Senior direct marketing executive jobs in Birmingham, west midlands

Contract Type: Maternity Cover 12 months (preferably starting on the 1st December 2026)

Hours: Full Time, 35 hours per week (open to 4 days a week)

Location: Any of our King's Trust offices (flexible working with a minimum of 2 days in the office)

Interviews: 10th and 11th September 2026

We’re looking for a highly proactive and driven team player to work at the heart of our senior fundraising and marketing team, helping us shape and deliver our biggest strategic priorities.

In this fast-paced, people and project focused role, you’ll manage priority projects, strategic plans, and department-wide reporting—keeping everything on track and making complex projects simple, clear, and actionable.

You’ll be the glue that holds everything together, ensuring the team stays aligned through management reporting, leadership meetings, and internal communications. If you love bringing structure to projects, juggling competing deadlines, and making an impact, this role is for you!

This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with senior leaders, gain deep insight into every corner of our fundraising and marketing team, and play a key role in delivering our mission.

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV, and Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferrable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need Fundraising Planning Managers? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with three in four young people on our programmes moving into a positive outcome in work, education or training.The young people we help face a range of challenges, such as unemployment, mental health issues or some who have been in trouble with the law. We believe all young people should have the chance to succeed, and that young people are the key to a positive and prosperous future for all of us. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives and we couldn’t do this without the important work of Fundraising Planning Managers! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Where operationally possible, our roles require a combination of office days and working from home (please speak to the hiring manager about this particular role)
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary) 

Hours: 30–35 hours per week
Location: Home-based*
Reporting to: CEO

*This is a home-based role. However, the successful candidate will need to be based within reasonable travelling distance of London and our programme activity, with the ability to travel to meetings and visits within a day where required. We therefore anticipate that applicants based in Scotland, Ireland, West Wales or the far South West may find the role impractical.

This position is being re-advertised; previous candidates need not apply.

Be part of a mission that's transforming children's futures through food, farming and the countryside

For more than 45 years, The Country Trust has been connecting children from the UK's most disadvantaged communities with the land that sustains us all. Through inspiring farm visits, food education and countryside experiences, we've already reached more than 600,000 children, and we're just getting started.

We're entering an exciting new chapter as we develop our next organisational strategy, and we're looking for an experienced fundraising leader to help shape our future.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious and strategic fundraiser to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead the next phase of our income growth, enabling even more children to benefit from our life-changing programmes.

About the role

As Head of Fundraising, you'll provide strategic leadership across all fundraising activity while remaining hands-on in securing major income and developing key relationships.

You'll lead a dedicated fundraising team, drive innovation, strengthen fundraising systems and processes, and develop a sustainable fundraising strategy that diversifies income across:

• Trusts and foundations
• Corporate partnerships
• Major donors
• Individual giving
• Legacies
• Gaming and Streaming for Good
• Emerging fundraising opportunities

Working closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, Digital and IT colleagues, you'll help embed new fundraising systems, champion data-driven decision making and ensure fundraising excellence across the organisation.

About you

We're looking for an inspiring fundraising leader who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery.

You'll bring:

• Significant senior-level fundraising leadership experience
• A proven track record of securing substantial income across multiple fundraising streams
• Experience developing and delivering fundraising strategies that drive sustainable growth
• Strong leadership skills with experience developing high-performing teams
• Excellent relationship-building, communication and influencing skills
• Financial and commercial awareness, including budgeting and forecasting
• Knowledge of fundraising regulation, GDPR and fundraising best practice
• A passion for improving opportunities for disadvantaged children

Experience developing new income streams, digital fundraising and CRM systems would be particularly valuable.

Why join us?

At The Country Trust, you'll be joining an ambitious charity where collaboration, learning and innovation are at the heart of everything we do.

We offer:

• Flexible working
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (FTE)
• Workplace pension
• Homeworking allowance
• Mileage and agreed travel expenses
• A supportive, values-led culture
• The opportunity to shape our future strategy and make a lasting difference to children's lives

We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Key dates
Closing date: 11:59pm, Sunday 13th September
Interviews from: Monday 21st September
 

The Country Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

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.

