Research executive jobs

We’re looking for an experienced content officer to create and share our charity’s impact, stories and campaigns in new and compelling ways to help raise awareness, grow our audience and drive engagement. 

This is a hands-on role and requires someone with proven experience of creating high-quality, creative and engaging content across print and digital platforms, including video, email, web and social media.

If you’re excited by the opportunity to create and deliver a wide variety of content which makes a difference to women, sick kids and their families, we’d love to hear from you. 

Please see our job information pack for further details on this role and what we as a Charity have to offer!

Interviews will be held at our office at 5 Rowchester Court, Whittall Street, Birmingham, B4 6DH on Wednesday 22 October.

National Rural Touring Forum (NRTF) is looking for a new Director to lead our national network and champion rural arts across the UK. We’re seeking an inspiring leader with a collaborative approach to advocate for our members and sector, to strengthen partnerships and support a vibrant network that ensures creativity and culture thrive in every community.

About NRTF

NRTF is an Investment Principles Support Organisation (IPSO) within Arts Council England’s (ACE) National Portfolio. As a national membership and strategic organisation, we unite and champion the diverse parts of the rural touring sector. We advocate on behalf of our members, offering up-to-date information, advice, guidance, professional development and networking opportunities. By sharing news, stories and opportunities, supporting rural touring-focused projects and initiatives, and through our Annual National Rural Touring Conference, we raise the profile of rural touring, embedding its value in the wider cultural landscape. We celebrate the work and achievements of the volunteer promoters, professional artists and organisations who make culture accessible for rural communities. This is an exciting moment to join NRTF as we enter our third decade as an organisation and continue building the profile and impact of rural touring across the UK, while supporting the passionate and committed members at the heart of our network.

Main Purpose of the Role

The Director is the strategic and operational lead of NRTF, responsible for the organisation’s vision, management, performance, and long-term sustainability. They ensure delivery against NRTF’s mission and business plan, champion rural touring at a national level, and act as the primary liaison with Arts Council England, stakeholders, and the wider sector. Working closely with a proactive Board of Trustees, the Director provides leadership on governance and compliance in line with UK Charity Law and NRTF’s Articles of Association, ensuring the organisation operates with transparency, accountability and good practice. The Director is a visible ambassador for rural touring, building strong relationships across the cultural sector, advocating for members, and promoting the role of rural touring in ensuring that creativity and culture thrive in every community.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

● Lead and implement NRTF’s Business Plan and strategic objectives.

● Oversee the delivery and evaluation of all funded programmes and initiatives.

● Develop and sustain relationships with our members, including the rural touring schemes, national and regional stakeholders, funders, and policy-makers.

● Ensure alignment with ACE’s Investment Principles and “Let’s Create” strategy.

● Ensure long-term sustainability through innovation, partnerships, and appropriate diversification, ensuring the organisation remains relevant and forward-thinking.

Finance and Fundraising

● Lead financial planning, budgeting, and reporting in collaboration with the Finance Officer and Treasurer.

● Ensure ACE and funder reporting is accurate and timely.

● Lead on developing new funding opportunities, working with colleagues and freelance support to secure income from trusts, foundations and diversification streams.

Membership and Sector Support

● Foster strong relationships with membership, particularly scheme members.

● Understand and respond to member needs, ensuring services and benefits are relevant.

● Foster a strong member community through events, forums, and networking opportunities.

● Together with the NRTF team, design and deliver initiatives to grow, engage, and retain members.

● Represent NRTF and advocate for member interests at national and international events, conferences, and sector forums.

Project and Event Delivery

● Provide strategic oversight of all NRTF projects, ensuring they are well-managed, impactful and aligned with the business plan.

● Lead and represent NRTF at the Annual National Rural Touring Conference and other national events, with project managers and freelance teams responsible for delivery.

● Foster partnerships with schemes and sector organisations to co-create and deliver events and projects that serve members and raise the profile of rural touring.

Communications and Advocacy

● Provide strategic leadership for NRTF’s communications and advocacy, ensuring consistency of voice and alignment with the business plan.

● Lead sector advocacy and act as spokesperson and ambassador for rural touring.

● Maintain and develop national visibility for rural touring through partnerships, media opportunities and press engagement (with support from NRTF’s freelance press agency).

● Oversee delivery of marketing and communications, working with the Marketing & Digital Coordinator to manage campaigns, content and social media.

● Build strategic partnerships with other organisations, funders, and influencers.

HR and Operations

● Lead on recruitment, contracting, staff management, and HR policy implementation.

● Line-manage employed staff, ensuring fair and effective working conditions.

● Manage Contracts for Services for freelance teams and contractors

● Maintain organisational infrastructure, including IT, office resources.

Governance and Legal

● Support and develop the Board of Trustees, ensuring sound governance practices.

● Organise and service Board meetings, the AGM, and working groups.

● Act as Company Secretary: ensure compliance with charity and company law, maintain registers, and submit returns.

Person Specification

Essential

● Proven senior leadership within arts or cultural organisations.

● Commitment to rural/community engagement.

● Strong understanding of the UK arts funding landscape, especially ACE.

● Demonstrable experience in finance, HR, governance, and fundraising.

● Experience in project delivery.

● Strategic thinker with exceptional communication skills.

● Experience of working and engaging with key stakeholders.

● Experience working with or supporting a Board of Trustees.

● Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

● Evidence of original thinking, idea making and bold ambition.

● Caring and positive leadership style.

Desirable

● Awareness of the ethos, principles and practice of rural touring.

● Knowledge of community arts and engagement, and/or cultural networks.

● Experience in legal compliance and company secretary responsibilities.

● Understanding of contemporary cultural policy and advocacy.

● Experience in digital communications, social media, and PR.

● Experience in event management and programming.

If you are excited by this role but are not sure if you fully meet the person specification, we encourage you to reach out to our Interim Head of Operations, Jo Purseglove to discuss further.

The role of Head of Legal reports to the Director of Legal & Governance and you will assist them in ensuring the legal function of the organisation runs efficiently, smoothly and that we proactively identify and address legal risk and development needs.

You will be responsible for overseeing and managing the day to day legal affairs of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Identify legal risk and propose mitigations and solutions.
• Proactively identifying issues and resolving problems efficiently.
• Providing guidance and advice to colleagues
• Developing and managing the suite of legal templates in use across the organisation, proactively identifying areas for improvement and / or development and working collaboratively to develop new templates as needed
• Ensuring internal legal requirements are well designed and understood and are aligned to delivery of strategy
• Ensure that internal legal processes run smoothly
• Make sound, timely decisions that support sustainable, long-term strategic outcomes.

This is a part time, fixed term role and can be based at any of our hubs located in Birmingham, Leeds or London.

For more information, please download the Job Recruitment Pack.

Due to receiving high volumes of interest in our opportunities, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. To ensure your application is considered, please submit it as soon as possible.

Digital Learning Lead – UX / UI

Salary: £40,000 per annum
Contract: Fixed term until April 2027
Location: London (EC1M) with hybrid working (1–2 days per week in office)
Hours: Full time (35 hours per week)
Closing Date: 28 September 2025, 5:00 PM
Interview Dates:

• First Stage (online): 14–15 October 2025

• Second Stage (in person): 22 October 2025

Use your UX/UI and digital learning expertise to shape the future of technical education.

At WorldSkills UK, we believe in the power of skills to change lives, boost the economy, and raise the prestige of technical and vocational education. We’re looking for a Digital Learning Lead – UX/UI to play a pivotal role in developing and improving the Learning Lab, our online platform for educators and trainers across the UK’s technical and vocational education sector.

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative, user-focused digital learning expert who’s passionate about supporting educators and driving up standards in teaching and training.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of the Learning Lab, ensuring an intuitive, engaging, and accessible user experience.

• Own and optimise the educator journey from first visit to repeat engagement using data, feedback, and testing.

• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to develop new features and improve platform functionality.

• Apply strong UX/UI design skills to deliver impactful, user-centred digital solutions.

• Manage platform projects, budgets, vendors, and reporting processes.

• Promote high standards in design, accessibility, and inclusivity across the platform.

