137 Social development research officer jobs

About Picker
Picker is an Oxford-based charity with an international reputation for measuring and improving patient, service user and staff experience. Our mission is to make person-centred health and social care a reality for everyone. We work with NHS organisations, government bodies, charities and healthcare providers in the UK and internationally.

About the role
The Communications Officer plays a key role in raising Picker's profile, reputation and influence by delivering engaging communications across a range of channels. Working as part of the Platform Services team, you will help communicate Picker's research, impact and expertise to a wide range of audiences, including healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers and the public.

You will lead the day-to-day management of Picker's website and social media channels, create high-quality content including blogs, case studies, newsletters and press releases, and support the delivery of marketing campaigns for key projects, events and publications. You'll also work closely with colleagues across the organisation and external partners to ensure Picker's work reaches and engages the right audiences.

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative and proactive communications professional who enjoys combining excellent writing skills with digital marketing, website management and audience engagement to help improve health and social care.

Skills and experience
We are looking for someone with:

• Experience working in a communications, marketing or related role.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with experience producing content for a range of audiences and channels.
• Experience creating content such as blogs, case studies, newsletters, website copy and social media posts.
• Experience managing and developing websites, ensuring content is accurate, accessible and engaging.
• Experience using social media platforms to build engagement and develop online communities.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work to deadlines.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues, stakeholders and external partners.
• A degree (or equivalent professional experience) in a relevant discipline.

Experience using tools such as Canva, Google Analytics, Google Ads or marketing automation software would be advantageous, as would an interest in healthcare quality and person-centred care.

If you're passionate about communicating ideas that make a difference and want to help promote work that improves people's experiences of health and care, we'd love to hear from you.

High Trees Community Development Trust is seeking an ambitious Head of Community Research & Impact to join our senior management team and lead one of our core service areas.

Community-led research sits at the heart of how High Trees works. Our approach aims to rebalance the role and power that communities have in deciding how research is informed, delivered and used to improve lives for Lambeth residents. Over recent years we have built a strong foundation for this work and developed two flagship community research partnerships — the Lambeth Peer Action Collective and the Lambeth Community Research Network. We are now looking for someone to significantly expand this work: building local evidence of community need, working with communities to identify solutions and appropriate responses to local challenges, and advocating for change to policy and practice where needed.

This is a broad and varied leadership role. Alongside our direct research programmes, you will lead the development of infrastructure around community-led research in Lambeth, so that voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations can access the training, resources and networks they need to design and deliver their own research. You will also lead our Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and Communications functions, ensuring the impact of everything we do is understood, evidenced and communicated well.

As part of High Trees’ senior management team, the Head of Community Research & Impact will not only oversee delivery in their service area, but also help shape organisational strategy, grow partnerships and income, and ensure we work as one High Trees — keeping our practice responsive, collaborative and always led by community need.

About High Trees

Based in Tulse Hill, High Trees has been rooted in the local community for nearly 30 years. We deliver community action, employment, education, youth services and community research, working in partnership with local people and local organisations to build stronger communities and create meaningful change. We are recognised for our collaborative, long-term approach and our ability to adapt and respond to the issues that matter most to local people.

About the role

As Head of Community Research & Impact, you will:

• Lead and inspire our Research & Impact team to deliver high-quality, community-led research that drives change.
• Shape and deliver High Trees’ strategic vision for community-led research, championing collaborative research practice across Lambeth.
• Take the lead on designing new research programmes, support with sourcing the funding to run them, and ensuring projects are completed to a high standard with high-quality outputs.
• Grow the infrastructure for community-led research locally, including through the Lambeth Community Research Network and the Lambeth Peer Action Collective.
• Support VCS organisations with community research training, resources and capacity building support.
• Lead and embed Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and Communications across High Trees and our partnership work.
• Contribute as a member of High Trees’ senior management team, ensuring a joined-up approach across all our services.

About you

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Significant professional experience in research and/or community settings, with a track record of leading research projects.
• Experience of qualitative and mixed methods research and a working knowledge of participatory research approaches.
• A proven track record of leading teams and managing multiple projects and programmes at once.
• The ability to build trust and long-lasting relationships across community, academic, public sector and voluntary sector organisations.
• A strategic mindset, balancing day-to-day delivery with long-term vision.
• A solid understanding of the context in which High Trees delivers its work

Why join us?

This is a rare opportunity to take a senior leadership role in a values-led organisation at a time of growth and ambition. You will help set the standard for community-led research and system change, creating tools, resources and practices that benefit the wider sector — and be part of a collaborative team dedicated to creating lasting change.

Citizens Advice Bury & Bolton (CABB) is a leading provider of legal advice and information, supporting thousands of clients every year. We are a busy, client focused and dynamic service with a track record of delivering high-quality advice face to face, over the phone and digitally. 

There’s no ‘average’ case – our advice is tailored, but our standard of excellence is identical for every client. You will play a key role in ensuring that our services are community focused, impactful and sustainable. 

