Research jobs

Employer: Community Rail Network 

Salary: £43k-£51.5k pa, full time 

Location: Home based / flexible or Huddersfield 

We are seeking a dynamic director of policy and communications, to lead and develop our increasingly impactful external affairs activity. You’ll be sharing community insights and evidence with policy and decision-makers at national and devolved level, supporting a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable transport and mobility, while overseeing high-quality, inspiring member communications and thought-leadership, drawing on grassroots experiences.  
  

About us 

Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation supporting a growing ‘community rail’ movement, which helps communities get the most from their railways, promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making, and brings people together.

Community rail is made up of 76 community-based partnership organisations, and c.1,300 station friends volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects for young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence among marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener tourism by rail.

Our enthusiastic team of 24 works from home in different locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support our members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in developing our team and helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.

About this role 

This role is crucial for us, our members and their communities, especially at the current time, with our need to seize on the opportunities of rail reform and devolution, promote wider use of sustainable transport, and bring communities together. You will spearhead our external affairs strategy and plans, building political relationships, influencing decision-making and raising awareness of community rail and its insights, while ensuring effective communications with our members and helping them to have a voice locally and regionally. You’ll be striving to put community rail at the forefront of a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable mobility.

As a member of our senior leadership team, reporting to and working closely with our chief executive, you will manage a passionate team of four, ensuring collaboration with our other teams, partners and funders, and drawing on members’ insights.

 
Main responsibilities 

• Lead the review, development and delivery of our communications, policy and insights strategy, working to position the community rail movement effectively, use its insights to influence policy change, and ensure our members are well-informed and have a voice; 

• Further strengthen our advisory and influencing work with national, devolved and regional government, transport bodies, parliamentarians and other decision-makers, especially around rail reform, transport devolution and integrated, inclusive, sustainable transport; 

• Ensure we’re engaging effectively with policy developments and opportunities, taking forward a programme of relationship-building, and identifying and engaging in relevant consultations, events and speaking opportunities, enabling community rail’s insights and experiences to be shared; 

• Collaborate with partners in rail, government and the third sector to feed in our expertise on community engagement with rail, amplify our campaigns, and build opportunities for joined-up communications and policy work;

• Continually develop and disseminate our evidence base and insights on the social, environmental and economic value community rail delivers, and opportunities to create greater benefits for communities from rail and transport; 

• Oversee high-quality, coherent and inspiring communications with our members and partners, promoting our work, and sharing news, opportunities, and good practice across the movement; 

• Manage production of high-quality resources, case studies and reports that our members can use to enhance their impact and which showcase community rail’s impact; 

• Lead and develop our media relations and awareness-raising PR, championing community rail and its messages on sustainable, inclusive travel and communities at national and regional level, while supporting members on local PR; 

• Develop our online presence and reach, making full use of our website, social media, our Scenic Rail Britain campaign, and partners’ channels to celebrate and position community rail and grow its reach and impact; 

• Oversee a calendar of creative and impactful campaigns that involve and empower our members, creating PR and engagement opportunities, including Community Rail Week;

• Play a key role in collective leadership, strategic focus and organisational development as a member of our senior leadership team, including through internal communications and cross-team working, annual planning, funder liaison and reporting, upholding our strategies and policies, and pursuing opportunities for continuous improvement. 

 
Skills and competencies 

1. Strong leadership and management skills, including experience managing, developing and drawing on a multi-faceted team delivering complex campaigns or projects, and budget management; 
2. Excellent communication and external leadership skills; articulate, assertive, and with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels; 
3. An understanding of public affairs, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, and a demonstrable ability to identify influencing opportunities, deliver thought-leadership, and engage with policy-makers, including sharing community insights; 
4. Politically astute, with awareness of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a good grasp of the importance of public transport sustainable travel, and community-led action, to these agendas; 
5. Understanding of political processes and experience of engaging with policy and decision-making, ideally at national, devolved and local levels; 
6. Sound knowledge of communication and marketing methods and channels, and ability to oversee messaging and targeting of public and professional audiences, and to align content across multiple channels; 
7. A demonstrable ability to think analytically and draw on statistical and qualitative research to construct robust, evidence-based arguments; 
8. Experience of working with the media and achieving coverage at national, regional and local level; 
9. Experience working collaboratively with partners and ideally funders to deliver communications and policy activity and forming professional networks; 
10. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while dealing with competing priorities, and to support team members to do so; 
11. IT literate with a good working knowledge of Office, the internet and social media; 
12. Appropriate qualifications and professional development demonstrating knowledge and skills in line with the above, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.

Other information

As you will be home-based, we are flexible about your location. However, you will be expected to travel to in-person full team meetings quarterly (usually in West Yorkshire), and you will need to bring your team together (currently all West Yorkshire based) with similar regularity in between. Attendance at in-person events and meetings is also important. We therefore welcome applications from those with decent public transport links, not too far from a railway station, to enable journeys to be made sustainably.   

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months.   

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.  

As charity Eden Project looks to celebrate its 25th Anniversary in 2026, we are looking for a creative and strategic PR, confident in developing and executing behaviour-change campaigns, building engagement through compelling storytelling, targeted communications and inspiring content that encourages community participation and nature connection across the UK.

Eden Project is an educational charity delivering UK-wide community outreach programmes that focus on encouraging positive action for people and planet and creating social capital on a mass scale.

Working into the Head of PR and Public Affairs and collaborating closely with the wider PR, Marketing, Digital, Partnerships and Programme Delivery teams, the purpose of this role is to support the development and delivery of campaigns that deliver media reach to engage and inspire more people to take part in The Big Lunch, The Big Help Out and Nature Connections initiatives.

The post holder will plan and deliver integrated, creative campaigns that build awareness, drive participation and deepen connection with Eden’s brand and charitable mission. They will ensure campaign messages and materials are audience-focused, brand-aligned and strategically delivered in media.

Some of the benefits of working at the Eden Project include;

• Free entry to Eden and Heligan for family and friends
• 30 days holiday plus an extra day for your birthday 
• Access to UNUM for wellbeing support
• Financial wellbeing support – access to 121 sessions with an independent financial advisor
• Cycle to work scheme
• Training and development
• Option to ‘purchase leave’, up to an extra 2 weeks a year
• Enhanced pension scheme (above auto-enrolment rates)
• Death in service policy (4 x annual salary)

The closing date for applications is Friday 9 January 2026

Finance Officer (12-month maternity cover)

Location: Hybrid/remote working (at least 2 days per week based in our Central London office, however we want to get the best from you, so we are open to discussion).

Contract: Fixed term contract

Duration: 12 months, 35hrs p/wk.  

Peace Direct does not currently hold a sponsorship license and therefore if you do not have the right to work in the UK, we cannot accept your application.

Note: We prefer non-AI applications.

Who we are 
Peace Direct is an international charity with a vision for a just world, free from violent conflict. Working in partnership with local peacebuilders in some of the world’s most conflict-affected places, we want to change the international system so that it better supports the role that local people and communities play in preventing violence and building and sustaining peace. More than that, we want to change the international system so that it better supports the role that local people and communities play in preventing violence and building and sustaining peace.

The Role 
Working with a committed and talented team, the Finance Officer is responsible for:

- Recording transactions in our accounting software (Iplicit) and keeping financial records accurate and up to date

- Preparing payments and liaising with banks and payment platforms

- Supporting month-end reporting, reconciliations, and management accounts

- Assisting with annual audit preparation

- Working closely with colleagues across Peace Direct to ensure grants and programmes are well supported

About You: We’re looking for someone who is:

• Educated to A level and/or working towards a relevant accounting qualification
• Enthusiastic about finance and accounting
• Has good attention to detail
• Accurate, organised, and systematic in their approach
• Able to meet deadlines and keep finance systems up to date

In short, we’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, bring their prior experience to the table, and thrive with minimal supervision.

We will coordinate with the Finance Officer Cover for a handover to ensure a smooth transition between the outgoing and incoming Finance Officers.

Still interested? Take a look at the job description to see full details about the role and whether it matches your skills and experience.  

How to Apply

Please send your CV and a cover letter detailing relevant experience and why you are interested in the role via Charity Jobs. Please indicate in your cover letter, should you choose to, whether you are applying through the Disability Confident Scheme.

We also offer candidates the choice of submitting a video clip, ie. a video cover letter if this is preferable to a written cover letter. To ensure fairness we suggest you turn the camera off so that we only hear your voice. The video should be no more than 2 minutes in length. You should email it as a video link via WeTransfer or any other file sharing tool, to our recruitment inbox, the address of which you will find on the jobs page of our website as unfortunately the Charity Jobs website does not permit a url to be inserted here.

For the video cover letter, the following should guide your speaking points. Switch the camera off and state the following:

• Your name
• The job you are applying for;
• Describe your overall skills and abilities (as they relate to the post being advertised);
• A brief description of your work experience (in relation to the post being advertised);
• What makes you qualified for the new position;
• Any additional details that help introduce yourself

You should choose either a written cover letter or a video cover letter, but we request that you please do NOT submit both.

Closing deadline for CV and cover letter is 11:30pm on Sunday 11th January 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a short supplementary information form.
 
Interviews will be held online during the week of 19th January 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be informed should a second interview stage be necessary.

