Senior communication officer jobs

Making The Leap is an innovative societal change charity that aims to make a big difference. From direct delivery, to advocacy and leadership, we refuse to stay in our lane and believe passionately that those we exist to serve have the right to be anything they want to be. To say that this is an exciting time for the organisation would be an understatement, as our incredible funders, donors, partners and supporters have given us the chance to move to the next level, and have further influence and delivery nationally.

We provide skills training, school and mentoring programmes, and partner with businesses who want to drive forward social mobility via learning programmes, internships, job opportunities and more.

Our aim is to ensure everyone has access to a good standard of living and equality of opportunity, no matter what their or their parents’ occupation or background is.

We are looking for a Senior Evaluation and Impact Officer to evaluate the impact of our delivery activities with young adults and students, and to support the Head of Research and Advocacy to produce our annual Impact Reports.

We are based in London and support young people via our direct delivery programmes. We take what we learn from our work and use it to inspire businesses across the UK to do more to improve social mobility (making sure people from all backgrounds get fair opportunities).

At Bipolar UK, we believe that no one should face bipolar alone. Every day, we work to ensure that people affected by bipolar can access the understanding, support and information they need to live well. As the UK's only national charity dedicated to bipolar, we reach around 10,000 people each month through our peer support services, online community, information resources, research partnerships and campaigns to improve diagnosis and access to care. 

We're entering an exciting period of growth and are looking for a passionate Senior Partnership Officer to help us build the partnerships and funding needed to expand our impact. Could you help us create a future where everyone affected by bipolar has access to timely support and specialist services? 

As Senior Partnership Officer, you'll play a pivotal role in developing and managing high-value relationships with corporate partners, major donors and strategic supporters. You'll identify and secure new partnership opportunities, create compelling funding propositions and steward supporters to deepen their engagement with Bipolar UK. Your work will directly help us reach more people affected by bipolar and deliver life-changing support across the UK. 

Key Details

Location: Flexible, home-based with occasional travel to events and team meetings. 

Hours: 35 hours per week. 

Salary: £35,000 depending on experience. 

Annual Leave: 25 days plus Bank Holidays (with an additional day accrued per each year of service)

Reporting to: Strategic Partnerships Manager. 

What You'll Be Working On

• Building and securing new corporate fundraising and strategic partnership opportunities. 
• Developing tailored partnership proposals and delivering engaging pitches to prospective supporters. 
• Managing and growing relationships with corporate partners, major donors and strategic allies. 
• Working with colleagues across services, fundraising and communications to develop innovative partnership opportunities. 
• Providing excellent stewardship through meetings, events, impact reporting and regular supporter engagement.
• Recording and tracking partnership activity through Salesforce and supporting effective monitoring and evaluation.

This Job Is For You If...

• You're a confident relationship builder who enjoys connecting with supporters and stakeholders. 
• You have experience securing income through partnerships, fundraising or business development. 
• You can create compelling written proposals and communicate persuasively with a range of audiences. 
• You're highly organised and able to manage multiple opportunities and projects simultaneously. 
• You're motivated by making a meaningful difference to the lives of people affected by bipolar. 

At Bipolar UK, we value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. If you're excited about the role but don't meet every requirement, we'd still love to hear from you. Together, we can ensure that more people affected by bipolar receive the support they need.

Age UK is seeking a highly skilled Senior Financial Accountant to join the Finance & Corporate Services division on a fixed term contract ending 30th July, 2027. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in our financial control environment, whilst supporting work that makes a real difference to older people across the UK.

As a Senior Financial Accountant, you will work alongside another SFA, supporting the Head of Financial Control and CFO to deliver accurate financial reporting and maintain strong controls across the Group and subsidiaries.

We are ideally seeking a candidate that is available for an immediate start in this hybrid role.

This is a hybrid opportunity, a blend of homebased and office working. Our linked office for this role is at One America Square, London (EC3N 2LB) and you would be expected to attend as and when required.

Key Responsibilities

Statutory Accounts & Reporting

Prepare statutory accounts for key subsidiaries and contribute to Group accounts.
Lead on Group SOFA and cashflow.
Act as a main point of contact for external auditors.

