20 Rural partnerships development manager jobs

This is a varied and rewarding leadership role that combines operational management, people leadership, and business development. You'll play a key part in growing our impact by developing new partnerships, building strong relationships with stakeholders, and expanding both our on-site and outreach programmes.

To succeed in this role, you'll be a confident and adaptable manager who can balance day-to-day operational demands with strategic thinking and creativity. You'll enjoy problem-solving, prioritising competing demands, and managing a diverse workload where no two days are the same.

We're looking for someone who:
• Has strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop teams
• Can foster positive collaboration across teams and functions
• Has experience building and managing partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Brings commercial awareness and business development experience
• Has experience working in the charity, social care, health, or related sectors

We're looking for someone who:
• Has strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop teams
• Can foster positive collaboration across teams and functions
• Has experience building and managing partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Brings commercial awareness and business development experience
• Has experience working in the charity, social care, health, or related sectors

In return, Thrive offers the opportunity to make a genuine difference every day, working with a values-driven charity that transforms lives through gardening and nature. In addition, you’ll be working in a collaborative and supportive organisation at our National Office, set in 3 acres of beautiful grounds.

The International Project Manager - Agroecology will manage key international initiatives in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), focusing on partner collaboration in Benin and Ethiopia. You will oversee project delivery, build impact-monitoring data systems, and provide technical guidance on sustainable crop and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.

PAN UK is the only charity in Britain dedicated solely to raising awareness of the problems caused by pesticides and working for better solutions. It is an independent, non-profit organisation, which works nationally and internationally to eliminate the use of hazardous pesticides and to support the adoption of sustainable alternatives. PAN UK operates as part of a global network of partner organisations. Its work reaches directly to partners and smallholder farmers in Ethiopia, Benin and elsewhere as well as national policy makers and global actors, such as UNEP and UNFAO.

Our work includes generating evidence by working with farmers and researchers on both the impacts of pesticides and on the viability of safer and more sustainable alternatives. We use this evidence to advocate for wider change in policy and practice.

The successful candidate will join PAN UK's International Team at an important time. With our partners, we have recently secured a five-year grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for a UNEP-led project to support the mainstreaming of organic cotton in Benin. PAN UK’s role will be to develop data reporting systems that measure impact and support the needs of donors, supply chain actors and national authorities.

The International Project Manager (Agroecology) will also support our projects with our partner, PAN Ethiopia, to support smallholder cotton and vegetable growers. This work enables us to co-create innovative tools and approaches that can be disseminated more widely.

Global actors, governments, consumers and rural communities are increasingly recognising the negative impacts of pesticide-dependent, industrial agriculture on human health, climate and biodiversity. PAN UK aims to secure increasing support for agroecological approaches that help rural communities to secure sustainable and resilient livelihoods and protect the environmental resources on which they depend.

PAN UK actively encourages applications from diverse backgrounds. We view diversity in its broadest form, which includes, but is not limited to, the consideration of race, nationality, gender, age, class, disability, sexuality, language and educational background. We particularly encourage applications from eligible candidates from minority ethnic groups which remain under-represented in the charity sector.

The closing date for applications is 20th September 2026. Interviews will be held on Wednesday the 30th September or Thursday 1st October 2026 at our offices in Brighton. If a second interview is needed, this will take place on Friday the 2nd of October.

Dean Farm Trust is seeking an experienced and compassionate Sanctuary Operations Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and operational management of our 32-acre animal sanctuary near Chepstow.

Home to 200 rescued animals, including pigs, cows, sheep, goats, equines and birds, Dean Farm Trust provides a home for life to animals in need. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role with animal welfare at its heart.

The Sanctuary Operations Manager will lead our on-site team, working through our Team Leaders to ensure the Sanctuary operates safely, effectively and to the highest standards of animal welfare. The role will oversee staffing and rotas, volunteer development, recruitment and training, budgets and resources, facilities and maintenance, land and pasture management, health and safety, compliance, contractors, projects and the operational delivery of Sanctuary events and activities.

We are looking for someone with strong leadership and people-management experience who is confident managing a busy operational environment and developing both staff and volunteers. You will need to be organised, practical and able to balance the immediate demands of running a sanctuary with longer-term planning and improvement.

This is an important appointment for Dean Farm Trust as we strengthen our operational structure and build a sustainable future for the Sanctuary. The successful candidate will work closely with the Director and Trustees while taking real ownership of Sanctuary operations and providing strong, consistent on-site leadership.

A genuine commitment to animal welfare and to the values of Dean Farm Trust is essential.

Please read our full Candidate Pack before applying. It includes the complete Job Description, information about Dean Farm Trust and further background on why we are recruiting for this role now.

Our Vision for Transformation through Forests

This is a defining moment for the National Forest, with a renewed Vision to harness the transformative power of forests to restore nature, connect communities, and drive enterprise for a positive future. Over 30 years, this 200 square mile landscape has been reshaped, more than 10 million trees planted, and forest cover increased from 6% to 26%. Now, we are ready to build on this success  enabling three new national forests and championing a forest network for England.

We are now looking for an Evidence and Impact Manager to join us on a permanent, full-time basis, working 37 hours per week.

The Benefits

- Salary of £48,575
- Civil Service Pension scheme
- 30 days’ annual leave plus 10.5 days’ public and privilege holidays
- Staff bonuses
- Flexible working options
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Discounts on gym memberships

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced performance and evidence professional with GIS expertise to join our ambitious organisation.

You’ll have the chance to work on a wide variety of projects that shape our work, ensuring insight sits at the heart of our future direction, and we can continue to deliver on our vision.

What’s more, you’ll discover a passionate and dedicated team all working towards the same goal of a future where people, nature and the economy can grow together.

If you’re passionate about evidence, impact and the power of forests to transform places and lives, read on and apply today.

The Role

As our Evidence and Impact Manager, you will lead the development and continual improvement of our Outcomes Framework, helping us evidence progress towards our vision of ‘Transformation through Forests’.

Working to deliver our vision for nature, communities and enterprise, you’ll establish meaningful metrics, effective data collection, evaluation and reporting processes.

Managing a small team, you will oversee the generation and delivery of robust evidence and insight, translating complex information for a range of audiences to inform decision-making, support programme development, and inform external messaging for communications and advocacy work.

