Senior policy and public affairs manager jobs

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Save the Children UK has an exciting opportunity for a strategic and politically-minded individual with extensive policy knowledge & experience to join us as our Senior Public Affairs Advisor.

Please note: This is a 12 month FTC.

About Us

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.  When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave.  We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

About the role

As Senior Public Affairs Advisor, you will lead Save the Children UK's political and public affairs work on one of our key strategic priorities – including protecting children in crises, tackling UK child poverty, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. You will design and deliver high-impact influencing and change strategies, build and maintain strong relationships with Parliament and key stakeholders, and ensure our advocacy drives meaningful policy outcomes for children.

Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will support colleagues, children, and priority audiences to engage confidently and effectively with decision makers. This role is ideal for someone with strong experience in international development and humanitarian aid, and a deep understanding of international cooperation and foreign policy, who is motivated to translate global evidence and child-centred priorities into impactful political influence in the UK.

In this role, you will:  

• Lead political strategy and thought leadership on international development and the future of international cooperation, shaping ambitious and credible policy change.
• Build and manage high-level relationships with parliamentarians, ministers, senior civil servants, and key external influencers to drive impact.
• Provide clear, timely political insight through monitoring, analysis, and briefing to inform advocacy and manage political and reputational risk.
• Deliver high-impact advocacy by drafting compelling briefings and enabling children, families, and colleagues to engage directly with decision makers.
• Strengthen public affairs capability across Save the Children by coaching colleagues and working collaboratively across teams and regions.

About you

To be successful, it is important that you have:

• Strong understanding of UK political systems, processes, and trends.
• Solid policy expertise in international development, international cooperation, and humanitarian issues.
• Proven ability to analyse political insight, manage political risk, and use this to drive effective influencing.
• Demonstrable experience delivering strategic, creative lobbying and advocacy that achieves political change, including through events and campaigns.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and work effectively across teams and coalitions.
• Strong planning, project management, and organisational skills, with the flexibility to adapt in a fast-changing environment.
• Commitment to Save the Children's vision, mission and values. 

What we offer you:

Working for a charity provides one of the best benefits there is – a sense of purpose and reward for helping others. However, we understand the importance of giving back to our employees to ensure a happy and healthy working environment and work/life balance.

• We focus on flexibility, inclusion, collaboration, health and wellbeing both in and outside of work.
• We provide a wide range of benefits which will reward your hard work, motivate you, and inspire you to work to improve the lives of children every day. You can read more about our benefits here.

Closing date: midnight on Sunday 25th January

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Location & Ways of Working:

The majority of our roles can be performed remotely in the UK, but at times you will be required to come to your contracted office (usually between 2–4 days per month, depending on the needs of your role, team, or service). For many roles, this is likely to be the minimum required to deliver impact.

This will be discussed and agreed with your manager / team and we encourage candidates to discuss our ways of working in more detail at interview stage.

Please note: travel costs to your contracted office will be at your own expense. 

Flexible Working - We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 

Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be "Free to Be Me". We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think. 

We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences - of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability - help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here. 

Are you an experienced Media or PR professional looking for the next step up in your career?

With homelessness at record highs, St Mungo’s are looking for a politically engaged, creative, and driven Press and PR Officer to amplify our frontline work and influence efforts to end homelessness for good.

You’ll join a small, dynamic team of three and lead all media and PR activity linked to our policy, research, and influencing work. This is a pivotal role in our busy press office, building strong relationships with political and social affairs journalists to share compelling stories from one of the UK’s leading homelessness charities.

In this role, you will:

• Respond to varied media requests, from service visits to commentary on major Government announcements like the National Plan to End Homelessness.
• Create impactful, politically savvy press materials, press releases, opinion pieces, responses to breaking news and letters to editors.
• Advise senior leaders on policy-related PR, providing briefings and practice interviews.
• Use St Mungo’s data creatively to tell stories about issues affecting people experiencing homelessness.
• Support ministerial visits and collaborate with government and sector partners to showcase our frontline work.

About you

You might already be working as a Senior Press and PR officer looking for a new challenge or looking for the next step in your media career. To be successful in this exciting role you will be someone who:

• Thrives under-pressure and can juggle multiple and competing demands, while prioritising your own workload.
• Is a team player who is happy to take ownership of projects and step up to support colleagues at all levels  as required.
• Works with a solution focused approach who can see the ‘big picture’ and problem solve in a pressurised environment.  
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Has experience of delivering proactive PR and communications campaigns and the ability to deal with crisis communications.

In this role you will be required to work flexibly for at least 2 days per week from our Central Office in London. This allows for training, in person collaboration, team building,  and other relationship building opportunities. We support a flexible approach to work with opportunities for agile working for the rest of your week; from home, or other St Mungo’s London or regional locations. 

While our Central Office is currently based in Tower Hill, London we plan to relocate in the summer of 2026 to a new space in Farringdon, London.

How to apply

To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.

When you're ready to apply click the ‘Apply Now’ Button to submit your CV and Supporting Statement. 

To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website.

Closing date: 10am 28 January 2026

Interview and assessments on 5-6 February 2026

St Mungo's are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage applications from all under-represented groups.

What we offer

• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
• Great Pay and Other Benefits

Policy Campaigns Officer

A permanent position has arisen as part of the continued growth of our campaigns work within our friendly Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns department. The Policy Campaigns Officer will play a key role in helping the charity deliver high-impact campaigns that mobilise supporters, influence policy, and raise awareness of issues relating to dementia research.

Working across digital and offline channels, you will support integrated campaign planning and delivery, contribute to evaluation and insight, and coordinate activity across multiple teams.

This exciting role will tackle complex issues, offering opportunities to work on innovative public-facing campaigns, digital engagement, and translating policy objectives into compelling actions and messages that drive measurable change for people living with, and affected by, dementia.

Key Responsibilities:

Campaign development and delivery

· Support the development and delivery of campaigns aligned to the charity’s strategic policy objectives.

· Help design campaign plans, including objectives, audiences, tactics, timelines and evaluation measures.

· Deliver campaign activity across a range of channels, both digital and offline.

· Work with colleagues across the organisation to ensure campaigns are evidence-led, inclusive and aligned with organisational priorities.

· Monitor campaign performance and contribute to evaluation and learning.

· Act as a point of contact for work with external agencies and suppliers.

Influencing and supporter mobilisation

· Support efforts to influence decision-makers by mobilising supporters and amplifying public voices.

· Work with policy and public affairs colleagues to align public-facing campaign activity with political influencing messaging and objectives.

· Help build and maintain relationships with supporters, volunteers, partner organisations and coalitions.

· Assist with producing campaign briefings, messaging and supporter-facing materials.

Communications and digital campaigning

· Work closely with communications and digital teams to deliver integrated campaign content.

· Support the development of email, social media and online action tools to engage supporters.

· Adapt campaign messages for different audiences, ensuring clarity, accuracy and impact.

· Contribute to content planning and delivery to maximise reach and engagement.

Events and engagement activity

· Support the planning and delivery of campaign-related events, both online and in-person.

· Represent the charity at relevant events, meetings and conferences as required.

· Assist with coordinating meetings and briefings involving supporters, stakeholders and internal teams.

· Liaise with colleagues, supporters and external partners to ensure effective delivery of campaign activity.

What we are looking for:

· Experience supporting or delivering public-facing campaigns, advocacy or engagement activity

· Understanding of how campaigns can influence decision-makers and public opinion.

· Experience of digital campaigning or supporter mobilisation

· Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues across different teams

· Experience of building positive relationships with supporters, stakeholders or partners

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages for different audiences

· Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines

· Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.

· IT literate, with experience using Microsoft Office and digital tools

· Commitment to the charity’s vision, mission and values

· Proactive, flexible and solution-focused approach to work

· Strong team player with the ability to use initiative

· Willingness to learn and adapt in a fast-moving environment

· Willingness to work outside of regular office hours during busy periods (e.g. campaign launches or events)

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £30,000 per annum, plus benefits.

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 1st February 2026, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.  Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website.

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK: Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure. 

The Programme Director, Media and Communications leads on the design, development and implementation of communication strategies and plans to advance Humane World for Animals UK’s strategic priorities with regard to campaigns, brand-building and fundraising. The role creates, implements and measures the success of a comprehensive communications programme that will aim to significantly enhance the organisation’s image and position within the UK animal protection space.

If you are results-oriented, organised and creative and have strong proven experience as a media and communications professional then we would like to hear from you.

Key areas of responsibility

1. Develop and execute communications strategies for Humane World for Animals UK’s key campaigns and fundraising requirements.

2. Measure and track communications impact, reach and effectiveness, reporting against agreed targets.

3. Manage, maintain and grow productive relationships with a range of journalists with a goal of securing prominent national media coverage.

4. Oversee the organisation’s social media channels to promote campaigns, support fundraising and engage meaningfully with UK supporters and political stakeholders.

5. Serve as chief content reviewer to ensure communications materials adhere to policy, factual accuracy and visual brand guidelines.

6. Lead on designing reputational risk management mitigation strategies.

7. Implement UK specific brand strategies with the aim of increasing and measuring brand awareness in the UK market.

8. Lead on celebrity recruitment and stewardship.

9. Manage sourcing and contracting relationships with communications / PR agencies and databases to ensure consistently high-quality and value for money communications outputs.

10. Manage the communications and media budget, including regular reporting.

About you

Our successful candidate will be confident, creative and positive with a proven track in media and communications roles at a senior level. A proactive self-starter, you will have demonstrable experience of managing and developing strong, focused and ambitious teams, and a solution-focused approach to overcoming obstacles. You will have experience of building high quality media and communication strategies and plans and delivering these in a fast-paced environment. You will have ambition and drive for creating positive change for animal welfare; a willingness to constantly learn and develop the most impactful, cost-effective communications for our target audiences; and your work will be solidly underpinned by regular evaluation of progress and impact with a view to further improving strategies.

We are searching for an experienced media and communications professional to make a difference and be part of our successful and friendly team. If that’s you, please get in touch!

Role outline and purpose

The Senior Policy & Public Affairs Manager will be accountable for overseeing public affairs activities, policy development and supporting influencing activity to advance the goals of the Supportive Communities programme.  The role will plan and lead public affairs activities, policy development and support influencing strategy and activities, providing in-depth expertise across the programme with a specific focus on our emerging community design priorities and our work with a range of stakeholders, local/regional decision-makers and national policy-makers in the communities space.

This role is part of Trussell’s Supportive Communities programme, the goal of which is to enable local communities to become places where people at risk of needing to use a food bank are supported and are using their agency to bring about meaningful changes that prevent anybody from needing emergency food.  This role is focused on the successful delivery of the overall programme outcomes, contributing to the fulfilment of our long term vision of a UK without the need for food banks.

Role responsibilities

· Lead public affairs activities linked to the Community Design portfolio within the Supportive Communities programme, including developing and delivering an effective public affairs strategy reaching key decision-makers including parliamentarians, mayors and local authority leaders.

· Work collaboratively with key internal and external stakeholders from the sector and among policymakers to shape and deliver the programme’s policy strategy.

· Lead policy development to achieve the goals of the Supportive Communities programme.

· Establish and maintain momentum in policy development across the programme, ensuring the creation of credible proposals and building a strong case for policymakers to implement asks.

• Support with wider strategic development as part of Trussell’s policy and influencing strategy, including working with colleagues to align policy development and asks within the programme across the UK, nations and regions.

· Provide advice and line management, including regular 1:1s and assessment against objectives, and identify development needs.

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

· Significant experience of developing and delivering effective public affairs strategies and interventions with evidence of securing local or national policy-change

· Significant track record of successfully developing policy solutions and influencing politicians and/or key decision-makers to achieve policy change

· Strong communication skills (written and oral) with impact and for a range of audiences

· Experience of providing strategic input to support senior leadership

· Experience of line managing, including dealing with performance issues and supporting team development

· Self-sufficient use of IT, including proficiency in Work, Excel, PowerPoint, and experience in project management processes and software

Behaviours and competencies:

· Works collaboratively, managing challenges in a constructive manner

· Balances competing priorities and work to tight deadlines

· Demonstrates a dedication to the values of Trussell

· Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds

· Role models inclusive behaviour, values and leadership

Annual leave: 33 days (plus eight bank holidays)
Benefits:

• enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental pay
• family-friendly policies
• 8% employer pension contribution (Aviva) 
• three x basic salary life assurance cover
• free health cashback plan (Medicash): employee cover plus up to four dependent children
• 24/7 virtual GP access (UK registered), plus access to Best Doctors
  free, confidential employee assistance programme (Medicash)
• access to a wellbeing app
• flexible working options including hybrid working, flexible working patterns such as part-time, compressed hours, and more*
• learning and development opportunities including bespoke training and access to LinkedIn Learning)
• commitment to employee health and wellbeing.
• we have a Menopause Friendly accreditation and are a Disability Confident employer

Join Dementia UK as Public Affairs Manager and help shape our impact as we enter our 2025–30 strategy. You will play a central role in strengthening our political influence and championing the voices of people affected by dementia at the highest levels of decision-making.

You will lead our public affairs work in Westminster, building strong relationships with parliamentarians, government officials and political advisers, and providing clear political insight to shape our campaigns, policy development and public-facing activity. You’ll help position Dementia UK as a trusted voice on dementia, social care and health, proactively identifying opportunities to raise our profile and influence key debates.

Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will develop, shape and own a small but high impact public affairs function. You’ll also provide line management and team leadership to a Public Affairs Officer.

To succeed in this role, you will bring extensive experience in public affairs with a strong understanding of UK political institutions, policy-making processes, and how to build public affairs capabilities. You will have a proven track record of building and managing relationships with senior political stakeholders to deliver policy change, and the ability to set direction, assess risk/opportunities in a fast-moving political environment.

Apply today and be a part of a team committed to making a real difference in the lives of those affected by dementia.

We would love to hear from you! If you would like to find out more about the role, or have any queries, please get in touch with us.

Our culture

In addition to a competitive salary and a generous benefits package, we truly value our people. It’s important for us to create a working environment that looks after our workforce to support them in achieving their full potential. You will become part of a diverse and dedicated team who are supported to use and develop their skills. We recognise and value the key role you will play in delivering our strategic plans for the benefit of those living with dementia.

Our staff have a voice. Representatives from different roles and levels across the organisation positively contribute to and lead on our working groups around health and wellbeing, menopause, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Dementia UK is proud to welcome everyone. We aim for a truly inclusive culture with talented, diverse teams that represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We celebrate difference and individuality and encourage everyone to join us and be their whole selves always.

Dementia UK is a Disability Confident Employer. If you’d like support to make an application, contact us.

By applying to join Dementia UK, you acknowledge that in the event you are successful for the role, any offer and your ongoing employment will be conditional on you having or obtaining the right to work in the UK.

*Please note that any decision on flexible working is based on business needs 

When you apply for a job at Dementia UK, we will collect certain information about you to process your application and assess your suitability for the role. Further details can be found in our privacy notice.

Job Title:                                                   Head of Policy & Campaigns

Grade and Salary:                                     Team lead - £56,000 to £60,000 (depending on experience)

Reporting To:                                             Director

Number of direct reports:                           Three (currently)

Location:                                                    Brighton/Hybrid (At least two days per week in Brighton Office)

Contract:                                                  Full time, permanent (35 hours a week)

Travel Requirements:                                The post involves some UK travel and may include occasional travel to Europe.

Background

Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) is the only charity in the UK focused solely on tackling the problems caused by pesticides and promoting safe and sustainable alternatives in agriculture, urban areas, homes and gardens. It is an independent, non-profit organisation, which works nationally and internationally to eliminate the use of the most hazardous pesticides, reduce dependence on pesticides overall, and to increase the adoption of sustainable alternatives to chemical pest control.

Our Head of Policy & Campaigns leads our work in the UK which aims to better protect both the environment and human health from pesticide harms. Through policy work, lobbying, research, media and strategic communications, we aim to influence a range of decision makers, from the UK government and devolved administrations to local councils and the country’s biggest supermarkets. The role also includes working alongside PAN UK’s Director to secure funding to cover the UK team’s salaries, overheads and activities. It is an incredibly varied role, involving everything from leading on strategy development for the UK team while also being intricately involved in writing and editing publications and executing other activities such as events and mobilising the public.

The Head of Policy & Campaigns is part of PAN UK’s Senior Management Team (along with our Director, Head of Finance and Governance and Head of International Programmes) which sets the direction of the organisation and ensures it is well-managed and delivering on our mission. 

Specific responsibilities

1.       Advocacy, policy and campaigning

• Lead the UK team in developing advocacy strategies, and fully utilising opportunities to make progress towards achieving PAN UK’s mission.

• Conduct high quality research and analysis aimed at influencing decision makers. Ensure it is presented in a way which is both technically accurate and compelling.

• Develop and/or maintain expertise in pesticide policy with the aim of being able to represent PAN UK credibly in a range of external fora.

• Build relationships with a wide range of decision makers including government ministers and civil servants, parliamentarians, devolved administrations, local councils and supermarkets.

• Ensure that the organisation’s policy positions on UK pesticide issues are clear, well thought out and will lead to positive change.

• Find creative ways to involve the UK public in PAN UK’s work, including enabling members of the public to contact decision makers directly.

2.       Communications

• Secure media coverage for PAN UK outputs, including writing press releases and liaising with journalists. Provide written quotes for media outlets and give interviews for radio and TV.

• Write materials including policy reports, political briefings and public-facing communications such as blogs and supporter emails. Edit and sign off all outputs from the UK team, ensuring they are both well-written and accurate.

• Conduct public speaking at a range of events, from high-profile events in parliament to community gatherings (and everything in between!).

• Work closely with PAN UK’s Communications Manager to provide content for the organisation’s website and social media channels. Support the Communications Manager in their broader work which includes raising PAN UK’s public profile and leading on individual giving.

3.       Fundraising and financial management

(Please note that PAN UK does not employ fundraisers).

• Raise sufficient funds to cover the UK team’s salaries, activity costs and contribution to organisational overheads.

• Contribute to efforts to raise core funds, which are led by PAN UK’s Director.

• Identify and build relationships with new funders, particularly trusts and foundations, with the aim of securing funding.

• Maintain excellent relationships with existing funders, making sure to meet reporting deadlines.

• Follow PAN UK protocols to ensure that the UK team’s finances are well-managed.

 4.     Leadership and strategy

• Manage a high-performing team, leading on strategy development and implementation and ensuring that the team runs effectively.

• Line manage the staff of the UK team, running regular 121s, annual appraisals and generally making sure they are happy and productive.

5.       Contributing to the organisation

• Contribute to the effective and smooth running of the organisation through membership of the Senior Management Team.

• Report to the PAN UK Board of Trustees as and when required.

• Other duties as may reasonably be requested by the Director and commensurate with the post.

Person specification

Essential

• At least eight years’ advocacy experience, including experience of designing, developing and implementing both policy work and public campaigns.

• Experience of developing, implementing and reviewing strategies designed to create change. 

• Excellent writing and editing skills and experience of producing both technical and public-facing materials. Exceptional attention to detail and a personal commitment to accuracy.

• An understanding of the political context, actors, and processes relating to key policy areas that intersect with pesticides such as food, farming, environment and/or health.

• Experience lobbying decision makers and knowledge of how the UK political system works.

• Demonstrable experience of preparing successful funding applications and building relationships with funders.

• Experience of managing, leading and motivating staff.

• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice.

• Proven ability to work on own initiative, meeting objectives and tight deadlines under pressure.

• The right to work in the UK.

 Desirable

• Knowledge of problems and solutions associated with pesticides and/or other chemicals. 

• Experience working in sectors related to pesticides including environment, health and/or social justice. 

• Relevant degree in a related discipline (science or social science).

• Experience of dealing with the media and acting as a spokesperson.

• Experience in managing project budgets.

• Knowledge of UK libel laws.

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

We are a small, growing charity delivering many school leadership programmes, with a growing research and policy arm. We have had excellent early impact but there is work ahead to capture this, share learning with schools and policy-makers, and campaign to lower exclusions across England.

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 
 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:
 

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 

We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.

5Rights is seeking to recruit an outstanding​ professional​ Senior Public Relations Adviser to support our world-leading NGO at a time of exceptional visibility and opportunity to scale our impact. This is a remote role​ and can be based either in the UK or Belgium.​

​
About 5Rights​

5Rights Foundation exists to ensure a digital world that will serve children and young people today and for future generations. We are a small team of senior professionals and experts delivering change in how the digital world works. We have shifted the narrative and the agenda through provocative comms campaigns (e.g. Twisted Toys), pioneering research (e.g. Pathways) and award-winning tools (e.g. Child Online Safety Toolkit). We continue to drive real-life change thanks to an outstanding track-record of delivering legislation (e.g. Californian Age Appropriate Design Code), policy and regulatory frameworks (e.g. UNCRC General comment No.25), and industry standards (e.g. IEEE 2089).​​

Role Purpose​​​

The Senior Public Relations Advisor leads 5Rights' external public relations and media strategy, positioning 5Rights as a global authority on children’s rights in the digital environment. The role shapes the public narrative around our mission, ensuring 5Rights’ work achieves maximum visibility, credibility and impact with policymakers, the media, industry and the public.​

This is a senior, strategic role requiring exceptional judgement, political awareness and strong relationships across media and stakeholder landscapes.​

Key Responsibilities​​

• ​Develop and deliver a comprehensive public relations strategy aligned with 5Rights’ mission and policy objectives.
• ​Position 5Rights as a leading voice on children’s rights​ in the digital environment in UK, EU and international media.
• ​Anticipate emerging issues and shape proactive public relations strategies around key policy moments, research releases and advocacy campaigns.
• Protect and enhance the organisation’s reputation, including crisis communications and risk management.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior journalists, editors and broadcasters across national and international media.
• ​Secure high-profile coverage in print, broadcast and digital media.
• Act as principal media advisor to the Executive Director and senior leadership team.
• Support and coach senior spokespeople and youth representatives for media engagements.
• ​Lead public relation planning for major campaigns, policy launches and advocacy initiatives.
• ​Advise on strategic partnerships and external engagement from a public relations perspective.
• Represent 5Rights at events, conferences and high-level meetings as required.​
• Contribute to strengthening 5Rights’ overall public relations impact by bringing senior PR expertise, networks, and strategic media insight to the team.​

Person specification​

This is a highly challenging and rewarding position for a professional with the following attributes:​​

Essential skills and attributes: ​

• ​Extensive senior-level experience in public relations, communications, journalism or public affairs, ideally within policy, advocacy, human rights, technology, or social impact sectors.
• Proven track record of shaping national and international media coverage and securing high-profile placements across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
• ​Demonstrated experience leading public relations and media strategy, including reputation management, at organisational or campaign level.
• Experience advising senior leaders and acting as a trusted public relation expert in high-stakes and politically sensitive environments.
• Exceptional writing and editorial skills, with the ability to translate complex policy, technical and research content into compelling public narratives.
• Deep understanding of media landscapes, political processes and public policy dynamics, particularly in the UK, the EU and internationally.
• Experience of crisis communications and issue management.
• Outstanding judgement and political awareness.
• ​Strong strategic thinking combined with hands-on delivery.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and build relationships at senior level.
• ​Confident, authoritative and credible spokesperson when required.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple high-profile priorities simultaneously.
• ​Ability to work under pressure and respond rapidly to fast-moving external developments.
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• High standards of professionalism, discretion and integrity.
• Deep commitment to the mission and values of 5Rights Foundation.
• Resilient, adaptable and solutions-focused.​
• Proactive, self-motivated and comfortable working with a high degree of autonomy.​​

Desirable skills and attributes:​

• ​Experience working on children’s rights, digital rights, technology policy or online safety.​
• Experience of international advocacy and global communications.​

Practical details​

• ​Location: Remote position in either the UK or Brussels. Some international travel required.​
• Salary: €80,000 / £70,000 per annum including all benefits.​The final offer will depend on skills and experience.​
• ​One-year contract, renewable dependent on impact.​
• Working hours: Full time (38h week), with occasional accommodation necessary for work across time-zones. ​
• Statutory pension contribution.​
• 25 days annual leave per annum.​
• Work equipment including a laptop will be provided.​
• ​Starting data: ASAP, depending on notice period.​
• Reporting line: Leadership team

5Rights values diversity and we strongly encourage people from under-represented groups to apply for this role. We aim for our recruitment to be inclusive and equitable, and we strive to constantly learn and improve in this regard. 

How to apply​

Please send your CV and a brief cover letter by 31st January 2026 via our website.​

The Organisation

Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity supporting low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.

We help thousands of families every year with essential grants, services and practical support. But we do much more than that. We champion families’ voices, challenge inequality and help shape the conversation on disability, childhood illness and disadvantage. 

The Role 

This is an exciting opportunity to shape how Family Fund connects with people across the UK. As a newly created role, it offers real scope to define and develop the function, while playing a central role in strengthening the organisation’s voice and influence.

We are looking for a bold, creative Group Director of External Affairs to join our Senior Leadership Team. At a time when families need us more than ever, you will raise Family Fund’s national profile and influence, positioning the organisation as a trusted, evidence led voice on childhood disability, serious illness and the broader challenges facing low-income families. You will build and sustain strong relationships with policymakers, funders, and the public ensuring the organisation secures the visibility, support, and resources needed to drive lasting change for the families we serve.

You will lead an energetic, specialist team spanning communications, media, public affairs, partnerships and research, bringing these areas together through a joined up external engagement strategy that delivers real impact.

Some key responsibilities include:

• Lead our communications, media, public affairs, partnerships and research teams
• Raise Family Fund’s profile as a trusted national voice 
• Build strong relationships with policymakers, media, funders and partners 
• Help drive real change for families through influence and insight

Who we’re looking for 

We are looking for an experienced leader who loves the power of communication, influence and connection.

Key attributes will include:

• Senior experience in external affairs, communications or public affairs 
• A strong track record of influencing policy and engaging senior stakeholders 
• Experience leading teams and working at senior level 
• A warm, confident communication style and great relationship skills 
• A real passion for Family Fund’s mission and social justice

This is an exciting, high impact role with the chance to make a genuine difference to families across the UK. 

Candidate Briefing Pack

For comprehensive information about Family Fund, the role responsibilities and the person we are looking for, please download the Candidate Briefing Pack.

How to Apply

If you would like to apply for this fantastic opportunity, please provide the following with your application:

• An up-to-date CV
• A supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4, outlining your experience, motivations and suitability for the role.

All applications are being handled by our recruitment partner, Russam. All applications should be uploaded via the Russam website.

If you have any difficulty uploading your application or if you would like to have an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Melissa Baxter - Managing Partner, Charities at Russam.

Closing date for applications: Monday 2nd February 2026
Initial interviews with Russam: 17th and 18th February 2026
Interviews with Family Fund: 4th, 5th and 6th March 2026

Flexibility will be provided if needed - do let us know as soon as possible if you are unavailable on these dates.

We commit to inclusion, equality and diversity and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. Family Fund is a Disability Confident Leader. We will invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the requirements for the role. If you have a disability, and are happy to let us know, please highlight this in your covering letter. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant, and we welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community. 

Job Title: Head of Policy

Reporting to: Director of Impact

Contract: 12 month fixed term contract (maternity cover)

Closing date: 23:59pm, Sunday 1st February 2026

Interview date: 12th/13th of February 2026

At the heart of B Lab UK’s strategy is the goal of ‘changing the rules’ of our economic system so that our economy works for all people and the planet. As our Head of Policy this is an opportunity to help us achieve this goal in the next 10 years.

 Certified B Corps give us real-world models of ‘business for good’ and data to prove companies can be run in a better way and credibility for our advocacy. Building on these foundations – and your own, unique understanding, vision and judgement with respect to the UK’s sustainability and ‘business for good’ landscape – you’ll work to create legislative and regulatory change so that ‘business for good’ becomes the new normal.

 B Lab UK is part of the global B Corp movement, with the mission to inspire and enable people to use business as a force for good. Certified B Corps seek to redefine success in business by putting social and environmental impact on a par with profit. There are now over 10,000 B Corps spanning 102 countries and 160+ sectors, with many well-known brands including Patagonia, The Guardian, Giff Gaff and Divine Chocolate. 2,700 of those businesses are in the UK. Find out more on our website.

In the crucial new role of Head of Policy, sitting within our Impact & Community directorate and working closely with our B Corp Community team, you’ll be expected to take our policy work to a new level: building our policy and advocacy capability and capacity, as well as working alongside our established media, campaigns and communications teams in order to transform our economic system.

• Contribute to B Lab UK's impact strategy and drive this into action.
• Shape B Lab UK's stance on a range of key policy issues.
• Participate in the development of new policies and align existing policies
• Build strong relationships with influential stakeholders in public policy and regulation, including government bodies, regulators and think tanks.
• Track proposed and upcoming policy changes in areas of interest, plus broader policy trends.

Please refer to the job description linked to this advert for full requirements for this role.

The kind of things we’re looking for…

• In depth understanding of the UK’s evolving sustainability and ‘business for good’ policy and regulatory landscape, including key institutional actors, in order to be a force for good.
• The vision and judgement to identify risks and opportunities in the political, policy and regulatory space, to choose courage over comfort, and so enable strategic decision making.
• Ability to develop strategies that take into account this context – and to configure processes, relationships and resources around those strategies.
• Ability to work with UK politicians, civil servants, regulators and other key actors in order to raise the bar of what normal business behaviour is, through legislative and regulatory change.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including developing collaborative diverse networks and building relationships at all levels.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical audiences.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively, coordinate complex projects and delegate when appropriate.
• Ability to take a research-informed and principles-led approach to supporting colleagues in realising and maximising their potential, and so bring out the best in everyone.
• Potential to thrive in a small team within a growing organisation – to go further together with colleagues and stakeholders alike, always advocating for a growth mindset and continuous improvement.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK (we are not able to provide visa sponsorship).

Visit our career site to learn about the application journey you can expect and for full guidance and support on making your application. You can also read about the great colleague benefits available if you join our team.

B Lab believes an equitable and inclusive work environment and a diverse, empowered team are key to achieving our mission. We’re not looking for candidates who are “culture fits.” We’re looking for candidates who can expand our culture and challenge business as usual. We strive to foster an environment where all staff can bring themselves to work by their own definition, and we strive to provide all candidates with an equitable and accessible recruitment process.

Senior Property Manager
Location: Birmingham, B15 - Hybrid + Travel
Salary: £57,433 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

Shape the future of third-party housing management at Midland Heart.

Midland Heart is a leading social housing provider and property owner with a growing residential and commercial leasehold estate. We're creating a new specialist role to strengthen oversight of our third-party managed portfolio, with laser focus on managing agent performance, data compliance and service quality across a geographically dispersed estate.

This role will suit a commercially minded property professional who enjoys operating as the intelligent client — setting expectations, challenging delivery and holding partners to account.

Why this role is different

This isn't a business-as-usual housing management role. As our Senior Property Manager (known internally as Third Party Agency Manager), you'll:

• Have strategic oversight, from property handover to strategic disposals, of a growing portfolio of circa 2,000–2,500 residential and commercial properties dispersed over the East and West Midlands.
• Lead relationships with around 100 external managing agents, managing, assuring and constructively challenging third-party performance against contracts and driving continuous improvement.
• Lead and develop a newly formed specialist team.
• Ensure Tenants remain at the heart of service delivery, ensuring compliance, value for money and driving improvements in Tenant Satisfaction Measures.

Our ideal candidate? We're seeking a property management professional who can balance strong commercial oversight with a tenant-first mindset. Your application will demonstrate:

• ATPI (Associate of The Property Institute) Qualified or demonstrable experience of private property management.
• Proven experience of all matters relating to private residential and/or commercial leasehold management including its legislative context and policy framework.
• Experience of leading, managing and developing a geographically dispersed operational team.
• Commercial acumen, with experience managing budgets and delivering value for money.
• A track record of improving services and customer satisfaction.
• The confidence to challenge, influence and make evidence-based decisions, whilst maintaining effective, professional relationships.

As a Smart Working organisation, you can expect to work from a Midland Heart site 3 days a week, with 2 days working remotely from home. To successfully deliver this role, you must be willing and able to travel across a dispersed portfolio to meet with your team, Contractors, Managing Agents and to attend AGMs.

Who are Midland Heart? We're one team working together for our tenants; a large and ambitious housing organisation providing more people an affordable place to call home. We welcome people from every walk of life, at every stage of their career. We expect a lot from our people but in return you can be assured of a great place to work, where you will be well rewarded and where great people are able to succeed.

We are proud to say we have recently been named in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, within the Big Organisations category (The Times).

Closing Date: Thursday 15 January 2026
Assessments for the role are planned to take place in January 26 at our Birmingham, Bath Row office.

Interested? Applying is easy - simply click the apply button. You will be directed to our candidate portal, there you can see a link to the full Role Profile and submit your CV and Cover Letter which show us that you have what it takes to make a success of the role.

We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss any adjustments you might need in order to be successful in this role.

No agencies please.

Our client exists to support families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people, tackling the additional costs and challenges they face. We work closely with governments and statutory bodies across the UK to design and deliver solutions that improve outcomes for families, and we have ambitious plans to grow our impact in line with our strategic priorities. Securing and sustaining statutory funding is central to achieving that ambition.

The Statutory Partnerships Manager will lead the organisation's approach to growing income from government and statutory funders. The role focuses on identifying and shaping new funding opportunities aligned to government policy and programmes, developing high-quality bids and tenders, and building strong relationships with decision-makers across departments and devolved administrations. Working closely with colleagues across Operations, Research and Income, the postholder will ensure a strong pipeline of opportunities, robust processes and compliance, and clear reporting to support the Group’s growth objectives.

The organisation are looking for an experienced statutory funding professional with a strong track record of securing and exceeding income targets. The successful candidate will bring deep knowledge of the statutory funding and policy landscape, excellent research and bid-writing skills, and the ability to spot and develop opportunities that align the organisation's expertise with government need. They will be analytical, organised and persuasive, comfortable working independently while collaborating with senior colleagues and motivated by their values and commitment to equity, inclusion and improving outcomes for families affected by disability and poverty.

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process please contact Jessica Stoddart at Prospectus.

If you meet some of the criteria but not all, we still encourage you to enquire. We can support you to understand the role fully and guide you through the application process. To apply, please submit your CV in the first instance. If your experience aligns, we will arrange a briefing meeting before you submit a formal application. We look forward to hearing from you.

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with AdviceUK to recruit for an interim Head of Policy, Programmes and Media. Joining the organisation as a maternity leave cover contract, this is a role where you will have the opportunity to achieve significant impact across some key priority areas.

Since 1979, Advice UK has been supporting advice organisations by helping them to be efficient, competent and effective, and by campaigning for a policy environment that supports advice agencies and people needing advice. A small but mighty - and growing! - charity that supports its members to provide advice to upwards of 2.5 million people each year. The organisation is working towards a world in which every individual, regardless of means, is able to access the advice they need in order to exercise their rights and address any legal and social welfare challenges they may face.

Contract: Interim maternity cover role, nine to 12 month contract

Salary: £70,000 to £75,000 per annum

Location: Hybrid role which will be predominantly home-based with travel to London for either office days or meetings expected around one day per week

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week or part time, 28 hours per week considered with flexible working options fully supported

Closing date for applications: 9am Friday 30th January
Interviews: Interviews will be held in person at the charity offices in London on the 11th and 12th of February

The Head of Policy, Programmes and Media position is a senior position within the organisation. Part of the SLT and reporting to the CEO the postholder will take the lead on all policy and public affairs initiatives to secure policy change and funding to benefit people seeking advice and the communities served by the organisation's members.

Core responsibilities within the role will include:

• Develop and oversee the implementation of effective strategies for policy and funder influence that enable Advice UK to achieve its purpose
• Identify new audiences and develop innovative approaches to sustain and grow Advice UK's stakeholder and funder network and achieve its strategic priorities
• Be accountable for Advice UK's policy, public affairs and funded activities, reporting to the Chief Executive and Advice UK Board
• Lead the development and coordination of clear, concise and authoritative policy positions on key issues
• Identify actionable and achievable policy influencing goals to achieve change on the highest priority issues and develop strategic influencing plans to achieve these goals
• Alongside the Chief Executive, be Advice UK spokesperson and representative at external events including policy roundtables, steering groups, conferences, meetings and other events
• Oversee and deliver a proactive public affairs strategy to achieve policy change on the issues of priority concern to members
• Identify and build effective relationships with key contacts across UK and devolved governments and parliaments, including Ministers, MPs, civil servants and local and regional decision makers
• Lead a stakeholder engagement programme for Advice UK working strategically to identify, develop and manage relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including policy influencers, funders, sector partners and other organisations
• Oversee the development of effective press and media campaigns, mobilising support and leveraging media opportunities to raise awareness and drive action on priority issues
• Oversee the development and effective delivery of the #AdviceSaves campaign (including Advice Week), ensuring impact is measured and lessons learned
• Oversee development of research and analysis to identify emerging trends, opportunities in support of our policy and campaign objectives, using this to provide evidence-based insights and identify specific policy solutions to inform advocacy efforts
• Lead the development of high-quality research and insight products, including research reports and commissioned surveys to support our influencing goals
• Oversee the delivery of Advice UK's funding strategy to open up funding opportunities for members and their advice services
• As the departmental budget holder, lead on all financial management for the department, including forecasting and measuring financial performance, setting and managing budgets, reducing waste, and taking action to ensure the department achieves its financial objectives
• Provide effective leadership to the Policy and Public Affairs department including line management of a team of four, ensuring their strong performance and supporting their learning and development
• Work with other members of the senior leadership team to develop and implement Advice UK's strategic plan in supporting of its overall strategic objectives and to establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs)

We'd love to see applications from candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Significant experience of delivering within a complex policy environment, ideally within an organisation of similar size and complexity including of developing and delivering impactful policy and public affairs strategies that have led to demonstrable change
• Experience or an understanding of the social welfare advice sector; the issues faced by advice providers and the communities they serve
• Experience of working with suppliers and partners to deliver campaigns, research and funding proposals including tendering, negotiating and contracting, and of working in coalitions and partnerships to achieve shared objectives
• Experience acting as a spokesperson for an organisation
• Experience of strategic leadership of teams and working with CEO, Board and as part of a senior leadership team
• Ability to apply knowledge to new challenges and situations, and to devise solutions
• Strong analytical thinking and decision-making skills, with ability to translate data and evidence into actionable insights to inform decision-making
• Ability to think strategically; working in timescales of between one to three years
• Ability to manage and motivate staff to deliver complex or challenging projects
• Commitment to social justice, equality, diversity and inclusion

If you're interested in hearing more about this opportunity, please send your CV to Alice at Charity People in the first instance. 

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.