Senior press officer jobs in manchester

GrantScape is a national grant-making charity that funds community, environmental, and educational projects across the UK. Our grants make a meaningful impact—transforming lives, strengthening communities, and improving local environments in the areas we serve.

The Senior Grant Officer will play a key role in assessing and administering grant applications, and in coordinating meetings with local voluntary Advisory Panels who help prioritise funding decisions.

The ideal candidate will be an excellent communicator, capable of navigating complex situations and identifying practical solutions. You’ll bring strong project management skills to oversee a diverse portfolio of funded projects, and be confident working independently while thriving as part of a collaborative team.

We’re seeking someone with at least one year of experience in project management or grant-making (ideally two), and a solid understanding of the Third Sector. A full UK driving licence and access to a car for business use is essential. Mileage is reimbursed at 45p per mile, and a hire car will be provided for journeys over 120 miles.

The post will be a home-based role located in the Northwest of England, with easy access to the M6 corridor. Preferred locations include Lancaster, Preston or Warrington. The successful candidate must remain based in this region throughout their employment to ensure accessibility to meetings for location-specific funds.

Occasional overnight stays will be required, along with travel to our Head Office in Milton Keynes for team meetings up to three times per year.

A full job description and person specification are available below.

To apply, please email your CV along with a covering letter (maximum one side of A4) explaining how your experience aligns with the role requirements.

Key Dates:

• Application Deadline: 12pm, Friday 31 October
• First Interviews (Virtual): 11 November
• Second Interviews (In Person in the Northwest – venue TBC): 26 November

Key information

Location: Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, or London

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full time)

Start date: ASAP (we are happy to work with notice periods)

Duration: Permanent

Salary: £31,830 - £35,280 per annum if based in London. £29,175 - £32,625 per annum if based in Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle or Nottingham, plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: 12 noon, Monday 10th November 2025

The application for this role will consist of a written application; a telephone interview; and an Assessment Centre (via Zoom).

Assessment Centres will take place week commencing 1st December and will consist of an interview and a task relating to the role.

About upReach 

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. 

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about our work, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

ROLE SUMMARY

This role will be pivotal in devising, executing, and evaluating impactful marketing and communication strategies that resonate with key audiences and advance upReach's mission of transforming social mobility in the UK. The successful candidate will split their time between PR and external affairs (50%) and marketing campaign development and delivery (50%), with flexibility to adjust based on organisational priorities.

Reporting to the Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, and closely collaborating with the Junior Marketing and Communications Manager on specific projects, focussed on increasing press coverage, creating compelling marketing materials, and delivering impactful campaigns. You will work closely with the wider team to ensure all communications align with upReach’s brand, with the ultimate aim of championing upReach's mission to transform social mobility in the UK. You will also support upReach in fulfilling our 2024-27 strategic objectives.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

PR, External Affairs & Policy:

• PR Strategy: Contribute to the development and implementation of a PR strategy to raise awareness of upReach and the cause of social mobility, secure new partners/funders, and attract student applicants. 

• Media Content: Create press releases, opinion pieces, blogs and research that reflect the charity’s policy positions on key social mobility issues, and keep upReach website up to date with the latest coverage and articles. 

• Impact Monitoring: Track and quality score incoming press coverage to analyse performance and adjust strategies based on incoming insights, pro-actively securing additional backlinks.

• External Stakeholder Management: Help respond to incoming media inquiries, ensuring timely responses and distribution of materials. Cultivate relationships with journalists, media outlets, influencers, other social mobility organisations, and other key stakeholders to expand upReach’s visibility, updating the CRM and journalist database accordingly.

• Media, Policy and Research Monitoring: Track and respond to relevant social mobility and education-related policy changes in the UK, ensuring upReach has an active voice in these discussions where appropriate and disseminating key updates to the wider team. 

• Award Submissions: Support the identification and submission of high-quality award entries to build upReach’s profile across key target sectors.

• Crisis Communications: Support in the preparation of responses to any external inquiries or crises, ensuring upReach’s reputation is protected.

• Patron and Ambassador Research: Assist in the research of potential high-profile ambassadors for upReach, ensuring they align with our mission and values.

Marketing Campaigns:

• Student Attraction: Support the delivery of upReach’s student attraction strategy to raise awareness of upReach amongst eligible undergraduate students.

• Campaign Support: Assist in the planning and execution of multi-channel marketing campaigns that drive engagement with beneficiaries, partners, donors, and funders.

• Content Creation: Work closely with the marketing team to produce compelling digital and print content, including case studies, social media posts/templates, blogs, email campaigns, videos and more.

• Brand Consistency: Assist in reviewing external-facing materials to ensure they align with upReach’s brand guidelines, tone of voice, and key messages. Act in a consulting role to support the successful delivery of Associate-focussed communications. 

• Marketing Asset Management: Maintain a comprehensive inventory of marketing materials, ensuring resources remain up-to-date and relevant, while monitoring distribution amongst the team.

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Assist in reporting on the success of campaigns using tools like Google Analytics and social media insights.

• Collaborative Marketing: Collaborate with other charities, higher education institutions, and student societies, to develop co-marketing opportunities that expand programme reach among target student audiences.

Other responsibilities:

• Manage the External Affairs rotation to help one member of the Future Charity Leaders Programme (FCLP), upReach’s internal graduate scheme, to learn more about this area of the charity.

• Continue to develop skills, knowledge and best practice that will enable you to excel in the role, including training on pitching to the media, crafting compelling content and building press relationships.

• Undertake other marketing, communications or administrative tasks that are required within this role.

Please note that it is not possible for the job description to cover the exhaustive list of responsibilities of your role due to the varied nature of the role. The job description aims to provide an overview of your remit. 

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We are looking for someone who is passionate about social mobility and believe that background should not be a barrier to graduate employment. 

To be successful, you would ideally have experience in marketing and communications, particularly in executing PR and policy strategies, facilitating media relations and/or running successful communications campaigns. While not required, experience within a charity, social impact or education-focused organisation would also be highly beneficial for this role.

Required skills:

• Written Communication: Ability to write in a clear and persuasive way that breaks down complex issues into digestible content (e.g. press releases, social media posts and newsletters). Excellent verbal communication for networking, media relations, and public speaking.

• Creativity and Storytelling: Strong creative flair to develop engaging content and narrative that resonate with different audiences across digital and traditional platforms.

• Media Knowledge: Good understanding of the media landscape, with experience in managing media contacts, securing coverage, and building relationships with the press.

• Attention-to-Detail: Strong eye for detail, including excellent proofreading and editing skills, to ensure high-quality, error-free content.

• Brand Awareness: Understanding of how to promote and protect upReach’s brand reputation and the importance of maintaining brand-compliant messaging across all platforms.

• Project Management: Strong organisational and project management skills, with experience handling multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously. Ability to quickly adapt to changing situations, including responding to media inquiries or handling unexpected challenges.

• Pro-activity: A proactive attitude and an ability to suggest, research and implement new ideas to achieve our organisational objectives. 

Desirable (Not Required) Experience:

• Hands-on experience with some or all of the following tools/software:

  • G-suite

  • Zoom

  • Canva or similar design software.

  • Mailchimp or similar email marketing software.

  • Website content management systems (CMS).

  • Bigin, Zoho or similar customer relationship management tools (CRMs).

  • Trello

• Knowledge of GDPR compliance.

• Knowledge of regulations around charity communications, including compliance with data protection laws and ethical storytelling.

COMPETENCIES

In general, Senior Officer level involves you demonstrating more leadership capabilities than in an entry-level position. This includes having ownership of a new area (press/PR), and demonstrating an ability to informally lead and have positive influence on the wider team. We will be looking for you to demonstrate that you can plan ahead, proactively anticipate upcoming projects or risks, and problem solve independently.

Please see below a summary of the key competencies required for this role:

• Motivation (2) - Shows self-motivation to increase upReach’s impact, and develops an understanding of team strengths in order to provide support to the wider team where needed.

• Leadership (2) - Takes responsibility for leading on set projects, creating a supportive environment for any others’ working on the project, and inspiring the wider team by keeping them informed on progress.

• Continuous improvement (2) - Pursues this continuously, focusing on developing specific skills needed in your own role, actively implementing any learnings from training, and measuring your own performance.

• Planning and organising (2) - Organising own work effectively, including scheduling, prioritising, setting and communicating realistic timeframes, and negotiating successfully when faced with multiple requests / working on collaborative tasks.

• Problem solving & decision making (2) - Being the key problem solver within area of responsibility, using experience to analyse problems from different angles, including getting input from others, asking questions and using data before making decisions

• Innovative (2) - Proactively suggestions to improve team’s current working methods, applying own knowledge and expertise to solutions

• Management (2) (rotations)- Able to give clear instruction and lets people know what’s expected of them in collaborative work or in area of leadership, and able to manage partnerships / external relationships effectively

• Commitment to social mobility (2) - Has developed an advanced understanding of social mobility and complex concepts within the field, and can articulate upReach’s role within this to external stakeholders

• Communication (3) - Express ideas effectively and sensitively, confidently handling challenging conversations, and leading meetings and sessions where appropriate.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

We offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working.

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days and bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

• Birthday leave and Voluntary leave

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

• 3% Pension Contribution, which increased to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

• Cycle-to-work scheme.

• Monthly socials and annual wellbeing days

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training. 

• Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Diverse Roots Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network 

Ready to apply?

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible.

Applications close on Monday 10th November at 12:00 noon.

Equal Opportunities

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Thus, we encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.

Company Description

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end of life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end of life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end of life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they’re likely to die from.

Job Description

You’ll join Marie Curie’s Policy & Public Affairs team in Scotland – part of our award-winning UK Policy & Research Directorate. We are a collaborative, passionate, and evidence-driven team working to influence national and local government, challenge inequalities, and ensure palliative and end of life care is accessible and high-quality for everyone.

As Senior Policy Manager, you’ll play a leading role in shaping Scotland’s end of life care agenda. You will develop evidence-based policies, build influential relationships with decision-makers, and lead strategic campaigns to drive meaningful change. Working alongside colleagues across the UK, you’ll help deliver Marie Curie’s vision of a Scotland where everyone’s right to palliative care becomes a reality.

Your Impact:

• Lead development of high-impact policy projects to influence end of life care in Scotland.
• Build and maintain relationships with MSPs, ministers, government officials, and sector leaders.
• Develop and deliver public affairs and campaign strategies to influence decision-makers.
• Analyse and respond to government consultations and legislative developments.
• Represent Marie Curie Scotland externally through media, conferences, and events.
• Collaborate with colleagues and partners across the UK to deliver evidence-led, coordinated policy change.
• Contribute to the Scotland policy team’s strategic direction and deputise for the Associate Director when required.

Key Criteria:

• Significant experience leading policy and public affairs work, ideally in health or social care.
• Strong political awareness and proven ability to influence at national and local levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience drafting high-quality reports and briefings.
• Strategic thinker with strong negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Understanding of Scottish Government and Parliament structures, and health and social care policy context.
• Experience engaging with media and speaking at public events.
• Commitment to tackling inequity and improving end of life experiences for all.

Please see the full job description .

Additional Information

Application & Interview Process

• As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV and supplementary details. Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.
• Close date for applications: 28 Oct 2025.

Salary: £45-50,000 per annum

Contract: Full-time (35 hours per week), permanent

Based: Home-based with regular travel to Edinburgh

Benefits you’ll LOVE:

• Flexible working. We’re happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage.
• 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
• Continuous professional development opportunities.
• Industry-leading training programmes
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
• Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
• Access to Blue Light Card membership
• Subsidised Eye Care

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work. We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

Deputy Director, Principal Gifts
University of Manchester
£80,000 - £110,000, dependent on experience
Hybrid working

This is a really unique opportunity to lead a Principal Gifts programme for the University of Manchester.

As Deputy Director, Principal Gifts, you will work at the most senior levels to secure principal gifts that are truly transformational.  Your leadership will help ensure that we deliver our most ambitious fundraising effort in our history, designed to expand our global influence, engage new audiences and galvanise our community of over 600,000 alumni worldwide. 

You will join an incredible Development and Alumni Relations team here, led by Kate Cambden, and work alongside our new Vice Chancellor, Professor Duncan Ivison, a seasoned fundraiser with vision, ambition and international standing. With philanthropy embedded at the heart of the University’s forthcoming ten-year strategy, this is a pivotal moment to help drive Manchester’s future impact.

Reporting to the Director of Development & Alumni Relations, you will be a vital member of the Senior Leadership Team, providing strategic guidance to University leaders, academics, and fundraising colleagues, while securing the gifts that will make the greatest difference.

This is a chance to shape the future of philanthropy at Manchester - for our students, our researchers, and our global community - while leaving a lasting legacy.

Everything is coming together to make this a real inflection point for Development and Alumni Relations at Manchester.  We have an incredible team, an outstanding Vice Chancellor and a significant growth trajectory in our fundraising. We have an enormous – almost unprecedented - opportunity to help the University of Manchester have an even greater impact in the world. 

The team here are passionate, fun, creative, and ambitious individuals who are dedicated to our work as well as to supporting each other.  This role embodies our values - integrity, collaboration, boldness and ambition - and will be central to delivering the lasting impact our campaign seeks 

Closing date: Midnight on Wednesday 5 November

Interested?

Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.

The University of Manchester is partnering with Constellate Global Talent on this search. No agencies please.