow or the surrounding area, have excellent local knowledge and the skills to nurture established relationships whilst building a pipeline of new income opportunities?

We’re looking for someone who can join the team to cover the maternity leave of our senior community fundraiser[SG1] . If you love connecting with people and want to make a difference for people affected by breast cancer, we’d love to hear from you.

Offered as a fixed term contract of 12 months this position will play a key part in developing our presence in Scotland. This is designed to grow long-term income through a new, locally based relationship fundraising team.

This is your chance to build powerful local connections with new supporter individuals, clubs and societies, and local businesses – and help develop a thriving network of people that share our mission.

About you

You bring enthusiasm, strong communication skills and a genuine interest in people and relationship building.

You’re proactive, organised, and adaptable with a positive approach to trying new things. A natural collaborator, you have a flexible approach to your work and thrive in a busy environment.

You’re confident in approaching new contacts and are experienced in developing new relationships from scratch which have delivered income in both the short and long term. Your approach to relationship management is best in class and you've proven that you can take the initiative to make ideas happen.

Alongside these skills and your previous experience, you have the passion that will help grow engagement and income in your region.

Job description and benefits

Please download the job description and our attractive benefits package.

Primary location of role

This role is primarily based in our Glasgow office.  Our hybrid working model allows you to work up to 3 days per week at home.   Regular travel will be required to meet supporters in your region, as well as occasional travel to our London or Sheffield offices.

When applying

We hope you choose to apply for this role. To support your application, you’ll be asked to submit your anonymised CV. Please refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and clearly provide as much information as you can with examples, to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria. If you’ve any immediate questions, please contact the Breast Cancer Now recruitment team

Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion

We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity, and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who we support.

Closing date Tuesday 31 March 2026 9 am

Interview date 7 April 2026

The Breast Cancer Now careers website will be down for maintenance on Monday 23 March between 9 am – 11 am

We reserve the right to close this advert early. Therefore, to avoid disappointment please submit your application as soon as possible if you’re interested in this opportunity.

About Us

We are a dedicated charity supporting individuals with learning disabilities to lead fulfilling, independent, and valued lives. Our work is rooted in respect, inclusion, and person centred practice. As the charity continues to develop, we are strengthening our strategic capacity to grow income, partnerships, and profile.

Role Purpose

To lead and deliver the charity’s income generation and external engagement strategy, ensuring sustainable growth in funding and a strong community profile that reflects the organisation’s mission and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Income Generation & Fundraising Strategy

Develop and implement a rolling 3-year fundraising strategy.
Identify, research and secure grant funding from trusts, foundations and statutory sources.
Prepare compelling funding applications and impact reports.
Develop individual and community fundraising initiatives.
Explore corporate partnerships and sponsorship.

Grants & Donor Engagement

Maintain positive relationships with funders, donors, and supporters.
Support the development of collaborative projects and joint funding opportunities.
Prepare clear and timely funding reports and impact updates.
Support trustee involvement in fundraising where appropriate.

Marketing & Communications

Oversee website content and development.
Lead social media and digital engagement.
Represent the charity at meetings, events, and networks to strengthen visibility and influence.
Promote the charity’s services, values, and impact within the local community.

Person Specification

Proven track record in grant applications & fundraising.
Strong written communication skills.
Experience in charity marketing or communications desirable.
Ability to work strategically and independently.
Understanding of the learning disability or social care sector desirable.
Strong digital skills.
Organised and self-motivated.
Comfortable working closely with trustees and senior staff.

CLOSING DATE 31st March 2026

Monitoring and developing our Covid-19 Inquiry Recommendations Tracker, you will be an essential conduit for influencing policy and campaigns, part of a small but highly effective team. 

Job description

• Take overall responsibility for the Inquiry Recommendations Tracker, including its development, structure, accuracy and upkeep.
• Ensure the tracker is kept fully up to date, with progress on each recommendation accurately recorded and supported by relevant evidence.
• Monitor developments relating to Inquiry recommendations, including government responses, implementation activity and public statements, and provide colleagues with clear analysis to inform campaigning and parliamentary engagement.
• Gather and assess information from a range of sources to inform the tracker, including official publications, parliamentary material, stakeholder engagement and direct correspondence.
• Draft policy reports following module report publications, including analysis of recommendations and supplementary recommendations where appropriate, and provide briefing material to support campaign and parliamentary activity. 
• Engage with members to ensure their feedback and lived experience inform reports, supplementary recommendations and the Recommendations Tracker.
• Work with colleagues to ensure policy outputs support wider campaigning, parliamentary engagement and communications activity.
• Help identify gaps, weaknesses or areas of concern in implementation, and support the development of evidence-based proposals for further action.
• Maintain clear internal records and documentation relating to recommendations, progress updates and evidence gathered.
• Contribute to team meetings, planning discussions and wider organisational work as required.
• Undertake other duties reasonably consistent with the role, recognising that this is a small team and flexibility is important.

