Senior influence and advocacy manager jobs

Salary: £45,000–£47,000 FTE (depending on experience)
Hours: 30–35 hours per week
Location: Hybrid/home-based. Ideally within easy reach of Chelmsford and London. Regular travel to meet colleagues, funders and visit programmes across England.
Reporting to: CEO

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:

• Hybrid and 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: 12pm, 3 August
Shortlisting: 6 August
Interviews: Week commencing 24 August

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.

The Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) is a human rights and feminist organisation led by and for Latin American migrant women in the UK. Our work is dedicated to supporting the immediate and long-term needs of Latin American migrant women exposed to violations of their fundamental human rights; facing violence against women and girls, exploitation or trafficking; enduring difficult living and working conditions in low paid jobs, and facing barriers to social protection.

The Head of Policy and Public Affairs will provide strategic leadership in developing and delivering LAWRS’ key influencing and media priorities and policy positions. The post holder is responsible for maintaining a contextual analysis and overview of key trends and issues in current affairs and the sectors that impact the organisation’s work, brand, profile and external positions. 

This post is open to Latin American women only* in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and LGBTQ+ candidates as they are currently underrepresented within the team.

*women who identify as Latin Americans (1st and 2nd generation) and speak Spanish and/or Portuguese

Please note that only applicants with the right to work in the UK covering the duration of the contract will be considered for this position.

Head of Industrial Relations

£68,602 per annum + excellent benefits.

Home-based with travel to meetings/training across the country as required

Full time, permanent.

Lead negotiations. Influence change. Protect and strengthen the voice of school and college leaders.

Make A Difference

This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly influential function, shape national industrial relations activity and make a lasting difference to the professional lives of school and college leaders.

Why This Role Matters

As our clients Head of Industrial Relations, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that school and college leaders have a strong and influential voice in shaping their pay, conditions and working environment. Leading their industrial relations and collective bargaining function, you will help safeguard members' rights, secure positive outcomes through negotiation, and strengthen their position as the leading professional body and trade union for education leaders. Your expertise will directly contribute to improving the working lives of members across the UK while ensuring the organisation remains legally compliant, strategically focused and highly respected within the sector.

Who We’re Looking For

Our client is seeking an experienced industrial relations, trade union or HR professional with a proven track record of leading successful negotiations at a senior level. You will bring substantial experience of collective bargaining, strong leadership capabilities, and a deep understanding of employment relations within complex organisations. You'll be a strategic thinker, an influential communicator and a confident relationship-builder who can work effectively with employers, trade unions, members and external stakeholders. A commitment to trade union principles, combined with the credibility to work alongside experienced school and college leaders, will be essential to your success in this role.

What You’ll Be Doing

You will lead and develop the Industrial Relations team, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, consistent service to members nationwide. Working closely with employer groups, trade unions and local representatives, you will oversee negotiations, represent members at key joint negotiating committees, resolve disputes, and help secure the best possible terms, conditions and benefits for members. You will also provide strategic advice across the organisation, ensure compliance with relevant legislation and trade union requirements, support the development of local representatives, and contribute to the organisation's broader industrial relations strategy.

What our client can offer

Our client is an equal opportunities employer and offers a very generous package of benefits including

· Flexible working: Flexible working – a combination of working from home, attending external meetings and events and being in-person at their Leicester HQ as necessary.

· Generous leave: 33 days annual leave + bank holidays.

· Pension: 9% employer contribution.

· Professional development: Ongoing training and peer support.

· Expenses covered: Travel, home-working allowance, and equipment provided.

· Inclusive culture: They welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

They encourage applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

This is a home-based role with travel across England and Wales to meetings and events as required. Reasonable travel expenses, IT and telephone equipment will be provided.

If you’re ready to lead a team that makes a real difference to education leaders and organisations across the UK, they would love to hear from you.

INTERESTED?

The closing date for application is 4pm on Wednesday 5 August 2026.

Interviews will be held in-person, at HQ in Leicester on Wednesday 19 August 2026.

Start date: Tuesday 1 December 2026 but dependent on individual circumstances.