Additionally, you will:

- Oversee reporting for the Defra England Tree Planting Programme
- Line manage a Grants Officer who administers £2m of grants for forest creation and woodland management

Some evening and weekend work may be required, for which time off in lieu will apply, and you may also need to travel to sites across rural locations.

About You

To be considered as our Evidence and Impact Manager, you will need:

- At least five years’ experience in a similar role
- Experience of leading corporate performance monitoring and reporting within the environmental field
- Proven experience of using GIS for dataset analysis and the presentation of spatial information
- Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research and information presentation techniques
- An understanding of the benefits of tree planting and habitat creation for nature, communities and enterprise
- A relevant degree or postgraduate qualification

The closing date for this role is the 28th September 2026.

Other organisations may call this role Impact Manager, Evidence Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Environmental Performance Manager, Research and Impact Manager, Insights and Impact Manager, or Evaluation and Impact Manager.

The National Forest is an equal opportunities employer, we value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you want to use evidence and insight to help demonstrate the transformational potential of forests as an Evidence and Impact Manager, please apply via the National Forest website.

Project Manager

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to deliver community-focused projects that create positive, lasting change across Devon.

Salary: £32,453 per annum
Location: Exeter, Devon, with hybrid working
Hours: 36.25 hours per week, full time
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: 12 noon, Monday 21 September
Interviews: Thursday 1 October

Benefits include a generous pension, 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and flexible hybrid working.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to manage a varied portfolio of projects supporting rural, coastal and market town communities across Devon.

Working with communities, partners, funders and stakeholders, you will take projects from development and planning through to successful delivery, ensuring they are delivered on brief, on budget and on time.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing community development and regeneration projects, including budgets, resources, monitoring and reporting.
• Engaging with communities to identify local needs and develop community-led solutions.
• Supporting community groups, charities, social enterprises and small businesses through information, advice and training.
• Developing and delivering consultancy projects and contracts.
• Building effective relationships with funders, statutory bodies, voluntary sector organisations and other partners.
• Delivering presentations, training and community engagement activities.
• Supporting monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting.
• Representing the organisation at meetings, networks and external events.

About you

You will be an organised, proactive and collaborative project professional who is comfortable managing a complex workload and working with a wide range of people.

You will need:

• Extensive project management experience, including budget management and reporting.
• Proven experience of engaging effectively with local communities.
• Experience of managing multiple projects, priorities and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience of designing, delivering and evaluating training.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience of using CRM systems such as Dynamics.
• Confidence using digital tools to support reporting, research and stakeholder engagement.
• The ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
• Degree-level education or evidence of working at an equivalent level.
  You will also need to be able to travel across Devon for meetings and be willing to work occasional evenings and weekends.

About the organisation

You will be joining a charity working to ensure rural, coastal and market town communities are thriving, sustainable and inclusive places to live and work.

The organisation works alongside communities to build capacity, address local needs and create stronger, more connected and resilient communities. It is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive working environment where everyone can make the best use of their skills.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Community Project Manager, Programme Manager, Community Development Manager, Community Engagement Manager, Project Officer, Community Development Officer, Rural Development Officer, Programme Officer or Community Partnerships Manager.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client – Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

The Development Manager role brings the opportunity to an avid fundraiser and resource mobilization professional to manage the strategic fundraising efforts of IFIP to build, sustain, and grow the organization’s institutional pool of funders by aligning development strategy with the organization’s mission, goals, key programs, and initiatives. This position plays a critical role in enhancing our sustainability efforts through identifying, cultivating, soliciting, grant writing, and securing funding support in accordance with IFIP’s strategic framework. 

Position Title: Development Manager 
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer 
Location: Remote (Europe)

OrganizationSummary 

International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) is the only global philanthropy network dedicated to shifting power, mobilizing resources, and building partnerships to amplify Indigenous leadership and to support the self-determination and rights of Indigenous Peoples.

As a global community, IFIP educates, guides, and influences funders to practice a new paradigm of giving based on Indigenous values “The Five R’s of Indigenous Philanthropy” —Respect, Reciprocity, Responsibility, Relationships and Redistribution.Building on over 25 years of experience, IFIP is at an exciting moment of evolution and on a path to accelerate organizational capacity to implement our strategic plan, mobilize redistribution of resources, and increase advocacy for direct funding to Indigenous Peoples globally. 
 

Position Overview 

The Development Manager role brings the opportunity to an avid fundraiser and resource mobilization professional to manage the strategic fundraising efforts of IFIP to build, sustain, and grow the organization’s institutional pool of funders by aligning development strategy with the organization’s mission, goals, key programs, and initiatives. This position plays a critical role in enhancing our sustainability efforts through identifying, cultivating, soliciting, grant writing, and securing funding support in accordance with IFIP’s strategic framework.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Development Manager works collaboratively with senior management, staff, and consultants to ensure sustainability goals are achieved. The Development Manager cultivates prospects, sustains relationships, creates proposals and reports for funders to illustrate impact and spends most of their time engaging with prospective funders and supporters through both virtual and in-person interactions. 

The ideal candidate is a skilled fundraiser and a relationship builder with a strong understanding of philanthropic giving. They should be proactive and strategic, with a proven track record of securing mid-to-large multi-year funding, nurturing donor relationships, and effectively communicating the organization's mission and impact. Familiarity and commitment to IFIP's mission is essential. Experience working remotely and across multiple time zones is an asset. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Fundraising and Resource mobilization  

• Develop a comprehensive multi-year development strategy, including developing related guidelines and policies and ensure IFIP secures annual revenue goals.

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with funders and other donors, including foundations and other funders. 

• Responsible for the development, writing, and submission of compelling grant proposals. Manages full lifecycle of grants, from proposals to reports, ensuring fundraising goals are met annually. 

• Able to skillfully navigate donor relationships and the philanthropic landscape with nuance, big picture, and keen understanding of the shifting trends and perspectives.

• In coordination with senior leadership, organize, prepare and attend donor meetings and convenings in support of strategic initiatives. 

• Develop strategic fundraising initiatives, including events and campaigns and identify new opportunities for resource mobilization. 

• Develop, manage, and execute comprehensive fundraising plans that align with the organization’s goals, programs, and initiatives. 

• Coordinate with leadership on restricted gifts, proposal budgets with restricted allocations, and financial reporting to donors. 