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of policy research, policy analysis, public affairs, or related work.
• Strong drafting skills, with the ability to write clearly, accurately and persuasively for different audiences.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage complex information carefully and systematically.
• Experience of maintaining records, trackers or monitoring systems to a high standard.
• Ability to analyse complex material and present it in a way that is accessible and useful.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines.
• Confidence in engaging professionally with external stakeholders, including parliamentarians, officials or partner organisations.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a small team.
• Commitment to working in a member-led way and ensuring lived experience informs policy work.
• Personal belief in and support for the aims of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK

Desirable

• Experience of working in Parliament, government, the charity sector, campaigning, or a policy-focused organisation.
• Experience of producing briefings, reports or recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Experience of engaging with members or people with lived experience in shaping policy or campaigns.
• Familiarity with spreadsheet-based trackers or similar monitoring tools.
• Knowledge of public inquiries, accountability processes, or pandemic preparedness policy.

Covid-19 has affected us all, but some communities were disproportionately impacted, including Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities and disabled people, so we particularly welcome and encourage applications from candidates from those backgrounds.

Please submit your CV and a covering letter explaining how you meet the essential criteria for this role.

Location: Reading, Hybrid (twice a month to Reading office)
Hours: Full time
Salary: £41,344 per annum 
Contract Type: Permanent
Campaign Closes: 10th April 2026
Interviews: First stage interviews, WC 20th April. Second Stage interviews WC ​27th April.

On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible. 

Core Purpose
The Philanthropy Manager will play a critical role in Make-A-Wish UK’s growing Philanthropy team. You will be responsible for building meaningful relationships with high-net-worth individuals and Trusts and Foundations, increasing income, engagement and stewardship, with a focus on developing new relationships with funders. You will also drive key growth through leadership of the Small Trust Mailing and Philanthropy Mid-Value Programmes, utilising insights and best practice to implement new strategies and streamline ways of working.

Job requirements

Essential Criteria

• Experience in working within a Philanthropy Team, with proven success in securing multiple five figure gifts from both high-net-worth individuals and Trusts and Foundations
• Strong experience cultivating cold and/or new prospects and converting them into five figure + donors
• Experience conducting targeted prospect research, identifying new funders against a set criteria or proposition
• Demonstrable track record of creating and implementing successful, data-informed plans resulting in increased income
• Excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to influence, inspire and engage both internal and external stakeholders at a wide range of levels
• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex information in compelling ways tailored to different audiences
• Highly organised and demonstrated ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver to deadlines within a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in using CRM systems (preferably Salesforce) to manage pipelines, analyse data, and generate reports
• Knowledge of UK fundraising regulation, ethics and trends affecting high-net-worth individuals and Trusts and Foundations fundraising
• Strong attention to detail, numeracy and analytical skills, with experience building financial proposals, income forecasts and donor investment cases

Desirable Criteria

• Previous experience running high-value mailing programmes 
• Track-record of securing both restricted and unrestricted income 
• Previous experience recruiting and managing giving club members 
• Experience of working collaboratively with a Prospect Research function, sharing responsibilities and communicating effectively 
• Experience working in a rapidly growing team, managing organisational expectations and flexibly capitalising on emerging opportunities 

Job responsibilities

Relationship Management, Stewardship and New Business 

• Personally build and manage a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals and Trust and Foundation prospects and donors, giving between £10,000-£50,000.
• Lead personalised and effective cultivation, asks, engagement and stewardship for your portfolio.
• Contribute to the development of compelling and attractive propositions to increase giving and/or recruit new high value supporters.
• Work effectively with internal and external influencers to engage supporters and create magical moments, bringing them closer to Make-A-Wish UK’s work.
• Manage donor agreements and grant terms and conditions, ensuring compliance and best practice.
• Work collaboratively with the Prospect Development Lead to identify new prospective funders, as well as conducting your own prospect research in line with agreed key priorities, sectors or themes.
• Ensure data is accurate and up to date on our CRM to support effective pipeline management and draw insights.

Strategy, Planning and Delivery of Mid-Level Programmes 

• Build on the design and implementation of a new personalised Philanthropy Mid-Value programme for supporters giving £1-£10K, with the aims of securing, retaining and growing support.
• Lead on enhancing the existing Small Trusts Mailing programme, effectively implementing streamlined processes to increase ROI.
• Collaborate with the Philanthropy Team, and other teams where needed, to forecast income, set targets, and manage your pipeline budget.
• Work closely with the Prospect Development Lead to draw insights, and implement these across the mid-value programmes.
• Continuously review programme success and efficiency, reporting on progress, identifying successes and learnings, as well as progress against KPIs and income targets.

