Senior advocate jobs in Birmingham

Job description

 Overall purpose of role

As WeProtect Global Alliance Fundraising and Grants Manager,you will:

• Lead the day-to-day management of a multi-donor grant portfolio (restricted and unrestricted) to ensure donor obligations are met in full and on time.
• Optimise and maintain grants management systems (calendars, trackers, templates, CRM, workflows) proportionate to a small organisation operating at global scale.
• Produce and co-ordinate high-quality donor reporting and contribute to renewal and proposal development, working closely with the Head of Development and collaborating with the Deputy Head of Operations and Finance, as well as colleagues in the Strategy and Members teams.
• Ensure and strengthen donor compliance, due diligence, and data assurance across the grant lifecycle in line with donor requirements, relevant regulations (including UK and EU), and best practice standards (including GDPR).
• Support the Head of Development and Deputy Head of Operations and Finance with grant budgets, forecasts and pipeline, supporting decision-making by the Executive Team and Board.

Key responsibilities

Portfolio ownership & planning

• Maintain a live grants calendar covering deliverables, reports, payments, audits and evaluations; ensure all internal and donor deadlines are met.
• Act as primary point of contact for assigned donors on contractual, reporting, and routine relationship matters, escalating strategically as needed.

 Reporting & stewardship

• Coordinate the production of timely, accurate and outcome-focused narrative and financial reports, synthesising inputs from programme, policy, finance and leadership colleagues.
• Support contract amendments/variations, no-cost extensions, and budget realignments in collaboration with the Head of Development and Deputy Head of Operations and Finance.

Compliance, risk & due diligence

• Interpret, operationalise, and ensure adherence to donor terms and conditions, including eligibility rules, procurement, safeguarding, DEI, anti-fraud, and data protection requirements.
• Contribute to risk registers linked to grants and grant files (audit-ready) with clear decision trails.
• Support alignment with UK and EU regulatory frameworks and internal policies.

Budgeting, finance & cost recovery

• Support the Head of Development and Deputy Head of Operations and Finance to maintain budgets, forecasts, and cashflows to delivery plans.
• Support cost recovery and overhead allocation approaches and ensure compliant coding and reporting for restricted awards (i.e. timesheets and expense coding).
• Track income recognition and receivables against milestones; prepare payment requests/invoices as required.

Proposals, renewals & pipeline support

• Work with and report to the Head of Development to identify and develop new funding opportunities.
• Support the preparation of compelling proposals, concept notes, and donor presentations tailored to institutional, foundation, and private sector partners.
• Conduct donor research and maintain a live fundraising tracker and CRM system to support proactive pipeline management.
• Contribute to the cultivation and stewardship of funders, preparing impact reports, case studies, and donor communications.
• Coordinate cross-team inputs for donor meetings, funding campaigns, or events that support income generation.

Systems, data & process improvement

• Utilise available grants management tools (e.g., trackers, templates, checklists, shared drives/SharePoint, CRM).

· Promote disciplined data management, ensuring GDPR-compliant document storage and access controls.

• Provide training and guidance to colleagues on grant requirements and internal workflows.

Governance & internal collaboration

• Prepare or contribute to concise briefings, dashboards, and summaries for the Head of Development, Executive Team, and Global Policy Board.
• Contribute to annual planning, KPI setting, and impact measurement related to fundraising and grant delivery.
• Support continuous improvement in monitoring, evaluation, and learning.

Expectations

Cross-functional operational collaboration

• Contribute to the WeProtect Global Alliance operational compliance, financial and grant management processes and systems.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver cross-functional projects that will strengthen the reach and impact of the WeProtect Global Alliance Secretariat.

Building an inclusive culture

• Play a proactive role in ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is embedded in everything we do.
• Embrace diversity and recognise different perspectives within collaborative working to create a more impactful and effective organisation. 
• Commit to ensuring all employees are treated fairly and equitably at work, feel like they belong, and promote equality in physical and mental health for all.

Other

• To attend and contribute to meetings, training, and other events as required.
• To actively participate in our supervision and appraisal process.
• To ensure that all responsibilities and activities within this post are delivered in accordance with WeProtect Global Alliance core values and relevant corporate, organisational, financial, and compliance policies.
• To travel to meetings, which may require the need to work unsociable hours, e.g. attending evening or weekend meetings.
• To adhere to relevant legal and statutory requirements including the Data Protection Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act.
• To use WeProtect Global Alliance resources responsibly.