As a newly created position, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape its direction, innovate, and directly define its success. You will operate with high levels of autonomy, while being fully backed and championed by Trustees and the wider Senior Leadership Team (SLT), consisting of:
 

• Chief Executive Officer 
• Head of People, Culture & Resources
• Head of Advice Standards & Delivery
• Head of Partnerships, Data & Impact.
   

The Head of Partnerships, Data & Impact will provide strategic leadership for CABB’s generalist and community-based advice services, while driving organisational growth through strategic partnerships, data analytics and social impact storytelling. This role bridges operational delivery with external system integration, using hyper-local data to ensure our services directly meet the evolving needs of residents in the specific communities where help is needed most. By leveraging client insights to drive Research & Campaigns activity and inform strategic funding bids, you will articulate our organisational impact using partner-aligned terminology – translating advice outcomes into language that directly resonates with health, statutory and VCSE stakeholders (such as health inequalities, demand management, Marmot principles, and prevention) – to build strong, collaborative pathways.
 

Key elements and tasks within this role include:

• Data insight & impact strategy development with organisational data analysis, trend forecasting, research & campaigns and evidencing social return on investment. Leverage client data to produce high-impact insight reports, drive local, regional and national campaign work.
• Shape the future of service delivery by embedding sustainable ways of working, processes and performance frameworks, leading evidence-based recommendations that support CABB’s long-term operating model and growth ambitions, to meet client demand. 
• Collaborate and build relationships across VCSE/statutory, health and wider systems, including colleagues across CABB and wider stakeholders, build positive and professional relationships with partners and contract/ funder relationships within the scope of this role. Foster positive relationships with Head of Advice Standards & Delivery, and wider SLT, deputising as required.
• Support community & generalist services through senior oversight of generalist advice teams and managers, but frame responsibilities around high-level service performance, governance and client outcomes, aligned to advice standards. 
• Drive service improvement & innovation using data and technology to support continuous improvement, contribution to organisational strategic pillars and values. 

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (EDI&B):

We believe inclusion is a social justice issue - a principle that underpins our EDI&B work. To that end, we particularly welcome applications from local individuals who are representative of the local communities we serve - this is not just a matter of diversity but of strategic importance to ensure our services are grounded in the realities of our communities. 

Benefits

We value the people who work here. The following are included within the employee remuneration packages as standard;
A flexible 35 hour working week (for full time employees)
Generous holiday entitlement – starting at 25 days per year, increasing to 30 (in addition to bank holidays), pro-rata for part time
Additional day off for your birthday
5% employer contribution pension scheme
Access to 24/7 confidential telephone counselling and structured counselling support
Access to online GP and telephone counselling services
Enhanced family friendly leave and occupational sick leave
Access to ‘Blue Light Card’ and other charity discount schemes

Bible Society believes the Bible is God’s gift for God’s world. We share it because we believe it changes lives for good. We want Christians to be confident in the Bible’s truthfulness and reliability, and we want to change how people talk about it in wider society and invite them to see it as a source of wisdom and joy.

As our Impact and Evaluation Lead, you will play a vital role in helping Bible Society understand and demonstrate how our work is making a difference in people’s lives, communities and cultures around the world. Sitting within our Research and Impact team, this role leads the design and embedding of a robust organisational impact framework, supporting colleagues across England, Wales and our global partnerships to measure what matters and to learn what helps people engage with the Bible in meaningful ways. From shaping theories of change and evaluation approaches to analysing data and sharing insights with senior leaders and trustees, you will ensure evidence and learning are at the heart of our mission and strategy. 

We are looking for someone who brings strong analytical expertise alongside excellent people skills, and who enjoys helping teams use evidence, learning and insight to improve their work. If you have experience designing and delivering impact or evaluation frameworks, confidence using qualitative and quantitative research methods, and a desire to see learning shape mission and strategy in a Christian organisation, we would love to hear from you. 

If this sounds like you and you have the legal right to work and remain in the UK, we’d love to hear from you. Please provide your CV and a 250-word statement that sets out your motivation and relevant experience for the job. 

Bible Society is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We value diversity and aspire to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people representing all sections of the community.

Closing date: 5 October 2026 

Interview date: First round interviews will be held online on Monday 12 October 2026. Second round interviews will be held in person in our Swindon office on Thursday 22 October 2026.

Salary: £34,000 FTE (£20,400 actual salary) 
Contract: Permanent, part-time, 0.6 FTE 
Hours: 21 hours per week with flexibility as to how these are worked subject to business need and prior agreement 
Location: Hybrid, with regular attendance at our central London office (40%) 
Reporting to: Head of Policy and Advocacy 

Help shape public understanding of data and evidence 

We are looking for an experienced and proactive Press and Communications Officer to help raise the profile of the RSS, secure media coverage for our work, and ensure our expertise reaches policymakers, journalists and the wider public.

This is an exciting opportunity for a communications professional who enjoys translating complex topics into compelling stories and wants to contribute to evidence-informed public debate. 

About the role 

As Press and Communications Officer, you will lead and coordinate media and communications activity across the Society's policy, advocacy and public engagement work. You will build relationships with journalists, identify opportunities to showcase RSS expertise, support media-facing spokespeople, and deliver communications campaigns that enhance our influence and reputation.

You'll work across a wide range of issues, helping to explain the role of data, statistics and evidence in public life while ensuring the RSS is recognised as a trusted and authoritative voice. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Developing and delivering communications campaigns and media plans.
• Generating positive media coverage and building strong relationships with journalists. 
• Drafting press releases, statements, briefings and opinion pieces. 
• Managing media enquiries and supporting RSS spokespeople.
• Creating and scheduling social media content.
• Identifying opportunities to contribute RSS expertise to current public debates.
• Monitoring and evaluating media coverage and communications impact.
• Supporting the development of a diverse network of expert ambassadors and spokespeople.

About you 

We're looking for someone who combines excellent communications skills with a strong news sense and a passion for making complex information accessible. 

You will have: 

• At least two years' experience in communications, press, public affairs or media relations.
• A strong track record of securing media coverage and building media relationships.
• Experience creating high-quality communications content, including press releases and social media content. 
• Experience planning and delivering communications campaigns.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Strong organisational and project management abilities.
• Confidence working with senior stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• The ability to explain complex issues clearly to non-specialist audiences.

Experience in a membership organisation, charity, professional body, learned society, or policy-focused organisation would be advantageous, as would an interest in research, evidence, data or public policy.

Why join us? 

At the RSS, you'll be part of a friendly and collaborative team committed to improving the use of data and evidence across society. We offer: 

• Generous pension scheme with employer contributions of up to 10%.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (pro rata).
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Training and development opportunities.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Employee Assistance Programme.

Apply now 

If you're an enthusiastic communications professional looking to make a meaningful impact through evidence, data and public engagement, we'd love to hear from you. 

Join us in helping ensure that statistics and evidence are at the heart of understanding and decision-making.

Job titleChief Executive

ContractPermanent / Full time (35 hours a week)

Location London / hybrid (regular London presence)

Salary£95,000 - £100,000

Benefits Up to 6.5% matched pension, total contributions of 13%.
28 days annual leave per year plus public holidays.
Enhanced sick leave cover of up to 5 years.
Death in service benefit of 2x annual salary.
Employee Assistance scheme.
Working from home allowance.
Annual wellbeing allowance.

Reports to Chair and Board of Trustees

Direct reportsDirector of Finance and Operations
Director of Evidence and Improvement
Policy and Communications Manager
People and Business Partner

Background information

About us:

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of patients, people with Lived Experience, unpaid carers, their families and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our mission:

We advocate for a more equitable and person-centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

- Understanding and advocating for what matters to people, especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities

- Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support

- Connecting and convening charities, decisions makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

Our five-year strategy:

In September 2024 we published a new five-year strategy that was co-produced with our staff, our member charities, our Lived Experience Partners and our key stakeholders. This set out three clear goals:

- End unequal access
By addressing the barriers experienced by those facing the worst outcomes, we will find solutions that improve care for all.

- Transfer power to people and communities
As a leader in co-production, we will help communities to work with system leaders at national and neighbourhood level to make big decisions together. This will maximise the skills and capabilities of patients, ensuring care is truly person-centred.

- Shift the measures of success
By campaigning for better patient experience and outcomes metrics, we can ensure that what matters to people becomes the key measure of success for the NHS.

In the first two years of the strategy we have already made big strides. For example, our work encouraging the Government to focus on “getting the basics right” has seen major policy initiatives designed to fix access to primary care and the 8am rush. Similarly, our work on the experience of waiting for elective care has seen the introduction of the first ever set of minimum standards for waiting.

Our work on the 10 Year Plan, and on the Quality Strategy, has also seen both patient experience and outcome measures given much greater prominence in how the NHS judges success and National Voices has now been commissioned by NHS England to help design the future of patient feedback mechanisms.

We have also successfully campaigned for funding formulas to be revised to enable the NHS to directly address the inverse care law and tackle the impact of health inequalities head on.

But there are challenges ahead, not least the role patients and communities play directly in co-producing improvement. With ICBs under huge financial pressures, and so much change in the health and care system, we need to make sure every piece of work we deliver is of the highest quality and adds real value. This is the only way to help others across the sector understand the value that people with Lived Experience offer to problem solving processes and creating better and more inclusive solutions.

PLEASE SEE RECRUITMENT PACK FOR FULL DETAILS AND APPLICATION GUIDANCE

As an Organisational Change & Development Consultant, you'll play a key role in delivering people, culture, talent, organisational design and development projects that support the British Heart Foundation's People Power. Working within the Talent & Organisational Development team, you'll partner with change specialists, learning technologists and learning and development professionals to drive meaningful organisational change.

Reporting to the Senior Lead Organisational Design & Operating Model, you'll provide project and consultancy support across the organisation. You'll work collaboratively with stakeholders to identify challenges, develop evidence-based solutions and deliver initiatives that support organisational priorities.

You'll lead projects and workstreams, develop change, communication and training plans, support organisational design activity and use research, insight and stakeholder feedback to drive successful outcomes. You'll also contribute to business reporting and provide project and consultancy support across the organisation.

About You

As our ideal candidate, you'll have:

• Knowledge of consulting skills, project management and organisational change principles.
• Experience managing multiple projects and supporting organisational change, development or design initiatives.
• Experience working within a Learning, Talent or Organisational Development environment.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels.
• Excellent written communication, presentation and organisational skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Strong analytical, research and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use insight and data to inform decision-making.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to take initiative and embrace new ways of working.
• The ability to apply behavioural insight to support people development and organisational change.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

A qualification in HR, Learning, Organisational Development or Organisational Change would be advantageous, as would knowledge of organisational design principles and processes.

If you're passionate about helping organisations navigate change and delivering initiatives that create positive people and organisational outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

Working arrangements

This is an 8-month, project-specific fixed-term contract supporting a large-scale organisational design and operating model project to transform BHF and enable the delivery of our strategy.

This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week, on average, in our London Office. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause. 

Belonging at BHF

By embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment, we strengthen our ability to achieve our mission of saving and improving lives, ensuring our work reflects and serves the needs of every community across the UK.

To hear from our people, check out Belonging at BHF. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. By funding research across six decades, we’ve helped keep millions of hearts beating and millions of families together. We’re investing in ground-breaking research that will get us closer than ever to a world where everyone has a healthier heart for longer.

Benefits and development

At BHF, we offer a comprehensive range of benefits designed to support our colleagues’ wellbeing and professional growth.

To find out more about our benefits you can download the Benefits document at the bottom of this page or check out our Benefits and Developmentpages. 

Need more help balancing your work and home life? Talk to us about what flexibility is available at the application or interview stage. 

Interview process

The interview process may take place in-person or virtually via MS Teams.

How to apply

It’s quick and easy to apply for a role at the BHF. Just click on the apply button below. All you’ll need is an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the role’s criteria.

Our recruitment processes are fair, accessible, and inclusive. BHF use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey. 
 
We support responsible use of AI to help shape your application. By applying for a role at BHF, you confirm that your application is authentic and reflects your own skills and experience, to ensure everyone is assessed fairly.

Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact a member of the Recruitment team. 

Social entrepreneurs scaling their ventures face a specific set of challenges including income generation, hiring, governance, hard calls about growth and risk, all alongside scaling their social impact. We’re recruiting learning and enterprise development managers who’ve lived that journey themselves, to bring first-hand credibility and challenge directly to the entrepreneurs on our scale-up and scale-up-plus programmes.

You’ll hold ownership of SSE’s scale-up approach, shaping our learning content on strategy, profitability and the systems that hold a growing venture together – grounded in what actually works, not just what’s written down. Facilitation sits at the heart of this role. You’ll design and deliver learning programmes and group sessions for cohorts of entrepreneurs as well as leading 1-2-1 coaching and diagnostics, and delivering Action Learning Sets, SSE’s long-standing peer-coaching method (training provided).

We’re looking for people who’ve founded or led a VCSE with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more and held financial accountability such as statutory reporting to the Charity Commission and, where relevant, Companies House, reporting to a board or funders, and making hard calls about growth, income and risk.

You’ll succeed in this role if you believe in what social entrepreneurship can achieve and want to turn your experience into supporting social ventures to scale and create more impact in their communities and beyond

As an Organisational Change & Development Consultant, you'll play a key role in delivering people, culture, talent, organisational design and development projects that support the British Heart Foundation's People Power. Working within the Talent &

Organisational Development team, you'll partner with change specialists, learning technologists and learning and development professionals to drive meaningful organisational change.

Reporting to the Head of Organisational Change, you'll provide project and consultancy support across the Organisational Change and Talent & Leadership teams. You'll work collaboratively with stakeholders to identify challenges, develop evidence-based solutions and deliver initiatives that support organisational priorities.

You'll lead projects and workstreams, develop change, communication and training plans, support organisational design activity and use research, insight and stakeholder feedback to drive successful outcomes. You'll also contribute to business reporting, project evaluations and wider Talent & Organisational Development programmes and events.

About You

As our ideal candidate, you'll have:

• Knowledge of consulting skills, project management and organisational change principles.
• Experience managing multiple projects and supporting organisational change, development or design initiatives.
• Experience working within a Learning, Talent or Organisational Development environment.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels.
• Excellent written communication, presentation and organisational skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Strong analytical, research and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use insight and data to inform decision-making.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to take initiative and embrace new ways of working.
• The ability to apply behavioural insight to support people development and organisational change.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

A qualification in HR, Learning, Organisational Development or Organisational Change would be advantageous, as would knowledge of organisational design principles and processes.

If you're passionate about helping organisations navigate change and delivering initiatives that create positive people and organisational outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

Working arrangements

This is a project-specific fixed-term contract for 9-12 months, created to deliver the change and communications for our strategic programme to transform BHF into a skills-powered organisation.

This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week, on average, in our London Office. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause. 