Controls & Month-End

Reconcile all balance sheet accounts monthly and address variances proactively.
Manage intercompany balances, pension accounting, investments, and consolidation.

Tax (VAT & CT)

Ensure VAT returns align with the Group's partial exemption method.
Support VAT queries and liaise with HMRC.
Prepare corporation tax computations and work with external advisers.

Additional Contributions

Provide data for investment committees and reserves reporting.
Support implementation of new accounting standards (SORP/FRS 102).
Contribute to new finance system implementation.

Must haves:

The below competencies will be assessed at the indicated stage of the recruitment process: Application = A, Interview = I, Test = T, Presentation = P

Experience
* ACCA, ACA qualified A
* Experience of providing monthly/annual reporting cycles. A, I

* Experience of producing high quality financial information including statutory accounts, financial analysis and board reports. A, I
* Experience of year end external audit. A, I

Skills and knowledge
* Good charity accounting skills including an understanding of charity fund accounting and activity accounting. A, I
* Excellent MS Office skills, particularly Excel. A, I
* Able to interact at all levels and excellent communication and interpersonal skills. A, I

Personal attributes
* Works in a structured and methodical manner, deadline driven. I
* Works well in a pressured environment. I
* Proactive approach, able to work independently as well as collaborate with other members of finance and the wider business. I

Great to Have's:
The below competencies will be assessed at the indicated stage of the recruitment process: Application = A, Interview = I, Test = T, Presentation = P

Experience
* Experience of using Business Central software. I
* Extensive experience of using Financial Systems. I
* Experience of reporting tools such as Power BI would be advantageous but not essential. I

What we offer in return

• Competitive salary, 26 days annual leave + bank holidays + annual leave purchase scheme
• Excellent pension scheme, life assurance, Health cashback plan and EAP
• Car Benefit Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme and Season Ticket Loan
• Techscheme - buy any tech from Apple or Currys, up to £1000, and spread the cost over 12 months, interest free
• Blue Light Card Scheme
• You Did It Awards - recognition awards from £100-250
• Many additional benefits

Additional Information

Supporting statements and anonymisation

Candidates are expected to provide a supporting statement that explains how they meet the competencies annotated with an 'A' in the job description, to assess suitability for the position.

Age UK acknowledges and accepts that AI may be used to support the application; we do expect candidates to personalise experience, knowledge and skills and failure to do so, may result in your application being rejected.

Please submit a Word version of your CV as it will be anonymised by our recruitment system when you apply for a role. Our system is unable to anonymise supporting statements and heavily formatted CVs. Please could you remove any personal information including your name before you upload to support our inclusive recruitment process. All equalities monitoring information is also anonymised and not shared with the hiring panel. Your name and address will only be known to us if invited for interview.

Equal opportunities & Disability Confident Scheme

Age UK is an Equal Opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. Age UK is a Disability Confident Scheme employer. Due to high numbers of applications received, Age UK reserves the right to limit the overall number of interviews offered, and therefore, it may not always be practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people that meet the minimum criteria for the job.

Reasonable adjustments

Disabled job seekers can access reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. All requests for reasonable adjustments are considered on a case-by-case basis, in collaboration with the disabled job seeker to best meet their needs, by contacting the Recruitment Team. Disability disclosures will be kept confidential and only shared on a need-to-know basis to support the implementation of adjustments. Disclosures will not be used to inform hiring decisions.

Age UK is committed to safeguarding adults at risk, and children, from abuse and neglect. We expect everyone who works with us to share this commitment.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert at any time.

Age UK politely requests no contact from recruitment agencies or media sales. We do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

For a full list of benefits please visit our website.

Are you passionate about supporting families through challenging and emotional times? Do you have experience developing and growing digital support services for families? 

Bliss is the UK’s leading national charity for babies born premature or sick, and we are looking for a Senior Support Officer (Digital) to join our enthusiastic and passionate Information and Support team to help make a real difference to the lives of families and babies in neonatal care.

The Senior Support Officer (Digital) plays a vital role in ensuring that every family of a baby born sick or premature can access impactful and personalised support, at their time of need.