Being in hospital can be really tough physically and emotionally. This is why our hospital charities do as much as they can to help patients and their families feel as supported as possible during their treatment. Each hospital charity provides the added extras that are "over and above" what the NHS can fund as standard. This includes life-saving equipment, state-of-the-art facilities, training and research, as well as free accommodation and patient comforts.

Across UHB Charity we are currently raising funds for a Total Body PET CT Scanner as well as our Children's and Newborn Appeals and Home from Home accommodation for civilians and military personnel, to name just a few.

As a Grants Manager you will help the Charity provide much needed equipment and facilities that will make a real difference to our patients and their families.

JOB TITLE: Grants Manager

SALARY: £40,000 per annum

HOURS: Full time - 37.5 hours

RESPONSIBLE TO: Charity Chief Executive

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Charity Chief Executive

LOCATION: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham

ROLE DESCRIPTION

The Grants Manager role is primarily based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, with the expectation to travel to the other sites, Good Hope Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, and Solihull Hospital.

This post will oversee the Grants Team at the Charity, with the responsibility of overseeing the distribution of grant funding to projects that align with the charity's mission.

Working as part of a team, the role involves managing the full grant-making process, from designing funding programmes and assessing applications to monitoring funded projects and evaluating their impact. The manager works closely with applicants, trustees, and external stakeholders to ensure funding decisions are fair, transparent, and achieve meaningful outcomes.

They also develop grant policies, manage budgets, ensure compliance with governance and regulatory requirements, and use data and evaluation findings to improve funding strategies.

Strong relationship management, strategic planning, financial oversight, and decision-making skills are essential, along with a commitment to delivering positive social impact.

This role may involve occasional evening and weekend work at charity events and events organised by our supporters.

This role sits within our Grants Team and will oversee two Senior Grants Officers.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES

• Ensure grant programmes align with the charity's objectives and priorities.
• Review and update grant policies, procedures, and eligibility criteria.
• Manage grant application processes.
• Oversee grant management systems and databases.
• Conduct due diligence on applicants, including financial and governance checks.
• Prepare reports and recommendations for trustees or grant committees.
• Support decision-making meetings and record outcomes.
• Build positive relationships with grant applicants, funded organisations, and stakeholders.
• Provide advice and guidance to applicants throughout the process.
• Act as the main point of contact for grant recipients.
• Monitor funded projects to ensure grant conditions are met.
• Review progress reports and financial returns from grant recipients.
• Evaluate the impact of funded projects against agreed outcomes.
• Identify lessons learned to improve future grant programmes.
• Manage grant budgets and payment schedules.
• Ensure grants are awarded within approved budgets.
• Monitor expenditure and forecast future commitments.
• Work closely with finance teams to maintain accurate records.

COMMUNICATION

• Relaying accurate and timely information to the fundraising team, the Charity Chief Executive and Charity Trustees on a regular basis. Communicating with clinical and non-clinical staff within the hospital. Communicating with donors and stakeholders.
• Dealing with enquiries from the general public in a professional manner, disseminating information and ensuring that the appropriate action is taken, whilst maintaining the Charity’s policies and procedures.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ability to present oneself in a professional manner as a representative of the hospital and the charity.
• To maintain confidentiality in all aspects of duty, including grant and donor data.
• To assist in maintaining accurate records and to complete and return as requested statistical data.
• To maintain an accurate effective database, recording essential information and providing statistical data in accordance with guidelines and policy using Raiser's Edge, Microsoft Office, Word and Access.

MISCELLANEOUS

• To represent the Charity in a variety of different contexts and to a variety of different audiences.
• To ensure that a positive image of the hospital and the Charity is projected at all times
• To hold a flexible approach to working hours (the role will require the post holder to work evenings and weekends as necessary)
• To hold a flexible approach to work when asked to take on other fundraising or admin duties when the team needs to cover holidays, or at times of workload pressure
• To adopt a supportive and collegiate approach when working with the fundraising team and other colleagues within the hospital

The Grants Manager will also carry out other projects and duties as directed by the Head of Fundraising, Director of Fundraising and Charity Chief Executive.

NOTES:

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities but more an outline framework against which the post holder will be given flexibility to define the detail. Any changes will be the subject of consultation with the post holder.

All employees must adhere to and perpetuate Charity Policies and Procedures relating to:

• Health and Safety
• No Smoking at Work
• Equal Opportunities in Employment, including responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Your attention is drawn to the confidential nature of information collected within the NHS. The unauthorised use or disclosure of patient or other personal information is a dismissible offence and in the case of computerised information could result in a prosecution for an offence or action for civil damages under the Data Protection Act 1984.

Please note that employees are employed directly by the Charity and not the NHS.

Employees of the Charity are eligible to join a defined contribution pension scheme, to which the Charity will contribute 8% of an employee’s annual salary in addition to employee contributions.

Employees of the Charity are eligible for enhanced maternity and sickness pay.

Employees of the Charity receive 27 days holiday per year, plus Bank Holidays.

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITY:

Essential

• Financial Literacy
• Excellent written skills with first class spelling
• Use of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint along with other software packages
• Ability to produce accurately typed and photocopied documents efficiently and to high standard
• Ability to ensure accurate data inputting
• Ability to work independently and under pressure, prioritising work to meet deadlines
• Ability to deal with heavy, unpredictable workloads
• Ability to set up and maintain organisational systems
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the charity
• Problem solving
• Record keeping
• Non-judgemental attitude
• Accepts responsibility for own decisions
• Ability to represent the Charity at events and functions
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to influence people at all levels
• Understanding and respect for the importance of patient confidentiality
• GCSE English Language or equivalent
• GCSE Mathematics or equivalent

Desirable

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Qualification in grant management, fundraising, communications, PR or marketing
• Understanding of the NHS and wider health and patient issues

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Experience of working in a grant making environment
• Experience of presenting to audiences/groups
• Experience of administration in an office-based environment
• Experience of working on own initiative
• Previous experience of working with & reporting to Leadership teams / trustees

Desirable

• Experience of grant making strategy
• Team management experience
• Raiser's Edge donor database experience
• Experience of impact evaluation

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Essential

• A team player with a flexible approach
• Available to work out of hours if required.

Desirable

• Car driver with a clean licence

Fantastic opportunity for a Fundraising and Grants Manager 

Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) is a well-established and respected national charity offering specialist and expert advocacy and peer support to families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse. We have an exciting opportunity to build upon and grow our fundraising success to date, in the role ofFundraising and Grants Manager. We are seeking an experienced fundraising professional, with the drive and determination to manage all aspects of our fundraising function.

AAFDA is currently funded by statutory bodies, trusts and foundations, corporates, events and individuals. Under your management, you will identify, cultivate and grow these existing and new fundraising streams.As AAFDA’s Fundraising and Grants Manager, you will be responsible for oversight and growth of voluntary and statutory funding income, including from individuals (regular and one-off gifts, major donors and legacy giving), community groups, trusts and foundations, corporates, the statutory sector (including Police and Crime Commissioners) and other benefactors. Starting from a strong foundation with multiple opportunities for growth, you will lead on the delivery of our ambitious, multi-year, multi-disciplinary fundraising strategy with an annual fundraising plan agreed with senior management.  With keen funder and customer awareness, you will regularly monitor and review both the plan and the strategy, in addition to working closely with our Finance Manager to manage diverse income streams and achieve income targets to fund AAFDA’s unique support and advocacy work with families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse.  Holding responsibility for maintaining and developing the website and building social media programmes, you will undertake an ambassadorial approach in all activity to assist our CEO and Director of Services to lead and manage the AAFDA brand and corporate identity, with a focus on generating earned income, by extending awareness of what AAFDA does and how successful we are.

This is a permanent role, subject to funding, but we will work hard (alongside you!) to secure this.

In return for joining us, we will offer you:

• 25 days annual leave per annum, plus bank holidays
• Excellent development and training opportunities
• Pension Scheme
• Healthcare Scheme
• Employee Assist Scheme

Application closing date: 11th September 2026 5pm 

We review applications on a rolling basis. We reserve the right to close this posting early if we find the right candidate, so early submission is strongly advised.

To apply please submit a supporting statement along with your CV.

Applicants will be shortlisted according to how well they meet the criteria in the person specification.  Please highlight and explain how you meet these in your supporting statement. If you have been shortlisted for interview, you will be informed by email. Regrettably, we are normally unable to acknowledge unsuccessful applicants. 

We welcome applications from candidates with experience of domestic abuse.  We are also committed to diversity and strongly encourage applications from those with Black or Minoritised backgrounds.

We are not currently able to accept applications if you do not hold permission to work in the UK.

Registered charity no: 1185078

Who we are

IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) is a national charity working to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the educational support they are legally entitled to. Since we were formed in 1983, we have helped to improve the education experience of thousands of children and young people across England. We do this by providing free and independent legal advice and casework support for families, undertaking policy work and delivering training on the SEND legal framework.

What you’ll do

Reports to: Chief Executive

Location: Home-based or Hybrid (with frequent travel for events and meeting with parliamentarians and other stakeholders) 

We are seeking a Policy Manager to lead IPSEA's policy and influencing work to achieve positive change for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Head of Legal and Training, trustees and colleagues across the organisation, you will set strategic policy priorities and develop evidence-based influencing plans that support IPSEA's mission and long-term objectives.

Drawing on insights from our advice and tribunal services, legal expertise and the experiences of families, you will identify systemic issues within the SEND system and develop policy solutions that improve children and young people's access to the support and education to which they are entitled. You will ensure that IPSEA's policy positions are credible, legally robust and informed by the lived experiences of those we support.

You will lead IPSEA's engagement with government, Parliament and other key decision-makers, identifying opportunities to influence legislation, policy and practice at both national and local level. This includes overseeing responses to consultations, parliamentary inquiries and calls for evidence, as well as preparing briefings and strategic advice to support senior-level engagement and advocacy.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across legal, communications, fundraising and training teams, you will ensure IPSEA's policy, campaigning and public affairs activities are aligned and maximise the organisation's impact. You will also monitor developments across the political, legal and policy landscape, helping IPSEA respond proactively to emerging opportunities and challenges affecting the rights of children and young people with SEND.

This role offers the opportunity to make a real difference as part of a small, friendly, and dedicated team. If you are passionate about helping children and young people with SEND and have the skills and experience needed, we would love to hear from you.

Who are we looking for?

You will have significant experience in a senior policy and campaigning/public affairs role and have good knowledge of local and national government structure including the legislative process.

You the ability to build and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders including MPs, civil servants, campaigners and parents. You exhibit tact and diplomacy and can be impactful with people of varying levels and experience.

Your research and critical thinking skills enable you to analyse policy and data to produce relevant reports and position papers. You have experience of drafting organisation responses to government consultations and parliamentary calls for evidence.

IPSEA should also reflect the communities we support. We would particularly like to hear from candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people, under-served communities and disabled people, as well as those with lived experience of the SEND system, either as a child or as a parent/carer.

What we can offer you

• 5% employer pension contributions
• Healthcare cash plan
• Flexible working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus an additional day off for your birthday (pro-rata if part-time).

To apply

Visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form.

Deadline for applications: 9am on 7 September 2026.

First-round interviews: on 15 September 2026 in our offices in Takeley, Essex, with second-round interviews (online) on 18 September 2026.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE.

Location: Any of our King's Trust offices (flexible with a minimum of 2 days in the office)

Interviews: 9th September 2026

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Procurement Manager to join our Procurement team, to support the Head of Procurement to take the department to the next level.

You will use your commercial focus and expertise to drive best practices in our projects, managing various aspects of spending from RfQs for tail-end to tendering on our eProcurement portal for large project procurements.  You will find yourself constantly challenged to come up with innovative ways of thinking and working closely with stakeholders to lead on procurement understanding, driving value for money, strategic projects and managing the supply chain.