Peace Direct strives to be a diverse and inclusive employer, with equality of opportunities regardless of personal identity, and we are committed to improving our systems and ways of working to support this, including creating a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) working group, DEI strategy and recruitment guidelines. We strongly encourage individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), LGBTQ+. As part of being a Disability Confident Committed employer, we welcome people with disabilities or health challenges to apply and those who meet most of the Essential requirements as laid out in the job specification will be guaranteed an interview for the job which you are applying, through our Disability Confident scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

We welcome people from all backgrounds and strongly advocate our DEI policy and commitment to maintain an inclusive workplace culture; we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent, so we welcome a conversation about any DEI concerns you may have. Please contact our HR Manager, Lesley Agbarakwe. What’s important isn’t your level of education or the opportunities which you have had; it’s about your passion and how you seize the opportunities ahead of you to use your skills and knowledge in this field of work.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which includes criminal records (DBS) checks. Peace Direct also participates in the Inter

Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (Misconduct Disclosure Scheme). In line with this Scheme, we will ask your consent to request information from previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation after having left previous employment.  

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Peace Direct engages. Peace Direct expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing and protecting all people from harm in their interactions with us. We expect all those that act in our name to uphold our approach to doing no harm and to sign up to our Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct.

Department

The Office of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni (OPPA)

Office of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni (OPPA) works with a community of global alumni and donors to  deepen their ties with York and each other, and encourage them to support the University through York Giving.  This role is part of the Individual Philanthropy Team, which manages major individual philanthropy and the legacy giving programme, working closely with the other OPPA teams:

Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy: developing long term, strategic partnerships with philanthropic  corporate and foundation supporters.

Fundraising Programmes: managing mass fundraising appeals, crowdfunding campaigns, community  fundraising and student projects.

Operations and Experience: providing business intelligence, information and insight, governance and  stewardship of supporter and alumni relationships, and managing all mass communications with alumni and  supporters. 

York for Life: developing alumni communities, volunteering and alumni engagement programmes in  support of the University’s strategic aims. 

OPPA is part of the University’s Directorate of External Relations, and works closely with other sections of the  directorate, which are Marketing, Recruitment, Outreach and Admissions, Communications, Public Engagement  and Events, and International Student Recruitment, Partnerships and Mobility.

About the Role

The role of Philanthropy Manager is to inspire and encourage philanthropic income from major individual donors to the University of York.  You will work to build engagement and involvement of potential major donors and colleagues across the University to develop and deliver a pipeline of significant philanthropic gifts to York Giving’s priority projects. 

You will manage a portfolio of major donor prospects and have responsibility and accountability for fund management and other priority projects for philanthropic funding, including liaising with academic theme coordinators.

This is a demanding and rewarding role that requires resilience and a long term view.  The post holder will work to individual financial cash and pledge targets and KPIs based on meetings, moves, proposals and asks made.

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

• Proven experience in a relationship management role, with both internal and external stakeholders.  Ease at working with people and developing personable relationships with a wide range of people.
• Experience of fundraising or role generating new business.
• Knowledge and understanding of the principles related to donor cultivation, asking and  stewardship
• Experience of organising events
• Experience of working in a high education or not for profit fundraising environment.
• Knowledge of data protection laws as they related to donor information
• Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge / NXT database or similar relationship management database

Interview date:To be confirmed

This is a fantastic opportunity to build and grow Molly Rose Foundation's lived engagement and youth programmes, and to push for a safer online world driven by the needs and perspectives of lived experience.

Working at the intersect of tech accountability, online safety and suicide prevention, Molly Rose Foundation was founded following the death of 14-year old Molly Russell.

Today we’re committed to building and amplifying the voices of those with lived experiences of online harm – and to challenging government, regulators and tech firms to listen to and act decisively on what they have to say.

MRF is grounded in youth and lived experience, and we will always ensure the lessons of Molly's death act as a catalyst for positive change. You’ll help us maintain and grow our networks to build and amplify the voices of youth, bereaved parents and young people directly impacted by harms, and have a track record in working in partnership across the sector.

As Lived Engagement and Youth Manager you'll build strong internal and external relationships and ensure lived experience and youth runs through everything we do.

You'll manage day-to-day relationships with youth and lived experience advocates and have a strong focus on safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.

This is a rare opportunity to build a lived experience programme that really counts. We’re looking for an exceptional individual who’s motivated by the chance to really make a difference. Your work will help to ensure that tomorrow’s young people live long and stay strong.

MRF is committed to flexible working and we know that a diverse team makes us stronger. While we are recruiting for a full-time position, we will actively consider part-time and flexible working requests.

Please submit your CV and a cover letter, no more than two sides each, to apply for this role. Please refrain from overly relying on AI in your application. 

Stories and Content Gathering Specialist

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Role Title: Stories and Content Gathering Specialist
Salary: £42,205 to £43,417
Location: London-Hybrid
Tenure: Permanent-Full Time

ActionAid UK is a member of the ActionAid Federation, an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty. We work with our partners and dedicated staff in 43 countries to end violence and fight poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want

Are you a keen advocate of women and girls’ rights in emergencies? 