Collaboration & Influence

• Champion a philanthropic mindset across Make-A-Wish UK, acting as an ambassador for the power and value of Major Donor and Trusts and Foundations fundraising.
• Work closely with other teams, including Finance, wishgranting, Insight and Innovation, and Brand Communications and Engagement, to build budgets, report on impact and cultivate, engage, ask and steward your portfolio.
• Act as an ambassador for Make-A-Wish UK at external events, such as high-level fundraising networks, sector forums and conferences.

Job benefits

• 26 days annual leave with the option to buy/sell annual leave (pro rata for part time)
• Paid Birthday leave
• Flexible & Hybrid working arrangements
• Salary exchange pension scheme 
• Paid volunteering days
• Pirkx subscription - Access to wellbeing support, GP appointments, training and events, retail discount platform, and much more!
• Cycle to work initiative

Thank you for your interest in the role of Management Accountant at the Fair Education Alliance. 

The Fair Education Alliance (FEA) is a cross-sector coalition of 300 member organisations tackling educational inequity. We unite behind a shared vision: no child’s success is limited by their socioeconomic background. 

In September 2025 we launched an ambitious five-year strategy ‘From Neighborhood to National’ to confront the deep-rooted inequities facing children and young people. This is an exciting moment of organisational growth at The Fair Education Alliance. As we scale our work and our team, we are investing in our operational foundations to ensure we remain well-governed, financially resilient and able to deliver our strategy with confidence. 

This role represents a significant investment in that infrastructure. You will be joining a small but highly capable operations team and playing a central role in how FEA manages and understands its finances as it grows. You will work closely with relevant members of the senior leadership team and colleagues across the organisation. 

The Management Accountant plays a central role in ensuring that the Fair Education Alliance’s finances are accurate, well managed and clearly understood across the organisation. Working as part of the operations team, the postholder maintains the financial systems and processes that underpin FEA’s work. This includes overseeing day-to-day finance operations, producing reliable management accounts, supporting budgeting and forecasting, and ensuring that financial records meet charity accounting and regulatory requirements.

The Management Accountant also acts as a trusted financial partner to colleagues across the organisation. By providing clear, accessible financial information and helping budget holders understand their resources, the role enables confident decision-making by the senior leadership team and trustees. Through careful financial stewardship, strong attention to detail and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Management Accountant helps ensure that FEA remains financially resilient and able to deliver its mission to create a fairer education system. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis from Tuesday 10 March

• Applications close: 30 March (9am)

• First round interviews: Rolling during application window 

• Second round interviews: Rolling during application window 

• Start date: As soon as possible (to be agreed with the successful candidate) 

Please Note: You will not be eligible to apply unless you hold the L2 Award in Instructing Cycle Training and have worked for 5 years in cycle training. If you do not hold this qualification your application will automatically rejected. 

• Lead the Trust’s strategic development work supporting our 2025–2035 strategic ambitions.
• Drive innovation across the Bikeability programme — including training guidance, evidence-based pilots, and digital learning products.
• Use your expertise as a qualified cycle training instructor to shape improvements to national training delivery.
• Support research, evaluation and evidence generation to ensure the programme remains future-focused and impactful.
• Represent the Trust at national forums, government meetings, conferences, and sector events.
• Manage development budgets, oversee project governance, and contribute to strategic decision-making.
• Ideal for someone with quality assurance experience, a strong background in qualification design and evaluation, and a proven track record of delivering innovative, high-impact projects.

We expect to hold interviews on either 10th or 13th April but we may do rolling interviews. 

We are hiring a Senior Marketing Manager - Challenge Works

About Challenge Works

At Challenge Works, we design and run challenge prizes to spark innovation in science, technology and society. We are part of Nesta, the research and innovation foundation.

We have run over 100 challenge prizes awarding over £260m, on behalf of public, private and philanthropic funders around the world, including the Longitude Prize on Dementia with Alzheimer's Society and Innovate UK, the Sustainable Cities Challenge with Toyota Mobility Foundation, the Smart Data Challenge with the UK Government Department for Business and Trade and Ofwat’s Water Innovation Fund. Our four priority areas are Climate Response, Cities & Societies, Health and Technology Frontiers.

Summary

This is a new role leading the strategic use of marketing and communications to advance Challenge Works’ social impact mission and commercial objectives.

You will serve as the organisation’s senior lead on marketing and communications, acting as a trusted partner to leaders across the business, and reporting into a member of our Senior Leadership Team.

There are two key strands to the role.

1. Driving marketing and communications for Challenge Works with a focus on brand and business development. You will work closely with our priority area leads and Communications Manager to plan and deliver integrated campaigns, digital content, events, stakeholder engagement and PR to accelerate their growth priorities. You will also develop and deliver communications strategies to strengthen the Challenge Works brand through impactful thought leadership, and orchestrate the rollout of campaigns that position us as a leader in transformative innovation.
2. Overseeing the delivery of effective development and delivery of prize communications, working with our small in-house communications team and a retained PR agency, as well as any other ad hoc contractors. It also includes acting as an adviser and, where needed, an extra pair of hands on prize communications activity.

Success in this role requires the ability to think strategically while moving swiftly to action. We are a small team and everyone needs to dive in and be hands-on.

We are entirely funded through our work on prizes, so our communications and marketing activity needs to show business results as well as supporting our impact goals. Our target audiences are a niche group: innovation teams within governments, research and innovation funders, philanthropic foundations, and other innovation partners and experts, both in the UK and worldwide. Success means building our brand in the long term to generate awareness and trust with those target communities while also delivering opportunity-led communications that drive conversion for specific propositions. With limited resource, all our channels need to work together effectively to maximise impact.

You will draw on strong relationship-building skills to collaborate effectively across Challenge Works, Nesta and external partners, while bringing the authority and insight needed to influence senior leaders and ensure our communications consistently reflect our ambition and expertise.

The role

• Develop and deliver integrated marketing campaigns aimed at reaching and engaging current and future funders, with a particular focus on owned digital channels and in person stakeholder events.
• Build the Challenge Works brand across all relevant channels so that it becomes synonymous with transformative innovation in the minds of funders in the UK and around the world.
• Thought leadership. Collaborate with internal and affiliated external thought leaders to nurture a pipeline of authentic, high-impact content that builds the Challenge Works brand and generates qualified leads for prize funders and partners.
• Stakeholder strategy. Collaborate with colleagues leading our BD efforts to develop our stakeholder engagement strategy and guide our approach to stakeholder management across Challenge Works.
• Overseeing retained PR agency to ensure effectiveness and value for money in prize communications and, to generate complementary PR ‘moments’ that contribute to funder engagement and awareness.
• Provide strong leadership of the communications team to ensure that they are continuing to develop in their roles, maximising innovator engagement and delivering to the high expectations of our funders. Provide advice, expert input, and training across the wider team around communications topics to enable the whole team to embed best practice communications principles in their work.
• Own the marketing and communications budget ensuring value for money across all activity and budget planning for future strategic initiatives.
• Leveraging our prize communications. Working with the communications team to ensure that we are optimising the opportunities for wider marketing and business development that the prizes (and their communications budgets) will generate.

The person

• A strong track record of developing, delivering and leading the delivery of strategic multichannel marketing strategies and plans, using marketing as part of business development and lead generation in a B2B context
• A strong track record of developing and evolving brand identities in a B2B or social impact context, ensuring brand consistency and resonance across all touchpoints
• Demonstrable understanding of social, political and economic trends and market conditions to provide strategic communications advice to senior staff
• Deep knowledge and proven understanding of communications functions (media, marketing, events, campaigns, editorial, content development, digital platforms) and how they be applied as part of an integrated marketing or communications approach in the pursuit of a communications objective
• An exceptional and experienced strategic thinker, with proven ability to think quickly, digest large amounts of information and consult and advise quickly on communications options and tactics across the communications mix
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work with and support multiple teams efficiency and effectively
• A flair for communicating clearly, concisely and persuasively, verbally and in writing, with proven ability to translate complex topics around entrepreneurship, business, technology, and science into clear, accessible and effective communications products
• A highly effective project manager, who can plan and deliver against multiple projects and priorities at the same time, keeping work on track and ensuring clear communication across internal teams so all parties know what they are required to do and when they need to do it
• Desirable: Experience operating in a small to medium-sized organisation environment with a small communications function that requires both strategic thinking and hands-on delivery.

As with all staff employed in a communications role at Nesta, the postholder will also be at their best working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment, have a flexible approach and an appetite for taking on new tasks and challenges.

What we offer

Salary: circa £39,000 (60% FTE of £65,000) plus an array of benefits, including health cash plans, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more.

Location: This role is based in Blackfriars, Central London, hybrid working arrangement (with at least 1 day working from the office)

Term: Permanent

Hours: This is a part-time role, working 22.5 hours per week.

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your application before 8:00am on 6th April.

Interviews will take place w/c 13th April 2026.

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.