Senior communications manager jobs in carlisle, cumbria

SOS Children’s Villages UK is part of a global federation, which exists to ensure that each child and young person grows up with the healthy relationships they need to become their strongest selves. We are the world’s largest non-governmental organisation focused on supporting children and young people who don’t have, or who are at risk of losing, parental care.

We are now looking for an experienced Senior Programme Funding Manager to secure crucial support from grant-making organisations and institutional funders.

• Drive strategic growth by mapping global programmes to UK funding opportunities, developing innovative strategies, and pioneering our humanitarian funding approach.

• Craft compelling partnerships by transforming programme insights into standout proposals and building strong relationships with like-minded funders.

• Collaborate globally with international teams to ensure funding applications reflect real community needs and align with expert input across safeguarding, finance, and programme delivery.

• Innovate by forming strategic partnerships with NGOs, research institutions, and development actors to co-create impactful new approaches.

• Lead grant processes from end to end, ensuring excellence in donor communications, reporting, and internal collaboration across departments.

• Maintain rigorous standards by managing due diligence, tracking progress in Salesforce, forecasting KPIs, and ensuring compliance with policies and best practice.

If you are an exceptional relationship builder, experienced in international development, looking for a pivotal role within a friendly, flexible, and supportive team, then this could be for you!

To Apply

Please read the full Candidate Pack attached which contains the entire job description and person specification, and submit a copy of your CV and a covering letter.

The deadline for applications is Friday 27 June 2025, 17.00 UK time. 

Please note: 

The post-holder must be UK-based and able to work on a permanent full-time contract. We are unable to provide employment sponsorship if required and unfortunately cannot progress applications without the required right to live and work in the UK on a permanent contract.

We’re the charity helping millions of people feel happier and healthier by spending more time on and along our historic canals and rivers. Our tranquil and wildlife-rich spaces provide places to walk, run, bike, boat, fish and rest. It takes an extraordinary team to bring our waterways to life and that is where you come in.

Individual Giving Fundraising is at the heart of the Trust’s Fundraising Strategy, and with ongoing investment to grow our supporter database and accelerate income generation, it's a truly exciting time to join our Fundraising Team.

The Senior Direct Marketing Executive is a key role within the Acquisition & Development Team. They will be driving collaborative working as they lead on cross functional digital projects across Brand, Fundraising and more! We are looking for a digital expert who thrives in an independent working environment and who can hit the ground running to lead on email strategy, a digital fundraising audit and the projects that arise from that. They should be solutions focused, proactive, innovative and collaborative.

Location/base: This role will be based from home, but will require regular travel to London, Birmingham and other Trust locations for meetings and team days. 

Key Accountabilities:

• Reviewing, owning and implementing our Digital Fundraising Audit project – taking the actions to complete the audit, and also leading on the workstreams that come out of it.
• Leading on email strategy and becoming a super user of Marketo, our email platform, and continuously looking to optimise ways of working regarding emails.
• Leading on onward journeys and reporting on them on a regular basis.
• Working closely with the CRM Manager and Supporter Journey Manager to ensure excellent supporter experience, clear data flows and journey maps are completed for all digital campaigns.
• Developing strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders – from brand marketing and web development teams to creative and paid media agencies.
• Working closely with the Acquisition Team to help us deliver detailed digital analysis of campaigns.
• Ensuring we explore new and innovative digital opportunities, while remaining compliant.
• Reforecasting income and expenditure for areas of responsibility.
• Support the wider Individual Giving & Legacy team as required, including stewardship of other donor audiences during peak seasons and campaign support as required and agreed with their team manager. 

Person Specification

Essential

• Demonstrable digital experience, particularly within a role or organisation focused on conversion and direct response
• Strong interpersonal skills, skilled at building internal and external relationships.
• Experience of analysing digital campaign performance and optimising in order to meet fundraising targets.
• Experience of email marketing and email marketing platforms.
• Ability to work independently and drive projects forward proactively.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Willing to adopt the Trust’s values as your own: caring, openness and transparency, supporting the local community, involving others, and striving for excellence
• Proficient in the use of MS office applications, particularly Excel and Word. 

Desirable

• Experience of working in a digital fundraising role in a charity
• Technical experience of digital platforms
• Experience of building reports and using PowerBI
• Understanding of Fundraising regulation and statutory data compliance,
• Knowledge of Fundraising databases and customer relationship management programs
• Experience of working in a fast paced and ambitious team environment.

What We Offer

In addition to your salary of £39,250, you will benefit from a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits.

• 25 days paid holiday, plus paid Bank Holidays, increasing to 27 days plus Bank Holidays after 3 years
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity – hobbies; aspirations etc. 
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues – health; financial; lifestyle; well-being; domestic & neighbourly matters. 
• Access to a range of employee benefits including – store discounts; boating holiday discounts; holiday purchase scheme. 
• 2 days paid volunteering leave, volunteering for local community project work.

We are now at an exciting time where we must grow to meet the ambition of our new 10-year strategy. To support our team and community in this next stage of our development, we are now looking for a Communications Officer.   

Working closely with the Senior Communications Manager and our Engagement and Events team, the new hire will help to promote the capitals approach and position the Capitals Coalition as the central and leading organization in this space. 

Collaboration, communication, and shared ownership are central to our way of working. We are looking for a candidate with a strong ‘can-do’ attitude, great communication and organizational skills, who can work independently to a high standard, and have a creative eye. If you are passionate about working at the intersection of climate, biodiversity, social development, equity, and economics, believe people and planet must be at the heart of decision making, and are keen to learn, then we want to hear from you!

Download the job description and application form and learn how to apply at our website. The final deadline to apply is 15th June.

Team: Individual Giving

Location: Homebased with occasional travel for meetings

Work pattern: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Salary: Up to £42,750.72 per annum: 

Contract: Fixed term for 12 months

We are the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. All over the country, our passionate employees, volunteers and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.

Will you join us and make life better for cats?

Responsibilities of our Senior Individual Giving Officer:

• This role is crucial in delivering the charity’s Individual Giving programme, working across multiple communication channels to grow sustainable income for Cats Protection by recruiting and stewarding supporters across a range of products.
• This includes everything from making TV ads, working with Face-to-Face fundraisers, running our digital campaigns, mailings, telemarketing campaigns, and much more– all of which feature cats at the heart, of course. You will need to work with both internal departments and external agencies to ensure projects are delivered on schedule and within budget.

About the Individual Giving Team:

• We sit within the Marketing & Income Generation directorate
• Our team is responsible for the recruitment and retention of individual supporters to generate over £22 million each year and provide leads for the other teams in the directorate
• We currently have a team of 13 working across Acquisition and Retention on our Appeals and Raffles, Membership, Sponsorship, Lottery and regular giving programs using Mail, Face to Face, DRTV, email, Digital, Social and other paid media

What we’re looking for in our Senior Individual Giving Officer:

• Extensive experience in an Individual Giving or similar role, ideally working with agencies in the third sector
• Experience in leading the organisation of projects/activities or schedules
• Experience in budget management, ideally with multiple income and expenditure items
• Proven track record of achieving income against agreed financial targets, and measuring against KPIs
• Experience of at least some broad-based fundraising, such as Direct Mail, DRTV, telephone, digital or face-to-face fundraising

What we can offer you:

• range of health benefits
• 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service
• Salary Finance, which empowers you to take control of your financial wellbeing
• and much more, which you can learn about 

Interested? Here’s how to apply:

Application closing date: 5th June 2025

Virtual interview date: 11th & 12th June 2025

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment. Please note, applications received after the closing date may not be responded to.

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable.  You may be just the right candidate. 

If successful, your recruitment journey will include:

1. Anonymised application form

2. Virtual interview via Microsoft Teams

Please note, the process may change slightly dependent on application numbers. We will inform you of any relevant changes.

Population Matters is a growing UK charity with a global remit. We are a dedicated small organisation of individuals who has big ambitions. We adopt a can-do approach and belief to implementing our vision - a world in which our human population lives fairly and sustainably with nature and each other.

Through collaboration, creativity and commitment our work addresses the negative consequences of ever more people using ever more of the planet’s resources.  We do this by inspiring and engaging with others to find, share and promote ways to make our vision a reality as quickly as possible.

We have recently launched our 5-year strategy, and we have now entered an exciting new phase of growth and influence.

About You: The Role

• You are someone who can adeptly apply your hands-on experience gained from designing and implementing impactful communication strategies.
• You bring tenacity, curiosity and passion in designing and delivering digital campaigns that influence and shift public and media narratives to enable our human population to live fairly and sustainably with nature and each other.
• With always this end in sight, your management experience of digital mass communications, platforms and presences will ensure digital communications, campaigning and fundraising is fully leveraged through applying continuous monitoring, evaluation, learning, accountability and innovation.
• You will be responsible for our content strategy across all digital channels and play a lead role in the design and delivery of communication strategies and assets.
• You bring  significant knowledge and experience of digital communications, marketing, infrastructure and project management, and ensure that our digital communications inspire and engage audiences to support our mission.

For further information, please refer to the attachement below. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave per annum; additional three days’ closure over Christmas; employer pension contribution 6-8%, employee matching contribution min. 2%; Employee Assistance Programme; we fund and encourage continuing professional development (CPD).We promote and encourage flexible working all types, in line with our flexible working policy.

Location: Remote working in the UK, with occasional travel and access to our London office space. Must have right to work in the UK.

Interviews: There will be two rounds of interviews. The first interview will take place on Wednesday 11 June 2025 (virtual) and the second on Tuesday 17 June 2025 (in-person at our office in London).

Deadline for Applications: 08-Jun-2025 23:30

We are looking for a passionate, skilled individual to join our diverse and talented team as Policy and Communications Manager.

We are a unique organisation that supports and champions London’s charities and community groups to contribute to a united, thriving and resilient London.

London Plus is a trusted partner of organisations across all London’s 32 boroughs, as well as key London-level organisations including the Greater London Authority and London Councils. We are looking to the future and planning to grow our strategic impact and effectiveness on behalf of the sector.

We are now looking to fill this brand new role, which will build on the solid foundations in place within the organisation to help us tell the story of London’s charity sector, effect positive change and connect with stakeholders to build our influence.

Marketing & Communications Manager

May 2025

1 Job Details:

Reports to: Director of Finance & Operations

Hours: 28 - 35 hours per week (negotiable)

Location: Home based (with occasional travel)

Salary: c £37,000 (with an excellent benefits package including life insurance and private healthcare)

Start Date Immediate

2. About us:

The UK Cyber Security Council works to bring together stakeholders to build and drive engagement in the cyber security profession, through developing standards and ethical practice, demystifying career routes into the profession and promoting the profession.

In collaboration with multiple UK Government departments and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), our approach is to co-ordinate existing programmes and shape new initiatives, in support of the ambition to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

We are also a membership organisation, with corporate members, who share our interest in promoting, supporting and developing the cyber security profession.

3. The role:

If you’re successful, you will have a unique opportunity to join a growing organisation at an important phase of its development. This exciting strategic and operational role will enable you to lead on the dynamic marketing and communication approach of an organisation with a very important mission which engages with a myriad of important stakeholders  

4. Main Duties and Responsibilities 

· To lead the delivery of the organisations marketing and communications (marcomms) strategy plan.

· To lead the development of strategic marketing and communication plans across all programmes, products and services.

· To ensure that marketing and communications across the organisation reflect and align with the UK Cyber Security Councils brand, vision, mission and values.

· To oversee and deal with brand governance issues and to drive, manage and implement marketing solutions and promotions that support agreed brand awareness targets.

· To manage our digital and social media channels and to ensure that all programmes and services are promoted effectively through these channels.

· To write high quality content, briefs, press releases and social media posts as part of our marcomms requirements.

· Working with the leadership team to develop a plan and process for internal communications across the Council.

· To lead on collaboration with licenced bodies and partners on joint marcomms and promotions

· To maintain an awareness of the Council’s strategy and wider cyber security landscape and propose content that will speak to key audiences.

· To update the website content on a regular basis as the window to the organisation.

· To work with internal and external colleagues to agree marketing and communications strategies for each programme and support the delivery of e-marketing and social media campaigns.

· To lead on the delivery of consistent, branded marketing collateral – print and digital in support of identified brand awareness targets.

· To lead on promoting our events management activities working closely with internal and external colleagues.

· To develop and evaluate customer research, market conditions and competitor data to ensure that annual marcomms plans remain refreshed and up to date.

· To work with senior managers to develop annual engagement targets based on

increased engagement and influence.

· To measure and report performance of all marketing activity, assessing against

targets, together with other relevant metrics and analytics.

· To prepare progress reports as required for the Chief Executive and/or Board of Trustees.

· To ensure effective data management concerning members and supporters to ensure that GDPR compliance is maintained at all times.

· To represent the Council in a professional manner and to act at all times in a manner which will not damage its reputation.

· To undertake other tasks from time to time as required by the Leadership Team.

This job description is intended as a general guide to the scope of the post and may change in line with the needs of the service or at the request of the line manager.

5. Person Specification:

5.1 Essential Criteria:

· Experience and willingness to be hands on in content development and production including graphic design of marketing collateral

· Experienced in copy writing, proof reading and editing content

· Experience of content management systems (CMS) 

· Experience of working with creative agencies and PR companies

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills

· Experience of using customer relationship management systems (CRM)  

· Excellent project management skills

· Attention to detail and driven by high quality outputs

· Ability to work autonomously, work under spikes of pressure and meet deadlines

· Ability to think outside the box, dynamic and innovative

· Experience of managing the social media area including content and campaigns

· A track record of successful programme and organisational marketing

5.2 Desirable:

· A degree in marketing or communications or equivalent

· An understanding of the Cyber Security Profession

· Experience of managing staff, volunteers or interns

·  Experience of creating high impact comms design  

· Experience of commissioning content from external authors 

· Experience working in a professional body context, and/or with committees and volunteers

6. Diversity

We actively encourage applications from a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our positions as we are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities people.

We actively support diversity and inclusion and ensure that all our employees are valued and treated with dignity and respect as we want to encourage everyone in our business to reach their potential.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join and lead a driven team of Volunteering Partners. The Volunteering Partnerships and Implementation team strive to inspire, support and enable a quality offer and experience for volunteers and volunteer managers. Through working directly with the Dementia Support and Partnerships directorate (who deliver our services), you will be making a difference to volunteers, volunteer managers and people affected by dementia.

You will be a trusted expert in volunteering, building relationships with senior managers and leaders by creating a structured approach to how we support the directorate in order to give the best possible volunteering experience. You will lead a team of Volunteering Partners and work collaboratively across the Volunteering team as well as with the People Partnering team to create ways of working, deliver projects, develop connections and ensure we provide a strategic and structured service to our stakeholders.

This home-based role really is a great combination – you will be an integral part of the Volunteering team and wider People Directorate as well as a key stakeholder and essential support for Dementia Support and Partnerships.

About you
We are looking for a motivated individual with experience as a trusted expert in volunteering who is able to listen, lead and engage their team as well as a range of stakeholders across the organisation.

Using deep volunteering expertise as well as any experience of voluntary income, the Senior Volunteering Partner will be skilled at building trust through meaningful relationships with senior managers and leaders.

You will bring your interpersonal and communication skills to work collaboratively across Volunteering, People Partnering and Dementia Support and Partnerships whilst utilising your data, insight and project management skills to bring about continuous improvement and change.

What you’ll focus on:

- Line management of 3 Volunteering Partners
- Leading the creation of a planned and coordinated approach to how we work with Dementia Support and Partnerships.
- Leading on the development of short-term and long-term plans to embed how volunteering is part of changes in contracts in partnership with other key stakeholders.
- Working closely with the People Partnering team building close communication and relationships to ensure support and alignment across our teams and the directorates we support.
- To lead on volunteering business elements that drive volunteer involvement, ensure compliance, support innovation and assure continuous quality improvement.

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding ground breaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer’s Society.

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.

Our hiring process

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a DBS check at the relevant level.

Interview Dates: 19th & 20th June. 

Job Description and Person Specification 

Reporting to: Head of Trusts and Foundations

Location of work: Remote, with some requirements to travel to our London office (monthly team meetings + around 4 ad hoc days across the contract length) 

Contract type: Full-time, 35 hours per week, although 3 or 4 days per week will be considered. The role may require occasional evening and weekend work.

Contract Length: Initial 6-month contract with potential to be made permanent.

Salary: £37,500 

JOB PURPOSE 

We are looking for a Trust and Foundations Manager to join our ambitious and friendly team, initially for a six-month contract. We are seeking to grow our funding partnerships, with a team focus on multi-year and £50,000+ grants. The successful candidate will have a particular focus on researching, cultivating and applying to new prospects. We are looking for someone with excellent writing and interpersonal skills to join our dynamic and passionate team to fight child hunger and unlock opportunities for the next generation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES  

New business  

• Prepare, compile and submit high quality funding proposals and budgets in accordance with timetables and application criteria, with a particular focus on larger, multi-year and project funding opportunities. 

• Develop cultivation pathways for potential funders, including creating tailored engagement plans for high level donors, arranging school visits, attending key meetings (or briefing senior stakeholders) and delivering presentations to secure their support. 

​Account management 

• Successfully manage relationships from your own portfolio of trusts and foundations, ensuring timely reporting and effective communications.

• Champion the interests of trusts and foundations across the organisation, ensuring grant conditions are met and project outcomes are achieved. 

• Support the team to deliver strategic, multi-year partnerships and to steward key funders.

General

• Maintain accurate financial, performance and account management records via Salesforce.

• Work with the Head of Trusts & Foundations to support the forecasting of income from current and potential donors. 

Please find attached our job pack 

APPLICATION PROCCESS

Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @magicbreakfast. com

Shortlisting - w/c 9th June

Interview 1 - 16th and 17th June

Interview 2 - 20th June

All interviews will be held online via Teams.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Our partner, an international charity, is looking to recruit an experienced analyst with a background in finance business partnering. The successful candidate will be joining the organisation during an interesting period, and be curious, with a strong analytical mind and ability to interpret financial information, and be articulate. 

Responsibilities

• Ensure that there is a sound understanding of business areas in terms of both present as well as forecasted performance.
• Work with budget holders on the annual budgeting and forecasting processes, ensuring that any advice/support in understanding the numbers is provided in a timely manner, and that they and senior management are supported in their decision making.
• Lead on the preparation of the quarterly forecasts.
• Undertake budgetary versus actual expenditure analysis, providing reports and meaningful information to budget holders and senior finance team members.
• Support in developing project budgets on a full cost recovery basis, and in the preparation of donor report.
• Support in undertaking grant reconciliations.
• Offer coaching and training as required.

Requirements

• Experienced finance professional, highly numerate and analytical, able to understand the business and strategic outlook of the organisation, able to interpret financial information and communicate this clearly and precisely.
• Experience in developing budgets & forecasts, and undertaking and presenting analysis, both in writing and verbally.
• Strong communication and finance business partnering skills – able to accurately and precisely communicate important financial information to non-finance budget holders, and senior management staff, challenge numbers and support in sound decision making.
• Experience of working in an international organisation, in a multi-currency environment, and with colleagues based globally.
• Experience in the financial management of grants, including developing budgets for proposals (on a full cost recovery basis), and reporting for donors is strongly desirable.
• Strong systems/IT skills
• Experience in offering coaching on internal controls & processes, budgets & accompanying analysis, and systems/IT.

This is a remote role, and the candidate can be based anywhere in the UK. Please note, this role cannot accomodate remote working from outside the UK, and as such is only open to candidates with the right to work in the UK. 

Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance is seeking a strategic and creative Communications, Engagement and Policy Manager to lead our outreach, advocacy, and communications efforts. This part-time leadership role is ideal for someone passionate about empowering disabled communities, building influence, and shaping impactful campaigns in a flexible, supportive work environment.
 

Job Title: Communications, Engagement and Policy Manager

Location: Flexible (with occasional travel required)

Reports to: CEO

Salary: £17,280-18,720 gross per annum (£36,000-£39,000 FTE)

Hours: Part-time, 18 hours per week 

About Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance

Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance is a charity dedicated to empowering, supporting, and advocating for individuals living with neuromuscular conditions. Our mission is to ensure that those affected by these conditions have access to the resources, representation, and information they need to live fulfilling and independent lives. 

Job Summary

We are looking for a creative, driven, and collaborative Communications, Engagement and Policy Manager to lead on internal and external communications and to deepen engagement with our members, stakeholders, and the wider community. This is a key role in growing our influence, raising awareness of our work, and supporting our mission to empower people with neuromuscular conditions. Your work will ensure that our user base remains actively engaged, well-informed, and central to our projects and campaign planning. You will oversee an Engagement Officer, Social Media Officer, and Campaigns and Advocacy Officer, working collaboratively to amplify our impact, strengthen user connections, and further our mission.

Key Responsibilities

1. User Engagement and Relationship Management

• Develop and implement strategies to enhance engagement with our users across projects, events, and online platforms, ensuring their voices are integral to our work.

• Work with the Engagement Officer to design and coordinate events, workshops, and other engagement activities, both in-person and online, that support community connection and provide valuable resources to users.

• Gather and analyse feedback from users to ensure our services, content, and campaigns remain relevant and responsive to their needs.

• Manage the CRM and membership of the charity in line with the membership policy.

 2. Content Creation and Communications

• Develop and implement a communication strategy for the organisation to set our key messages, approach and KPIs for engaging with individual, community and professional audiences as well as for internal communications.

• Support the Social Media Officer in developing and implementing a communications plan in particular focused on our social media based activities and content creation.

• Oversee and produce high-quality content for digital platforms, newsletters, reports, and publications that engage and inform our audience.

• Lead on creating and placing feature articles, policy briefings and press releases, and serve as the main media contact to ensure consistent, clear messaging. 

3. Policy, Campaigning, and Advocacy

• Work with the CEO to develop and implement, through the Policy and Campaigns Team, a campaigns strategy that responds to the needs of the neuromuscular community and creates positive, meaningful change for our community.

• Collaborate with the Campaigns and Advocacy Officer to formulate and promote evidence-based policy positions, engaging key stakeholders in government, healthcare, and related sectors.

• Support the Campaigns and Advocacy Officer to expand the Pathfinders advocacy service and drive referrals to the service.

• Represent the organisation at events, sector meetings, and forums to build our profile and increase our influence on policy issues relevant to our community.

 4. Team Leadership and Development

• Manage, support, and foster the professional growth of the Engagement Officer, Social Media Officer, and Campaigns and Advocacy Officer, building a collaborative and empowered team.

• Set team objectives and KPIs, monitor progress, and provide regular feedback to ensure alignment with organisational goals and impact.

5. Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Development

• Cultivate relationships with relevant stakeholders, including influencers, partner organisations, funders, policymakers, and the neuromuscular community.

• Work closely with the CEO to manage community partnerships, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and expanding opportunities for user engagement.

  6. Organisational management

• Support the CEO with the overall running of the organisation by attending meetings of the management committee as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, taking on additional tasks as agreed.

• Provide contingency support to the  Senior Leadership Team to cover essential tasks such as reporting hours to our payroll team in the event of staff absence.

• Maintain an overview of projects and teams across the organisation to provide short-term management and HR support in the event of staff shortages or incapacity.

• Review, approve and document payments in the charity using our software and finance process.

• Support the development of funding bids and project plans for introducing new projects.

• Represent the Senior Leadership Team at external events and in meetings with Trustees and Members.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public policy, engagement, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

• 3-years experience in a communications, policy, or engagement role, ideally within a charity or non-profit setting.

• Experience engaging directly with user communities and developing outreach initiatives.

• Strong writing and editing skills with experience producing content for a variety of platforms including Youtube.

• Experience managing a small team to achieve strategic objectives.

• Knowledge of or strong interest in the healthcare, disability, or neuromuscular sector is desirable.

• Lived experience of a neuromuscular condition is desirable but not essential.

Skills and Attributes

• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance advocacy, engagement, and communication initiatives effectively.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to build relationships across diverse audiences.

• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritise, and maintain high standards under tight timelines.

• Proficient in social media management, content creation, and analytics.

• A commitment to advocating for and advancing the rights of individuals with neuromuscular conditions.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a purpose-driven, supportive organisation.

• Flexible working arrangements to promote work-life balance.

• Ongoing professional development opportunities and the chance to lead impactful campaigns and user engagement efforts.

37.5 hours (Due to the nature of the role we can only consider full time hours only)

We are seeking to recruit a caring and dynamic experienced senior manager and practitioner to manage our services across Greater Manchester and Cumbria.  This role covers a range of services including supported living for people with a learning disability, supported housing for people with mental health needs, Older Adults Care Home and Extra Care services. You will be responsible for managing the Registered Managers across a variety of services within these regions ensuring the quality of service delivery.

Applicant must have a strategic mind set and experience of leading and managing change in addition to strong leadership, communication and influencing skills

The role also involves the management of the different contractual arrangements with a number of Local Authorities, ensuring contract compliance with KPI’s and quality standards. You will ensure that services are delivered in line with Creative Supports ethos, values and quality standards. The role also involves ensuring an open culture across all services, developing a framework for learning and continuous improvement.

This role also includes the management of wider staff teams ensuring that sufficient staff are recruited, inducted and trained and consistent teams are developed. You will also be responsible for the management of service budgets and resources ensuring these are deployed and used as efficiently as possible and in a person centred way to enable positive outcomes to be achieved for individual service users. You will be responsive to family members ensuring positive engagement and joint working. You will also work closely with statutory services, housing providers and other key stakeholders, developing excellent positive and mutually respectful relationships. 

The role will include extensive travel and regular overnight stays in Carlisle. A car driver is essential as is the ability to be flexible and resilient.

The role also involves attending key meetings such as contract monitoring with the commissioners, assisting the Registered Manager with reports and action plans. Leading on Social care governance meetings locally and seeking ways to ensure the services continue to improve and innovate.

You will also contribute corporately through attendance at senior managers meetings, contributing to training, quality development, conferences, and corporate events.

You will be fully supported in role by the Service Director for these service areas and through our network of senior Managers who meet to share good practice and discuss issues raised through CQC inspections. Applicant must hold a professional Social Care Practioner qualification, have extensive social care experience at a senior level and have excellent communication and leadership skills.

Vacancy Reference Number: 84060

Applications for this role must be submitted via the Creative Support website using the above vacancy reference number

Benefits of working with Creative Support include a probationary bonus, pension contributions, 38 days Leave and company paid enhanced DBS.

We are a passionate, inclusive, and anti-racist organization - Stonewall Diversity Champion, Disability Confident Employer who have recently received Investors in People Gold award.

Applications are reviewed as they are received, we do not provide feedback for unsuccessful applications. We can only accept applications from candidates who are located in and eligible to work within the UK

Foothold Communications Officer

 Salary: £18k (£30k per annum pro rata)

Period of appointment:  This is a permanent contract.

Location: Remote/homebased

Part time: 21 hrs a week

 Like many benevolent fund charities, Foothold has a small staff team, but our impact is mighty!

We’re looking for someone who enjoys variety and takes pride in their work to join our flexible, remotely-based team as our new Communications Officer.

Hearing the challenges that the individuals we support are facing keeps us focused. As Communications Officer, you’ll play a key role in communicating the support our charity offers the engineering community, while also engaging our supporters by bringing our community’s stories to life.

We’re redefining relationships with long-standing communications partners, building new relationships, and building our presence across new platforms and communities.

As Communications Officer, you'll be pivotal in making sure our voice is heard through regular communications, and delivering our impact report and annual report.

We find creative ways of working as a team and look to showcase the individual talents and personalities that people bring to their role. At Foothold, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase and develop your skills across digital design, video and copy.

We encourage our team to be all-rounders, and you’ll be working closely and collaboratively with our Communications and Digital Events Officer, Digital Marketing Officer and fundraising colleagues to produce regular, engaging content.

This is a great opportunity to join a small, talented, and committed team as we test the best ways of engaging different parts of the engineering community, and how that engagement may evolve over time. You’ll help us evolve our communications and PR output, and in turn we’ll provide you with the support and autonomy to grow your skills.

We’re confident that you’ll enjoy working alongside the wider team and look forward to hearing from you.

Organisational benefits

· 32 days per annum annual leave plus Bank Holidays (plus office closure between Christmas and New Year)

· Flexible working arrangements

· Organisational commitment to training and development.

· SIPP pension with up to 9% employer contribution (subject to individual contribution)

· Life insurance and access to Smart Health services (AIG)

· Cycle to Work and Tech Scheme, childcare vouchers.

· Associate membership of the IET for one year paid for by Foothold, and access to Foothold services

If you have any further questions about the role, please contact our Head of Business and Volunteering Beverley Archer.

Informal Conversations: these can be arranged with the Jonny Rudge, Head of Fundraising and Communications, between the 3rd and 5th of June 2025

Closing date: applications should be submitted by 4pm on Friday 6th June 2025

Interviews will be held on Monday 16th June  2025 on Teams.

For more information about Foothold please visit our website

Purpose of the post

HDR UK are committed to meaningful involvement and engagement where patients and the public are actively involved in shaping our work and decision-making. Reporting to the Senior Public Involvement and Engagement Manager and matrix managed within the Big Data for Complex Disease team, this is a pivotal role that will maintain and build upon an established strategy and programme of activities embedding the patient and public voice at all stages of work with the Driver Programme.

Your work will also support best practice delivered as part of the Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI), a vital UK-wide multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to facilitate a sector wide shift focused on establishing and advancing good practices for public involvement and engagement (PIE) with data-driven research and statistics.

You will work closely with public members, research and NHS communities, internal colleagues, charity partners, and funders to develop and implement plans for patient and public involvement and engagement.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who has a passion for meaningful involvement and engagement of patients and the public in research, to shape and influence our work on the safe, ethical and scientifically robust use of data for research into the causes, prevention and treatment of disease.

The successful candidate will have a track record in working with individuals, groups and communities and can communicate complex information in clear, engaging ways. The post holder will have excellent influencing and negotiation skills, experience of working on complex projects with multiple partners and be comfortable with working at pace.  Patient and public involvement and engagement in data-driven research is a growing field. The successful candidate will show a willingness and experience of developing and delivering innovative approaches to involvement where previously opportunities may not have been obvious.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience of working with diverse communities and using trauma-informed practices to engage with those having lived experience of a variety of health conditions.

Main responsibilities

Big Data for Complex Disease PPIE strategy and delivery:

• Lead on the delivery of the PPIE strategy for the Big Data for Complex Disease driver programme, with oversight from the Senior PPIE Manager and Senior Programme Manager.
• Develop and deliver training and support best practice for researchers working with patients and the public on involvement and engagment in health data research.
• Support member development and growth of the network of patients and public contributors involved in the Big Data for Complex Disease driver programme, including by providing training and guidance on data science and its use in the programme.

Embedding PPIE in our work:

• Lead and facilitate meetings with public contributors to integrate meaningful PPIE throughout all aspects of our work.
• Undertake and manage specific involvement and engagement activities, including but not limited to focus groups, engagement events, developing and undertaking surveys, supporting the writing of plain English summaries of projects and their outputs. In collaboration with senior colleagues, support involvement of patients and the public in the governance of our work.
• Review and provide advice on PPIE elements of research projects ensuring adequate PPIE is incorporated and provide advice and support where needed to researchers. 
• Develop methods to expand reach and ensure diversity of perspectives and work with the HDR UK Involvement and Engagement team to grow involvement of currently underrepresented and underserved groups in health data science.
• Build and manage relationships with colleagues within the Big Data for Complex Disease driver programme and relevant partners like the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Data Science Centre, working collaboratively to support and manage involvement and engagement across all areas of work.
• Work closely with the internal communications colleagues to create and disseminate engaging content (e.g. news stories on outputs and impact, videos, infographics, case studies) on our work and involvement and engagement activities using a variety of communication tools.
• Horizon scan and liaise with colleagues across HDR UK for opportunities to increase visibility of the institute’s engagement and involvement impact, i.e. through conferences, festivals, journals and other publications.
• Lead on the recruitment of new public contributors as required. Adapt, develop and provide training for public where necessary identifying training requirements as needed.

Developing PPIE best practice and collaborative working:

• Work with the Senior PPIE Programme Delivery Manager and the rest of the PPIE Central team to share best practice and examples of successful PPIE practices that could influence our work, including through the Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI).
• Collaborate with the Senior PPIE Programme Delivery Manager, the PPIE Central team, and the HDR UK’s Institute-Wide PPIE Leads Group to lead public outreach initiatives and other events, ensuring that stakeholders are afforded opportunities to contribute their input and provide feedback. Establish effective working relationships and ‘ways of working’ with strategic partners to maximise opportunities for collaboration in patient and public involvement and engagement.
• Act as an internal and external ambassador for public, patient and practitioner engagement and involvement.
• Monitor and report on performance of PPIE across the Programme, make effective use of digital approaches to maximise the ability to collaborate, communicate and continuously learn.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Experience of working with patients, carers and members of the public with diverse interests.
• Experience of working with community organisations and diverse voices
• Experience of running patient/public involvement activities
• Experience of developing, implementing and evaluating patient and public engagement and involvement strategies and methodologies, preferably in a research environment
• Experience of promoting the need and value of engagement and involvement to a wide range of stakeholders and acting as an advocate
• Experience of writing / developing content for public and research audiences and delivering presentations
• Experience of demonstrating an understanding of health research and the needs of patients and the public
• Planning and organisational expertise with a proven track record of delivering challenging projects with multiple partners to deadlines
• Experience of organising and facilitating a range of events and meetings including: event preparation, chairing of meetings, delivering presentations, use of tools to gather views and feedback, follow-up communications and evaluation
• An understanding of the public sensitivities of using health data for research

Skills

• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage complex and multiple areas of work with competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Evidence of ability to meet tight and challenging deadlines using a flexible and adaptable approach
• Good influencing and coaching skills.
• Excellent people and interpersonal skills to build collaborative partnerships across diverse groups and the ability to handle sensitive issues positively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with different groups of stakeholders and people at all levels.
• Able to grasp the complexity of work across HDR UK and process complex scientific information to communicate it in a way that is clear, engaging and inspires the public to get involved.
• Strong analytic skills with the ability to frame problems and solutions in a logical manner.
• Ability to work autonomously and make decisions without supervision.
• Ability to work collaboratively and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.