Senior researcher jobs in Belfast

Since 2009 we’ve been creating engaging education content to empower young people through tech for good. We are now seeking an experienced, forward-thinking educator to take the leading role in creating a brand-new, sector-defining Apps for Good course. This is a moment of profound significance for our charity and the young people we serve.

We need our new project-based education content to rise to the challenge of the rapidly evolving AI landscape. You will be the course designer responsible for defining, scoping, and creating a reimagined course that explicitly addresses the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI); delivers on our Theory of Change in terms of developing essential and digital skills, incorporates industry engagement; takes on the social challenges most significant to young people and aligns with the highest education standards, ensuring young people are truly prepared to shape their future with technology.

This is a high-impact project and will be a brilliant opportunity to make your mark in education. This unique, short-term opportunity will make a foundational impact on a national charity and the future of thousands of young people.

Employer: Community Rail Network 

Salary: £43k-£51.5k pa, full time 

Location: Home based / flexible or Huddersfield 

We are seeking a dynamic director of policy and communications, to lead and develop our increasingly impactful external affairs activity. You’ll be sharing community insights and evidence with policy and decision-makers at national and devolved level, supporting a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable transport and mobility, while overseeing high-quality, inspiring member communications and thought-leadership, drawing on grassroots experiences.  
  

About us 

Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation supporting a growing ‘community rail’ movement, which helps communities get the most from their railways, promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making, and brings people together.

Community rail is made up of 76 community-based partnership organisations, and c.1,300 station friends volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects for young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence among marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener tourism by rail.

Our enthusiastic team of 24 works from home in different locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support our members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in developing our team and helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.

About this role 

This role is crucial for us, our members and their communities, especially at the current time, with our need to seize on the opportunities of rail reform and devolution, promote wider use of sustainable transport, and bring communities together. You will spearhead our external affairs strategy and plans, building political relationships, influencing decision-making and raising awareness of community rail and its insights, while ensuring effective communications with our members and helping them to have a voice locally and regionally. You’ll be striving to put community rail at the forefront of a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable mobility.

As a member of our senior leadership team, reporting to and working closely with our chief executive, you will manage a passionate team of four, ensuring collaboration with our other teams, partners and funders, and drawing on members’ insights.

 
Main responsibilities 

• Lead the review, development and delivery of our communications, policy and insights strategy, working to position the community rail movement effectively, use its insights to influence policy change, and ensure our members are well-informed and have a voice; 

• Further strengthen our advisory and influencing work with national, devolved and regional government, transport bodies, parliamentarians and other decision-makers, especially around rail reform, transport devolution and integrated, inclusive, sustainable transport; 

• Ensure we’re engaging effectively with policy developments and opportunities, taking forward a programme of relationship-building, and identifying and engaging in relevant consultations, events and speaking opportunities, enabling community rail’s insights and experiences to be shared; 

• Collaborate with partners in rail, government and the third sector to feed in our expertise on community engagement with rail, amplify our campaigns, and build opportunities for joined-up communications and policy work;

• Continually develop and disseminate our evidence base and insights on the social, environmental and economic value community rail delivers, and opportunities to create greater benefits for communities from rail and transport; 

• Oversee high-quality, coherent and inspiring communications with our members and partners, promoting our work, and sharing news, opportunities, and good practice across the movement; 

• Manage production of high-quality resources, case studies and reports that our members can use to enhance their impact and which showcase community rail’s impact; 

• Lead and develop our media relations and awareness-raising PR, championing community rail and its messages on sustainable, inclusive travel and communities at national and regional level, while supporting members on local PR; 

• Develop our online presence and reach, making full use of our website, social media, our Scenic Rail Britain campaign, and partners’ channels to celebrate and position community rail and grow its reach and impact; 

• Oversee a calendar of creative and impactful campaigns that involve and empower our members, creating PR and engagement opportunities, including Community Rail Week;

• Play a key role in collective leadership, strategic focus and organisational development as a member of our senior leadership team, including through internal communications and cross-team working, annual planning, funder liaison and reporting, upholding our strategies and policies, and pursuing opportunities for continuous improvement. 

 
Skills and competencies 

1. Strong leadership and management skills, including experience managing, developing and drawing on a multi-faceted team delivering complex campaigns or projects, and budget management; 
2. Excellent communication and external leadership skills; articulate, assertive, and with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels; 
3. An understanding of public affairs, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, and a demonstrable ability to identify influencing opportunities, deliver thought-leadership, and engage with policy-makers, including sharing community insights; 
4. Politically astute, with awareness of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a good grasp of the importance of public transport sustainable travel, and community-led action, to these agendas; 
5. Understanding of political processes and experience of engaging with policy and decision-making, ideally at national, devolved and local levels; 
6. Sound knowledge of communication and marketing methods and channels, and ability to oversee messaging and targeting of public and professional audiences, and to align content across multiple channels; 
7. A demonstrable ability to think analytically and draw on statistical and qualitative research to construct robust, evidence-based arguments; 
8. Experience of working with the media and achieving coverage at national, regional and local level; 
9. Experience working collaboratively with partners and ideally funders to deliver communications and policy activity and forming professional networks; 
10. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while dealing with competing priorities, and to support team members to do so; 
11. IT literate with a good working knowledge of Office, the internet and social media; 
12. Appropriate qualifications and professional development demonstrating knowledge and skills in line with the above, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.

Other information

As you will be home-based, we are flexible about your location. However, you will be expected to travel to in-person full team meetings quarterly (usually in West Yorkshire), and you will need to bring your team together (currently all West Yorkshire based) with similar regularity in between. Attendance at in-person events and meetings is also important. We therefore welcome applications from those with decent public transport links, not too far from a railway station, to enable journeys to be made sustainably.   

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months.   

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.  

Join us and help create opportunities that change young lives.

Career Ready is a UK-wide social mobility charity, working to empower young people with the skills, confidence, and networks they need to succeed. We’re looking for a proactive and strategic Corporate New Business Development Lead to drive growth in our corporate and partnerships income, unlocking innovative collaborations that deliver real impact.

In this pivotal role, you’ll identify and secure high-value corporate partnerships, craft compelling proposals, and lead pitches to senior decision-makers. You’ll work closely with colleagues across Communications, Programmes, and Operations to create multi-year partnerships that combine funding, programme support, and brand alignment—helping us reach more young people than ever before. The role is home-based, but you’ll have opportunities to travel across the UK (primarily London, Manchester, and Edinburgh) for meetings, events, and networking opportunities (expenses covered), giving you variety and the chance to build relationships face-to-face.

We’re seeking someone with a proven track record of winning significant corporate partnerships (five-figure or ideally six-figure), excellent communication and influencing skills, and a strong understanding of CSR/ESG trends. If you’re entrepreneurial, creative, and thrive on building relationships from scratch, we’d love to hear from you.

For full information view our candidate pack, which is available when you click on Apply.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 12 January 2026

First stage interviews: expected to take place w/c 19 January 2026 

Location: Home Based with regular national travel

Since 1962 the National Autistic Society has been campaigning to transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people. In National Programmes we champion the rights and interests of autistic people and their families, making sure national policy and legislation to reflect their needs. We provide autism training and best practice services and want all autistic people to have access to services and support that fully meet their needs. We provide diagnostic services, training, accreditation, consultancy and conferences, designed to support all professionals and organisations.  

The Supporter Fundraising team is responsible for managing and growing all supporter-led fundraising activity, including third-party challenge events, community fundraising, and our own portfolio of fundraising events. Together, our work generates over £1 million in income each year—vital funds that help the National Autistic Society achieve its mission: a society that works for autistic people.

Visit our website to find out more about who we are and what we do:  

Who we are looking for: 

We are seeking a proactive and creative Senior Events Fundraising Officer to join our dynamic team on a permanent basis.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about events fundraising and eager to take ownership of a diverse portfolio. You’ll play a key role in developing new fundraising events, supporting and inspiring colleagues, and delivering excellent supporter experiences that maximise income and impact.

The role will involve:

• Leading on a portfolio of owned and third-party fundraising events, including feasibility research, planning, marketing, participant recruitment, logistics, budgeting, and evaluation.
• Taking a lead role in the development of new fundraising events in collaboration with the Innovation Team, from research and proposals through to approval, delivery and evaluation.
• Providing first-class supporter care, ensuring participants feel valued and engaged, and that income and expenditure targets are met or exceeded.
• Working closely with marketing, press and PR colleagues to create and implement event promotion and communications plans, across both traditional and digital channels.
• Line managing and supporting Events Officers where appropriate, and deputising for the Events Fundraising Manager when required.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and event providers to ensure effective delivery and the best possible experience for supporters.
• Overseeing volunteer recruitment and stewardship plans to increase engagement and retention.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Experience of planning and delivering fundraising events, with proven ability to meet financial targets.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with confidence in working with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• A creative, innovative mindset and a passion for developing new fundraising opportunities.
• A commitment to delivering outstanding supporter care and improving supporter journeys.

This is a full-time, permanent role, for 35 hours per week. The salary for this position is £32,577 per year.

To view the full job description please click  

 What we can offer you: 

• Auto-enrolled Pension Scheme 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays 

• Excellent induction, training and development programme including training about autism and opportunities to attend our conferences 

• Online staff discount scheme for a range of benefits such as cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan & shopping discounts for places such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Halfords, Nike, Apple and loads more! 

• Healthcare Cash Plan 

• Life Assurance at 2 x base salary 

• A portfolio of fantastic new salary sacrifices benefits and other flexible benefits private health, dental insurance, car salary sacrifice scheme, activity pass, holiday trading, enhanced pension & salary deduct loans (eligibility criteria may apply) 

• Access to a 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme & counselling programme

• Free access to the Headspace App – a global leader in mindfulness and you can enrol up to three friends or family for free! 

• Eligibility for a Blue Light Card 

Where you will be working: 

City Road, London / Homeworking / Hybrid

(Up to 20% national travel, including some evenings and weekends, as required.)

About our application process: 

When providing a supporting statement, please refer to the job description and person specification and include any information that shows your suitability for the role. 

For more information about this job, please contact Jonathan Littledale – Events Fundraising Manager ( ########### )

We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. 

For some roles, successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks which will include additional references and criminal background checks. 

Applications for this job are sought from anyone who is suitably qualified and experienced for the role but particularly welcome from those with a diagnosis of autism. 

The National Autistic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and adults who use our services and as such expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks. 

We are an equal opportunities employer

Role Purpose:

The Clinical Director will provide strategic clinical leadership to the Restraint Reduction Network, ensuring that all initiatives, standards, and practices align with evidence-based approaches, human rights principles, and the goal of reducing restrictive practices across education health and social care settings. This role will champion best practice, influence policy, and support the implementation of RRN Training Standards nationally and internationally.

This role will also include delivering training, audits, working on projects that reflect areas of expertise and supporting organisations to restrictive practices through six core strategies.

Role Summary

· To be the clinical lead for RRN including leading our work supporting providers to improve via the six core strategies.

· To provide clinical leadership for the RRN  Partners Programme through acting as lead RRN consultant and delivering programmes.

· Working with the Director of Organisational and Workforce development to ensure programmes are effective and contemporary and evolves as practice evolves and improves with feedback

· Providing collaborative leadership of RRN in leading a restraint reduction movement across the British Isles and leading our RRN members community.

· Work with members of RRN Senior leadership team and board of trustees to ensure RRN is both sustainable and impactful in line with charities purpose

· Support RRN manager and associates to develop a range of resources ensuring that all RRN resources are:

o evidence based (linking with academics and universities)

o co-produced (with people with lived experience of restraint)

o protects human rights (linking with human rights organisations)

· Support and contribute to the continuous improvement of the RRN training standards and RRN Practice Leadership Diploma

· Act as an ambassador and spokesperson for the RRN, ensuring positive relationships with key stakeholders including charities, civil servants, professionals, academics and people with lived experience

· Ensure RRN develops its reputation as leaders in restraint reduction nationally and internationally and ensure internal culture reflects trauma informed practice we promote

· Work collaboratively with CEO to ensure clear strategy and internal culture reflects trauma informed practice we promote

· Ensure all resources and work undertaken by RRN reflect best practice in co-production with people with lived experience of restraint

· Supporting RRN associates with lived experience with clear expectations of their role and putting in person centred processes to minimise the impact of trauma through the direct work they do  for RRN and the interaction with the organisation.

· Contribute to the development of a Community of Practice

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the clinical vision for restraint reduction across education, health and social care, ensuring alignment with RRN’s mission and values.
• Provide clinical leadership in ensuring all RRN activities are trauma informed and people with lived experience are provided with support then need to minimise risk of retraumatising.

Policy & Standards

• Ensure RRN Training Standards and resources are co-produced, remain current, evidence-based, and compliant with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to national and international policy development on restraint reduction and restrictive practices.

Quality & Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including audits, research, and evaluation of restraint reduction strategies.
• Monitor and report on clinical outcomes and impact measures related to restraint reduction.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with NHS Trusts, social care providers, special schools, regulators, and self-advocacy groups.
• Promote co-production with people with lived experience of restraint and their families.

Education & Workforce Development

• Support the development and delivery of RRN Diploma
• Provide clinical leadership for webinars, conferences, and professional development initiatives.

Research & Evidence

• Collaborate with academic partners to advance research on restraint reduction and disseminate findings.
• Ensure all RRN resources are evidenced based reflecting best practice from both research and people with lived experience.

Director of Fundraising and Development (Maternity cover)

Reporting to: CEO as part of the Senior Leadership team
Direct reports: Head of Business Development, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Head of Individual Giving and Engagement, Head of Major Giving, Department Coordinator Location of work: Remote/ Home based with travel to London and occasional UK travel.
Contract Length: 18 months Maternity Cover
Contract Type: Proposed full-time, 35 hours per week; 28 hours per week or 35 hours compressed may be considered. The role may require occasional evening and weekend work.

Salary: £80,000 - £85,000

BACKGROUND
Magic Breakfast’s mission is to end child morning hunger in the UK now and for good. The latest research suggests that the number of children and young people at risk of hunger has rocketed to 2.7 million, meaning that one in five children don’t have enough to eat. When a child is too hungry to learn, they struggle to concentrate, absorb information, and manage big emotions, causing them to fall behind in their studies.
Magic Breakfast provides a nutritious and filling breakfast to over 300,000 children and young people every school day. We work with schools in areas of high disadvantage, helping staff target the children most in need without barrier or stigma. We are now at an exciting point in our journey as we launch Nourishing Futures, our long-term strategy, which capitalises on market changes and government commitments to scale our work, while redefining breakfast spaces not just as places to eat, but as places to thrive.

JOB PURPOSE
The Director of Fundraising and Development (Maternity Cover) will provide strategic leadership and direction across all fundraising and income-generating activities, ensuring the charity continues to deliver against its financial objectives and accelerates long-term, sustainable growth across our philanthropic, public, and commercial income streams.
You will bring strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills to equip, support, and empower the team through a period of organisational change. You will help the team optimise and make the most of the new organisational strategy, embedding strategic focus, effective decision-making, and collaborative leadership practices across the fundraising leadership group.

You will use your commercial acumen and fundraising expertise to identify opportunities and support the team to recognise, shape, and pursue them confidently and effectively, enabling them to take ownership and drive progress across all income streams. A key part of the role will be ensuring that new commercial and public sector income streams are recognised, understood, and capitalised on across the organisation, working closely with the newly established Head of Business Development to embed this focus and enable them to succeed in driving this work forward.
Working closely with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team (SLT), you will play a crucial role in maintaining momentum, ensuring continuity, and supporting the organisation to deliver the new strategy and business plan, helping to realise opportunities, navigate challenges, and ensure long-term sustainability during this maternity cover period.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Driving income growth: establishing high-performing income pipelines across all income streams, with a strong multi-year focus, supported by robust data, reporting, and pipeline management.
• Integrating and accelerating public sector and commercial income streams: Ensuring newly integrated income areas are understood, valued and operational across the organisation.
• Embedding and executing a unified, co-owned fundraising and development strategy: Partnering with the CEO, SLT and Board to embed strategic focus, ensure integration, and alignment with organisational goals.
• Strengthening leadership, culture and team performance: Providing coaching-based leadership, direction, support and empowerment, helping the team thrive and achieve ambitious income targets across philanthropic, public sector and commercial streams.
• Advance cross-organisational impact, insight and influence: ensuring fundraising and development is tightly integrated with organisational strategy, marketing/engagement, service delivery and external influencing.

For more information on the role or to apply please contact:

Katie Booth | peridot partners| email and phone number can be found on the website link 

Simon Callaghan | peridot partners | email and phone number can be found on the website link 

Timetable

Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 12th January 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: By 5 p.m. Tuesday 13th January 2026
First stage interviews: Friday 16th January 2026 (Online)
Second stage interviews: Tuesday 20th January 2026 (In person, London)

Senior Community Fundraiser – North & Midlands

Location: Remote (based in Birmingham or Coventry area) with regular local travel and occasional visits to London and Sheffield
Contract: 18-month fixed term
Hours: 35 per week (open to considering a four-day week)
Salary: £31,000-£34,000

Join Breast Cancer Now – the research and support charity that’s here for anyone affected by breast cancer.
We believe that by 2050, everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live – and be supported to live well. To make this future a reality, we need passionate fundraisers to help us grow our income and impact.

About the role

As Senior Community Fundraiser, you will be an important part of the team building Breast Cancer Now’s presence across the North and Midlands; local knowledge and networks will be key to success in this role. This is an exciting opportunity to:

• Identify and develop relationships with new supporters including individuals, clubs, societies, and local businesses.
• Nurture existing long-term relationships to increase fund raised income and engagement.
• Lead a brand-new pilot for our award-winning Asda Tickled Pink partnership, engaging stores and inspiring colleagues and customers to raise vital funds.

You’ll dedicate 50% of your time to the Asda Tickled Pink pilot, working closely with store teams to increase engagement and income. The other half will focus on developing community fundraising across your region.

About you

We’re looking for someone who is:

• An excellent relationship builder providing exceptional customer service / account management / stewardship. Previous experience working in a charity is not required.
• Experience in developing  customer relationships  / accounts /  supporters, with a focus on retention and income growth.
• A confident communicator and natural team player, able to inspire and influence a wide range of audiences.
• Highly organised, able to analyse and organise data, work independently and manage budgets.

You’ll need a full clean driving licence, access to a car, and flexibility to travel and work occasional evenings/weekends.

Why join us?

• Be part of a charity that funds life-saving research and provides vital support services.
• Work in a collaborative, inclusive environment where your ideas and impact matter.
• Help shape a pilot project that could transform local engagement for one of the UK’s most successful charity partnerships.

Salary: £31,000-£34,000
Closing date: midday on Monday 5th January 2026
To apply: please share your CV and cover letter with Philippa at Charity People.

Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, with around 300 people diagnosed every day. The Macular Society is the only charity determined to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease with world class research, and the best advice and support.

To support people affected by macular disease now, the Macular Society provides a range of support, information and services. Our research programme is focused on finding new treatments and a cure to beat macular disease forever.

We’re looking for an experienced and strategic individual to lead our community engagement work in Northern Ireland and manage our UK-wide team of Community Engagement Managers. You’ll oversee peer support development, build strong partnerships, and ensure consistent delivery across regions. This role requires excellent leadership skills, the ability to manage complex relationships, and a strong understanding of how to engage and empower communities. If you feel you have the attributes above, we would love to hear from you.

In return, we provide a great working culture and offer flexible working options, 26 days annual leave, the ability to buy or sell annual leave, supportive family policies, and a 6% pension contribution.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.

This role is predominantly home-based; however, travel will be required across NI and occasionally to Andover in Hampshire.

We are looking for someone who:

• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with key stakeholders
• Has experience of supporting the wellbeing of caring professionals, ideally with those in Christian ministry
• Is familiar with the Anglican diocesan structures and culture
• Is a strategic thinker with experience in partnership development
• Shares our vision to see flouishing clergy

This newly created role within St Luke's is supported by a generous grant from the Henry Smith Foundation to develop our wellbeing programmes over the next three years. The Associate Director will engage with dioceses and individual clergy as they explore and embed our wellbeing programmes. 

The post holder will represent St Luke's and our Christian ethos within senior diocesan teams and help shape and deliver our strategic vision for flourishing clergy. This role will support the advancing clergy reflection programme and support dioceses, other networks and communities and Theological Educational Institutions in establishing wellbeing practices.

The role is home based with travel around the UK as required. There will be a requirement to be in London at least once a month for team meetings. 

This role carries an occupational requirement for the postholder to be a practicing Christian, in accordance with Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. The role involves representing and upholding the Christian ethos of St Luke’s in both internal leadership and external engagement.

Please see job pack for more information.

Applicants must have eligibility to work in the UK.

Our client funds pioneering solutions and robust research to inform and improve humanitarian response. We partner with a global community of humanitarian actors, researchers, and innovators to improve the quality of humanitarian action and deliver better outcomes for people affected by crises.

Prospectus are proud to be supporting this charity with their search for an Interim HR Manager at a time of change for the organisation. The HR Manager is responsible for delivering high-quality people management across the organisation in a standalone role. They manage an HR Officer to provide responsive advice, efficient processes and a positive employee experience throughout the lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to development, performance and exit. Working closely with the Director of Finance & Operations, the postholder ensures policies, systems and procedures are legally compliant, well-communicated and fit for purpose, and that managers and staff have access to clear guidance and practical support. They ensure HR decisions are informed by accurate data and sector good practice, escalating complex or high-risk matters for senior oversight.

The successful candidate will be CIPD level 7 or equivalent with demonstrable experience of delivering efficient and positive employee lifecycle processes, including recruitment, onboarding and induction, contract changes, performance management, development and exits. You will be able to demonstrate effective change management, and ensuring practical advice and support to staff and managers on HR issues, ensuring fair, consistent application of policies and escalation of sensitive or complex employee relations matters.

Other responsibilities include ensuring that data including payroll-related information is processed accurately and on time, liaising with teams to resolve issues and maintain secure data flow and supporting staff wellbeing, engagement and inclusion by helping managers access relevant guidance, tools and external support where required.

The organisation are a remote first organisation and as such this role can be based from home, anywhere within the UK.  There are also offices available for those who would like to spend time in the office. This role is part time, 0.8 FTE (28 hours per week) and initially on an interim basis, funded until September 2026.

To apply for this role, please submit an up to date CV, along with a cover letter to detail your relevant experience for the role by using the job description. 

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.

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that strengthens the capacity of the Global South to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM), a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that the Global South should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for over a decade, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim. 

This is a unique opportunity to inform conversations on SRM in Africa. Rather than lobbying for outcomes, Degrees aims to support informed, independent policymaking by fostering connections between researchers and policymakers and strengthening institutional expertise. Degrees promotes regional research, creates spaces for policy-science dialogue, and supports the dissemination of Global South research.

Responsibilities

The Policy and Engagement Manager, Africa will strengthen the voice of the Global South in discussions and potential negotiations on SRM research and governance with relevance to Africa by connecting experts to policy processes. Accordingly, the successful candidate will: 

• Identify and engage key policy actors (e.g. national delegates and legislators, scientific advisors, intergovernmental officials) in Africa, connecting them to local SRM experts and providing them with information, where appropriate, while remaining neutral regarding the potential use and governance of SRM;
• Work with SRM researchers from the region to support the ongoing development of a coordinated community of experts; 
• Build informal and formal partnerships with like-minded organisations, helping to inform discussions and counter misinformation about climate and SRM.
• Share expertise and experience gained from Africa with staff and researchers and participate, as appropriate, in activities in Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean to gain similar expertise;
• Identify the most impactful international forums and regional SRM discussions, and work to connect local experts into these; 
• Identify a core group of researchers interested in policy engagement, and facilitate and join their participation in governance fora such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNFCCC COP, UN Environment Assembly, and meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• Support the execution and coordination of the Degrees policy engagement strategy in collaboration with other policy and programmatic staff; 
• Contribute to budgeting and alignment with programmes;
• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities by contributing to tracking, documentation, and reporting of policy engagement outcomes;
• In cooperation with the communications staff, ensure the development of clear, contextualised briefing materials for policy makers and other audiences. 

Who we are

Grassroots Suicide Prevention (GSP) is a national charity committed to the timely intervention and prevention of suicide. We work to empower people to help save lives through connecting, educating, and campaigning nationally. Our vision is a future where more lives are saved from suicide.

About the role

We’re looking for a highly creative, organised, and experienced Marketing and Content Executive to support the delivery of engaging, high-impact marketing across our growing, purpose-led organisation.

Working closely with the Senior Marketing and Campaigns Manager, you’ll play a key role in producing and managing digital content, with a strong focus on social media, web design, and copywriting.

In this fast-paced role, you’ll drive our social media strategy, produce engaging content and blogs, and manage the design and research for our online Suicide Prevention Hubs. You’ll create compelling copy and visuals across multiple platforms and develop email campaigns and marketing strategies to boost our training course sales and sign-ups.

You’ll have hands-on experience with tools such as Mailchimp, Canva, WordPress, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and Adobe Creative Suite.

We’re looking for someone who is self-assured, able to manage multiple priorities, and deliver high-quality work consistently. You should be comfortable working independently, making informed decisions, and taking ownership of your workload, while receiving guidance, input, and support from your line manager and the Head of Marketing and Communications.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the creation and delivery of engaging, on-brand content across social media channels, collaborating with the Senior Marketing and Campaigns Manager to enhance reach and visibility.
• Keep our accounts a safe space by taking swift action on abusive or harmful comments, with full support from the team and training in our Social Media policies.
• Oversee the creation, design, and research of our Suicide Prevention Hubs, collaborating with charity partners, writing compelling copy, and coordinating podcasts and blog content.
• Play a key role in driving awareness, sales, and sign-ups for our training courses through effective marketing and promotion.
• Write and edit high-quality copy for blogs, website pages, emails, social posts, and other marketing materials.
• Design on-brand visual assets using Canva to support social, web, email, and print materials.
• Support the creation of award entries, press releases, and promotional materials as needed.
• Help maintain and update our WordPress website and landing pages, ensuring content is up to date, accessible, and optimised for SEO and user experience.
• Support the setup and delivery of email marketing campaigns, including building emails, managing lists, and reviewing performance.
• Contribute to ongoing audience and campaign research, including SEO keyword research, to inform marketing strategies and content planning.
• Assist with campaign reporting and provide administrative support to ensure smooth delivery of projects.

For this role, you will need

• Proven experience in creating and managing engaging social media content across platforms such as Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
• Experience producing high-quality content, including social posts, web copy, blogs, visuals, and email campaigns.
• Experience using design tools like Canva and Adobe InDesign.
• Excellent copywriting and proofreading skills with an adaptable writing style.
• Experience using WordPress, ideally with Elementor.
• Strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to juggle multiple projects.
• Willingness to learn and take direction and feedback from the Senior Marketing and Campaigns Manager and Head of Marketing, while contributing your own ideas.
• A genuine commitment to supporting vulnerable individuals and a passion for life-saving work.

Bonus points for

• Experience working at the fast pace of a charity.
• Proven experience working remotely in a small team with strong independence and resilience.
• Experience with video creation.
• Experience managing PR enquiries and writing press releases.
• Experience in sales, particularly course sales.

Why Grassroots Suicide Prevention?

At Grassroots Suicide Prevention, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive community and workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We value the unique experiences and skills each person brings and actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Our recruitment decisions are made based on skills, experience, and knowledge.

Our employee benefits include:
• Health Cash Plan and Employee Assistance Programme
• Learning and development opportunities
• A creative, friendly, and collaborative culture

Before applying

This role requires grit and resilience due to the remote working environment, sensitive subject matter, fast pace, and the need for flexible multitasking. If you’ve recently been affected by suicide, please consider whether this role is right for you, as some content may be emotionally triggering.

Key dates

Interviews will take place on an ongoing basis. Please note, our team will be taking a short break from 16 December to 5 January. Applications are still welcome, and we will resume shortlisting in early January.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to offer individual feedback at the initial stage. If you do not hear from us, please assume you have not been shortlisted.

Additional information

Grassroots Suicide Prevention is in a period of transition and development, and the post-holder should be aware that their responsibilities may evolve to meet the organisation’s future needs.

The charity is rapidly scaling up, recently doubling its annual support to £6 million. Degrees has partnered with leading climate change funders and research partners including the Quadrature Climate Foundation, Open Philanthropy, Crankstart, Navigation Fund, Outlier Projects, LAD Climate Fund and UK Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). Transparency of funding is essential to our work. We do not accept support from anonymous donors or funding from the fossil fuel industry. Fundraising for the organisation has been led by the Founder and CEO, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief of Staff, and the Chair of the Trustees with the support of an experienced Senior Philanthropy Advisor.

We now seek a full-time team member to build on this base. Reporting to the COO, and working closely with senior staff and the Chair, the Development Manager will support high‑performing fundraising that secures multi‑year, diversified funding. He / she will also introduce robust processes for pipeline management and donor stewardship and manage the complete donor lifecycle (from identification to cultivation to solicitation and stewardship) of a portfolio of top prospects. The post holder will receive initial onboarding support from the Senior Philanthropy Advisor. As fundraising grows, the team may expand in the future.

Initial priorities include expansion beyond the current donor pool, with a strong push to identify and engage new funders, and putting in place the systems (CRM, reporting cadence, key performance indicators) to support growth at scale.

As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items will include: 

Strategy & planning 

• Work with the CEO, Chief of Staff, COO, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, programme staff and the Chair of the Trustees to help develop and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organisational objectives;

Pipeline development & new opportunities 

• Manage the fundraising pipeline, guiding the ongoing fundraising activities of senior staff and the Chair;
• Research and identify new funding opportunities from trusts and foundations, government funders, and multilateral donors in the development and climate sectors on an ongoing basis;
• Reach out to networks of donor advisors and established relationships for referrals;
• Initiate and manage contact with funding opportunities; 

Grant writing 

• Draft and coordinate the preparation and submission of grant proposals;

Donor stewardship & reporting

• Maintain excellent relations with existing funders by keeping them informed on charity and sector updates, inviting them to events, and ensuring the delivery of annual reports and notices;
• Ensure and manage ongoing formal grant reporting on behalf of the organisation;

Events & engagement 

• Often working with partners, plan and deliver fundraising events for existing and potential funders, particularly in the UK and US;
• Manage invitation lists, track attendance and ensure bespoke follow–up to attendees;
• Assist in the design of events that will inspire and engage funders while involving Southern experts in the Degrees research community;
• Coordinate all fundraising outreach and related programming for the Degrees Global Forum (a conference to be held in 2027); 

Processes, systems & administration

• Create and implement structured processes across the entire fundraising and donor lifecycle;
• Develop and track KPIs, providing regular reports to senior staff and the Trustees;
• Be responsible for fundraising data, contacts and administrative records.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to join Belong’s Senior Leadership Team as Director of Programmes, a pivotal role at the heart of our mission. You will lead the design, delivery, and impact of Belong’s programmes across England and Wales, ensuring they are strategic, inclusive, and evidence-based. Working closely with the CEO and senior colleagues, you will shape programme strategy, oversee complex portfolios, and drive systemic change that strengthens social cohesion nationwide.

As Director of Programmes, you will:

• Lead strategic development and delivery of Belong’s place-based programmes, ensuring alignment with our mission and values.
• Oversee programme design, implementation, evaluation, and learning to guarantee quality and measurable impact.
• Line manage a talented team of Programme Leads and Coordinators, fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment.
• Apply systems thinking to understand the interconnected nature of community, policy, and service ecosystems.
• Build and maintain high-level partnerships with funders, commissioners, local authorities, and community organisations.
• Represent Belong at national forums, events, and networks, championing our work and influence.
• Identify and pursue new opportunities for programme development and funding, supporting organisational growth.

This is a senior leadership position that combines strategic vision with hands-on delivery. You will play a key role in shaping Belong’s future and ensuring our programmes make a lasting difference to communities across the UK.

About You
We are seeking a visionary and experienced leader with:

• Proven experience in leading complex programme portfolios and delivering impactful initiatives.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning abilities, with a track record of shaping programme strategy.
• Excellent leadership and line management skills, with the ability to inspire and develop teams.
• Experience managing diverse stakeholders, from senior decision-makers to community partners.
• Familiarity with systems change and participatory approaches.
• Understanding of social cohesion, integration, and related social policy issues.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, able to translate complex ideas into accessible messages.
• Highly organised, diplomatic, and politically astute, with experience in income generation and bid development.

Desirable: Experience in areas such as Prevent, PCVE, community tensions, hate crime, or tackling misinformation.

Personal qualities matter too: we’re looking for someone passionate about improving cohesion and integration in the UK, collaborative and inclusive in their leadership style, and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Why Join Us?
At Belong, you’ll be part of a dynamic, values-driven team united by a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and connected society. We offer:

• 30 days’ annual leave
• Hybrid working (typically 3 days in the office)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly policies
• Opportunities for professional development and growth

Salary: £65,000–£70,000
Location: UK-wide (regular travel across England and Wales)
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
Closing Date: 12 January 2026

About Belong
Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network is the UK’s leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to building a more united and less divided society. We work with communities, local authorities, and national partners to strengthen trust, belonging, and resilience. Through innovative place-based programmes, research, policy influence, and thought leadership, we help create stronger, kinder, and more connected communities. Our growing membership spans local authorities, charities, civil society, and businesses, and we are proud to champion collaboration, diversity, and evidence-led approaches.

*Our office is based in Manchester and we offer hybrid working for those able to travel there. However, this role is open UK-wide and can be worked remotely, with regular travel across England and Wales required.*