By leading the improvement and development of Bliss digital support services, you will help support families with babies born premature or sick to be confident, well informed, connected to the help they need, and to be partners in the care of their babies. 
 

Terms

Location: Hybrid (3 days per fortnight in the London office, SE1)
Salary:£37,035 FTE
Terms: Full-time (35 hours per week). Permanent 
 

Role Details

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience of offering support across a variety of platforms to make a real difference as part of a small, dynamic and dedicated charity. 

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience: 

·Extensive experience of supporting people with emotional and/or practical support needs across digital platforms and digital support services. 
·Strong people and communication skills, including the ability to support people in distress. 
·Strong experience and skills for digital support content creation and moderation of online platforms
·Experience as a supportive, person-focussed line manager 
·Skills for leading and contributing to project teams to improve and develop new services based on user needs.
·Strong experience of service-user involvement and co-creation, with skills to lead initiatives to ensure services are designed around users’ needs.
·Experience of working in partnership with external organisations and individuals to develop and deliver services

For more details please view the job description and person specification below.

How to apply

Interested applicants are requested to submit the following documents

• Your CV (please ensure this does not include your age, gender or any other personal characteristics) 

• Supporting statement explaining how you meet the criteria in the person specification. This should address the essential points of the person specification and is expected to be no more than 1000-1500 words long

This information is used when shortlisting candidates for interview. 

We understand AI can be a helpful tool, but please use it with caution and ensure your application is personalised and accurate.

Please also submit an Equal Opportunities Form. This will not be used when shortlisting candidates, and is anonymous, but helps us monitor and improve our recruitment practices.

It is Bliss’ policy not to contact applicants who have not been invited for an interview so if you have not heard from us three weeks after the closing deadline, you should assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

Recruitment Timeline

• The deadline for applications is 5pm on 6th September 

• First round interviews will be held on w/c 14th September

• Second interviews in person at our London Bridge offices 22nd and 23rd September

Job Title: Church Engagement and Events Officer 

Responsible to: Senior Fundraising Manager 

Salary: £29,706 – £31,908 

Location: USPG, 5 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB 
 

Hours of work: Full time – 35 hours per week (Minimum two days per week in the London office). Occasional weekend and evening work with time off in lieu. The post involves up to 20% travel within Britain and Ireland.Permanent contract. 

The package also includes 

• 8% employer contribution to a pension 

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and additional discretionary leave during the Christmas week 

• Season Ticket Loan 

USPG is the Anglican mission agency that partners with churches and communities worldwide in God’s mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential and champion justice. You can find out more about our work by visiting our website.

The Job 

Reporting to the Senior Fundraising Manager, this role sits within the Communications, Engagement and Fundraising team. The Church Engagement and Events Officer will play a key role in building relationships with churches, supporters and volunteers across Britain, Ireland and Europe, helping them engage more deeply with USPG's vision and mission. 

You will lead the planning and delivery of USPG's events programme, including the USPG Conference, Founder's Day, In Conversation Dinners and the annual Carol Service, as well as supporting the organisation's presence at festivals, synods and other national events. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will help create inspiring and engaging experiences that raise awareness of USPG's global mission. 

As the first point of contact for many church supporters, you will provide excellent stewardship, support and resources that inspire churches and communities to engage through prayer, giving and action. You will also contribute to the development of USPG's church engagement activity, helping to strengthen supporter relationships and increase engagement across the church year. 

About You  

You are a confident and proactive relationship builder with experience in planning events and working with churches, supporters, volunteers or Christian organisations. You are passionate about helping people engage with mission, justice and the global Church. 

An organised and effective communicator, you can manage multiple projects and events, build strong stakeholder relationships and work independently while contributing to a collaborative team. You are comfortable engaging with clergy, church leaders, volunteers and supporters, and are motivated by USPG's mission and Christian ethos. 

This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking to develop a career in church engagement, events and supporter relations within a respected international mission agency. If you have the skills, enthusiasm and commitment to help churches connect with God's mission around the world, we'd love to hear from you. 

How to apply 

Please download and complete the attached application form and email it to HR as indicated on the document.