What We Offer

• Salary of £40,000 per annum

• Hybrid working (with 1–2 days in our London office)

• 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising with service

• 6% employer pension contribution (with 3% employee contribution)

• Healthcare cash plan & life insurance (3x salary)

• A flexible and supportive working culture

How to Apply

1. Your CV (Word format with identifying details removed)

2. A supporting statement explaining your suitability for the role

3. A separate document with your contact details and confirmation of your right to work in the UK

4. A digital portfolio (PowerPoint or PDF, max 5 slides / 10MB) showcasing your UX/UI work and approach

Battersea has recently approved a new 5-year organisational strategy to deliver an even greater impact for dogs and cats through our Prevent, Support and Care activity. This, alongside Battersea’s significant growth in recent years, means that we now require greater coordination and structure to support how we prioritise and manage key organisational activity and manage our resources effectively.

To support the delivery of the new strategy and its respective programme of works, we are now seeking a new role of Head of Project and Strategic Planning to play a central role in shaping how we deliver our priorities across the organisation, supporting the leadership team, directors and strategic project leads in the delivery of our objectives, and ensuring there is effective management and oversight of projects and programmes which facilitates sound decision making and governance principles.

To support a significant CRM implementation programme, the programme has incorporated some formal governance structures and processes to support effective change management and decision making. We are now looking to embed and expand on those and ensure we have fit for purpose mechanisms for overseeing all key activity across the charity.

This role will therefore be responsible for developing, embedding, and leading a fit for purpose and effective Project Management Office (PMO), shaping delivery practices, building project management capability, and improve organisational alignment and performance in a way that supports dynamic cross-organisational decision making and innovation. As this is a new position, and will result in changes to our ways of working, the Head of Project and Strategic Planning will also be required to play a leading role in supporting and enabling organisational change, ensuring there is a clear understanding of change impacts associated with projects and programmes, strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills are applied, and clear transparent communication of the roadmap, including risks and benefits, is shared to bring people on the journey and enable us to embed best practice methodology.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:

We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best.

More about us:

At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Acceptable use of AI:

At Battersea, we value expertise. We recognise each candidate that applies to us will have a range of expertise they can offer us, so we want to hear about this in your own words. We understand the support that generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can offer but it can also lead to numerous applications presenting as generic and impersonal. This makes it difficult to gain understanding of your unique experience.

To best showcase yourself, we encourage you to write your responses without the assistance of AI. If you require the use of AI software to aid in completing your application, we ask you use the generative responses as a prompt for writing your answers and avoid copying and pasting. You must also ensure the information presented in your application accurately reflects your experience.

Closing date: 28th September 2025
Interview date(s): 9th/10th October 2025

For full details on the role, please download the recruitment pack. All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People – Partnership Account Manager (Payroll Giving)

Location: Options for role to be site-based (Buckinghamshire or East Yorkshire), hybrid or home-based contract with regular UK travel for partner meetings and events.

Salary: £50,000 per annum.

Contract: Permanent, full-time hours. 

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, whose mission is to see a time when no deaf person feels alone, is seeking a proactive and relationships-driven Partnerships Account Manager for managing and growing a portfolio of corporate partners.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has been creating life-changing partnerships between hearing dogs and deaf recipients since 1982. As well as acting as an ear to their partners and alerting them to sounds, the charity’s clever and expertly trained dogs help deaf people to live life with confidence and independence, whilst providing love, companionship and emotional support.

Following on from a strategic review, the charity is now looking to build a new Income Generation Directorate, to enable them to transform many more lives across the UK. This role will be critical to help Hearing Dogs reach their goals to diversify income, expand their portfolio and accelerate income from mission-aligned businesses.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Partnerships, this role will take a lead on nurturing existing partnerships and developing new ones, with a specific focus on increasing income through employee engagement and payroll giving schemes. It will also ensure that each partnership is maximised and aligned with Hearing Dogs’ mission and fundraising goals.

The post-holder will work closely with internal teams and corporate supporters to deliver engaging campaigns, employee fundraising, volunteering opportunities and impactful communications that help raise income and awareness for the charity.

It is a role that will require excellent stewardship, creativity and commercial awareness skills for mutual value – that means you will need strong relationship management and excellent communication skills. A background in corporate fundraising will be essential, alongside the ability to identify and maximise the potential of corporate support opportunities, including financial and in-kind support. You will also have experience of managing charity-of-the-year partnerships or working with employee fundraising programmes.

This is an exciting opportunity to help expand a portfolio of meaningful, long-term corporate partnerships for an organisation that is changing lives every day, with the flexibility of working remotely or spending time at Hearing Dogs’ stunning bases in Buckinghamshire or Yorkshire, with friendly and passionate staff and their four-legged friends.

If you want to lead the pack and help deaf people live well with hearing loss Please download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes details on how to apply.

Closing date: Monday 6th October, 9.00 am. 

Womankind Worldwide are exclusively partnering with Robertson Bell in their search for a new Director of Finance, People & Culture to join their team on a permanent basis. Womankind Worldwide is a global women's rights organisation working in partnership with women's rights movements and organisations to transform the lives of women and girls.

Reporting into one of the Co-CEOs, the Director of Finance, People & Culture will lead Womankind’s finance, HR, and Resources functions while ensuring regulatory compliance across jurisdictions (UK and Kenya). You'll work closely with their Finance & Resources Committee and serve as Company Secretary, supporting their ambitious Strategy to 2030.You will also lead the people strategy that strengthens Womankind’s culture, enhances employee wellbeing, drives engagement, and aligns talent with their strategic goals.

The organisation:

Womankind Worldwide strengthen and support women’s movements in their focus countries in Africa and Asia, and take collective action at regional and global levels, to ensure women’s voices are heard, their rights are realised, and their lives are free from violence. Currently, Womankind has staff based in Kenya and the UK. They’re undertaking a strategic transformation to strengthen their impact through a grantmaking and partnership review, an updated business model and a strategic alignment process. Staff wellbeing - one of their core feminist principles - will remain central as they navigate this journey. These changes reflect their deep commitment towards a feminist future and will position them to provide more strategic support where it is most needed across their focus countries during these unprecedented times in the development sector.

The key duties of the Director of Finance, People & Culture are as follows:

• Lead strategic financial and HR planning in collaboration with Co-CEOs and Finance & Resources Committee
• Drive implementation of Strategy 2030 particularly those strategies pertaining to Womankind’s goals to value our team and decolonise our practice
• Support assessment of funding landscape and sustainable financing strategies
• Ensure effective 3-year rolling budgeting and planning cycles
• Line manage Finance, People & Culture team, provide coaching, supervision, and development support, whilst building team capacity through process improvement
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes
• Lead annual audit and statutory accounts production in the UK and Kenya
• Act as Company Secretary to Board of Trustees
• Ensure consistent quality and delivery of all finance processes (internal and external)
• Strategic development and review of Human Resource management, policies and processes
• Shape and model a feminist, inclusive, and high-performing organisational culture that aligns with Womankind’s values
• Oversee design and implementation of a wellbeing strategy
• Lead on information technology, ensuring systems meet needs of the organisation
• Provide oversight of facilities in the UK and Kenya

The successful candidate will have:

• Qualification: A full, recognised accounting qualification
• Leadership: Proven track record delivering strategic plans as part of senior leadership team
• Experience: Significant experience leading Finance and HR functions
• International: Experience working across multiple jurisdictions
• Charity Sector: Understanding of charity governance, SORP accounting, and charity financing
• Management: Strong staff management and development experience
• Communication: Ability to explain complex financial matters to non-financial
• Governance: Experience working with and being accountable to Board of Trustees
• Values: Strong commitment to feminism, anti-racism, and social justice

This role can be based in either the UK or Kenya, with flexible hybrid working policies in place. The team are also open to considering candidates with strong experience on a 0.8 FTE basis.

Applications are open until Sunday 28^th September, with first stage interviews due to take place the week commencing 6^th October. CVs will be under continuous review in advance of this date and we reserve the right to close the advert early, so please submit your application today to make sure you don’t miss out!

Who are we?

Part business, part charity, part membership body – students’ unions are all seriously fun places to work. They are organisations in their own right. Professionally run, but different. Professional teams support Elected student leaders so as they make change, improve lives and fulfil potential, we help make it happen.

The Union of Brunel Students has a small but impactful staff team dedicated to serving the needs and interests of our members. Our size allows us to work closely together and make decisions quickly, while our passion for creating positive change means that every member of our team has an impact on helping us deliver our Vision to ensure that every student thrives at Brunel.

