Strategic development officer jobs in Belfast

Job Purpose

The Research Programme Manager will have a strong grounding in scientific research, expertise in grant management, and report to the Director of Research. 

The role’s core responsibility will be to lead on the implementation and delivery of large-scale collaborative programmes and funding schemes. The post holder will have a visible presence within the research community acting as an important point of contact between partner organisations, researchers, committee members, peer reviewers and the charity. They will be expected to keep updated with the latest research developments in order to use strategic scientific expertise and judgement in the ongoing development and improvement of the Foundation’s grant funding schemes.

They will be responsible for the successful delivery of a large portfolio of active projects by working closely with others in the team to ensure all awards are expertly administered, monitored, evaluated and reported against, ensuring the outputs are of the highest quality and supporting the charities activities. The post-holder will identify opportunities to communicate the progress or impact of the work we fund and work with the communications team to develop compelling communications for our supporters.

Key responsibilities:

Grant Funding Programme

● Lead on the setup of large-scale collaborative research programmes ensuring robust peer review, effective contracting and close collaboration with funding partners;

● Lead on the management of multiple grant funding schemes, as well as ad-hoc applications that come to the Foundation;

● Oversee the smooth running of application rounds, peer review and ensure that funding committees function in line with AMRC guidance;

● Be the main point of contact for the AMRC with regards to research management;

● Support the ongoing implementation and development of the Foundation’s Grant Management Software, ensuring the research team are using the platform effectively;

● Manage project set-up including contracting, the development of detailed project plans, including go/no-go milestones and budgets;

● Work with the other Research Programme Managers to oversee the research programme budget including planning, monitoring and forecasting; work with the Directors of Research and Finance to ensure that accurate research finance information is available for organisational budgeting and planning;

● Seek opportunities to improve the Foundation’s grant funding schemes to increase the number and quality of applications received year on year, ensuring funding projects support the delivery of the Foundation’s research strategy;

● Monitor any developments or innovations across the sector and implement changes to maintain a high-quality impactful research funding programme.

Project Portfolio and Impact

● Oversee the delivery of large-scale collaborative research programmes including:

• Leading on management on behalf of funding partnerships

● Manage and oversee project delivery of the Foundation’s active project portfolio by:

• Building and managing relationships with award holders and attending site visits;
• Approving grant payments and managing the change process for any project amendments;
• Ensuring project progress is effectively monitored and reported against;
• Identifying opportunities for and approving any project communications.

● Lead on the development and implementation of an Impact Evaluation Framework, to monitor and evaluate the impact of the research we fund.

● Lead on the development of an annual impact report to demonstrate the impact of the research we fund.

Line Management

● Provide line management responsibilities to the Research Officer, supporting their performance and ongoing development.

General Responsibilities

● Support the Director of Research to deliver the Foundation’s research strategy;

● Support more junior members of the team through training and mentoring;

● Contribute to the team being proactive and supportive, and working effectively and efficiently to achieve agreed objectives;

● Support the development of research communications activities, working closely with our communications team.

● Contribute to the development and maintenance of strong internal relationships across the charity, working specifically with the Fundraising Team to support income generation;

● Support the Director of Research in the development of updates for the Board of Trustees and other groups such as our Scientific Advisors;

● Keep updated with the latest scientific developments in the field, attend conferences and build strong relationships with MND experts and other relevant stakeholders;

● Represent the Foundation at external scientific meetings and conferences;

● Undertake other work as required by the Director of Research.

Skills and experience required:

● Educated to PhD level or with equivalent experience in a science subject relevant to MND;

● Experience of research management, including the management of grant schemes, preferably with experience of using Flexi-Grant;

● Experience of research communications, including the ability to disseminate complex scientific information and present it to non-technical audiences;

● Experience of liaising with senior individuals in a variety of organisations with an ability to create favourable working relationships;

● Proven project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time;

● A great communicator, with excellent written and oral skills and the ability to maintain relationships with a wide variety of individuals, including those within the Foundation, researchers and clinicians, relevant organisations and industry bodies, MND patients, and other MND charities;

● Self-motivated, proactive and able to work using own initiative;

● Organised, with a proven ability to successfully manage a broad spectrum of tasks, deadlines and individuals;

● Motivated to make a real difference for those living with MND and future generations.

Working Pattern: Full time, permanent, home-based with regular travel across the UK

Salary: Circa £45,000 dependent on experience

Direct reports: Research Officer, 1 FTE

Closing date: Friday 8th May

Interviews: Week commencing 11th May

Harris Hill is delighted to be supporting the recruitment of a Lawyer (UK Financial Sector Focus) on behalf of the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI). CCLI is a UK charity working at the intersection of law, finance and sustainability, with a global reputation for producing rigorous legal analysis that helps clarify how existing legal frameworks apply to climate and nature-related financial risks. This newly created role will play a key part in shaping CCLI’s expanding programme of work on investor fiduciary duties across the UK financial sector.

This post is offered as a one-year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension subject to funding. The role can be fully remote or hybrid, with access to a London co-working space, and will involve occasional travel.

The postholder will lead the development and delivery of CCLI’s UK investor fiduciary workstream, initially focusing on the insurance, pensions and banking sectors. This will involve scoping and commissioning authoritative legal analysis from leading commercial law firms and academics, translating complex legal findings into practical guidance for boards, trustees and their advisers, and tracking relevant regulatory and disclosure developments across the financial services landscape. The role involves building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including institutional investors, regulators, professional bodies, and the legal community, as well as representing CCLI at conferences, roundtables and other external forums. Working closely with the Executive Director within a small and collaborative team, the successful candidate will also contribute to communications, strategic development and fundraising activity.

We are looking for a qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales with strong expertise in financial services law, ideally in insurance, banking, or pensions. Candidates should be able to demonstrate clear engagement with climate change or environmental sustainability, whether through their professional work, research, writing, pro bono activity, or other initiatives that connect legal practice with climate- and nature-related financial risks. To be successful, you need to bring a deep understanding of how financial institutions are structured and regulated, alongside a demonstrable commitment to addressing climate and nature-related financial risks through legal and governance frameworks. You will be a confident communicator, confident and effective in public speaking, with the ability to represent the organisation at conferences, roundtables and stakeholder events, and to communicate complex legal ideas clearly to diverse audiences. This role would suit a self-starter who is comfortable working with a high degree of ownership in a small, purpose-driven organisation and who is motivated by the opportunity to apply their legal expertise to drive meaningful change.

To apply, please submit your up-to-date CV by 3 May at 23:59 AM. Shortlisted candidates will then be asked to provide a tailored cover letter.

Please note, only successful applicants will be contacted with further information.

As a leading charity recruitment specialist and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

Digital Marketing Specialist (Paid Media)

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

We currently have employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new strategy, On a Mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.

Job Summary for Digital Marketing Specialist (Paid Media)

• Lead and oversee Bowel Cancer UK’s paid advertising programme, ensuring activity is strategic, insight‑driven and aligned with organisational goals.
• Work collaboratively with teams across the charity to raise awareness of our cause, drive supporter acquisition and increase income.
• Manage paid media campaigns end‑to‑end, from scoping and briefing through to execution, reporting and continuous improvement.
• Take a hands‑on approach to campaign delivery while also providing strong project management and stakeholder engagement.
• Oversee paid media platforms and work closely with external agencies to optimise performance and maximise value from suppliers.
• Play a pivotal role within the Digital Marketing and Engagement team, using strong analytical skills and deep channel knowledge to broaden our reach and ambitions.
• Contribute to meaningful, mission‑driven digital marketing that makes a real impact.

We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible working patterns and are happy to discuss this at interview.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be held before the closing date.

About the role

Our exciting three year strategy sets out our ambitious goals to drive impact at scale for victim-survivors. We are now looking for an exceptional candidate to lead some of our financial services relationships and consultancy work and support SEA in its mission to raise awareness of economic abuse and transform responses to it within the financial services sector.

Working closely with colleagues across SEA, you will foster and maintain relationships across the financial services sector, seeking opportunities to generate income for the charity and supporting our Head of Financial Services to deliver lasting change and impact.

Together we can transform frontline financial services, in practice, product and process, and save lives.

About you

At SEA we put the lived experience of victim-survivors at the heart of all that we do, including our work with financial services firms. You will be a subject matter expert on customer vulnerability and financial services firms’ regulatory requirements, as well as having a thorough understanding of industry rules and good practice. You will combine this with experience of working with vulnerable customers, including victim-survivors and bring expertise on economic abuse to ensure this is embedded within financial services’ firms’ responses.

About SEA

We are the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and  transforming responses to it. We work to save lives and stop economic abuse forever.

Our vision is a world in which all women and girls achieve economic equality and can live their lives free of abuse and exploitation. Not only surviving but thriving.

Our mission is to raise awareness of economic abuse and transform responses to it.

To achieve this, we must ensure that the policies and practices of financial services firms, domestic abuse support services, public services and government reflect the needs of all victim-survivors of economic abuse.

We are  committed to centring victim-survivors in all that we do and broadening our understanding of the needs of survivors, particularly those who are marginalised within society. We work alongside the Experts by Experience - a group of victim-survivors whose voices and experiences shape our work.

Our primary focus is on influencing the women’s, public and financial services sectors, to create a model for improved support for victim-survivors of economic abuse, calling on government to facilitate these changes and work with them to improve their systems and practice.

What we offer

• 25 days annual leave plus Statutory Bank Holidays
• Home working (UK based)
• Flexible working 
• 5% Employer Pension Contribution 
• 5 Wellbeing Days
• Reflective practice
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Enhanced sick pay, family leave and carer’s leave 
• The chance to be part of our highly professional, supportive team

To apply

Please apply via our website

Applications open from 9 April and close at 11.59pm on 7 May 2026. Interviews will take place virtually, week beginning 1 June.

Direct applications only – no agencies please.

Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is committed to developing an inclusive team which reflects the diversity of the communities we support. Our culture celebrates diverse voices, and we particularly encourage applications from Black and minoritised applicants and disabled applicants who are under-represented at SEA.

SEA is a Disability Confident Committed, and Kinship Friendly Employer.