If you would like to discuss the role, please feel free to contact Natasha Bourne, HR Manager. 

Closing Date: 31st August 2026 

Provisional Interview Date: 8th September 2026 

We’re looking for an experienced fundraising leader who can combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery and take the next step into a broad senior leadership role.

As Head of Income Generation and Communications, you will lead Cosmic’s fundraising, marketing and communications function, with responsibility for sustainable income growth, team leadership and strengthening our profile. You will oversee a varied portfolio spanning community and challenge fundraising, corporate partnerships, major donors, events, volunteering and supporter stewardship, while also setting the direction for our communications, brand and digital activity.

This is a role with real scope to shape our future. You will work closely with the CEO and Trustees, lead a small team and external communications support, and develop a three-to-five-year strategy that turns ambition into clear plans, targets and results.

We are looking for someone with a strong track record in fundraising and income generation, experience of managing people and performance, and the confidence to oversee communications and volunteering strategically. You do not need to be a communications specialist, but you should understand how strong storytelling, supporter engagement and volunteer involvement can help drive income and impact.

Salary: £45,000–£50,000 | Full-time | Permanent | Hybrid, primarily based near St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington

We’re looking for a highly skilled individual who will help build on our relationships and networks across Westminster, to deliver ambitious political leadership on a range of issues. The post holder will be responsible for leading advocacy interventions and providing political support to our policy experts, with a focus on Transport and Resources policy.

As a senior political adviser within the politics team, you will also be involved with, and lead on, major projects or themes of work across the political leadership theme (including the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Environment (APPG), which Green Alliance holds the secretariat for), managing and developing key external relationships and supporting the Director of politics as they lead the politics team.

You will need to be an exceptional communicator, adept at bringing people together around a shared vision and have the interpersonal skills to inspire and work across Green Alliance and liaise with our extensive network of partners.

You will be a highly organised, capable multi-tasker with experience managing projects and able to think on your feet, while managing multiple relationships and advocating plans concurrently.

The role entails identifying and leading on opportunities for the UK government to achieve environmental progress and implementing advocacy strategies to secure it. You will have direct access to senior policy makers and environmental leaders, so will need to articulate recommendations succinctly and persuasively.

The role requires excellent understanding of UK political processes (especially in Westminster, parliament and Whitehall) and experience of using it to influence policy effectively. Experience of operating within the system or of working directly with politicians and the media to achieve policy change would be a distinct advantage.

Help tell the stories that bring joy to seriously ill children.

Rays of Sunshine is looking for a creative, sensitive and confident Senior Communications Officer to help bring our work to life through powerful storytelling, media engagement and compelling content.

This is an exciting opportunity to join us as we launch our new five-year strategy, refreshed brand and new website. You’ll play a key role in helping us share the stories of seriously ill children, young people and their families, raising awareness of our work and inspiring more people to support Rays of Sunshine.

As our Senior Communications Officer, you’ll act as our story development lead, working directly with children, young people and families to sensitively capture the moments that demonstrate the impact of our work. You’ll develop case studies, coordinate photography and filming, create content for social media, website, press and email marketing, and help ensure our storytelling is handled with care, consent and integrity.

You’ll also support PR and media activity, build relationships with journalists, identify media opportunities, draft press releases and case studies, and help coordinate activity involving families, colleagues, ambassadors, celebrities and high-profile supporters.

Alongside this, you’ll support our Wish Ambassador programme, celebrity and influencer engagement, digital communications, social media, website content and wider communications campaigns. This is a varied, hands-on role in a small and ambitious team, with the opportunity to make a real and lasting impact.

We’re looking for someone with excellent writing and storytelling skills, strong editorial judgement and the ability to build trusted relationships with families, journalists, ambassadors, celebrities and colleagues. You’ll be warm, organised, proactive and passionate about putting children’s voices at the heart of communications.

Rays of Sunshine has recently been recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026, reflecting our positive, values-led culture and commitment to supporting our people.