Are you passionate about storytelling and its power to inspire, educate and lead change? 

Then we'd love to hear from you!

At ActionAid UK, storytelling sits at the heart of our work. We champion anti-racist, decolonial storytelling by collaborating with creatives rooted in the countries we feature and ensuring every story is told, with dignity, care and integrity. We believe storytelling is a tool to shift power, reframe narratives and challenge the inequalities that shape our world. In this specialist role within our Stories and Content Gathering Team, you’ll help shape bold, authentic content that showcases the work and impact of ActionAid’s partners worldwide, as well as the global movements for social justice and gender equality.

Day-to-day, you’ll nurture strong relationships with colleagues across the global majority and ensure every story reflects the lived realities of the communities we work with. You’ll support photography, video and story gathering commissions across Asia, Africa and Latin America, researching story leads, developing strong angles, liaising with teams worldwide and helping brief and contract photographers, videographers and journalists. You’ll move content through post-production; from translation and consent checks, to safeguarding reviews and story write ups, preparing everything for upload to our global content SharePoint. 

You’ll also help build a global network of freelance translators, editors and creative professionals, and curate strong existing stories and assets so they can be used across advocacy, fundraising, events, exhibitions and federation-wide communications. You may also support with training colleagues in best practice storytelling, contribute to internal and external meetings and help gather feedback to continually improve our processes.

When humanitarian emergencies strike, you will join the emergency communications team to help coordinate rapid content gathering. You’ll support with logistics, contracting in-country creatives, organising translation and ensuring testimonies and information are shaped into accurate, safe, timely content that reflects ActionAid’s feminist, anti-racist and decolonial principles.

We’re looking for someone with at least two years editorial, production or journalism experience, excellent research and writing skills, a sharp editorial eye and strong project management skills, as well as a commitment to telling stories with integrity, care and critical awareness. 

Interviews W/C 19 January

Additional information

Diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging:

Diversity, inclusion and belonging are key to our organisational culture. We are on a journey to become not only an anti-racist organisation but one that proudly celebrates the diversity of all applicants and employees. We look forward to you bringing your full self to work, proudly sharing your unique perspective and helping us to shape our combined future. We especially welcome applications from those from under-represented/marginalised communities.

AAUK is a Disability Confident Committed organisation and as such any candidate that declares a disability will be shortlisted for interview if they meet the essential criteria for the role.

Referencing and safeguarding:

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, safeguarding, criminal records and terrorism finance checks. By submitting an application the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures. 

ActionAid UK is committed to preventing any form of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse (including child abuse and adult at-risk abuse) and responding robustly when these harms take place. We expect all ActionAid UK staff and ActionAid UK representatives to share this commitment. We will not tolerate our staff or other representatives carrying out any form of sexual harassment, exploitation or abuse towards anyone we come into contact with through our work. 

Working practices:

ActionAid is committed to supporting flexible working. If you would like to discuss flexible working options, including the possibility of a job share for this role, there will be space to do so during the interview process.

ActionAid UK has a hybrid working policy for many of our roles. The requirement will vary from team to team and the responsibilities of individual roles. As a minimum, all colleagues are expected to attend the office 12 days per year, plus additional time for induction, training, and company connection days. Some roles may require in-office attendance on all days and if so, these will clearly be marked as in-office roles.

Please note that ActionAid UK does not offer fully remote working options. We encourage you to discuss hybrid working expectations at interview.

Recruitment processes:

Please note that ActionAid UK may review, shortlist and interview candidates prior to the closing date so we encourage all candidates to apply as soon as possible. If we receive a very high response, we may close the vacancy early and will not accept further submissions. Vacancies close at 23:55pm 

Job Title: Business Analyst
Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time (35 hours per week)
Location: Head Office, High Wycombe (hybrid working available).
Salary: Circa £43k per annum
Closing Date: 4th January 2026

We are looking for a Business Analyst with a commitment to the vision of Coeliac UK to provide day-to-day analysis and reporting support to colleagues and external partners. You will have strong financial management and analytical skills, good written and oral communications skills, and the ability to work effectively as part of a small team.

Key responsibilities – the successful candidate will:

• Produce accurate and timely, monthly management accounts including detailed insightful commentary and ad hoc financial reporting and analysis as required
• Work with budget holders to review performance, agree budgets and conduct regular forecasts
• Support effective business decision-making through financial modelling and analysis.
• Work with the Head of Finance to produce long-term financial analysis to inform strategy
• Be responsible for automated reporting and key analytical insights across all database sources
• Liaise with, challenge and support colleagues so that the finances of the charity are well understood and owned by all in the team
• Identify opportunities to streamline and simplify procedures to develop and deliver relevant, timely and accurate management information including reporting against agreed key performance indicators
• Support the Head of Finance by providing financial papers to the Senior Management Team, Audit committee, Board of Trustees and other committees as required.
• Communicate financial principles to non-finance staff, building their skillsets to enable them to effectively manage their budgets and forecasts
• Support major procurement decisions and the supplier contract review process

Essential Knowledge, skills, and experience:

• With or working towards an accounting qualification
• Good attention to detail
• Experience of working in a finance department, with finance and CRM systems knowledge
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite with advanced Excel skills
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Commitment to the vision of the Charity
• Excellent planning and time management skills
• Proactive and supportive, with a positive outlook

Desirable:

• Experience of working within the charity sector

About Coeliac UK:

Coeliac UK is the charity for people who need to live without gluten. For over 50 years we've been helping people with coeliac disease and other gluten-related conditions live happier, healthier lives. We campaign for better food access, fund medical research, and provide trusted support to our community.

Closing date: 4th January 2026

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

Coeliac UK is an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant, employee or volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

No agencies please.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Bird Song Trust. As a recently-established family foundation, Bird Song Trust awards grants totalling between £2.5m and £4m annually, with room to grow. Motivated by a strong Christian faith, the founders are passionate about seeing thriving families equipped to break cycles of deprivation, and building greater understanding of eating disorders to improve treatment and support.

We are seeking a strategic and relational Grants Manager to help take the Trust into its next stage of implementation and growth. Acting as second-in-command to the Director, you'll manage grants across the portfolio with a particular focus on the deprivation programme, which funds organisations supporting families, tackling homelessness and preparing young people for valuable roles in society.

In this influential role, you'll support the Director in developing grant making strategy, research organisations and assess applications, and monitor existing grants making recommendations for continuation or termination. You'll produce board papers and presentations, supervise the Grants Officer overseeing the Eating Disorders programme, and promote the Trust's founding Christian ethos by representing them at events and supporting Christian grantees. Because the Trust is fully funded, you'll have the opportunity to support projects at the cutting edge or in areas other funders aren't focusing on.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Experience with grants, either as a grant maker or as a grantee
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Numerate and confident working accurately with large numbers
• Excellent attention to detail with professional standards of literacy and proficiency in Excel

This is a unique opportunity for a practising Christian with vibrant and active faith to combine strategic grant making with meaningful relationship building. You'll be part of a small, dedicated team working from a beautiful office in Canary Wharf.

This role is subject to a Basic DBS check, which will be carried out by the employer.

For more information, please contact Nick Thomas, Recruitment Consultant, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Your application should be submitted through the Charisma website and include your CV and supporting statement.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion*, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.

*In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9, it is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder is a practicing Christian.

Contract & Hours: Permanent, Full time (40 hours), open to part time (min 32 hours)

Location: Hybrid, Canary Wharf (at least 50% office based)

Closing date for applications: Sunday 4th January 2026

Charisma vetting interviews must be completed by: Wednesday 7th January 2026

Interviews with Bird Song Trust: w/c 16th January 2026

Final interviews with Bird Song Trust: w/c 23rd January 2026

We are recruiting three Funding Strategy Development Managers, two Permanent roles and one Fixed-term for 12 months. Please state clearly in your supporting statement if you wish to be considered for the Fixed Term or Permanent role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the National Lottery Community Fund’s, Funding Strategy, Innovation and UK Directorate at a key moment in the delivery of our strategy. If you are up for playing a central role in a new team, which will be vital in enabling the Fund to deliver for communities in the years ahead, then this role could be for you.

We are approaching the midpoint of implementation of our strategy “It starts with community”. Over the last few years our funding portfolios in each of the nations of the UK and corporate functions have worked hard to embed the strategic ambitions we set ourselves. We are looking to take stock of our progress, understand how a changing world may impact our work and explore how we can grow our ambition to address the issues that will impact communities over the years ahead. Building on what we have achieved so far, we want to make greater progress including:

• Ensuring the fund has a thorough and live understanding of its collective response to the strategy, where our successes are and where there are opportunities to go further.
• Supporting our senior management team to come together to understand and explore our progress and shape the strategic direction for the organisation together
• Supporting greater engagement and collaboration between funding portfolios to enable sharing and learning, to build a better collective understanding of our missions and commitments and grow our impact
• ​Delivering ambitious and impactful projects to address common opportunities and challenges, for example to support the embedding of partnership working across the Fund, or to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies.
• Supporting ongoing strategy development, including horizon scanning to maintain a collective picture of key developments related to our missions, cross cutting commitments and wider factors impacting communities.

Your day will be a blend of strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and practical execution, with plenty of opportunities to collaborate, influence, and drive change across the Fund. You will be one of two permanent managers in a small new team led by the Head of Strategy Development.

As this is a new team roles and responsibilities will be defined as the Team comes together. However, responsibilities may include:

• Drafting Senior Management Team (SMT) and Board reports on strategy implementation to update on progress and promote discussions on areas for development.
• Monitoring of funding portfolio strategy development and delivery activity, including maintaining regular engagement with portfolio representatives.
• Reviewing progress reports, identifying risks and issues and shaping recommendations to meet challenges and opportunities to go further in meeting strategic ambitions.
• Working closely with the Fund’s Governance Team to ensure the appropriate use of governance fora to provide oversight of strategy implementation and development work and maintaining an effective forward look of key priorities.
• Leading on engagement with key corporate functions, such as analytical, communications, legal and Human Resources, to support alignment with strategic ambitions.
• Engaging with funding teams across the Fund to support strong alignment between strategic ambition and operational realities.
• Leading discreet projects to explore emerging shared opportunities and challenges, undertaking desk research, engaging internal and external stakeholders and shaping proposals.
• Identifying opportunities for further alignment, internal partnerships and new ways of working.

Interview Details:

• Interview Date: TBC - 22 and 23 of January
• Format: Virtual
• Location: UK-Wide

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

Briefing session: We will be hosting a briefing session to further outline the role and answer questions on the following date: 15 December 2025, 3:15- 4:00pm. To register or ask any questions about the recruitment process, please contact the recruitment team.

​How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working with civil society, either working in a civil society organisation or in a supporting function (e.g. in a funding, consultancy or policy making body) with a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
• Experience of managing competing priorities to ensure successful delivery of key pieces of work.
• Strong collaboration skills, able to work with a range of people at different levels within an organisation to shape plans and projects that reflect the interests of the organisation.
• Strong external engagement skills, able to proactively identify a range of relevant stakeholders, build and maintain relationships, and draw on knowledge and expertise to inform proposals and projects.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to draw on data and qualitative evidence to understand complex topics and shape evidence led proposals. 
• Strong communication skills, able to present complex topics clearly using a range of communication tools, in particular, able to write clear and succinct formal papers for senior leaders. 
• Strong project management skills, able to use a range of tools to set out clear and timely delivery plans, identifying appropriate milestones, risks and issues.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of working in a policy or strategy team, helping to set direction for an organisation or major programme of work

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition).

Action in rural Sussex is seeking a customer-focused, friendly Project Support & Communications Officer to join our expanding community buildings team. 

Action in rural Sussex (AirS) supports rural communities across Sussex to be vibrant and diverse places in which to live and work. Community spaces play an important role in these local communities. They build community cohesion and resilience, support the health and wellbeing of residents, help overcome social isolation. contribute to the creation of vibrant local economies, and reduce carbon emissions by providing services and activities locally, and reducing their own carbon footprint.

Most community buildings are charitable, run mainly by volunteers who need a wide range of skills and knowledge to run a successful and sustainable community space. Our Community Buildings Service supports volunteers and hall managers by providing networking opportunities, training, newsletters, an online forum, and bespoke individual advice and support.

This is an exciting time for the service as we look to expand its reach and further develop our offer. The Project Support and Communications Officer will work closely with our Senior Community Buildings Adviser to support the delivery and development of the service across Sussex. You will be the first point of contact for enquirers, helping subscribers to the service to access our platforms. You will help to plan our training and events programme and provide administrative and logistical support. You will also manage communications and marketing for the service, including monthly newsletters, website updates, email communications and social media, and take the lead on updating and developing our CRM.

We welcome applications from individuals with strong organisational and IT skills, the ability to write lively, readable newsletters, web and social media content, experience of using CRMs to manage contacts and report to funders, and a strong focus on ensuring we provide an excellent service to community buildings.

If you share our vision of active, thriving rural communities, full of choice and opportunities for everyone, regardless of their circumstances., then we would love to hear from you. 

How to apply  

Applications must be via our application form which can be found on our website using the links provided. CVs will not be accepted. 

Company Description

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they’re likely to die from.

Job Description

Join Us in Making a Difference at Marie Curie

As a Community Fundraiser, you’ll be at the heart of building and championing our volunteer community. You will work closely with local fundraising and volunteering groups, inspiring them to create meaningful activities that raise vital funds for Marie Curie. Reporting to the Deputy Head of Region, you’ll collaborate with passionate fundraising colleagues to grow and energise our volunteer network—helping new and existing volunteers feel empowered, supported, and excited to make a difference in their communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Grow, recruit and support volunteering and fundraising groups, building trusted relationships and nurturing an engaged, motivated volunteer community.
• Lead local delivery of flagship campaigns, including The Great Daffodil Appeal, working alongside volunteers to maximise reach and impact.
• Champion volunteering in your area, increasing community involvement through active outreach, events, and relationship-building.
• Collaborate across teams and with external partners, ensuring volunteers have what they need to thrive and succeed.
• Maintain accurate records and uphold excellent fundraising practice, safeguarding volunteers and supporters.
• Use social media and local communication channels to celebrate volunteer achievements and inspire new supporters to get involved.

What You’ll Need

• Proven experience working with volunteers including recruitment, engagement, and ongoing support.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to inspire confidence in individuals and groups.
• Strong organisational skills, including planning, prioritising and managing budgets.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office and experience using databases or CRM systems.
• A full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel across the region, including some evenings and weekends.

Please see the full job description .

Application Process 

As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV. Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.  Please cite your preferred location.

Close date for applications: Sunday 4th January 2026 (due to the festive period we aim to shortlist candidates w/c 5th January 2026.)

Salary: £27,450 - £30,500

Contract: Full time hours (35 hours per week)

Based: Hybrid role, 3 days in Bradford Hospice  

Benefits you’ll LOVE:

• Flexible working. We’re happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage.
• 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
• Continuous professional development opportunities.
• Industry-leading training programmes
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
• Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
• Access to Blue Light Card membership
• Subsidised Eye Care

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work.  We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We're happy to accommodate any requests for reasonable adjustments.  Please email any requests to 

Additional Information

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work. We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to uniting for a life unlimited for everyone affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). We are working towards a brighter future for everyone with cystic fibrosis by funding cutting-edge research, driving up standards of care and supporting people with the condition and their loved ones every step of the way. 

Our team of dedicated staff, volunteers, and Trustees work alongside people affected by cystic fibrosis to fund life-changing research, promote world-class clinical care, and provide information, advice and support and our work relies on the generous donations of our supporters. 

About the role

As Director of Finance and Resources and with an oversight of a £15m budget, we are looking for a strong, corporate business leader operating at a senior level to help take Cystic Fibrosis Trust forward on our exciting journey towards a life unlimited by cystic fibrosis and optimising our finance and resources to deliver maximum impact for people with cystic fibrosis.

You will lead and develop a high performing multidisciplinary team of Heads including Finance, IT, Facilities, People and Organisation Development, Strategy and Business Intelligence, Company Secretariat functions as well as work closely with the Senior Leadership Team, Board of Trustees and other internal and external stakeholders. Please note this is a UK based role.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Financial leadership of the Trust’s financial management strategy and statutory reporting and audit processes as well as reporting to our Boards and Committees.
• Digital and information systems: Lead IT and Digital development and implementation strategies, including delivery of the new CRM replacement going live in 2026 (MS Dynamics).
• People and Organisation Development: Lead best practice in our people management strategies, policies and practices as well as championing diversity and inclusion and staff learning and development.
• Business planning: Support organisational business planning and strategy development working closely with the CEO, Board of Trustees and our other internal and external stakeholders including people with cystic fibrosis.
• Facilities: Ensure our working environment and facilities support the delivery of our objectives in a cost effective and supportive way.
• Compliance and Governance: Be Company Secretary, ensuring appropriate governance systems and controls are in place and for reporting to relevant statutory bodies.  Be responsible for our Data and ensuring compliance with GDPR, have oversight of Safeguarding and oversee complaints management and employment law compliance.

To be the right person for this role, the requirements you will need to meet include:

• To be a qualified accountant (CCAB recognised or equivalent) with minimum five years post‑qualification experience and ongoing CPD. 
• Successful experience in a business leadership role to operate at a Director/Board level and as a senior leadership team member. 
• Experience of developing effective short and long term business and financial strategies.
• Managing complex budgets, financial modelling and projections.
• Experience of directing, leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience of working successfully in a changing organisation where flexibility, agility and adaptability are essential.
• In-depth and up to date knowledge of best practice financial management and reporting under the Charity SORP and charity governance practices.
• In-depth and up to date knowledge of best practice HR/people management, knowledge of employment law and Data Protection regulations.
• Strong understanding of IT systems management and development and the ability to champion the use of digital solutions.
• Understanding and commitment to diversity and inclusion and our charitable cause, mission and values.
• Highly numerate with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to travel for work and/or work occasional unsocial hours if required.

Please note that this role will require a satisfactory DBS check before joining us and we will arrange the DBS check for the successful candidate.

You will also need to have the Right to Work in the UK before joining us and we will check this. We do not hold a Home Office Sponsorship Licence and therefore cannot offer visa sponsorship for any of our roles.

If this sounds like the right role for you and if you think you would fit well within a passionate, friendly and high-performing and highly supportive team, please get in touch!

Closing date and interview date

Closing date for completed applications is midnight Monday 12 January 2026.

Interviews expected Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 January 2026.

Please note we reserve the right to bring forward or extend the closing date if necessary.  Therefore, if you are interested in this role, please submit your application as early as possible.

No agencies please. 

How to apply:

For more details about the job and requirements, please visit our website or use the application button provided.

Our commitment to an inclusive workplace

Cystic Fibrosis Trust aims to be an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs, can be themselves and achieve their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain staff with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives; particularly people who have cystic fibrosis, people who identify as being from an ethnic minority group, as LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities. 

It is our policy not to discriminate against any person because of their age, gender reassignment, being married or in a civil partnership, being pregnant or on maternity leave, disability (physical and mental), race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation or union membership.

Benefits: Benefits include flexible working, 30 days annual leave plus recognised bank holidays (pro-rata if part time), contributory pension scheme, healthcare cash plan covering dental, optical, 24/7 GP service, and an employee assistance programme.

REF-225 504

Role

We seek a Finance Manager to lead the day to day running of the charity’s finances including overseeing the work of our outsourced financial provider. As a grant giving organisation, there will be regular interaction with the programmatic workstreams in this position, offering a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to increase the capacity of a field-leading charity, help empower researchers in the Global South, and contribute to one of the world’s most important climate debates. If you are an ambitious qualified finance professional, this is an opportunity to step into a role with purpose, international influence, and real impact.  

Working with the COO, you will undertake organisational financial planning, budgeting and forecasting so that the senior staff and trustees have comprehensive information for decision making. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Development Manager, this role will support the submission of funding bids and reporting to funders to ensure the continued growth of the charity.

Responsibilities

As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items include:

• Financial Oversight: Overseeing the outsourced finance provider, ensuring service delivery meets organisational needs and deadlines. You will be the primary liaison between our financial services provider and the staff, ensuring that they make payments on behalf of the organisation, runs payroll, completes the bookkeeping via QuickBooks, the monthly management accounts, and the annual statutory accounts. 
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Preparing and monitoring annual organisational budgets including a mid-year adjustment, cash flow forecasts, financial models and annual accounts to support the annual business cycle and fundraising bids.
• Reporting: Finalising monthly management accounts prepared by outsourced financial provider, deliver financial reports for the COO, senior leadership, and trustees, and preparing donor financial reporting.
• Financial Strategy and Investment Oversight: Working with the COO to manage financial resources and reserves including developing the investment policy to support the long-term goals of the charity.
• Audit & Compliance: Leading on annual audits, maintain compliance with UK charity finance regulations, and ensure adherence to funder requirements.
• Programmatic financial support: Working closely with the programmes teams to ensure their payments processes run smoothly with the outsourced financial provider, and regularly reviewing their grant and event expenditure is in line with their own managed budgets.
• Process Improvement: Identifying opportunities to streamline financial processes and implement best practices, such as working with Operations to improve payments & expenses software, opening new bank accounts, or finding new platforms to reduce international payment fees.

Key relationships:

• Supervised by COO 
• Primary liaison with our outsourced financial provider (including a management accountant, payments officer and bookkeeper)
• Works with the Development Manager
• Grants Manager
• Operations team

Are you passionate about using your technical skills to make a real difference? We’re looking for an exceptional CRO Developer to join our Digital CRO & Analytics team, where your expertise will fuel charitable income growth through data-driven experimentation and impactful digital experiences.

In this role, you’ll be at the heart of a dynamic team of specialists, developers, and analysts, collaborating closely with UX/UI, Content & Journeys, Product and other partners. Together, you’ll drive our mission forward – supporting life-saving research and helping millions of hearts beat stronger for longer.

With your strong front-end development skills (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), you’ll design and implement A/B and multivariate tests that shape how people interact with our online platforms. You’ll take visual briefs, analyse requirements, build front-end experiences within our testing tools and oversee the successful launch and monitoring of each test.

 About you

As an experienced developer, you’ll deliver a spectrum of digital experiences, ranging from simple optimisations to complex, multi-page experiments. You’ll work together with UX/UI designers, bringing ideas to life while working within a design system—and always with a keen eye on accessibility and best UX practices. If you’ve previously held a design role, that’s even better!

You’ll serve as the go-to technical expert for our CRO team, translating briefs into robust solutions, meeting requirements, and providing trusted advice on feasibility, best practice, and timelines. Over time, you’ll master our testing tools, ensuring seamless test setup and rollout.

Your attention to detail and knowledge of QA means every user gets an optimal experience, regardless of device or browser. You’ll also support the wider CRO team by reviewing and troubleshooting tests, and your knowledge of custom tracking code (particularly datalayer events) will make you an indispensable part of our team.

This is your chance to help shape digital journeys that increase donations and event sign-ups, all while building your own skills and career in a supportive, purpose-led environment. If you’re ready to turn technical challenges into meaningful change, we’d love to hear from you.

Working arrangements

12-month fixed term contract from start date. Start date ASAP.

This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week, on average, in our London Office. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause.