Research operations manager jobs in belfast

Are you a visionary, hands-on leader with a bold passion for transforming childhood cancer outcomes? We're looking for a driven and dynamic CEO to lead our small but mighty charity through its next phase of growth and impact.

As CEO, you will shape and execute an ambitious strategy to accelerate change in the childhood cancer space—through fundraising and grant-giving, policy influence, partnerships, and compelling digital storytelling and campaigning. This is a rare opportunity to lead from the front, catalyse meaningful change, and work directly with researchers, funders, and leading hospitals and universities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the charity with integrity, compassion, and vision—building a high-impact organisation centred on outcomes and change.

• Manage the Azaylia PhD Scholarship grant-giving fund with transparency and in alignment with the charity’s funding criteria.

• Design and execute a robust income strategy across corporates, trusts, foundations, major donors, crowdfunding, events, and sponsorships.

• Leverage your network to secure and steward significant gifts and partnerships, particularly in the childhood cancer space.

• Develop digital and in-person campaigns that inspire action, influence policy, and build coalitions for change.

• Actively engage in every aspect of the charity’s operations—from strategy to hands-on delivery, in a lean and resource-limited environment.

• Guide our growing social media presence with a focus on mission-driven engagement, supported by data and storytelling.

• Build strong relationships with high-profile ambassadors, media, and influencers to amplify our voice and cause.

• Ensure financial sustainability through effective planning, budgeting, and income diversification.

• Create a purpose-driven, supportive, and high-performing team culture rooted in transparency, equity, and empathy.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proven success in multi-channel fundraising, with a track record of securing and growing major gifts.

• Existing relationships with high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and stakeholders in the childhood cancer space.

• Deep understanding of systems change, with experience in driving policy and institutional transformation.

• Professional experience in the childhood cancer, paediatric healthcare, or rare disease sector.

• Expertise in financial management, charity governance, and regulatory compliance.

• Excellent leadership and team-building skills with the ability to nurture and retain top talent.

• Confident operating autonomously in a remote setting, with strong organisational and self-management abilities.

• Passionate about eradicating childhood cancer and creating systemic change for affected families and communities.

What We Offer

• A unique leadership role with high visibility and potential for sector-wide impact.

• Flexibility in a remote working environment, with occasional domestic travel.

• A passionate, values-driven team committed to collaboration, bold thinking, and impactful outcomes.

About The Azaylia Foundation

The Azaylia Foundation was founded by Ashley Cain and Safiyya Vorajee after the passing of their eight-month old daughter, Azaylia. Childhood cancer is the number one killer of children in the UK, yet it receives less than 3% of cancer research funding. Backed by a large community of supporters, The Azaylia Foundation is committed to reversing this systemic underfunding through advocacy, PhD research grants, and family support for treatments not freely available via the NHS. Our flagship programme, The Azaylia PhD Scholarship Program, aims to fund 20 new childhood cancer PhDs and their research over a period of 5 years.

Engagement Officer

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join the London Locality Impact team to support our work with colleagues across the locality, stroke communities and health care system, and in supporting people affected by stroke to provide the voice of lived experience.

Position: S11279 Engagement Officer

Location: Home-based, London - Frequent travel will be required as part of this role (includes team meetings and other external work related meetings)

Hours: Part-time, 28 hours per week

Salary: circa £23,088 per annum (inner London weighting £3,160 per annum or outer London weighting £1,820 per annum may be applied in accordance with where you live)

Contract: This is a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2026.

Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (this will increase with service up to 30 days, full time equivalent) cashback and discount scheme, employee assistance programme, learning and development, pension scheme, Life Assurance, Eye Care vouchers, Long Service Award, Tax-free childcare, Health Cash Plan, Working Pattern Agreement, flexible working opportunities available.

Closing Date: 26 May 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

Interview Date: 11 or 12 June 2025 (to be confirmed)

The Role

Reporting to the Engagement Lead, the Engagement Officer will work with colleagues across the locality to deliver against planned activity and building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. Engaging with service providers, clinical partners, community groups for stroke survivors and carers in the locality. including managing relationships with voluntary led support groups, developing the London groups network.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Enabling sustainable and supportive stroke communities to flourish in the locality
• Supporting stroke survivors to be able to take part in a range of different opportunities to provide the voice of lived experience.
• Building and maintaining key relationships with key stakeholders.
• Identifying and developing opportunities to connect and facilitate stakeholders to influence and support change to improve the lives of those affected by stroke
• Supporting and developing volunteer led support groups

About You

You will have experience/understanding of:

• Working in partnership with other organisations, including in health and voluntary sector
• Working with and supporting a wide range of stakeholders
• Developing support using co-production with service users
• Supporting groups and developing networks
• Addressing health inequalities and championing diversity, accessibility and inclusion.

This role requires frequent travel across the London geographical region. Candidates must be able to demonstrate how they can meet this requirement of the role.

To fulfil the role, you must be a resident of the UK and have the right to work in the UK.

When you click to apply, you will be able to see the full responsibilities and person specification for further information on the role.

Please submit your CV, (including details of your current address), and a supporting statement of no more than two pages, demonstrating how you meet the person specification and what you bring to the role in terms of your skills and experience.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident scheme, please indicate this in your supporting statement.

Finding strength through support

The organisation is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. Providing tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year. This support includes one-to-one and group support, funding vital scientific research into stroke prevention, acute treatment, recovery and long-term care, and campaigning to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke. 

They are here for stroke survivors and their loved ones, from the moment they enter the new and frightening post-stroke world, supporting them every step of the way as they find their strength and their way back to life.

It’s only thanks to the generosity of supporters and donors that they can provide vital support. 

The Association is driven by an ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by stroke. This means they’re determined to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that benefits from the difference, and thrives on the diversity, of our people. Guided by an approach to solving inequity in stroke, the team are prioritising listening to, and learning from, lived experience across the charity.

The charity are working to improve the representation of this lived experience at all levels within the Association and are eager to recruit applicants from a variety of communities and backgrounds. We are keen to receive applications from people affected by stroke, people of colour, members of LGBT+ communities, and disabled people because these identities and experiences are underrepresented and would add enormous value to how the organisation work.

A Disability Confident employer, the organisation is making great progress focusing on flexible working, reasonable adjustments and access to work. The charity has a variety of staff network groups and are committed to continuously improving diversity and inclusion efforts. If you have questions, or access needs, we’re happy to discuss any support and adjustments we can make throughout the recruitment process so that you’re able to contribute your best in a way that meets your needs.

You may also have experience in areas such as; Community Engagement Officer, Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator, Partnerships and Engagement Officer, Community Outreach Officer, Engagement and Participation Officer, Volunteer and Community Officer, Community Involvement Officer, Locality Engagement Coordinator, Networks and Engagement Officer, Involvement and Impact Officer, Voice and Influence Officer, Community Support Network Officer, Lived Experience Engagement Officer, Health Partnerships Officer, Community Development and Engagement Officer. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

DFN Project SEARCH offer an evidence-based supported internship model which takes place entirely in the workplace.  The programmes provide continuous support to young adults with a learning disability, and autistic people who are aged between 16 – 24 with an Education Health and Care Plan, or equivalent, in their final year of education.

You will be required to identify opportunities to develop and grow DFN Project SEARCH programmes across a geographical area with the aim of supporting the organisation to ensure that as many people as need it have access to DFN Project SEARCH programmes.

In addition, you will be required to develop strategies to ensure that the operational programmes in your area are achieving at least the average outcomes expected for young people in our programmes and so you must be committed to continuous improvement.

You will be specifically required to develop strong partnerships and train and support colleagues within your area. You may also be required to support colleagues promoting DFN Project SEARCH in other areas, further European projects as required and contribute to the development of relevant UK focussed materials.

As a Programme Specialist you will be expected to:

• Demonstrate effective project planning and preparation so that each project delivers achieves the highest quality programme possible and outstanding employment outcomes for the interns.
• Establish effective working relationships with schools, colleges, local authorities, employers and the project professional staff to promote the building of excellent, high quality partnerships at each site to ensure the effective running of programmes and promote sustainability in a volatile environment.
• Take an active part in decision making, planning and audit processes of each project
• Ensure that you implement DFN Project SEARCH policy and have a clear understanding of required quality standards and criteria which constitute effective teaching and learning