Join the award-winning Independent Society of Musicians
Central London – Senior Communications Officer Full time – £35k to £40k DOE

The ISM is now looking for an experienced and talented Senior Communications Officer to join our team, reporting to the Head of Sales & Marketing. This is an exciting opportunity for an outstanding writer and communications professional to help raise the profile of the ISM, promote the value of membership and engage professional musicians through high-quality content and campaigns.
You will lead on the planning, writing, editing and publication of content across a wide range of channels, including the ISM website, newsletters, publications, marketing materials and external media. You will be responsible for developing compelling and persuasive content that supports membership growth, strengthens the ISM brand and communicates the organisation's work effectively to members and the wider music sector.
You will also play a key role in managing the ISM's content strategy and SEO activity, working closely with the Website and Marketing Manager to improve content performance, increase visibility and attract new audiences through search. This will include content planning, keyword research, link-building activity and reporting on performance and engagement.
Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will identify opportunities to showcase the work of the ISM Group, including its campaigns, events, resources, legal services and thought leadership. You will also work closely with the Chief Executive on the production of Music Journal, secure profile-raising opportunities for senior representatives and support the development of speeches, presentations and briefing materials.
You will have significant experience in a communications, content, copywriting or marketing role and be able to demonstrate exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills. You will have experience of producing engaging content for a variety of audiences and channels, alongside a strong understanding of content marketing, brand management and SEO best practice. If possible, you should have a music background. 
You will be joining a professional and committed staff team based in Bayswater, London. This is an excellent opportunity for a creative and proactive communications professional who wants to make a real impact in a leading organisation supporting musicians across the UK.

For a full job description for this role please visit our website. 

To apply please send a CV and covering letter saying why you are right the person for the job 

Closing date is Tuesday 1st September at 8.30am. First interviews will take place face-to-face on Tuesday 8th September. Applications generated by AI will not be considered.

Senior Communications Officer

Ref: PR139

Hours: 28-35 hours per week (negotiable)

Salary: SCP25 £36,363 to SCP26 £37,280 (full time)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Carers Leeds supports hybrid working arrangements, in the Carers Leeds office, community locations, and from home.

Closing date: 11.59pm, 8 September

Interview date: 23 September

Vision

Our vision at Carers Leeds is that all unpaid carers in our city are recognised, valued and supported to live a fulfilling life.

Mission

Carers Leeds wants to improve the lives of unpaid carers across the city. We provide information, advice and support to unpaid adult and parent carers in Leeds. We aim to influence others to act and create positive change for unpaid carers.

What is an unpaid carer?

An unpaid carer is someone who provides help and support to a family member, friend or neighbour who couldn’t manage without their help. This could be due to illness, disability, mental health problems or substance misuse.

What we do

Established in 1996, Carers Leeds is a charity which provides information, advice and support to unpaid adult and parent carers across our city. We have a Support Line, carers support groups, one to one support and support in hospitals. Some of our services are open to all carers and some are targeted at specific groups of carers. Our services are provided to communities throughout Leeds. We work in partnership with others to deliver our service and to influence them to act to benefit unpaid carers.

Brief Role Description: 

This role will lead communications at Carers Leeds with the aim of identifying and engaging carers; raising awareness of caring and influencing others in the city to act to benefit carers; and fundraising. The postholder will work closely with the CEO, the Senior and Operational Management Teams to design and deliver the organisation’s communications strategy and plans.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

· Work closely with the CEO and SMT to agree Carers Leeds communications strategy. Responsible for developing, updating and monitoring Carers Leeds communications plans, to ensure a co-ordinated approach to communications.

· Establish and maintain effective communications processes and good working relationships across the Carers Leeds team to support communication across service delivery, carer awareness, influencing and fundraising.  

· Oversee Carers Leeds communication channels, act as the point of contact for all media enquiries and build relationships with external stakeholders to amplify our messages and to reach key audiences. 

· Ensure consistent brand use across all our work, develop a suite of on-brand digital and print materials and provide communication support, guidance and training for staff and volunteers, where appropriate. 

This post is subject to a satisfactory a DBS check

Excellentterms and conditions including: 

· 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time) 

· Flexitime

· Hybrid working (part home/part office based) 

Please submit online applications only. (No Agencies or CVs thanks)

Carers Leeds celebrates diversity and strives to be an equal, diverse, and inclusive organisation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. Groups currently under-represented in our workforce are people from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities, younger and older workers, men, and transgender people.

Carers Leeds is a Limited Company Registered No. 3242065
Registered Charity No. 1058706

Background

The Lily Foundation is the UK's leading charity dedicated to advancing research, raising awareness, and providing support for individuals and families affected by mitochondrial disease ('mito'). Our vision is for a world in which every mitochondrial disease patient has a voice and access to treatment, support to improve their life and, ultimately, a cure.

We currently raise around £1m each year, with community fundraising, challenges and special events generating the majority of our income. With a new fundraising strategy in place, exciting plans for growth and increasing opportunities to engage supporters in different ways, we're looking for someone to bring these programmes together into a joined-up public fundraising portfolio.

This is a fantastic opportunity to help shape the future of public fundraising at The Lily Foundation, building on our strong foundations while developing new ways to inspire supporters, grow income and maximise long-term engagement.

About the role

This is an exciting new role with responsibility for leading and developing Lily's public fundraising programme, bringing together our sports events, special events, community fundraising and emerging individual giving activity.

Reporting to the COO, you'll provide leadership across the public fundraising team, ensuring our programmes work together to deliver an outstanding supporter experience and sustainable income growth. You'll line-manage three colleagues, helping them succeed in their roles while creating a joined-up approach to planning, delivery and stewardship across the portfolio.

Alongside overseeing one of Lily's largest fundraising income streams, you'll also play an important role in developing our Individual Giving, Regular Giving and legacy fundraising activity, helping turn these emerging programmes into strong and sustainable sources of future income. If you're someone who enjoys developing people, spotting opportunities and bringing different strands of fundraising together, this is a brilliant opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the delivery and ongoing development of Lily's public fundraising programme, ensuring community fundraising, sports events, special events and individual giving activity work together to maximise income and supporter engagement.
• Line-manage, support and develop the two Events Managers and the Community & Individual Giving Officer, providing clear direction, regular feedback and development opportunities, and carrying out formal performance reviews
• Work closely with the Head of Fundraising to translate Lily's fundraising strategy into practical annual plans, priorities and targets for the public fundraising portfolio.
• Oversee the performance of the public fundraising programme, monitoring income, expenditure and KPIs, identifying trends and opportunities, and taking action where required.
• Support the continued development of Lily's Individual Giving, Regular Giving and Legacy fundraising programmes, helping to test new ideas, improve supporter journeys and build long-term sustainable income.
• Ensure supporters receive an excellent experience across all public fundraising activity, developing joined-up stewardship journeys that encourage long-term support.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing colleagues to develop engaging fundraising campaigns, products and communications that inspire supporters to get involved.
• Encourage innovation and continuous improvement across the team, using insight, evaluation and supporter feedback to inform future activity.
• Ensure accurate use of the CRM system (Donorfy), promoting good data management and using reporting and insight to support decision-making.
• Prepare regular reports and updates for the Head of Fundraising and COO, highlighting progress, opportunities, risks and recommendations.
• Work collaboratively across fundraising, marketing and operations to ensure public fundraising activity is well planned, well supported and aligned with organisational priorities.

Are you an experienced operational leader looking for the opportunity to help shape the future of a growing, ambitious and values-led charity?

Project 21 is looking for its first Chief Operating Officer to join us at an exciting point in our development, strengthening the organisation behind our services and helping us achieve even more for people with Down’s Syndrome and their families.

Project 21 is a growing charity providing opportunities, support and experiences for people with Down’s Syndrome across Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Our work includes community-based learning, performing arts, residential trips, employment opportunities and family support, all underpinned by our belief that people with Down’s Syndrome should have every opportunity to belong, believe and achieve.

As Project 21 continues to grow, we are looking for an exceptional Chief Operating Officer (COO) to work alongside our CEO & Founder and provide strategic and operational leadership across the organisation.

This is a newly created role and a genuine opportunity to help shape the next chapter of Project 21.

The COO will lead our day-to-day organisational operations, providing oversight across people, services, finance, systems, governance, compliance and organisational development. You will lead and support our Senior Leadership Team, strengthen systems and processes, develop leadership capability and ensure our growing organisation remains safe, effective, sustainable and true to its values.

Crucially, the role will create greater capacity for our CEO to focus on Project 21’s long-term future, including strategic partnerships, fundraising and our ambitious Big Build vision.

We are looking for someone who combines strong operational and organisational leadership with excellent people skills. You will be comfortable moving between strategy and delivery, developing senior leaders, making decisions, improving systems and bringing clarity to a busy and evolving organisation.

You do not necessarily need to have been a COO before. We are interested in experienced senior leaders who can demonstrate the skills, judgement and leadership capability required to step into an organisation-wide role. Experience within charities, social care, SEND, education or another people-focused organisation would be particularly valuable.

This is an office-based leadership role at our Clubhouse in Suffolk, reflecting the importance we place on visible, accessible leadership and being connected to our members, families and colleagues. The role will also involve travel across Project 21 locations and to external meetings.

What we’re looking for

We’d particularly love to hear from someone who:

• Is an experienced and confident senior leader
• Is an excellent people manager who enjoys developing others
• Can translate strategy into effective operational delivery
• Has experience of organisational growth and change
• Understands good governance, HR, finance, risk and compliance
• Can develop effective systems and improve organisational efficiency
• Is comfortable making decisions and taking accountability
• Can build strong relationships with colleagues, families, trustees and external partners
• Shares our commitment to inclusion and person-centred practice
• Is excited by the opportunity to help build something, rather than simply maintain what already exists

Above all, we are looking for someone who understands that strong operations are ultimately about people. Someone who can bring structure without unnecessary bureaucracy, accountability without losing warmth, and professional leadership while protecting the culture that makes Project 21 special.

Salary: £55,000–£60,000 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week Mon-Fri, with occasional Saturday on-call hours
Location: Project 21 Clubhouse, Brightwell Barns, Suffolk

If you are excited by the opportunity to play a significant role in the future of an ambitious charity and help us build the organisational foundations for our next stage of growth, we would love to hear from you.

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.

Position

MSF UK is looking for an experienced communications professional to join our team as a Senior Press Officer. You’ll play a leading role in managing high-profile reactive media enquiries so we’re looking for someone with sound news judgement, people management skills and the ability to maintain resilience. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who can think strategically, make confident decisions under pressure, and build strong relationships with journalists.

Hours: Full-Time (37.5 hours per week) Mon - Fri

Duration: Permanent

Location: London – hybrid, 2 days per week London Office (including Wednesdays)

Salary: £54,452.47 – £66,553.01 per annum | Salary is offered in line with our pay framework and typically starts at the entry point of the band. Salary increases are considered annually and are subject to our appraisal and performance review process.

Job Purpose:

To raise awareness of the work and priorities of MSF with core target audiences via coverage in UK and international radio, podcasts, TV, print, online and documentaries.

Maintain relationships with international colleagues e.g. the IO, Communication Advisors, other press officers in key hubs globally as well as field communications teams.

Together with the other Senior Press Officer, deputise for Head of Media on rotation.

Secure both proactive and reactive media coverage – reacting in a swift manner to incoming news requests and seeking out new opportunities for coverage. The majority of the time you will be handling reactive news enquiries, and identifying opportunities in the news cycle to pitch proactively. During emergencies, the focus would be on reactive.

Support more junior members of the team – including line management of a press officer.

You will be part of an on-call / out of hours rota, including evenings and weekends, for which you will accumulate TOIL.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrable experience in senior press office work, TV production or international journalism, including substantial understanding of, and contacts in, UK media.
• Experience in pitching stories and features to print, radio, TV, podcast and online
• Good knowledge of world affairs and a demonstrable understanding of and commitment to humanitarian issues.
• Ability to cope with stress, competing priorities and short deadlines, retain good humour and make sound ethical and personal judgements in order to deal with ambiguities and conflict.
• Project management skills.
• Industry contacts - essential.
• Line management skills - desirable.
• Experience in the practical use of personal IT equipment and Microsoft Office 365 suite. The ability to effectively collaborate and communicate within a hybrid working environment utilising Teams, SharePoint, One Drive and Yammer.