Social policy research consultant jobs

We’re looking for an experienced, proactive fundraiser who can think strategically and deliver hands-on. Someone confident writing bids, building partnerships and spotting opportunities for growth.

This is a key role at a pivotal moment for AudioActive, offering the chance to build on strong foundations and shape a diverse, sustainable income model and power a team that is dedicated to empowering young people through music.

What you’ll do

• Lead and deliver AudioActive’s fundraising and development strategy
• Grow income across trusts & foundations, tenders, contracts and partnerships
• Write high-quality bids, proposals and pitches
• Develop new business partnerships aligned with our mission
• Build strong relationships with funders, partners and supporters
• Work closely with the CEO and team to align income with programmes
• Track performance, manage targets and identify new opportunities

Coastline Housing is partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell in the search for a Head of Finance Planning & Control.

 Coastline is a values-driven housing association committed to delivering high-quality homes and services across Cornwall. With a strong focus on financial sustainability, customer-first service, and continuous improvement, the organisation is building a data-driven and forward-thinking finance function to support its long-term corporate plan.

The Role

The Head of Finance Planning & Control is a senior leadership role within the Finance & Performance team, reporting directly to the Director of Finance. You will lead on financial planning, treasury management, and tax strategy, while ensuring robust financial controls and high-quality insight to support strategic decision-making across the organisation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the Group’s financial planning function, ensuring accurate and timely business and rent plans to inform strategic decisions.
• Oversee treasury management, ensuring compliance with funding agreements and proactive management of debt, cashflow, and security.
• Support the Director of Finance in securing appropriate funding to meet organisational needs.
• Lead tax planning activities, ensuring compliance while optimising financial efficiency.
• Ensure all regulatory returns are completed accurately and on time.
• Provide financial support to development activities in partnership with the
• Development Finance function.
• Oversee purchase ledger operations and ensure robust financial systems and controls are in place.
• Drive continuous improvement of financial processes, policies, and systems.
• Partner with stakeholders across the organisation to deliver meaningful financial insight and support effective decision-making.
• Contribute to the development of a data-driven, high-performing finance team.
• Deputise for the Director of Finance and support the wider Senior Management Group as required.

Candidate Requirements

We are seeking a strategic, technically strong, and collaborative finance professional with:

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, CPFA or equivalent).
• Proven experience in long-term financial planning and treasury management.
• Strong understanding of financial accounting principles, tax, and regulatory requirements.
• A track record of improving financial processes, systems, and controls.
• Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret and communicate complex financial information.
• Advanced Excel and financial systems proficiency.
• The ability to build strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across the organisation.

Desirable:

• Experience within the housing association or public sector environment.
• Exposure to development finance activities.

Benefits

Coastline offers a competitive and attractive benefits package, including:

• Electric car scheme.
• Relocation package available for candidates moving to the area.
• Generous pension contribution of 8%.
• Flexible and hybrid working options.
• The opportunity to work in a values-driven organisation making a real impact.

Location

Based at Coastline House in Cornwall, with hybrid working 3 in the office.

Assistant Financial Accountant

West Midlands | Hybrid working | Competitive salary and excellent benefits

An exciting opportunity has arisen for two Assistant Financial Accountants to join a well-established public sector organisation, supporting the delivery of high-quality financial reporting, technical accounting and statutory returns. Sitting within a corporate finance team, these roles offer the chance to play a key part in the production of the statement of accounts and audit process, with opportunities to specialise in either VAT or capital accounting.

Working as part of a collaborative and forward-thinking finance function, you will gain exposure to a wide range of technical accounting areas while contributing to continuous improvement and strong financial governance.

What you’ll do

• Support the delivery of the annual statement of accounts, ensuring accuracy and compliance with statutory deadlines
• Lead on technical and capital accounting entries, applying relevant regulations and best practice
• Partner with stakeholders across the organisation to provide clear financial advice and insight
• Act as a key contact for internal and external audit, resolving queries efficiently
• Take ownership of balance sheet reconciliations, maintaining strong financial controls
• Develop financial models and support statutory returns, including VAT submissions
• Support and mentor junior team members within the finance function
• For the VAT-focused role, prepare and review VAT returns, ensuring accuracy and identifying discrepancies
• For the capital-focused role, maintain the fixed asset register, ensuring accurate classification and depreciation

What you’ll need

• AAT Level 4 or part-qualified with a recognised accounting body
• Experience working within a finance environment, ideally within the public sector
• Strong technical accounting knowledge with the ability to apply this in practice
• Experience using financial systems such as Oracle and advanced Excel skills
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present financial information to non-finance stakeholders
• Exposure to VAT and or capital accounting would be advantageous

You will benefit from a flexible hybrid working pattern, generous annual leave entitlement, and the opportunity to develop specialist technical expertise within a supportive and progressive finance team.

About the company
This organisation is a large and diverse public sector body based in the West Midlands, serving a broad and vibrant community. With excellent transport links and a strong focus on community impact, it offers a rewarding environment where finance plays a key role in supporting essential services and long-term strategic objectives.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, to avoid disappointment apply today!

We are seeking a fixed-term Brand Manager to manage the evolution and development of the Battersea brand to build brand health and ensure it is positioned to support organisational priority areas and the telling of our story.

The Brand Manager will oversee the brand development project to leverage the brand in highlighting unresolved needs and creating urgency, while equipping teams with the tools to act confidently and achieve effective cut-through whilst remaining distinctly Battersea.

This role provides brand guardianship and expert advice to ensure a consistent brand identity, whilst managing risk and reputation, working with partners and internal teams to understand and apply the brand with confidence.

Due to the time-sensitive nature of this role, we are seeking candidates who are available to start in May 2026. Please only if you are able to commence employment by this time.

Overall Objectives:

• Drive forward the delivery of our brand development work to maintain and build brand health and ensure our brand can work harder to support our fundraising and campaigning ambitions whilst maintaining Battersea’s distinctiveness in the category.
• Ensure the brand is positioned to support the communication of the full story of Battersea’s work and can convey why Battersea, and why now, to audiences and supporters.
• Develop and implement guidelines and tools and engagement techniques to convey urgency and need and give clear guidance to internal teams on the use of the Battersea brand.
• Provide brand guardianship and consultation on the strategic use and application of our brand across all partnership activity to ensure consistency, as well as facilitate best-in-class application.
• Monitor key brand metrics to ensure Battersea’s relevance and audiences understanding of our work, so the brand can support wider organisational goals.
• Manage brand reputation by proactively identifying and mitigating brand risks and overseeing trademarking to protect the Battersea brand with internal and external stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively within the Marketing and Communications Directorate and build trusted and positive working relationships with teams across Battersea to embed and enable use of the brand to support our organisational strategy.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year.
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans.

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:

We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. If you would like to talk more about this, please contact us. Greyscale copies of the recruitment pack are also available on request.

More about us:

At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Acceptable use of AI:

At Battersea, we value expertise. We recognise each candidate that applies to us will have a range of expertise they can offer us, so we want to hear about this in your own words. We understand the support that generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can offer but it can also lead to numerous applications presenting as generic and impersonal. This makes it difficult to gain understanding of your unique experience.

To best showcase yourself, we encourage you to write your responses without the assistance of AI. If you require the use of AI software to aid in completing your application, we ask you use the generative responses as a prompt for writing your answers and avoid copying and pasting. You must also ensure the information presented in your application accurately reflects your experience.

Closing date: 27th April 2026 - Early applications are encouraged as the role may close early if filled.

Interview date(s): Interviews will take place on a rolling basis.

For more information about the role, please download our Recruitment pack.