As a global, multi-sector alliance, ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is embedded in everything we do is a critical priority. We embrace diversity and understand that being an inclusive organisation, recognising different perspectives, will enable us to be impactful and effective. We are committed to ensuring all our employees are treated fairly and equitably at work and promoting equality in physical and mental health for all.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

Experience

1. Substantial hands-on experience managing multi-donor grants across the full lifecycle, from start-up to close-out with a diverse donor community (governments/multilaterals, trusts and foundations, and private donors), including restricted awards.

2. Proven track record coordinating high-quality donor reports and ensuring contractual compliance across multiple awards and deadlines.

3. Demonstrable experience collaborating internally and leading applications, funding reports, financial reporting (budgets, forecasts, cost recovery, and expenditure monitoring).

4. Experience of preparing concept notes, proposals, and application forms for funding opportunities.

5. Experience with grant databases/CRM.

6. Stakeholder management skills, with experience liaising with donors and supporting senior leaders with briefings and stewardship.

7. Experience in due diligence, risk management and audit-readiness for grants (e.g., procurement, safeguarding, sanctions/PEP checks, data protection).

8. Proven experience working autonomously in a fast-paced environment to deliver a broad range of donor activities.

Skills

1. Outstanding organisation and time management, with the ability to manage competing deadlines and maintain meticulous records.

2. Excellent written communication, able to synthesise complex information into clear, outcome-focused reports and proposals.

3. Financial literacy: confident reviewing budgets, variances and forecasts; advanced Excel skills and comfort with shared-working tools (MS Office, Teams, SharePoint).

4. Analytical judgement and problem-solving, with a pragmatic, solutions-focused mindset.

5. Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote, international team, exercising discretion and sound judgement.

6. Commitment to safeguarding, child protection, EDI, and ethical fundraising practice.

Knowledge

1. Practical understanding of donor compliance for public/institutional and philanthropic funders, including awareness of different types of donor reporting requirements.

2. Knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and learning principles and how to evidence impact and learning in grant reports.

3. Familiarity with data protection (GDPR) and information governance in grants contexts.

4. Understanding of WeProtect Global Alliance’s mission, vision, values, and global operating context.

Other

1. A willingness to travel and work unsocial hours (time in lieu can be claimed)

2. Commitment to your own continuing professional and personal development

3. To uphold high standards of work, standards, and conduct in line with WeProtect Global Alliance values.

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience setting up or improving grants management systems (trackers, calendars, templates, workflows) proportionate to a small organisation.

2. Experience of using online funding and grant management portals.

3. Awareness of global child protection policies and procedures within the digital arena and a genuine passion for child protection

Diversity, inclusion, and equity

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those of different ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, and lived experiences. We particularly encourage applications from individuals who are part of communities that are under-represented in our sector, including Black, Asian, and other ethnic minorities, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Safeguarding and values

As a child-focused organisation, we have a strong commitment to child safeguarding and rigorous procedures. The successful candidate will be required to provide two referees and to undergo a criminal record check. 

All staff are expected to act at all times in a manner consistent with our values and in compliance with our policies and procedures, including our Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

Our values are:

· Empowerment – collaboration, innovation, challenge

· Accountability – responsibility, delivery, safeguarding

· Respect – honesty, feedback, inclusion.

Position: Community Physical Activity Project Co-ordinator (MS Warrior Alumni Club)
Hours: Part-time, 14 hours a week
Contract: Fixed term until 31 March 2027
Location: Home-based, Scotland
Salary: £26,912 per annum FTE (£10,764.80 per annum for 14 hours per week) plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 1, Charity

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do and it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

Can you inspire people, build partnerships and create communities that help people living with MS thrive?

We're looking for someone who believes that peer support, movement and community can transform lives.

Thanks to funding from the Movement for Health Grant Scheme, we're creating an exciting new fixed-term role to develop the MS Warrior Alumni Club. Building on the success of the 12-week MS Warrior programme, you'll help create opportunities for people to remain active, connected and supported long after the programme ends through local activities, online communities and volunteer-led peer support.

Working alongside volunteers, people living with MS, healthcare professionals and community partners, you'll create opportunities that encourage ongoing physical activity, wellbeing and peer support across Scotland.

A key part of the role will be recruiting, supporting and developing a network of MS Warrior Alumni Champions. Using their own lived experience, these volunteers will encourage others to build confidence, overcome barriers to physical activity and become part of a supportive, community-led network.

You'll also develop partnerships with leisure providers, community organisations and healthcare professionals, creating more inclusive opportunities for people living with MS to be active in their local communities.

This is an opportunity to shape an innovative model that has the potential to influence how community-based physical activity and peer support are delivered for people living with MS across Scotland.

No two days will be the same. One day you might be facilitating a community conversation with people living with MS, the next you'll be supporting volunteers, developing new partnerships or helping launch a local wellbeing activity.

If you're passionate about community development, partnership working and helping people live well with MS, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note this is a part-time 14 hrs per week fixed term contract until 31 March 2027

Closing date for applications: 12:00 noon on 30 August 2026
Anticipated interview date: 10 September 2026

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

The Opportunity 

As a key leader within our Partnerships and Income Development team, you will be responsible for creating, developing and delivering the Social Mobility Foundation’s Employer Programme – how we inform, influence and positively impact employer-led social mobility, and a source of income generation.

You will champion the Employer Programme internally, forging effective collaborations with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that our work with employers is understood and celebrated, and that opportunities to promote, develop and grow are maximised.

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships and Income Development, you’ll be the custodian of the Social Mobility Employer Index (SMEI) – our annual benchmarking and assessment tool for how UK employers recruit, retain and develop talent from all socioeconomic backgrounds and build inclusive workplaces. A key priority for this role will be a strategic growth plan for the Employer Programme that focuses on growing Index entrants, diversifying employment sectors, progressing employer best practice and maximising revenue.

By collaborating with internal teams and existing partners who offer pro-bono consultancy, you’ll scope, develop and deliver new products, resources and services that equip employers with the knowledge and practical tools to improve social mobility in the workplace.

We’re looking for someone who is willing and able to move easily between strategic thinking, marketing and hands-on delivery, and is excited about taking full ownership over this important work. Combining a passion for delivering our mission with keen commercial acumen, high attention to detail and project management skills, this is a unique chance to make a big impact on social mobility in the UK.

Location: We operate a hybrid model of work i.e. a combination of in-person and remote, with flexible days in the office depending on business need and your preferences. We would typically expect in-office attendance an average of one day per week.

When in the office you will be based in one of our regional offices (either Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester or Newcastle – depending on preference and accessibility). This is where you will usually attend in-person events, training sessions etc. though some travel, to other offices and other locations, will occasionally be expected.

Contract: Full-time/Part-time, Permanent

Hours: We are looking for the right candidate and while we envisage this being a full-time role (37.5 hours per week) we are open to flexible working arrangements such as part-time, compressed hours, flexitime and job-shares. 

Occasional/frequent evening or weekend work may be required, for which time off in lieu (TOIL) will be given. 

Key Responsibilities:

1. Customer service and value proposition

• Develop value propositions for the SMEI and other employer products and services to help employers understand and improve social mobility in the workplace 
• Create and develop assets and activities to market the Employer Programme to employers across a range of platforms 
• Define the customer journey for the SMEI and ensure seamless customer experience, with clear and proactive communication and relevant content and resources 
• Actively manage and steward the customer pipeline for the SMEI and broader Employer Programme, reporting on prospects, acquisition and conversion 
• Gather customer feedback and market insights to help improve and develop products and services  

 2. Product ownership and project management 

• Project manage the Programme, with responsibility for key delivery areas yourself, as well as working with the Senior Index Coordinator / Policy Officer and other colleagues/external suppliers to deliver 
• Oversee the day-to-day delivery of the Programme and the annual Index scoring and feedback cycle, working with the Senior Policy Officer to ensure a smooth experience for employers  
• Lead the annual cycle for the SMEI product and other employer products as they are developed: defining the scope of work and setting priorities, survey review and design, data collection, overseeing marking and reporting, product review and evaluation 
• Manage all aspects of the Employer service, including the ongoing development of the digital platform, employer resources and online content   

3. Product and service development

• Develop the Employer Programme by scoping, developing and delivering new products, resources and services that equip employers with the knowledge and practical tools to improve social mobility in the workplace, e.g. a consultancy offer, events, webinars, staff training and off-the-shelf resources  
• Work with pro-bono supporters and existing partners to scope need, and test and pilot new products and services 
• Responsible for the annual evaluation of the programme, drawing on data and policy evidence, customer feedback and sector insights to inform development  

4. Stakeholder Management

• Champion and represent the Employer Programme externally, including attending and presenting at events, acting as spokesperson, meeting prospective entrants and other opportunities to grow connections and reach 
• Engage with external stakeholders, such as employers, policy experts and social mobility practitioners, to understand key issues and trends relevant to workplace and employer-led social mobility 
• Scope and create an external advisory group to support the development of the products and services that form part of the Employer Programme 
• Seek opportunities to collaborate with external partners to share relevant content and tools, and co-create and develop new products and services 
• Ensure that insights and impact from the Index and the SMF’s work with employers are communicated internally and externally 

5. Systems and Processes

• Work with internal and external partners to ensure the Index is as technologically efficient as possible, e.g. automating aspects of the marking and feedback process, ensuring quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting and identifying and progressing other ways to drive efficiency and maximise reach, whilst retaining the quality of the programme 
• Drive best practice and set a culture where digital tools are used effectively for relationship management and fundraising, including Salesforce 
• Maintain accurate and up to date records, using SharePoint and our Salesforce CRM to support pipeline management, income tracking and partner record 

6. Leadership and Development

• Play a proactive role in leading and inspiring the team, fostering a collaborative and creative culture of fundraising, income and product development 
• Champion the Employer Programme internally, forging effective collaborations across the organisation to ensure that our work with employers is understood and celebrated, and that opportunities to promote, develop and grow are maximised. Key relationships will include colleagues working in communications, campaigns and advocacy, data, finance and programme development.  

7. Line Management (Matrix Structure)

• Day-to-day people management  
• Identify training and development needs; employ a coaching approach, and clarify opportunities for skill enhancement and career growth  
• Recruit and induct new team members, and oversee the separation process for any leavers   
• Reasonably support well-being; provide a supportive work environment, and address any issues that may impact the well-being and morale of your reports   

Please see full job description attached for more details. 

Person Specification:

We need someone who will demonstrate our organisational skills-based competencies - as listed below: 

1.  Leadership
2.  Communication
3.  Adaptability
4.  Professionalism 
5.  Decision-making

Technical knowledge, understanding and experience required:

Commercial and customer service:

• Demonstrable experience in managing pipelines and/or stewarding customers, demonstrating excellent customer service skills and a high attention to detail
• Confidence in public speaking, presenting or facilitating workshops with professional audiences 

Project management and product development:

• Demonstrable experience designing, delivering and developing programmes, products and/or services that meet organisational needs 
• Demonstrable experience in project management, shaping long-term strategy while managing day-to-day operations and delivery 

Project management and product development:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with experience building and managing relationships 

IT skills:

• Experience using Microsoft Office
• Experience of using or understanding of CRM software to effectively support pipeline and partnership management e.g. Salesforce
• Experience of or understanding of managing and using digital platforms for programmes, products and/or services 

Policy and data skills (desirable):

• Understanding of issues related to social mobility, diversity and inclusion, or workforce development
• Understanding of and/or experience in benchmarking tools, indices or assessment frameworks 

See attached job description for more detail on the person specification

Ways of working:

• Most of our work is office based, but you will spend a lot of time collaborating with other teams and clients via email, telephone and other communications channels such as Teams or Zoom. 
• Some travel will be required as part of this role to other offices and locations, as needed for events, work placements and meetings.

Benefits

• 36/37 days' annual leave (England & Wales and Scotland respectively - includes bank and public holidays), with 3 of these days reserved for the annual end of year office closure.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• 5% Salary sacrifice pension scheme with enhanced matching employer contributions
• Employee Assistance Programme available to staff and their family
• Flexible work options such as hybrid working, flexitime, part-time
• Regular staff team building and business planning “away days”

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please head over to our website by 23:59, Thursday 3rd September and provide the following information:

1)    An outline of your previous relevant job roles (job title and dates only)

2)     A cover statement outlining your suitability for the role, with particular emphasis on how your experience, skills and knowledge meet the person specification (max. 750 words)

Thinking of using AI to help with your application? AI tools (such as Chat GTP, Gemini and Copilot) can help you research the SMF and the role you're applying for. They can also help you structure your application. The applications that stand out most are the ones that feel genuine and reflect your unique self and experiences.

Please note that generic applications and CV’s will not be considered.

The young people, children and families that we support are at the heart of everything we do at Mermaids.  The work that we do has significantly expanded and we now need a highly effective and experienced Support Line Manager to join the organisation. The role is a core part of the our management team and will lead and manage our support line services.

Mermaids is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from those with lived experiences (directly or indirectly) and/or close ties to the LGBTQ+ community. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences to join us and shape what we do. We are particularly keen to receive applications from BPOC (black and people of colour) and/or disabled and trans candidates.