• Establishes and maintains collaborative working relationships with IFIP’s team and consultants to maximize total revenue in service of the organization’s mission

• Collaborate with the Engagement and Communications team to enhance visibility and donor messaging efforts through our newsletters and communications platforms.

• Utilize a CRM for data collection, relationship management, and tracking donor interactions. 

• Manages information-tracking processes regarding acknowledgement, recognition, ongoing communication and continued cultivation of donors in portfolio.

Organizational Culture and Team Collaboration 

• Partner with the CEO to ensure IFIP’s strategy is reflected across fundraising plans, funder engagement and partnerships. 

• Foster a collaborative, results-driven, and accountability culture that empowers the IFIP team to deliver organizational goals effectively. 

• Contribute to a culture of teamwork by fostering collaboration and support of each other to accomplish tasks at hand, the annual work plan, and overall mission. 

• Bring a learning, attention to detail, initiative taking disposition and participate in organization-wide strategy and learning and contribute to operations efficiency to grow as an organization. 

• Able to adapt and excel in a multi-cultural and fast paced environment where team members take part and contribute to planning activities, including staff meetings, retreats, and strategy sessions. 

• Provide support when needed on organization-wide activities, such as Global Conference and high-level stakeholder events. 

• Adhere to organizational policies and procedures and responsible for own administrative tasks such as submission of receipts, reimbursement requests, scheduling, travel planning, etc. 

• Embody and uphold the 5 R’s (Respect, Relationships, Responsibility, Reciprocity, Redistribution) in working with external stakeholders and internal team members. 

Required Experience and Qualifications: 

• At least 8 years of experience in the development and resource mobilization sector. 

• At least 3 years of experience working in an international remote work environment with a multi-cultural team 

• Experience building partnerships and securing funding from bilateral and multilateral donor agencies is an asset 

• Track record of garnering new donors and substantial levels of funding per year

• Demonstrated experience in developing fundraising strategies and plans and excellent donor relations skills.

• Familiarity with donor database tools to track grants and donor relationships 

• Exceptional organizational ability, high attention to detail, results and solutions-oriented attitude are essential.

• Problem-solver, with high integrity and ability to communicate clear expectations and foster team collaboration. 

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills in written and oral forms and ability to articulate complex ideas effectively to diverse audiences. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. 

• Solid information technology proficiency with CRMs, remote meeting software, Microsoft Office Suite, and cloud systems for project management. 

• Experience travelling internationally to urban and rural areas where English may not be the primary language.

• Fluency in English.Fluency in a second language is an asset. 

Application Information: 

Job details: This is a full-time, remote position based in the greater London area. Employee may spend up to three weeks a year in Sacramento, CA for strategic planning and team building. IFIP's team, board, members, and stakeholders are based worldwide and distributed across multiple time zones. This role is based in London and follows UK working hours; however, occasional flexibility will be required for early morning or late evening meetings with colleagues around the world. Candidates must be based in the greater London area and be authorized to work in the United Kingdom.  

Salary: GBP £40,000 - £55,000, based on experience. IFIP typically makes offers within the beginning to middle of this range, depending on the candidate's qualifications and relevant experience. IFIP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.

International Funders for Indigenous Peoples is an equal opportunity employer committed to embracing a diverse, multicultural work environment and seeks diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious creed, physical abilities and other characteristic protected by federal and state laws.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until September 18th, 2026. 

Keeping Young People Safe:

We are committed to keeping young people safe. All successful applicants will undergo an enhanced DBS (England & Wales) / PVG (Scotland) check and receive ongoing safeguarding training.

At Young Enterprise, safeguarding is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All successful applicants will receive ongoing safeguarding training throughout their employment and be expected to uphold excellent safeguarding practice at all times.

Are you passionate about helping young people build brighter futures?

Do you love building relationships and making things happen in education? If so, we’ve got a brilliant opportunity for you to join our team as an Educational Partnerships Manager at Young Enterprise.

Who We Are

We’re Young Enterprise - a national charity with a bold mission: to give every young person the skills, confidence, and mindset to thrive in the changing world of work.

For over 60 years, we’ve empowered more than 7 million young people through hands-on enterprise and financial education programmes. Whether it’s launching a student business or learning how to manage money, we help young people develop key life skills-teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and resilience.

We’re a passionate, down-to-earth team of 90+ staff and 2,000+ volunteers who believe that every young person, regardless of background, deserves a fair start in life.

Why Join Us?

We think Young Enterprise is a great place to work and we’re proud of our people-first culture. Here’s what you can expect:

• A friendly and supportive team where your voice is heard
• A strong commitment to diversity and inclusion—we want everyone to feel they belong
• Generous holiday allowance and flexible working
• Cycle-to-work scheme, life assurance, and NHS top-up plan
• Ongoing learning and mentoring opportunities
• A chance to directly impact the lives of young people every single day

About the Role

This is a role where you’ll really see the difference you make.

As Educational Partnerships Manager, you’ll work across Hull, East Riding, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire, building partnerships with schools, colleges, youth organisations and community groups-particularly in areas where opportunities are hardest to come by.

You’ll be right in the mix: planning events, delivering programmes, supporting volunteers and connecting with school staff to make sure young people have access to our inspiring enterprise and financial education experiences.

You’ll be a key driver of our Inspiring Futures programme-helping young people break down barriers and imagine bigger futures.

It’s a varied, people-focused role with loads of room for creativity, independence and collaboration. Whether you’re visiting a school, chatting with a funder, or supporting a trade fair, you’ll be helping young people build skills that will last a lifetime.

You’ll love this job if you are…

• A brilliant relationship-builder, confident working with teachers, volunteers, and community leaders.
• Passionate about education, social mobility, and giving every young person a chance to shine.
• A natural communicator-whether leading a session in a classroom or inspiring a room of volunteers.
• Organised and able to juggle multiple projects (with a great sense of humour!).
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and happy working remotely but never alone-you’ll be part of a close-knit regional team.
• Excited by the idea of doing a job that combines delivery, relationship-building, fundraising and volunteering.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and grow relationships with schools, colleges, youth clubs and local communities.
• Focus on expanding our reach in areas of multiple deprivation and underrepresentation.
• Deliver and support the rollout of YE programmes in schools and other settings.
• Recruit, train and support volunteers-making sure they feel valued and inspired.
• Work with your regional team to meet shared goals and celebrate local impact.
• Help secure local funding by supporting fundraising efforts and managing project deliverables.
• Support the planning of events, trade fairs and celebrations for young people.
• Keep accurate records, track impact, and make sure safeguarding is front and centre.