TO APPLY

To download the job description and person specification, follow the link on the 'Apply here' button above (which will take you to Networx Recruitment's website). From there, please complete your email address in the top right-hand box and click on the green 'Apply Now' button and follow the online application process.

Lead the operations, governance and compliance that enable Solving Kids' Cancer UK to deliver its mission and impact for children and families affected by neuroblastoma. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will play a critical role in ensuring the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably.

This broad and varied leadership role spans governance, risk, HR, IT, data protection and organisational operations, supporting delivery of the charity's strategy through robust systems, policies and processes. Acting as Company Secretary, you will work closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, providing advice on governance, regulatory requirements and best practice. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will oversee key operational functions, lead cross-organisational projects and deputise for the CEO where required.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a strategic, highly organised and values-driven leader with strong experience in charity operations, governance and compliance. You will have a track record of ensuring organisations are well run, compliant and effectively managed, with the ability to oversee multiple operational areas and support strong governance and decision-making at Board level.

You will be comfortable working across a broad remit, including governance, risk, HR, IT and data protection, and confident providing clear, practical advice to senior leaders and trustees.

Person specification

Key requirements include:

• Significant senior-level experience in operations, governance or compliance within a charity or similar environment. 
• Strong understanding of charity governance and regulation, with experience supporting boards and senior leadership. 
• Experience overseeing organisational functions such as HR, IT, data protection or risk. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-organisational work effectively. 
• Strong judgement, integrity and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion. 

See our Recruitment Pack for the full role description and specification and for information about Solving Kids' Cancer UK. 

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution at the heart of a small, ambitious charity where strong operations are a vital enabler of impact for children and families.

Location: Home-based, within easy reach of London, with regular travel to the London office and occasional UK-wide travel.

First-stage interview: Thursday 6 August 

Second-stage interview: Thursday 13 August

About Saferworld

Saferworld is an independent international organisation working in partnership with civil society to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. We work in solidarity with people affected by conflict to improve their safety and sense of security, and we build conditions for peace and justice. We also support analysis and learning to influence local, national and international policies and practices that help foster lasting peace and justice. Our priority is people – we believe in a world where everyone can lead peaceful, fulfilling lives free from fear and insecurity. We operate on a not-for-profit basis with partners in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with nine offices across those regions and offices in the UK, USA and Belgium.

Saferworld is committed to providing a safe, trusted environment that safeguards our staff, partners and communities. Our organisational integrity is derived from the values and principles that underpin and guide our work.

We are seeking a strategic and inspiring Head of Funding and Programme Development with a proven ability to lead, motivate, and mobilise resources in a values-driven environment. This role calls for a leader who is deeply committed to equitable partnerships with communities and organisations in conflict-affected settings, guiding teams to raise resources effectively while advancing peace and justice outcomes. Grounded in a people-centred vision of change, you will foster collaboration, champion locally-led approaches, and steer efforts toward resourcing sustainable, community-driven, and collective visions of peace.

About the role

• The Head of Funding and Programme Development will shape Saferworld’s income profile in alignment with our organisational strategy and change process. The post-holder will lead the development and implementation of Saferworld’s funding strategy, ensuring it supports our strategic, programmatic and operational priorities.
• The role will focus on strengthening the quality, flexibility and diversity of Saferworld’s funding base, nurturing relationships with strategic institutional donors, growing philanthropic funding, and identifying new income opportunities.
• This is an exciting opportunity to influence Saferworld’s fundraising and programme development approach during a pivotal period for the organisation. The role will line-manage a small team across programme development, philanthropy and funding.