Belonging at BHF

By embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment, we strengthen our ability to achieve our mission of saving and improving lives, ensuring our work reflects and serves the needs of every community across the UK.

To hear from our people, check out Belonging at BHF. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. By funding research across six decades, we’ve helped keep millions of hearts beating and millions of families together. We’re investing in ground-breaking research that will get us closer than ever to a world where everyone has a healthier heart for longer.

Benefits and development

At BHF, we offer a comprehensive range of benefits designed to support our colleagues’ wellbeing and professional growth.

To find out more about our benefits you can download the Benefits document at the bottom of this page or check out our Benefits and Development pages. 

Need more help balancing your work and home life? Talk to us about what flexibility is available at the application or interview stage. 

Interview process

The interview process may take place in-person or virtually via MS Teams.

How to apply

It’s quick and easy to apply for a role at the BHF. Just click on the apply button below. All you’ll need is an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the role’s criteria.

Our recruitment processes are fair, accessible, and inclusive. BHF use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey. 
 
We support responsible use of AI to help shape your application. By applying for a role at BHF, you confirm that your application is authentic and reflects your own skills and experience, to ensure everyone is assessed fairly.

Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact a member of the Recruitment team. 

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person who can help us grow our fundraising and generate vital income to support our work with unpaid carers across County Durham and Darlington.

This is a varied role where you’ll lead on developing fundraising opportunities, from researching trusts and foundations and preparing high-quality funding applications, to building relationships with local businesses, community groups and supporters.

About the role

You’ll work with colleagues across the organisation to identify funding opportunities and help us demonstrate the difference our services make to carers.

Your work will include:

• Researching trusts, foundations and other funding opportunities
• Preparing funding applications, proposals and expressions of interest
• Developing community fundraising and individual giving
• Building relationships with local businesses, community groups and supporters
• Developing corporate partnerships, sponsorship and Charity of the Year opportunities
• Supporting local people and groups who want to fundraise for us
• Preparing reports for funders and helping us demonstrate the impact of their support

We’re looking for someone with experience in fundraising, business development, grant applications or income generation, alongside strong written communication and relationship-building skills.

Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic, proactive and shares our commitment to improving the lives of unpaid carers.

Please visit our website to download the full Job Description, Person Specification and Application Form.

Do you want to help shape the future of a fairer and more equal UK? Are you interested in making those with the broadest shoulders pay their fair share? Are you a qualitative researcher passionate about economic justice and community-driven research? Then read on.

Tax Justice UK (TJUK) is a leading campaigning organisation dedicated to transforming the UK economy and society by advocating for a fairer, more progressive, and more effective tax system. We have a track record of securing campaign wins and have successfully moved the dial on key tax justice issues such as taxes on wealth vs work. We have built strong relationships with parliamentarians, policy makers and a network of influential think tanks and organisations. We also have excellent relationships with many influential media outlets, regularly securing extensive media coverage on tax justice issues. However, we recognise we must do more to ground our work in the lives of everyday people. This is where the Research Fellow can help.

As a Research Fellow, you will assist in fieldwork for an ambitious UK-wide study exploring how narratives on wealth taxation can build multi-ethnic class solidarity and counter division. Working directly with grassroots partners across the country, you will build relationships with local groups and co-design a community researcher model to ensure the project is deeply rooted in the places we study.

Your work will focus on listening to how everyday people experience economic insecurity, understand local divisions, and respond to messaging on taxing the super-rich. This role offers a unique opportunity to gather the foundational, on-the-ground insights that will shape national narrative strategies to change tax policy.

We’re looking for someone starting in their research career, who is eager to learn.
We welcome applicants from all different backgrounds who have demonstrable interest in working class issues and a commitment to a fairer tax system in the UK.
If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

Job description

Working closely with the Research Manager and Executive Director, the Research Fellow will:

• Conduct desk-based research and contribute to literature reviews on inequality, immigration, tax, political narratives

• Support the development and refinement of the project’s research design, including identifying innovative approaches for working with community researchers and conducting ethical, inclusive research in working-class communities

• Support the recruitment, coordination and preparation of participants and community research partners across the project’s four to five research locations

• Travel to fieldwork locations across the UK to attend, observe and support the delivery of focus groups and interviews

• Organise research materials, including transcripts, field notes, consent records and qualitative datasets, in line with ethical and data-protection requirements

• Code and analyse focus-group and interview data, identifying emerging themes

• Help translate research findings into practical insights for the tax justice movement, communications and the development of messages about class, immigration and tax

• Attend weekly team meetings in the London office

• Undertake other reasonable research and project-support tasks required for the successful delivery of the programme.

Please note: This is a one-year, part time post paid through a tax-free monthly stipend for strictly research purposes from the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust. The fellowship post holder will work as part of the Tax Justice UK team. The salary is a £21,500 tax free stipend for 4 days a week, equivalent to roughly £31k fulltime with tax.

We are not able to sponsor visas, so you must have the right to work in the UK at the start of your employment.

About the team

The Philanthropy Team raises income for Impetus and for Impetus partner charities. The team consists of 15 staff. Impetus has an annual income of c.£11 million which we are looking to grow significantly within the next few years. The team is led by two Directors of Philanthropy and Partnerships. 

The Philanthropy Team works with major donors, corporates and grant making trusts, as well as collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to ensure we make a compelling case to generate new financial commitments and wider support for our work. The team also deliver a high-quality engagement programme of volunteering and pro bono for Impetus’s corporate supporters.   

Impetus is driven by a shared belief in tackling the barriers that hold back young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in education and employment. Alongside investing extensive financial and non-financial support in our charity partners through our Investment Team we also seek to influence decision makers to design and implement evidence led policy and direct new resources to get young people the support they need through our Public Affairs team. We are resolutely focused on outcomes, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, ambitious, determined and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our charity partners and the young people we serve. 

About this role

The Development Director (New Business) provides strategic leadership for Impetus’ new business development, prospect pipeline and high-value funding opportunities. The postholder will have responsibility for identifying, cultivating and converting new corporate, trust and foundation, and high-net-worth donor relationships, as well as continued relationship management for key, established relationships.

In 25/26, the Philanthropy and Partnerships team generated £11m in philanthropic income, alongside £2.8m in probono contributions. The Development Director will play a key role in delivering Impetus' growth ambitions, helping to increase philanthropic income to £14m by 2029. 

Working closely with the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, the role will translate the fundraising strategy into clear new business priorities, pipeline plans and prospect engagement approaches, ensuring a strong flow of qualified opportunities and sustainable growth in high-value income.

Working closely with colleagues across Philanthropy and Partnerships, the postholder will personally lead and support significant six and seven-figure prospects and strategic funding opportunities, while overseeing the stewardship and retention of current partners. 

Working collaboratively across the Philanthropy and Partnerships team and with colleagues across the organisation, the Development Director will ensure a joined-up approach to donor acquisition, pipeline development, prospect conversion and stewardship, maximising income, partnership value and long-term impact within the agreed fundraising strategy.

Key responsibilities

New Business, Pipeline & Conversion

• Personally lead on six and seven-figure level priority prospects and strategic funding opportunities, managing the full fundraising cycle from qualification to close.
• Work with trustees, senior volunteers, and networks to unlock introductions and new opportunities, providing clear support and follow-up to maximise success.
• Evolve Impetus’ new business strategy, driving the identification, cultivation, and conversion of new high-value donor and partner relationships.
• Translate Impetus’ impact, evidence base, and venture philanthropy model into compelling propositions for new audiences and sectors.

Strategic Relationship Management & Growth 

• Own and oversee select donor relationships at six and seven-figure levels within the philanthropy portfolio, ensuring high levels of retention, satisfaction, trust, income growth and long-term value.
• Ensure your donors receive timely, consistent, high-quality and relevant engagement and communications throughout their relationship with Impetus.
• Work closely with the wider team to ensure a smooth transition between new business, and long-term stewardship.
• Ensure account plans for priority donors and partners include clear renewal and growth pathways; engagement and risk-management plans.
• Act as senior relationship owner where required, modelling strong stewardship and coaching the Head of Development and other colleagues to navigate complex or sensitive relationships.

Research, Insight & Pipeline Development

• Provide strategic leadership for the Research & Insights function, ensuring prospect research, donor intelligence and market insight inform fundraising strategy, pipeline development and organisational planning.
• Lead the strategic development of fundraising pipelines, ensuring focus on opportunities with the greatest potential for long-term income growth, impact and strategic fit.
• Ensure donor intelligence and prospect research are used effectively to identify, qualify and prioritise new funding opportunities.
• Maintain oversight of gift acceptance, due diligence and fundraising compliance in relation to fundraising opportunities, ensuring adherence to relevant regulatory requirements and organisational policies.
• Identify and escalate strategic, reputational or compliance risks associated with donors and partners.

Leadership and Team Performance

• Line manage and develop the Head of Development, providing strategic direction, coaching and performance oversight.
• Establish the Head of Development as the operational lead on new business, ensuring capability, succession and high performance across the wider team.
• Set clear objectives and success measures for new business growth, aligned to Impetus’ wider income strategy.
• Build and sustain an inclusive, evidence-led and high-performing team culture that balances pace and ambition with quality, learning and collaboration.
• Build fundraising capability across your team through leadership, coaching and consistent, fair, and high-quality performance management, including objective-setting, feedback and development planning.

Pro Bono, Events, Volunteering & Partnership Value

• Ensure engagement opportunities, including volunteering, pro bono and events, strengthen strategic partnerships and support long-term income growth through strong collaboration with colleagues.

Operational Excellence, Governance & Risk

• Ensure new business activity complies with due diligence, gift acceptance and risk management requirements.
• Oversee accurate pipeline reporting, forecasting, and performance tracking, using Salesforce and other systems to ensure insights inform decision making.
• Work with Finance and Operations to ensure income is contracted, invoiced, and reported accurately and on time in line with financial controls.
• Identify and escalate strategic or reputational risks associated with prospective partnerships.

Cross-Organisational Leadership & Representation

• Act as a senior ambassador for Impetus, representing the organisation credibly with new donors, partners, and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to organisational strategy, income planning, and senior leadership discussions.
• Lead philanthropic work on Impetus funds including identifying funding opportunities and risks; shaping prospect pipelines; contributing to cases for support and donor presentations; and develop fund stewardship.
• Champion collaboration across the Philanthropy team, ensuring opportunities are shared, relationships are leveraged and expertise is used to maximise income and impact.
• Back Impetus’ values, evidence-led approach, and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion across the Philanthropy team.

Strategic leadership

• Work in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships to contribute to the fundraising strategy.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear operational plans, objectives and delivery, ensuring new business delivers against organisational priorities, income targets and long-term growth ambitions.
• Provide strategic oversight of annual forecasting, budgeting, pipeline performance and resource planning, ensuring risks and opportunities are identified and addressed proactively.
• Maximise the contribution of trustees, committees, senior volunteers and wider networks to support strategic relationship building and new business development.
• Act as a trusted senior adviser to the Directors of Philanthropy and Partnerships, providing insight, challenge and solutions to strengthen organisational fundraising performance and capability.
• Deputise for the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships where appropriate, within agreed delegations and priorities.
• Build a positive, collaborative and high-performing culture across the Philanthropy team, modelling Impetus' values and supporting continuous improvement.

Person specification

Essential:

Fundraising & new business leadership

• Significant experience in major donor and/or corporate fundraising at six and seven-figure gift level, with a strong track record of securing new income and managing complex partnerships.
• Ability to lead and personally deliver the full fundraising cycle, from prospecting and cultivation through to solicitation, negotiation, and close.
• Proven experience of building, managing, and converting a new business pipeline, balancing ambition with delivery.
• Strong ability to leverage internal and external networks, including trustees, senior volunteers, and professional contacts.

Senior stakeholder engagement

• Experience of operating at a senior level and leading high value or complex stakeholder relationships (trustees, board members, senior external partners).
• Ability to influence and build credibility with senior audiences through clear, confident and evidence led communication.
• Excellent negotiation skills, with the ability to secure mutually beneficial outcomes while protecting organisational values and reputation.

Leadership & people management

• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams, including developing senior colleagues and building leadership capability.
• A strong track record as a collaborative senior team member, contributing beyond own area of responsibility and supporting wider organisational success
• Ability to build a high-trust, high-challenge culture that supports excellence, inclusion, and learning.
• Strong performance management capability and ability to handle complex people issues, giving strategic feedback, and addressing underperformance constructively.
• Ability to deputise for the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships when appropriate.

Strategic & intellectual capability

• Strong strategic thinker with the ability to translate agreed strategy and insight into clear plans and execute them effectively.
• Ability to grasp, interpret apply and communicate complex information and ideas, including Impetus’ venture philanthropy and impact-led funding models.
• Evidence of an innovative and creative approach, with the ability to adapt in changing contexts.

Financial, operational & delivery capability

• Solid financial management, with experience contributing to budget-setting, managing agreed budgets, supporting forecasting and identifying efficiencies.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to delivery, with the ability to manage multiple priorities to a high standard
• Able to use insight and data (including CRM systems such as Salesforce) to inform decisions and strengthen performance.
• Sound judgement in identifying, managing, and escalating risk, particularly in relation to donor relationships and reputation.

Communication, values & ways of working

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate clearly, persuasively, and with impact.
• Excellent relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish, maintain, and leverage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• A strong commitment to Impetus’ mission and to improving outcomes for young people.
• A clear commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, demonstrated through inclusive leadership and professional practice.

Desirable 

• Experience working within venture philanthropy, impact investing, or systems-change funding models.
• Familiarity with private equity, professional services.
• Experience contributing to income growth, donor strategy or portfolio development within an agreed organisational fundraising strategy.
• Knowledge of the UK charity or social impact sector, particularly education, employment, or youth-focused work.
• Experience using CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce) to manage pipelines, performance, and forecasting.

About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.

We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today:

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.

Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life.

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

Our Values

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are brave and curious

We are bold and brave in our pursuit of better outcomes for young people. We lead with curiosity and stay open to new perspectives. We support one another to take considered risks and learn together.

We bring high trust, high challenge

We build strong, long-term relationships through honesty, kindness, integrity, and respect. We create the space for open, constructive challenge, where colleagues, partners and supporters feel safe to speak up, hold each other to account, and bring their best in pursuit of our mission.

We are evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

We thrive through diversity

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

We always seek collaboration

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnerships with others to achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Our employee benefits

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button.

You will need to:

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form).
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement.

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 20th September 2026, 11:59pm.

Interviews:

1st Interviews will take place on w/c 5th October 2026.

2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 12th October 2026.

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

WSC is a Scottish charity working in partnership with migrant workers at risk of exploitation across Scotland to secure their rights, challenge labour exploitation, build collective power, and drive lasting law and policy change. We are an evidence-led, worker-driven organisation with strong governance and a growing track record of policy impact. 

The Communications and Narratives Lead will work closely with, and be line managed by, the Executive Director, who sets the strategic direction, editorial oversight and quality standards for WSC's communications.

The postholder will lead the day-to-day delivery of WSC's communications and narrative change activity, creating compelling content across digital, print and social channels, supporting media and press work, and playing a central role in delivering WSC's Communications Strategy. This includes helping to build and mobilise a worker-led movement, supporting coalition and ally relationships, and delivering campaign moments that build public and political support for decent work for all.

This is a lead role for someone who combines significant, demonstrable experience in communications with a genuine interest in organising, campaigning and movement-building. We are looking for someone with relevant professional training or development, for example in media relations, campaigning or organising, or framing and narrative approaches, who can bring self-starting, leadership to this role.

Key Responsibilities

Content & Channel Management

• Develop and deliver WSC's Communications Strategy, supporting the development of strong narrative framing for engaging with our base, allies and potential/moveble audiences at the local, regional and national levels.

• Lead the development of high-quality, values-led content across digital, print and offline channels, including the website, social media, email, newsletters, reports and campaign materials.

• Manage and maintain WSC's social media channels, including planning content calendars, growing engagement, and monitoring performance.

• Manage and update WSC's website and digital platforms, ensuring content is current, accessible and on-brand.

• Maintain brand consistency, tone of voice and worker-centred storytelling across all communications.

• Ensure consistent and impactful messaging across all communications platforms.

Media & External Relations

• Draft press releases, briefings, statements and reactive lines, acting as a media spokesperson as well as supporting others in the organisation to do so.

• Build and maintain working relationships with journalists, media outlets and sector partners to secure opportunities that foreground the experiences and analysis of workers.

• Monitor media and online coverage (e.g. maintaining a media diary and social listening on key hashtags and terms) to spot shifts in language, sentiment and identify new communications opportunities.

Narrative change and movement building

• Oversee message framings that activate our strategic narrative grounded in workers’ rights and values such as solidarity, equality, safety, collaboration and creativity.

• Work with WSC colleagues, partners, artists, and researchers to develop and disseminate compelling storytelling content, including videos, articles, social media assets and artistic displays.

• Lead on testing and refining messaging with workers, allies and the wider public, including by leading and running workshops.

• Lead delivery of campaign moments and key dates ensuring worker voices are central and framing is consistent.

• Help identify, brief and support workers and messengers to share their experiences through media, events and public forums.

• Mobilise our base, allies and potential/moveable audiences around key policy opportunities, consultations and campaign moments, including public-facing activity aimed at growing WSC's movement of active supporters.

Stakeholder Engagement & Participation

• Help organise and deliver worker and ally events (e.g. seasonal in-person events, message-testing sessions and framing workshops) that help refine WSC's messaging.

• Build and maintain relationships with allies and coalition partners, including trade unions, human rights and housing organisations, food and farming networks, professional bodies and community organisations, supporting joint statements, shared briefings and coordinated campaign activity.

• Work collaboratively with policy, casework and operations colleagues to ensure communications and movement-building activity supports organisational priorities.

• Co-produce communications and campaign outputs with workers, including by attending worker power sessions, prioritising their voices, interests, concerns and ensuring safeguarding is central.

Administration, Monitoring & Oversight

• Track and evaluate the effectiveness of WSC’s communications strategies, media coverage, and narrative change activities.

• Maintain up-to-date communications databases, including segmenting contacts on Mailchimp and other contact/CRM systems.

• Monitor, evaluate and report on communications and campaign performance, contributing to the evaluation of key moments against WSC's influencing aims.

• Ensure all communications and campaign activity complies with legal, regulatory, safeguarding, data protection (GDPR) and charity requirements.

• Manage freelancers, agencies or consultants (for example design or digital support) as directed by the Executive Director.

Summary 

Please note: For full details and how to apply please view the Recruitment with the link provided.

Individual giving

• Achieve a personal income target from small to mid-level donors including through our supporter scheme, campaigns and POS donations
• Take responsibility for HOME’s low to mid-level supporter programme, ensuring strong stewardship and donor retention, and consistent delivery of supporter scheme benefits, including a year-round programme of events – supported administratively by the Development Assistant
• Deliver consistent recruitment and upgrade activity for the programme, supported administratively by the Development Assistant and making use of automation
• Be responsible for delivering donation campaigns, including planning, writing copy and training the Customer Service Team (CST) in making the ask. Collaborate with the Marketing Team to promote campaigns on social media and by email
• Take ownership of HOME’s legacy scheme, including promotion and stewardship
•  Research potential donors and work with the wider team in delivering the strategy for recruiting them
• Work closely with the Development Assistant and the Marketing Team to oversee all supporter communications, including scheduling and writing content

Benefits: 25 days plus bank holidays, option to purchase additional leave, birthday day off, employee assistnance scheme, discounted theatre tickets when available, limted home working, flexible working requests, and more.