A few practical things:

• This is a hands-on role-you’ll sometimes be lifting resources, setting up venues and travelling regularly (a car and full driving licence are essential).
• You’ll need to be happy occasionally working evenings or weekends during peak delivery times.
• Expect to be on your feet during some events or sessions-it’s all part of the fun!

How to Apply

If you’re ready to help shape the futures of young people across Hull, East Riding, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire, we want to hear from you!

Please send your CV and a cover letter (max 2 pages) telling us why you’re the right person for this role. Applications must be submitted by 23:30 on 16 September 2026. Please note that applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Interviews will be held in person and may take place before the closing date. Please note, we are only able to respond to shortlisted candidates.

Full details can be found in the Job Description.

At YE we are passionate and committed to keeping your data safe and secure.  Full details can be found in the YE People’s Privacy Notice.

Join us – and help us give every young person the chance to thrive.

Barnet Catchment Partnerships Officer 

Salary: £26,936 - £36,352 dependant on experience (Officer Band A Learning - Officer Band B Developing).

Contract length: 0.6 FTE Permanent Part-Time Position. Contract to 31st March 2028, with possibility to extend, subject to funding. Possibility to increase to Full-Time Position, also subject to funding.

Location: This is a hybrid position with a mixture of working from home, Thames21’s main office at the Guildhall, City of London and site visits across Thames21 catchment areas as required. Occasional working from Thames21’s satellite office at Bow Locks, East London may also be required.

Responsible to: Catchment Partnership Programme Manager

About Thames21:

Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life. Through environmental improvements, community engagement, education and advocacy we bring about effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities to deliver tangible and measurable improvements to our network of rivers.

Diversity at Thames21

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Thames21 is key to our success and as such we employ staff from a diverse range of backgrounds, this we feel is key in ensuring that everybody has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics. We value the voices of our individual employees, and we strive to work in a collaborative, innovative balanced way. The postholder must actively support this.

Purpose of the job:

This post will form part of Thames21’s Catchment Partnership team. The successful candidate will host the Brent Catchment Partnership and will be responsible for the partnership’s strategic development and expansion, working towards the successful delivery of the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) to improve the rivers and wider environment in this catchment.

The Brent Catchment Partnership covers an area of approximately 170km2, from Edgeware in the north, to its tributary with the Thames in the south by Brentford.

Main duties and responsibilities:

The officer will be expected to deliver across four priority areas:

1. Develop diverse, representative, collaborative and delivery focused partnerships

The successful candidate will need to work autonomously and proactively to seek out and positively engage strategic stakeholders within the Brent catchment area, building the influence and capacity of the Catchment Partnership network to deliver improvements for rivers and local communities. These stakeholders will include (but are not limited to) community groups, landowners, eNGOs, local authorities, government agencies and water companies.

2. Work with partnership networks to identify, develop and fundraise for river catchment improvement projects

Working alongside external partners and Thames21 colleagues, the Catchment Partnership Officer will need to draw on their knowledge of what makes a river catchment healthy to develop ambitious and impactful catchment improvement projects that meet the targets of Thames21’s 5-year plan and the Brent Catchment Action Plan. Once identified, the successful candidate will be required to work with relevant Thames21 teams and external partners to successfully fundraise for the development and delivery of these projects.

3. Bring together identified projects into detailed, deliverable catchment and sub-catchment action plans, and monitor progress against these.

The catchment partnership officer will be responsible for developing deliverable catchment and sub-catchment action plans that draw together projects identified across the catchment/sub-catchment area with landowner and stakeholder support. These plans should make the priority projects for delivery clear to external readers and catchment partners, enabling a strategic approach to project delivery in the catchment.

4.Break down silos by sharing information and bringing people together; in a way that is catchment wide, cross boundary and across multiple organisations.

The catchment partnership officer will be expected to share knowledge, news, funding opportunities and project progress between stakeholders through meetings, site visits, email newsletters and quarterly meetings of the whole Catchment Partnership (which the Officer will have the responsibility of arranging, coordinating and chairing, including the production of agendas, minutes and actions). The catchment partnership officer will be expected to communicate the work of their catchment partnership networks externally at relevant forums, including the River Partnerships in London (RiPL) Group, Thames Catchment Forum and strategic community events.

Other Duties

Where necessary, the catchment partnership officer may be required to support and lead on the delivery of river improvement projects, managing project deadlines and budgets. Moreover, this job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within Thames21; at various times the post-holder will be directed to carry out other reasonable duties in support of other Thames21 activities that are consistent with those in this Job Description.  For more information and how to apply, please see the attached Job Description. 

This role is ideal for those who:

• Have a passion for rivers and environmental work.
• Can develop collaborative, positive relationships with project partners and diverse stakeholder groups.
• Are comfortable working autonomously to identify and develop river improvement projects
• Are self-motivated with a strong work ethic
• Are comfortable working in a flexible role and adapting to change
• Are comfortable to work across multiple projects and topics
• Are comfortable working at speed
• Are happy to work in a role which comprises both desk work and field work

Additional Information

· The post holder must be willing to occasionally work in the evening and at weekends

· 25 days paid annual leave are available pro rata plus public holidays. In addition, the Thames21 office is closed between Christmas and New Year.

· Thames21 operate a flexitime system of working and offer TOIL for overtime worked

· Thames21 have an ‘Auto Enrol’ Workplace Pension Scheme with NEST (8% employer contribution).

· 24/7 access to our employee assistance programme

· Laptop & Mobile phone for company use.

· Opportunity to join a recognised workplace union with IWGB

To apply for this position please, email an up-to-date copy of your CV and a covering letter to via the Charity Jobs inbox with the reference CPO0926, in the subject box of your application.

The closing date for applications is: 5pm 3rd October 2026.

Interview dates: Commencing early October 2026 (subject to change).

We appreciate the time you will have taken to apply to this role, and we do appreciate that it is disconcerting when you don’t hear back from a role you have applied for. However, due to the high number of applications we expect to receive, we are unable respond to or give feedback on individual applications, but we do want to be able manage expectations. Therefore, if you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Rural Refugee Network (RRN) is a small local charity in East Hampshire, Havant and Portsmouth, working alongside refugees and people seeking asylum through the work of six board members, thirty operational volunteers, one part-time permanent employee and a small bank of project staff and contractors. The charity is widely recognised by stakeholders and the local community for sensitively and effectively addressing the many challenges people arriving in the UK face as they strive to resettle and thrive in our community.