We are one of more than 600 students’ unions across the country. And with more than 15,000 members, 150 clubs and societies, a huge range of services and a bold strategy, we’re one of the most exciting.

What’s the job?

This maternity cover role will have a significant and stabilising impact, ensuring co-ordination in governance, HR, and compliance for the Union of Brunel Students. The postholder will act as a key operational anchor, supporting legal integrity, staff wellbeing, and organisational continuity.

We are seeking an experienced and proactive individual to step into a vital fixed-term position during the maternity leave of our Head of People and Compliance. This role ensures continuity and excellence across governance, HR coordination and legal compliance.

You will work closely with the Trustee Board, Senior Leadership Team, and Union staff to uphold high standards in documentation, policy, and people management.

From servicing board meetings to managing recruitment and GDPR processes, your work will be central to our success, promote a positive workplace culture and supporting the Union’s mission to be a trusted and effective organisation for students, staff, and trustees.

This is a Fixed term role, completing on the 22nd May 2026.

Who you are:

You are a highly organised, empathetic, and values-driven professional with a passion for good governance and inclusive practice.

With excellent literacy and numeracy skills, you bring an understanding of charity, education, or similar sectors, alongside a working knowledge of key legal frameworks like GDPR, charity law, and equality legislation.

You will have experience of co-ordinating governance processes, supporting recruitment, and managing sensitive information with discretion and care. Whether you are preparing agendas, taking minutes, or liaising with trustees and senior leaders, you do so with clarity, professionalism, and integrity.

Your attention to detail is second to none, and you thrive in busy environments—juggling deadlines, solving problems independently, and adapting to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.

Above all, you’re a team player who champions equality, diversity, and inclusion. You’re proactive, resilient, and committed to the ethos of a student-led charity and are content to pitch in where needed.

Why apply?

Because you're inspired by the opportunity to make a real difference in students’ lives.

As a Students’ Union and registered charity, our mission is simple but powerful: “To ensure every student thrives at Brunel”. We’re anything but corporate – a dynamic, values-driven team of passionate individuals committed to positive change. We work in an unconventional, energetic environment where creativity and purpose go hand in hand.

In return for your passion and commitment we offer a flexible and supportive workplace, and an excellent holiday allowance – all designed to help you thrive too.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, or disability. We’re building a diverse, inclusive team that reflects and champions the diversity of our student community.

And just so you know – your application will be read by a real person. We don’t use AI to screen candidates, because we genuinely care about getting to know you. So, when you apply, write your personal statement as if you're speaking directly to us. We’re looking forward to hearing your story.

BENEFITS

We offer a generous benefits package to reward our staff's hard work and commitment:

• Pension Scheme – statutory workplace pension scheme ‘NEST’.
• Generous holiday allowance - 25 days a year plus bank holidays. Additional days are usually given at Easter and Christmas in line with the University closure dates (usually about 5 additional days a year).
• Long service - 2 additional days leave will be given after 5 years continuous service
• TOTUM Card - All Union career staff are entitled to receive a TOTUM student discount card free of charge.
• Free Union sport membership - Allowing access to 35+ sports clubs, and our Active@Brunel social sport programme.
• On-site parking – Parking on campus at a low-cost rate.
• Flexible Working - The Union adopts a flexible working environment.
• Hybrid working – The Union allows for the ability to occasionally work from home, based on business need.
• Personal Development - The Union is fully committed to investing in your future. If you are interested in a training programme which you feel would benefit you within your current position you can submit a training request via your line manager.
• Employee assistance programme
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave

KEY DATES

Application Deadline: Monday 6th October 2025

Interviews: Week Commencing 13th October 2025

Start Date: To be discussed with the successful applicant, but ideally in November 2025.

OUR VALUES

At the Union of Brunel Students, our values are at the heart of everything we do. They guide our decisions, shape our culture, and define how we support our student community. We’re proud to stand by these principles:

• Driven by You
• Open to All 
• Passionately positive
• Integrity

These values are more than just words, they’re the foundation of our work and the reason we exist: “To ensure every student thrives at Brunel”.

To find out more about our values and how they influence life at the Union, visit our website.