You will get involved in a huge variety of projects, from ICT equipment to Marketing and Events, and everything in-between – this means you’ll need to be dynamic and flexible and able to manage your own time well. Sustainability, Social Value and EDI are important to the Trust as a Charity, and so you will strive to embed this in our supply chain with the key suppliers that we work with.

This is an exciting role that the ideal applicant can really make their own and would suit someone who is a self-starter with energy and drive, and a good background in procurement.

Although this role is based in Manchester, you will be expected to travel to our centres across the U.K. with the requirement to stay away from home one or two nights a week if you’re working on key projects in certain areas. Primary locations for this work are Birmingham, Glasgow and London.

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV, and Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferrable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need Procurement Managers? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with three in four young people on our programmes moving into a positive outcome in work, education or training.The young people we help face a range of challenges, such as unemployment, mental health issues or some who have been in trouble with the law. We believe all young people should have the chance to succeed, and that young people are the key to a positive and prosperous future for all of us. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives and we couldn’t do this without the important work of Procurement Managers! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Where operationally possible, our roles require a combination of office days and working from home (please speak to the hiring manager about this particular role)
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary) 

Thames Rivers Trust (TRT) is part of The Rivers Trust movement. We focus on the promotion and delivery of an ecosystem-based approach to improving the River Thames, working with partners including Thames Water, The Rivers Trust, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and a network of Catchment Partnerships across the Thames Basin, to deliver an integrated approach to managing the river basin for people, biodiversity and the environment.

We are recruiting a Programme Manager to lead day-to-day delivery of the Water Company Partnership: a developing arrangement between TRT, The Rivers Trust, Thames Water and ZSL that works alongside and helps coordinate support for the 27 Catchment Partnerships of the Thames Basin. You will oversee delivery across all five of the Partnership's workstreams and be accountable to the Partnership Board for progress, combining day-to-day programme management with support to the Board's strategic oversight.

In practical terms, this role exists to help integrate Catchment Partnership hosts and partnership members with Thames Water's delivery programme, and to upskill those partnerships so they are equipped to plan, fund and deliver more on the ground themselves, building the same kind of productive relationships with other funders and partners too, not just Thames Water. It is a genuine opportunity to shape how a major water company and its environmental partners work together, and to help turn that partnership into real, measurable improvements for rivers and the wider environment across the Thames Basin.

Your responsibilities will span five workstreams:

● Governance: catchment partnership maturity and tiering, network structure and governance models

● Monitoring and Evaluation: river health scorecards, monitoring standards and evidence for investment decisions and Thames Water's PR29 submission

● Capability and Capacity, including CaPS: TRT's own Catchment Partnerships Support Programme, learning and development, and running the Thames Catchment Forum

● Catchment and Nature-based Solutions: supporting delivery of wetland, river restoration and storm overflow projects

● Blended Finance: developing environmental market mechanisms and diversified funding for Catchment Partnerships

You will also service the Partnership Board, coordinate quarterly reviews with individual catchment hosts, and act as TRT's key liaison with Thames Water, The Rivers Trust, ZSL and Catchment Partnerships across the region.

We're looking for someone with experience delivering environmental, catchment or nature-recovery programmes, strong partnership working and facilitation skills, and the ability to coordinate complex, multi-organisation programmes through influence rather than line management. Knowledge of the water sector, WINEP or AMP planning, nature-based solutions or blended finance would be an advantage, as would a project or programme management qualification.

Please note that we are interested in receiving and considering applications from candidates who may not tick every box. You may be just who we are looking for.

The details

Salary: £40,000–£42,000 per annum, dependent on experience

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Initially funded for one year, with planned funding for a further two years

Location: Thames Basin, home-based, with regular travel across catchments and to partner offices in London

Reports to: Chief Executive, Thames Rivers Trust

How to apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter, explaining why you're interested in the role and how you meet the person specification. More details in the full job description is available.

Closing date: 10pm, Sunday 30th August 2026

Interviews: Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th September 2026