RRN is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to lead its support for refugees and people seeking asylum. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a small charity through a period of significant change, with overall operational responsibility for the charity, including partnerships, funding, coordination of delivery, safeguarding and compliance. 

Working directly with a range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, the ideal candidate for this complex and high trust role will be self-reliant, adaptable, and able to engage and influence through excellent face-to-face and online communication skills. This is a genuinely flexible role, with significant autonomy over when and where work is undertaken. There will be regular opportunities for in-person team management and relationship-building, alongside substantial flexibility in how the wider working week is structured and where work is carried out. We are looking for someone who is confident working independently, manages their own time effectively and values the trust and responsibility that come with this level of autonomy.

A candidate who is energised by working flexibly and sensitively with a small team will thrive in this role, which offers the opportunity to make a direct and meaningful impact on people’s lives.

Experience in the refugee sector is desirable.

Deadline: 5pm Monday 21 September

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement of not more than 2 sides, explaining your motivation, reflecting on how you would approach being RRN’s only core employed leader, and demonstrating your fit against the specification below. Please use the email subject heading “Head of Operations Application”. Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to all applications.

Job Description

Title: Rural Refugee Network Head of Operations

Reports to:  Board of Trustees

Hours:  Part-time (0.5 FTE, negotiable). Permanent contract.

Salary range: £40,000 - £45,000 FTE depending on experience.

Benefits: 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata to hours agreed). 3% employer pension contribution.

Location and expectations: Flexible hybrid working with frequent travel to projects, events and stakeholder meetings in Portsmouth, Havant, Petersfield and the wider Hampshire area. Occasional evening and weekend in-person working required.

Purpose: To lead the day-to-day operation, development and sustainability of Rural Refugee Network, working with trustees, volunteers, funders and partner organisations to ensure refugees and asylum seekers receive practical support and RRN maintains compliance and operational sustainability.

About the role:. 

In this small charity, the Head of Operations combines operational coordination, programme oversight, partnership development and income generation, with delivery shared across volunteers, trustees and contracted staff.The role offers a high degree of autonomy and flexibility, alongside the opportunity to shape how the organisation works and develops. It requires strong judgement in balancing opportunities, risks and priorities within limited capacity, and the confidence to work independently while bringing others with you.

RRN is volunteer-led, and the Head of Operations is the organisation’s only permanent employee, holding overall coordination and accountability for day-to-day operations. This is therefore a broad, high-trust role: rather than delivering everything directly, you will enable and coordinate others, working closely with trustees, volunteers and contractors who deliver significant elements of the activity you lead.

The role will suit someone who enjoys variety, autonomy and a flexible working pattern, and who is comfortable taking ownership while knowing when to collaborate, delegate or seek support.

Key responsibilities:

Leadership, coordination and partnerships

• Deliver agreed strategic objectives and support trustees in developing future priorities.

• Prepare quarterly Board reports.

• Coordinate relationships with statutory, voluntary and community partners.

• With the support of trustees, represent the charity in local forums, develop opportunities for collaboration and promote RRN in the local community.

Programme and volunteer coordination

• Provide oversight of funded and core programmes.

• Recruit, train and manage project staff (currently two youth workers) and contracted/sessional staff.

• Recruit, train, support and retain volunteers.

• Oversee referral pathways and access.

• Support volunteer-led communications activity including website, newsletters, social media, impact reports and case studies.

Income development and funding

• Write grant applications and manage reporting requirements (with volunteer/trustee input).

• Maintain and develop funding pipeline and actively develop new funding streams.

• Support relationship-building with donors and community supporters.

Finance and compliance 

• Monitor programme budgets, working with the Treasurer.

• Support trustees in governance, reporting and compliance responsibilities.

• Maintain organisational policies and procedures.

• Lead safeguarding practice and reporting, acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and ensuring policies are implemented by staff, volunteers, and contractors.

• Maintain oversight of organisational risk, compliance with Charity Commission, data protection, employment requirements and insurance arrangements.

• Ensure appropriate administrative systems are in place and followed, including maintaining up-to-date records in the CRM, Lamplight.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Substantial experience managing programmes or services in the charity/social impact sector, including line management, budgeting and financial oversight, and grant compliance/reporting.

• Strong partnership-building and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Experience leading and recruiting volunteer teams. 

• Deep understanding of safeguarding and compliance and recent experience leading safeguarding practice and decision-making. Up to date on requirements and best practice.

• Ability to work independently, exercising sound judgement about what trustees need to know and when, and to prioritise effectively within limited capacity and competing demands.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, IT proficiency.

Desirable

• Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers or other vulnerable groups.

• Understanding of immigration, integration or resettlement issues.

• Successful fundraising and bid-writing experience. 

• Experience of local authority commissioning or grant funding.

• Comfort and experience in IT, data and/or CRMs.

RRN is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, including a check of the relevant barred list, two satisfactory references, including your most recent employer, and safer recruitment practice including verification of employment history and a right to work check. RRN is unable to sponsor work visas, so applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.

Programme Manager (Strategic Delivery)
Canterbury
£45,012-£51,764 pa plus excellent benefits
Full-time, fixed-term contract for three years

Would you like to create meaningful change and lasting impact by helping to shape the future of mission and ministry across the Diocese of Canterbury? We’re looking for an experienced Programme Manager to lead, coordinate and deliver our strategic change portfolio.

Working closely with the Director of Strategic Development, you’ll bring people together, keep projects moving and turn vision into action - supporting flourishing parishes, sustainable ministry and church growth across the Diocese.

As Programme Manager, you’ll work with colleagues, clergy, parish leaders and partners across the Diocese to coordinate programmes, manage priorities and make sure great ideas become real outcomes.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys leading complex programmes and making things happen, is adept at building strong relationships and capable of bringing people together whilst being confident of managing priorities, risks, governance and budgets.

You’ll be a collaborative and organised programme professional with experience of working with multiple stakeholders, supporting senior leaders and delivering strategic change. You’ll also be a practising Christian (GoR applies under section 9 of the Equality Act 2010) with a good understanding of the Church of England and a passion for supporting its mission and ministry.

Canterbury Diocese is the oldest in England and spans a diverse region from Maidstone to Thanet and the Isle of Sheppey to Romney Marsh. With coastal towns, rural communities and urban areas side by side, it offers a rich and challenging mission context.

Our vision is Changed Lives, Changing Lives: a community transformed by encountering Christ and committed to transforming and blessing the families and communities we serve.

All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks inclusive of Right to Work in the United Kingdom, references and relevant background checks applicable to the role.

Closing date: 11:59pm, Tuesday 6 October
Interview: Tuesday 20 October, Canterbury

Residential & Commercial Property Manager

Hours: Minimum of 37.5 hours per week, normally Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of the role the working pattern may occasionally change to include evenings, weekends and Public Holidays, with reasonable notice provided or by prior agreement. This may be to support property inspections, tenant matters, or other operational requirements for example. TOIL will be provided for additional planned evening or weekend working in accordance with departmental arrangements.

Normal start and finish times may be reasonably adjusted with reasonable notice to meet operational requirements.

The role requires regular travel across the property portfolio and occasional travel to St James's Place, London, and other locations as required.

The Role

The Property Department is responsible for the facilities management and maintenance of the historic, residential and commercial properties belonging to the Rothschild Foundation and National Trust, including Waddesdon Manor, The Stables, Windmill Hill, the Five Arrows Hotel, The Bow, The Dairy, commercial and residential properties and various other smaller outbuildings, staff houses and general infrastructure.

The department is led by the Head of Property & Facilities Management, supported by the Facilities & Maintenance Manager, Residential & Commercial Property Manager and a team of skilled trade technicians, general facilities & maintenance operatives, grounds assistants and administrative and data support staff.

The Residential & Commercial Property Manager is responsible for the effective management, performance and development of the Rothschild Foundation's residential and commercial property portfolio, working within the strategic direction set by the Head of Property & Facilities Management.

What you will do

The role is responsible for maintaining high standards of landlord and property management, supporting optimal occupancy and rental income, ensuring appropriate legal and regulatory compliance, and providing a professional and responsive service to tenants and internal stakeholders.

The postholder line manages the Lettings Administrator and works closely with the Facilities & Maintenance Manager, Facilities & Maintenance Administrator, Property & Systems Data Lead, Finance and HR to ensure the effective management of the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Portfolio Management & Strategy

• Work with the Head of Property & Facilities Management to develop and deliver the long-term strategy for the residential and commercial property portfolio.
• Manage the day-to-day performance of the residential and commercial portfolio, ensuring properties are managed effectively, professionally and in accordance with organisational objectives.
• Maintain oversight of occupancy, voids, rental performance and emerging portfolio risks, providing regular information and recommendations to the Head of Property & Facilities Management.
• Identify opportunities to improve the performance, condition, use and value of the portfolio and make recommendations for investment or improvement.
• Support property acquisitions, disposals, lease renewals and other portfolio changes as required, working with appropriate professional advisers.
• Prepare and contribute to relevant budgets, forecasts and longer-term property plans and monitor expenditure and income against agreed targets.

Residential Lettings & Tenancy Management

• Provide management oversight of the full residential lettings and tenancy lifecycle, ensuring properties are marketed, let and managed efficiently and in accordance with organisational policy and legal requirements.
• Line manage the Lettings Administrator, providing clear direction, regular one-to-one meetings, performance management, development support and appropriate oversight of workload and priorities.
• Ensure appropriate processes are in place for marketing, viewings, referencing, tenancy documentation, inventories, rent reviews, renewals, tenancy changes and check-out arrangements.
• Review recommendations relating to prospective tenants, rental values and tenancy arrangements and approve or escalate decisions in accordance with delegated authority.
• Maintain oversight of rent collection and arrears, working closely with Finance and ensuring concerns are identified and escalated promptly.
• Ensure tenant queries, complaints and tenancy-management matters are handled promptly, professionally and consistently.
• Maintain appropriate oversight of void properties and coordinate with Facilities & Maintenance colleagues to agree required works and support timely re-letting.

Staff Accommodation

• Provide property-management oversight of the organisation's staff accommodation portfolio, working closely with the Director of People and HR Department.
• Ensure the Lettings Administrator provides effective administration of staff accommodation, including Manor flats, National Trust Key Representative housing, Pathways Programme accommodation and other short-term or emergency accommodation.
• Ensure property, landlord, occupancy and compliance requirements relating to staff accommodation are appropriately managed.
• Work with the Director of People and/or Head of Property & Facilities Management on staff accommodation matters, recognising that employment-related eligibility, approvals, rental concessions and associated policy decisions sit outside the Lettings Administrator role and are determined in accordance with organisational policy.

Commercial Property Management

• Manage the day-to-day administration and performance of the commercial property portfolio, maintaining appropriate records of leases, licences, rent reviews, renewals and other key dates.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with commercial tenants and occupiers and act as a key point of contact for property-management matters.
• Coordinate lease events, rent reviews and other commercial property matters with external agents, valuers, solicitors and other professional advisers as required.
• Monitor rental performance, arrears, lease compliance and emerging risks and make recommendations to the Head of Property & Facilities Management.
• Support the effective management of commercial properties including the Five Arrows Hotel and The Bow where relevant to the landlord/property-management responsibilities of the Foundation.

Property Maintenance & Condition

• Work in close partnership with the Facilities & Maintenance Manager to agree priorities, capacity and workflows for planned and reactive works across the residential and commercial portfolio, balancing property and tenant requirements with available Facilities & Maintenance resources and wider departmental priorities.
• Agree appropriate timescales for works with the Facilities & Maintenance Manager before commitments are made to tenants or other stakeholders, and ensure priorities are reviewed where operational demands or available capacity change.
• Provide the Facilities & Maintenance Manager with relevant property, tenancy and access information to support effective planning and allocation of work.
• Maintain appropriate oversight of outstanding residential and commercial property works, working with the Facilities & Maintenance Manager and Facilities & Maintenance Administrator to ensure progress is communicated effectively to tenants and other stakeholders.
• Monitor property condition and identify emerging repair, investment or compliance requirements, escalating significant issues to the Head of Property & Facilities Management.
• Support property inspections, condition reviews and programmes of improvement as required.
• Escalate competing priorities, significant capacity constraints or unresolved issues to the Head of Property & Facilities Management where agreement cannot reasonably be reached.

Compliance & Risk

• Ensure the residential and commercial portfolio is managed in accordance with applicable landlord, property, housing and tenancy legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain oversight of relevant property and tenancy compliance records, working closely with the Property & Systems Data Lead and Facilities & Maintenance colleagues to ensure information is accurate and up to date.
• Ensure appropriate processes are maintained for statutory and landlord requirements, including relevant safety certification, tenancy documentation, deposit and occupancy requirements where applicable.
• Keep abreast of changes in residential and commercial property legislation and good practice and advise the Head of Property & Facilities Management on implications for the portfolio.
• Identify, assess and escalate property-management risks and support the implementation of appropriate controls and mitigations.
• Work with the Facilities & Maintenance Manager and Health & Safety Manager to ensure responsibilities for property compliance, maintenance compliance and health and safety are clearly coordinated.

Stakeholder & Professional Relationships

• Develop and maintain positive and professional relationships with residential and commercial tenants, prospective tenants and occupiers.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Property & Facilities Management, Facilities & Maintenance Manager, Facilities & Maintenance Administrator, Property & Systems Data Lead, Finance, HR and other internal stakeholders.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with external agents, valuers, solicitors, local authorities, contractors and other professional advisers.
• Represent the Rothschild Foundation professionally in property-management discussions and negotiations within the authority delegated to the role.
• Prepare reports, updates and property information for the Head of Property & Facilities Management and other stakeholders as required.
• Undertake occasional travel to St James's Place, London, and other locations as required in connection with the responsibilities of the role.

You will be a great fit if:

You’re a confident communicator and supportive manager who uses their judgement to identify risks and know when to seek advice or escalate issues. You’re an experienced residential property professional who enjoys managing lettings and tenancies, and navigating property legislation and compliance with confidence. You’re commercially minded and organised, with a good understanding of property maintenance, budgets and rental performance.

Your areas of knowledge and expertise that matter for this role: 

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of residential property management and the management of lettings and tenancies.
• Strong working knowledge of residential landlord and tenancy requirements and relevant property legislation.
• Experience of managing a varied property workload, including tenant relationships, rent reviews, compliance and property-management processes.
• Experience of supervising or line managing others.
• Good understanding of property maintenance and experience of working collaboratively with maintenance or facilities professionals to prioritise and coordinate works.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including the ability to monitor rental performance, budgets and value for money.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities, deadlines and a varied workload.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with tenants, colleagues, contractors and professional advisers.
• Good judgement and the ability to identify risk, make recommendations and escalate matters appropriately.
• Strong IT skills and confidence using property-management systems and standard business applications.
• A full UK driving licence is essential.

Desirable

• Experience of commercial property management, including leases, licences, rent reviews and lease events.
• Experience of managing a mixed residential and commercial property portfolio.
• Experience within a rural estate, heritage, charity or similarly complex multi-use environment.
• A relevant professional property qualification or membership, for example ARLA Propertymark, RICS or equivalent.
• Experience of staff, tied or other employer-provided accommodation.
• Experience of working with historic or listed properties.

VCSE Development Lead

Wiltshire Wide | 30 hours per week (4 days) | Fixed-term 3 year contract
Salary: £32,000 FTE (pro rata)

Help Wiltshire's community organisations grow, thrive and make a bigger difference

Community groups and charities are at the heart of stronger, healthier communities. They bring people together, tackle local challenges and create opportunities for those who need them most.

At Wessex Community Action, we're looking for a passionate and proactive VCSE Development Lead to work alongside voluntary organisations, charities and grassroots groups across Wiltshire, helping them develop the skills, confidence and resilience they need to flourish.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys building relationships, supporting others to succeed and making a tangible difference in communities.

What you'll be doing

As our VCSE Development Lead, you'll be out in communities across Wiltshire, working directly with organisations at every stage of their journey.

Whether it's helping a new community group put the right foundations in place, supporting a charity to strengthen its governance, or helping an organisation become funding-ready, you'll provide practical advice, tailored support and encouragement that enables local organisations to thrive.

You'll also develop and deliver training, facilitate networking opportunities and connect organisations with partners, funders and wider support networks.

Most importantly, you'll help community organisations become stronger, more sustainable and better equipped to meet local needs.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with charities, voluntary organisations or community groups
• Understands organisational development, governance and community capacity building
• Can support organisations to improve their sustainability and funding readiness
• Is confident facilitating workshops, training sessions and group discussions
• Builds trusted relationships with a wide range of people and organisations
• Is passionate about empowering communities and reducing inequalities
• Enjoys working independently while being part of a supportive team

What we offer

• A rewarding role where you can make a real difference in local communities.
• Flexible and supportive working arrangements.
• The opportunity to work alongside inspiring community organisations, volunteers and local leaders.
• A friendly, values-driven team committed to strengthening communities.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata).
• Additional leave between Christmas and New Year (subject to organisational arrangements).
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Health plan.
• Annual volunteering day.
• Training and professional development opportunities.
• Dedicated external training budget.

Join us

If you're passionate about helping community organisations develop, grow and create lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Please send your CV and a covering letter (maximum two sides of A4) outlining:

• Your interest in the role
• Your experience of working with and supporting charities and community groups

Closing date:  Sunday 4 October 

Interviews: 12 and 13 October

Job Title:                          Roding, Beam and Ingabourne Catchment Partnership Officer 

Salary: £29,000-£36,352 (pro-rata, 0.6 FTE) dependant on experience (Officer Band A Learning - Officer Band B Developing).  

Contract length:  0.6 FTE, Part-Time Position. Contract to 31st March 2028, with possibility to extend, subject to funding.

Location:This is a hybrid position with a mixture of working from home, Thames21’s main office at the Guildhall, City of London and site visits across Thames21 catchment areas as required.Occasional working from Thames21’s satellite office at Bow Locks, East London may also be required.                                                

Responsible to:               Catchment Partnership Programme Manager

About Thames21:

Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life. Through environmental improvements, community engagement, education and advocacy we bring about effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities to deliver tangible and measurable improvements to our network of rivers.

Diversity at Thames21

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Thames21 is key to our success and as such we employ staff from a diverse range of backgrounds, this we feel is key in ensuring that everybody has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics. We value the voices of our individual employees, and we strive to work in a collaborative, innovative balanced way. The postholder must actively support this.

Purpose of the job:

This post will form part of Thames21’s Catchment Partnership team. The successful candidate will co-host the Roding, Beam and Ingrebourne (RBI) Catchment Partnership, alongside Thames Chase Trust, and will be responsible for the partnership’s strategic development and expansion, working towards the successful delivery of the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) to improve the rivers and wider environment in this catchment.

The RBI Catchment Partnership covers an area of approximately 500km2, including the rural areas of Uttlesford, Brentwood, Epping Forest and Thurrock before reaching the urban stretches of Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham in north-east London where it borders the tidal Thames.

Main duties and responsibilities:

The officer will be expected to deliver across four priority areas:

1.Develop diverse, representative, collaborative and delivery focused partnerships

The successful candidate will need to work autonomously and proactively to seek out and positively engage strategic stakeholders within the RBI catchment area, building the influence and capacity of the Catchment Partnership network to deliver improvements for rivers and local communities. These stakeholders will include (but are not limited to) community groups, landowners, eNGOs, local authorities, government agencies and water companies.

2.Work with partnership networks to identify, develop and fundraise for river catchment improvement projects

Working alongside external partners and Thames21 colleagues, the Catchment Partnership Officer will need to draw on their knowledge of what makes a river catchment healthy to develop ambitious and impactful catchment improvement projects that meet the targets of Thames21’s 5-year plan and the RBI’s Catchment Action Plan. Once identified, the successful candidate will be required to work with relevant Thames21 teams and external partners to successfully fundraise for the development and delivery of these projects.

3.Bring together identified projects into detailed, deliverable catchment and sub-catchment action plans, and monitor progress against these.

The catchment partnership officer will be responsible for developing deliverable catchment and sub-catchment action plans that draw together projects identified across the catchment/sub-catchment area with landowner and stakeholder support. These plans should make the priority projects for delivery clear to external readers and catchment partners, enabling a strategic approach to project delivery in the catchment.

4.Break down silos by sharing information and bringing people together; in a way that is catchment wide, cross boundary and across multiple organisations.

The catchment partnership officer will be expected to share knowledge, news, funding opportunities and project progress between stakeholders through meetings, site visits, email newsletters and quarterly meetings of the whole Catchment Partnership (which the Officer will have the responsibility of arranging, coordinating and chairing, including the production of agendas, minutes and actions). The catchment partnership officer will be expected to communicate the work of their catchment partnership networks externally at relevant forums, including the River Partnerships in London (RiPL) Group, Thames Catchment Forum and strategic community events.

Other Duties

Where necessary, the catchment partnership officer may be required to support and lead on the delivery of river improvement projects, managing project deadlines and budgets. Moreover, this job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within Thames21; at various times the post-holder will be directed to carry out other reasonable duties in support of other Thames21 activities that are consistent with those in this Job Description.

This role is ideal for those who:

 Have a passion for rivers and environmental work.

• Can develop collaborative, positive relationships with project partners and diverse stakeholder groups.
• Are comfortable working autonomously to identify and develop river improvement projects
• Are self-motivated with a strong work ethic
• Are comfortable working in a flexible role and adapting to change
• Are comfortable to work across multiple projects and topics
• Are comfortable working at speed
• Are happy to work in a role which comprises both desk work and field work

Additional Information

· The post holder must be willing to occasionally work in the evening and at weekends

· 25 days paid annual leave are available pro rata plus public holidays. In addition, the Thames21 office is closed between Christmas and New Year.

· Thames21 operate a flexitime system of working and offer TOIL for overtime worked

· Thames21 have an ‘Auto Enrol’ Workplace Pension Scheme with NEST (8% employer contribution).

· 24/7 access to our employee assistance programme

· Laptop & Mobile phone for company use.

· Opportunity to join a recognised workplace union with IWGB

To apply for this position please apply with a CV and a covering letter via the Charity Job website with the reference CPO0826, in the subject box of your email application.

The closing date for applications is: 5pm, 13th September 2026.

Interview dates: Commencing late September 2026 (subject to change).

We appreciate the time you will have taken to apply to this role, and we do appreciate that it is disconcerting when you don’t hear back from a role you have applied for. However, due to the high number of applications we expect to receive, we are unable respond to or give feedback on individual applications, but we do want to be able manage expectations. Therefore, if you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

With a 110-year history, we are proud to be able to say that the WI continues to be the largest and most influential UK women’s organisation, with over 170,000 members. Our campaigns push for change on the issues that matter to women and their communities, from equal pay to climate change, mental health and violence against women. The WI has brought about real change, and this record of action shows that we are as relevant today as we were in 1915.

The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (the NFWI) is responsible for running the organisation and provides support and advice to members at both regional and local levels.

About the Innovation and Project Officer role

Supporting innovation across the organisation, you will help to develop and deliver programmes that grow our membership, reach and influence. You will lead the day-to-day management of pilot projects that test new initiatives and engagement opportunities with new audiences, monitoring and evaluating outcomes to capture insights and valuable learning that helps shape the direction of the organisation. This role will involve developing project plans, timelines and key deliverables to monitor project progress and ensure success. You will carry out qualitative and quantitative research to identify the current and changing needs of women to support organisational decision-making and drive innovation in everything that we do.

Location: Hybrid working, with one day per week at our London, Oxfordshire or Wales office.

About you

You should be experienced in supporting organisational development within membership settings, and skilled in project design and delivery. You will have strong data analysis and interpretation skills, with the ability to communicate your findings to diverse audiences. You should have a methodical approach to project management, and be able to confidently engage and build relationships with stakeholders and different audiences. Familiarity in overseeing budgets would be beneficial, as would some knowledge of the trends affecting the voluntary sector, but above all a passion for supporting initiatives that contribute to organisational growth and change will be key to your success in the role.

How to apply

For further information about this Innovation and Project Officer role, please download the recruitment pack which includes the job description and person specification.

To apply, please submit your current CV with a covering letter clearly explaining why you would be suitable for the role to the HR department.

Closing date: 15 September 2026.

First-round interview (virtual): w/c 21 September 2026.

Second-round interview (in-person): w/c 28 September 2026.

No other media or agencies, please.

The WI is proud to be an equal opportunities employer and values diversity. Reg. Charity No. 803793.