Key responsibilities

• As part of Saferworld’s senior leadership, you will support organisation-wide initiatives and contribute to strategic decision-making. You will monitor funding trends, identify emerging issues relevant to Saferworld’s work and partnership approaches, and develop appropriate strategies to respond.
• Working closely with the Senior Operations Team, you will ensure funding plans are developed across business units and thematic/regional areas, and that income pipelines are maintained while quality assurance and active cost recovery are proactively pursued. You will oversee the funding and prospects pipeline, produce data and analysis to support decision-making, and provide regular reporting to senior leaders and the Board.
• Externally, you will represent Saferworld with key donors, partners and networks, building strategic relationships and identifying funding opportunities.
• You will lead the development, implementation and monitoring of Saferworld’s funding strategy, ensuring a balanced, ethical and diverse portfolio of restricted and unrestricted income streams. This will include securing quality funding against agreed targets and supporting income diversification through trusts and foundations, commercial funding, and other sources.
• You will work closely with Saferworld’s Grant Management Team to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to donor relationship management and cultivation. You will also lead the design of multi-country and thematic proposals, as well as consortia bid development, to strengthen partnerships and support new ways of resourcing Saferworld’s strategy.
• The post-holder will set standards for collaborative and participatory programme design, manage proposal development processes from opportunity notice to contract signing, and ensure learning from donor feedback is used to strengthen our fundraising approach.
• You will lead the Funding Leadership Team to ensure cross-organisational ownership of fundraising efforts, and work closely with regional, thematic, policy and grant management colleagues throughout the funding cycle.

People and leadership

• You will line-manage the Funding and Programme Development Team and foster an environment where staff feel empowered, take responsibility and are accountable for achieving organisational objectives.
• You will ensure the team facilitates strong participatory programme design and proposal development with partners and staff, embedding Saferworld’s organisational values and principles. You will also support the team to work closely with colleagues across the organisation, grounding proposals in learning, evidence and evaluation findings.

About you

• You will bring proven senior leadership experience in funding, with a track record of developing and implementing funding strategies and raising income through a range of donors, including individuals, institutions, trusts and foundations. You will also have experience securing high-value contracts and grants of seven figures.
• You will have strong experience of leading complex participatory programme design, including developing budgets, monitoring frameworks and proposals. You will be confident coordinating programme development processes with multiple teams and partners to ensure a collaborative and inclusive approach.
• You will have a proven track record of motivating, mentoring and managing a team, and supporting that team to think creatively about fundraising. You will also be confident developing networks, building alliances, and nurturing relationships with individuals, collaborators and funders.
• You will bring a strong understanding of key political, development and humanitarian trends and debates, particularly linked to peacebuilding, development, human rights, governance, and security and justice. You will also have sound knowledge of UK civil society and charity regulatory requirements, and an understanding of the current international aid, peacebuilding and human rights funding environment.
• Experience of working and/or living in conflict-affected contexts, and understanding of peacebuilding and conflict prevention, are desirable.

Skills and qualities

• You will have excellent leadership and management skills, including strategic planning and business development. You will be able to provide sound financial and compliance advice, demonstrate good financial stewardship, and bring a creative, proactive approach to your work.
• You will be able to set priorities while working under pressure, adjust to multiple demands and shifting priorities, and move between hands-on involvement in proposal writing and strategic oversight.
• You will bring strong communication skills, including experience of communicating across cultures and with diverse audiences. You will understand the power imbalances that may be reflected in programme design and budgeting, and bring a strong commitment to inclusive processes and to shifting power and resources to partners.
• You will be committed to Saferworld’s vision, mission and values, including equality, diversity and safeguarding. You will be able to lead by example and create a safe and respectful environment for all staff.

Application process

• Please apply through our vacancy portal on the Saferworld Jobs website.
• Upload your CV and a covering letter addressing the person specification and explaining why your experience matches the requirements of the role.

Deadline for applications: 3 August 2026
Interviews planned: Week commencing 10 August 2026

For over 30 years, RASASC has provided specialist, trauma-informed support to survivors of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse across Cheshire and Merseyside. 

As Managing Director, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, working closely with our Board of Trustees, staff team, funders, commissioners and partners to ensure RASASC continues to deliver high-quality, survivor-centred services while building a sustainable future.

The opportunity:

• Shape and deliver RASASC’s strategy, growth plans and future direction
• Lead and inspire a committed team, creating a culture of excellence, collaboration and learning
• Ensure strong governance, financial sustainability and organisational resilience
• Develop relationships with funders, commissioners, partners and stakeholders
• Champion survivor voices and influence the wider sexual violence support sector
• Drive innovation, service improvement and long-term impact

We are looking for an experienced senior leader who can demonstrate:

• Strategic leadership experience within the charity, public, voluntary or social purpose sector
• A strong track record of managing budgets, resources and organisational performance
• Experience working with Boards, Trustees or Non-Executive Directors
• Success in securing funding through grants, contracts, tenders or partnerships
• The ability to lead people, manage change and build effective relationships
• A commitment to equality, inclusion, safeguarding and survivor-centred practice

This is a rare opportunity to lead a respected organisation with a powerful mission — ensuring survivors of sexual violence receive the support, advocacy and voice they deserve.If you are an ambitious, compassionate and strategic leader who wants to create lasting change, we would love to hear from you.

The Head of Public Fundraising is a new role at Coeliac UK leading the charity’s public fundraising function. The role focusses on driving sustainable growth across individual giving, community fundraising, events, lottery, raffle, digital fundraising and merchandise. This role is responsible for delivering Coeliac UK’s 5-year fundraising strategy to maximise return-on-investment, grow long term supporter value, and contribute to the charity’s mission. 

The Head of Public Fundraising will embed and deliver comprehensive fundraising strategies, growing Coeliac UK’s supporter base and income, building up new and under-developed income streams and communicating effectively with their audiences to expand their reach, and encourage financial and non-financial support to deliver the organisations mission.

Who are we looking for?

Key to the success of this role is a strong understanding of individual giving fundraising. This role blends the strategic oversight and leadership of a Head of role across multiple income streams, with the hands-on expertise of an IG fundraiser. Experience across other income streams and areas of fundraising delivery would be a huge benefit as the role leads community fundraising and events, will take on digital fundraising - currently led by the Chief Engagement Officer, as well as manage the data and supporter care functions, but experience in individual giving is essential as Coeliac UK has defined that as an area of priority income.

The successful candidate for this role will be someone who has already operated at a senior level within a charity such as at Senior Manager level, or Head of in a specific income stream.

Hybrid working

The role has a hybrid expectation of a minimum of a day a week in the High Wycombe office (HP11 2QW) to build relationships and provide support to the fundraising team, and there will be flexibility required for other in person meetings and events. However, Coeliac UK are keen to secure the very best candidate, if the hybrid expectation presents challenge for you but you otherwise meet the requirements of the role, please do get in touch with THINK to discuss. 

Application notes 

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.

To progress your application, please contact THINK Recruitment to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date.

If you need assistance with downloading the pack or any reasonable adjustments to ensure you can engage with the selection process, please contact THINK Recruitment and our team will support you.

Closing date for applications: Midnight Tuesday 21st July 

There will be a two-stage interview process: 

Stage 1 interviews: 30th July 

Stage 2 interviews: 5th August 

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key coordinating role within Carers Support West Sussex, supporting services that focus on specific caring roles, being mental health, dementia, learning disability, neurodiversity, and drug and alcohol.

Working closely with senior managers, you will bring leadership, structure and oversight to a varied and fast-paced role—coordinating multiple workstreams, supporting a team of Specialist Leads, and ensuring services are consistently high quality, well organised and responsive to what carers need.

A key part of the role is overseeing the delivery of grant-funded projects, ensuring they are effectively planned, coordinated and delivered to a high standard.

You will thrive in this role if you are an experienced manager who enjoys keeping things organised, managing competing priorities and helping others to deliver high-quality work. Your ability to communicate clearly and work collaboratively will ensure that insight from carers and partners translates into meaningful, accessible support.

This is an exciting hybrid role with a mix of working from home and attendance at countywide events and partnerships, offering the opportunity to be part of a supportive, purpose-driven organisation committed to improving outcomes for unpaid carers.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support a team of Specialist Leads to deliver high-quality carer services
• Oversee delivery across key areas (mental health, dementia, learning disability & neurodiversity, drug & alcohol)
• Lead coordination of grant-funded activities, ensuring delivery is on track and well organised
• Work with partner organisations (e.g. health, social care and VCSE) to progress joint activity and ensure actions are followed through.
• Support reporting and monitoring to demonstrate impact

About You

• Experienced manager, confident leading and supporting others
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities and workstreams
• Strong communicator with a collaborative approach
• Proactive and solution-focused
• Committed to improving outcomes for unpaid carers

Please refer to the Job Description in the Recruitment Pack to see the full list of responsibilities and person specification
 
Appointments are subject to an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service.

At Thomas Pocklington Trust, we’re promoting equality and inclusion for blind and partially sighted people in every aspect of society. One of our many missions is to establish Sight Loss Councils across the UK, to tackle local issues and work with businesses and service providers to improve the accessibility of their services.

We are looking for an SLC Coordinator to join us and continue to grow the scope and presence we have already established in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. We are open to considering candidates wishing to work up to 36 hours per week. The salary will be pro rata for roles of less than 36 hours per week. 

About the role

The key purpose of the Coordinator role is to support the Senior Engagement Manager to deliver regional Sight Loss Councils across Yorkshire and Humberside and to engage with blind and partially sighted people across the region.  We currently have three Sight Loss Councils (SLCs) in this region, so the postholder will be expected to work alongside the Senior Engagement Manager and coordinate the SLCs’ activity, focusing on the retention of the volunteers engaged and ensuring the projects and work they are involved in continue to be successful.

About you

You will have the passion and ability to use your lived experience to influence change, for the benefit of blind and partially sighted people. As an experienced Coordinator, you will engage and support Sight Loss Council members in the implementation of the region’s business plans to bring about change across transport, health and the built environment, as well as areas of local interest such as arts and culture or retail.

You will be a self-starter and work well on your own but will also enjoy being a part of a national team working across the country, with whom you can learn from, as well as share good practice with. Ideally you will need to live within the Yorkshire and Humberside region, as there will be travel within the region every week.

Green Alliance is an environmental thinktank, charity and advocate committed to achieving a greener, fairer future for the UK. We believe that ambitious political leadership is essential for meaningful environmental change at the speed and scale necessary.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our operations team, someone with a strong financial background with excellent attention to detail, a flexible attitude, an ability to work effectively under their own initiative and as part of a small team, together with excellent organisation and administrative skills.

Effective financial control is central to our strategy and operating model. The finance officer plays an essential role in maintaining control over our finances and operations. You will process and monitor financial transactions, liaise with our payroll bureau regarding staff payroll and pensions and support the Head of finance. You will be experienced in using Dynamics 365 Business Central as an accounting system.

This is a part-time role for two days a week (0.4FTE), with flexibility about when the hours are worked. It's a hybrid role, working from home and from our office. You will report to our Head of finance. You will also work with all staff on financial matters including personal and credit card expenses, central and project income and expenditure, and processing of payroll by liaising with our external bureau.

Head of Communications & Public Affairs

The Head of Communications & Public Affairs is a pivotal role at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) promoting our world-leading work in science, conservation, horticulture, and education.

Working as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will lead the organisation’s approach to strategic communications, seeking opportunities to engage external audiences, disseminate key messages, and raise RBGE’s profile on a national and international stage through press and media engagement.

With oversight of the communications and publishing functions, this role will also provide key support to the Regius Keeper and the Executive Team in shaping engagement and communication strategies with political stakeholders across the Scottish and UK governments.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact in the next phase of RBGE’s corporate strategy, strengthening key policy relationships and promoting RBGE’s expertise to deliver real impact in the fight against the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Closing date:                            09:00am (BST) on Monday 20 July 2026        
First interview date:               30 July 2026
Second interview date: 5 August 2026

Recruitment information: 

Further details on the job description, person specification, and how to apply can be found in the candidate pack for the role on our website here: Head of Communications and Public Affairs Candidate Pack

Are you an experienced IDVA, ready to work with a creative and dynamic team, advocating for women, families and the LGBT+ community who have experienced Domestic Abuse? Then join us to lead a team of specialist caseworkers, supporting survivors to address practical issues and empower them in their recovery!

The RISE Team Leader will be a skilled independent domestic and sexual violence advocate who will oversee a small team of case and group workers as well as managing Helpline volunteers. She will be a qualified IDVA and ISVA or be willing to complete the accreditations in the first six months in post.

She will hold a caseload of her own and coordinate a team providing support and guidance through a range of interventions and support offers working closely with an experienced Manager and other Team Leaders. Together with their team they will build, maintain and create links to deliver survivor-focused, trauma aware/ responsive support to help survivors and their family to cope and recover.

They will be the lead on developing, implementing and coordinating the Helpline, Casework and Projects with day-to-day practice oversight of staff and volunteers. The Team Leader will work co-operatively and flexibly alongside RISE colleagues providing expert input and contributing to the effective running of the organisation as a whole.

This post is subject to a DBS check.

The deadline for applications is: 2nd August 2026

Interviews are expected to be held during the week commencing 10th August 2026

* This post is only open to female applicants as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded women-led, women-centred, and trauma-informed charity with almost 30-years track record in violence against women and girls (VAWG) and LGBT Domestic Abuse.

RISE is committed to ending racism and has signed up to the Ending Racism in VAWG commitments.

We are committed to actively holding anti-racist values and practices and nurturing the contributions from Black and minoritised women within the sector so that Black and minoritised leadership can grow.

RISE is a Disability Confident Employer.

Benefits that we can offer in return:

• 3% employer contribution pension.
• Generous holiday entitlement of 27 days’ annual leave rising to 29 after 5 years plus bank holidays.
• Employee Assistance programme.
• Focus on well-being and balancing flexible working alongside RISE’s priorities.
• Committed to training and learning opportunities for continuous development.
• Trauma focussed wellbeing support.

We really look forward to hearing from you.

Salary: £35,159 to £36,935 (starting salary range)

Working pattern: Full-time, Permanent (35 hours per week)

Pension: USS

Annual leave: 25 days plus 8 bank holidays, 3 well-being days, and a Christmas office closure

Location: Hybrid, flexible working model with an office located in central London. Occasional UK-wide travel for GHE and relevant events.

Reports to: Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International)

Purpose

GuildHE is seeking an ambitious Policy Officer to play a pivotal role in the next phase of our organisation’s growth. Working directly with the Head of Research Policy and the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International), you will help monitor, analyse, and respond to policy initiatives within the research and innovation space.  You will support a range of member-focused events and activities to ensure staff in our member institutions are well-informed and supported. This includes supporting the management of the GuildHE Research Consortium and leading on the organising and delivery of our flagship annual PGR Doctoral Festival, helping our members develop, share best practices, and maximise their research impact.

Key Responsibilities 

Policy Analysis & Communication

1. Horizon Scanning: Monitor government departments (e.g., DSIT, DfE), funding and regulatory bodies (UKRI, Research England, OfS, Innovate UK), and other stakeholders for policy updates, funding calls, and consultation launches in relation to Research and Innovation policy.

2. Briefings: Produce concise policy briefings, data summaries, and position papers for GuildHE members and leadership on key Research and Innovation issues (e.g., REF, knowledge exchange, KEF, commercialisation, research culture, open research). Develop high-quality external reports, consultations, blogs and other materials articulating member challenges and opportunities.

3. Consultation Drafts: Assist senior policy colleagues in gathering evidence, analysing member feedback, collaborating with sector stakeholders, and drafting compelling arguments that articulate the unique perspectives of GuildHE institutions.

4. Share Best Practice: Identify case studies across the GHE membership to share best practice internally and externally and drive national conversations about new ways of working and operating in the sector.

5. Policy issues: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national and institutional research and innovation policies indicated by the Head of Research Policy or Policy Manager (Research, Innovation, International).

Member Support & Consortium Coordination

1. Member Engagement: Maintain regular, positive communication with research and innovation leads across member institutions, fostering a collaborative network.  Support relevant GuildHE member networks, including the Knowledge Exchange, Innovation and Place network, promoting communication, collaboration, and best practice exchange to inform evidence-based policy development.

2. Member development: Provide support for timely implementation of good practice guidelines and associated resources, within agreed budgets. This includes assisting with members' business development initiatives, such as Research Degree Awarding Powers.

3. Event Delivery: Develop and deliver content for events including the GuildHE Research Consortium meetings, the Research and Knowledge Exchange Symposium, PGR Doctoral Festival, the PGR Network for global majority students and sandpits/match events, workshops and roundtables. 

4. Shared Services: Collaborate with other GHE teammates to maintain and deliver our shared services (i.e. research outputs repository, shared postgraduate online training, research impact tracking and researcher development tools) and explore new services in response to members’ needs

5. PGR Students: Develop and deliver initiatives for postgraduate students and early career researchers (e.g., our PGR Support Programme and associated student networks), working closely with the Policy Manager (Student Experience) to ensure postgraduate students are reflected in broader student support policies.

The postholder will also be expected to:

1. Actively support the delivery of the GuildHE strategy.

2. To contribute positively to a small, professional team focused on delivering excellence in their members’ interests.

3. Support GuildHE events and communication activities as appropriate - including campaigns, writing articles, blogs and press releases.

4. Build strong relationships with key stakeholders at HE institutions and sector agencies, including senior leaders, academics, and policy staff.

5. Gather feedback from HE institutions and use this to inform the continuous improvement of our services.

6. Demonstrate a proactive approach to embedding EDI principles within all policy development and advocacy efforts.

7. Represent GuildHE externally on a range of HE sector groups and projects and deputise for the Head of Research Policy or the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation and International) as appropriate.

8. Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required.

Person Specification

Core Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships

• Clear, concise writing skills for drafting policy responses, reports, and emails to senior stakeholders with excellent attention to detail.

• Problem-solving, Influencing and advocacy skills 

• Ability to digest complex, lengthy policy documents and extract key themes relevant to GuildHE members.

• Confident digital skills and highly proficient user of computer packages including MS Office and G Suite

• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively, adhere deadlines, and maintain project momentum. This includes the capacity to monitor progress, identify and mitigate potential risks, and proactively address challenges.

• Experience in using data and evidence to enhance and impact assess activities. 

• Facilitation and convening skills would be advantageous 

Core Attributes

• Ability to build professional relationships quickly and sustainably with members and a wide range of stakeholders

• Able to meet deadlines, to prioritise work and to anticipate issues and problems with strong attention to detail

• A collaborative, communicative and flexible team player who is also comfortable working independently.

• An individual who shares our values of equity and inclusion and can translate these values into day to day work and impactful outcomes.

• An understanding of, or a keen interest in, the UK higher education sector, research funding landscape, or public policy.

• To be willing to travel across the UK for meetings with members, stakeholders and events and to work flexibly, when and where necessary.

Ideal Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of higher education policy, working in research and innovation and/or supporting a research environment. 

• Experience of developing policy positions and responses

• Experience in synthesising complex data and/or ideas

• Experience in supporting training and development

Job Advert

GuildHE is a formal representative body, representing diversity in the higher education sector and the widest variety of institution types across the UK.  We are undergoing an exciting period of transformation, evolving our policy approach and member-focused services to significantly increase our impact within the sector and ensure we’re providing timely, proactive support to our members as they address emerging 21st century challenges.  

GuildHE is seeking an ambitious Policy Officer to play a pivotal role in the next phase of our organisation’s growth. Working directly with the Head of Research Policy and the Policy Manager (Skills, Innovation, International), you will help monitor, analyse, and respond to policy initiatives within the research and innovation space.  You will support a range of member-focused events and activities to ensure staff in our member institutions are well-informed and supported. This includes supporting the management of the GuildHE Research Consortium and leading on the organising and delivery of our flagship annual PGR Doctoral Festival, helping our members develop, share best practices, and maximise their research impact.

If you think you can bring bold, creative and proactive energy to our small-and-mighty team to help take us to the next level, we want to hear from you!

Application closing date: Sunday 12th July

Interviews: Tuesday 21st July 

Please submit your cv and a cover letter via the jobs portal

Curious about the role? Please contact Dana Gamble, Policy Manager for more information

Communications and Engagement Officer

Location: Hybrid/remote working (at least 2 days per week based in our Central London office, however we want to get the best from you, so we are open to discussion).

Contract: Permanent, 35hrs p/week.

Peace Direct does not currently hold a sponsorship license and therefore if you do not have the right to work in the UK, we cannot accept your application.

Who we are 
Peace Direct is an international charity with a vision for a just world, free from violent conflict. Working in partnership with local peacebuilders in some of the world’s most conflict-affected places, we want to change the international system so that it better supports the role that local people and communities play in preventing violence and building and sustaining peace. More than that, we want to change the international system so that it better supports the role that local people and communities play in preventing violence and building and sustaining peace.

The Role 
We are looking for a Communications and Engagement Officer to join our busy Fundraising & Communications team. You will play a key role in growing and engaging Peace Direct's audiences to take action for local peacebuilders. You will coordinate and deliver content across email, web and social media channels that increases supporter engagement, conversions and unrestricted income. You will support wider organisational communications including working directly with our partners to collect content, championing ethical, decolonised and values-led communications. You will also provide administrative support to the whole team, contributing to Peace Direct’s visibility, impact and fundraising success.

About You: To join us, some of the skills you will need are:  

• Strong organisational skills with experience providing administrative support in a busy team environment.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and build effective relationships with colleagues, supporters, and stakeholders.
• Confident using new systems and following established processes.
• Excellent writing, editing, and digital content management skills.
• Experience using data and analytics to improve performance and engagement.
• Commitment to inclusive, ethical communications and responsible storytelling.

If you are a highly organised communicator with strong digital content skills and a passion for social change, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help amplify the voices of peacebuilders around the world.

This permanent position is based in our small, friendly central London office, working alongside a highly committed and diverse team.

Still interested? Take a look at the job description to see full details about the role and whether it matches your skills and experience.  

How to Apply
Please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing relevant experience and what excites you most about working in our Fundraising and Communications team via Charity Jobs. Please indicate in your cover letter, should you choose to, whether you are applying through the Disability Confident Scheme.

Using AI in your application
At Peace Direct, we understand how useful AI can be in supporting engaging and effective communications. However, we prefer that AI is not relied on in job applications. We are excited to read your unique insights and experiences, which AI often removes. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice and how your ambition aligns with our mission.

We also offer candidates the choice of submitting a video clip, i.e. a video cover letter if this is preferable to a written cover letter. To ensure fairness we suggest you turn the camera off so that we only hear your voice. The video should be no more than 2 minutes in length. You should email it as a video link via WeTransfer or any other file sharing tool, to our recruitment inbox, the address of which you will find on the jobs page of our website as unfortunately the Charity Jobs website does not permit a url to be inserted here.

For the video cover letter, the following should guide your speaking points. Switch the camera off and state the following:

• Your name;
• The job you are applying for;
• Describe your overall skills and abilities (as they relate to the post being advertised);
• A brief description of your work experience (in relation to the post being advertised);
• What makes you qualified for the new position;
• Any additional details that help introduce yourself

You should choose either a written cover letter or a video cover letter, but we request that you please do NOT submit both.

Closing deadline for CV and cover letter is 11:30pm on Sunday 26th July.  

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete the following before their interview:

• A short supplementary information form
• A task put together by the Digital Fundraising & Engagement Manager and Communications & Engagement Manager

First stage interviews will be held ideally in-person on 6th and 10th August. Second stage interviews will be held on 13th August.

Peace Direct strives to be a diverse and inclusive employer, with equality of opportunities regardless of personal identity, and we are committed to improving our systems and ways of working to support this, including creating a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) working group, DEI strategy and recruitment guidelines. We strongly encourage individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), LGBTQ+. As part of being a Disability Confident Committed employer, we welcome people with disabilities or health challenges to apply and those who meet most of the Essential requirements as laid out in the job specification will be guaranteed an interview for the job which you are applying, through our Disability Confident scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

We welcome people from all backgrounds and strongly advocate our DEI policy and commitment to maintain an inclusive workplace culture; we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent, so we welcome a conversation about any DEI concerns you may have. Please contact our HR Manager, Lesley Agbarakwe. What’s important isn’t your level of education or the opportunities which you have had; it’s about your passion and how you seize the opportunities ahead of you to use your skills and knowledge in this field of work.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which includes criminal records (DBS) checks. Peace Direct also participates in the Inter

Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (Misconduct Disclosure Scheme). In line with this Scheme, we will ask your consent to request information from previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation after having left previous employment.  

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Peace Direct engages. Peace Direct expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing and protecting all people from harm in their interactions with us. We expect all those that act in our name to uphold our approach to doing no harm and to sign up to our Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct.