University access officer jobs

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 100 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with work across various football facilities across London.

The role is a full time and permanent. This role is based at our Bloomsbury and UCL East campuses with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office). We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible, and job share basis wherever possible. 

Do you have experience in co-creation and co-production between universities and the wider community? Are you passionate about coordinating engaging opportunities for students to dive into the world of engaged research? If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you!

Our ideal candidate will have excellent project and event coordination skills, strong communication and campaigning abilities, and a good working understanding of the life cycle of a research project.

We're an award winning charity running local learning centres based in the heart of the communities we serve. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping 56,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for a Fundraising Officer (University Partnerships) to join our exceptional, talented and successful fundraising team, all of whom have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for our mission to support young people achieve their ambitions.

As part of the university partnerships team, you will be working with our network of university supporters who are crucial funding and operational partners of the charity. You will play a key and varied role in supporting these partnerships. Your work with the team will include: preparing individual reports demonstrating the impact of our work for each university partner, coordinating with university development teams fundraising for our centres, helping to organise our annual university network conference and organising, attending and following up actions from meetings with senior university contacts.

The role at a glance

Contract: 

Permanent, full-time

Start date: 

January 2026

Working Hours:

09.00 - 17.30
We are an organisation with team members at different stages of their career, including many in their first roles: We are committed to nurturing talent and providing a developmental culture for all. Our team works in-person 4 days per week (or 3 days for a 0.8 FTE staff member) with 1 day working from home. 

Location:

This role will be based at our Head Office in London. The role will require frequent travel both within London and regionally. 

Salary:

£30,950 (inclusive of London contribution of £2,700)

Annual Leave:

Full-time staff entitlement, pro-rated for part-time staff: 33 days (inc bank & public holidays) + 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) + additional length of service entitlement (one day per year of service, up to 5 days)

Staff Benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm
• Summer working hours (finish at 1pm on Fridays for six weeks in the summer), pro-rated for staff joining after January in the same year
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to wellbeing and legal support
• Life Assurance scheme with Aviva including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year

Application deadline - 9am Monday 8th December 2025

Selection Day (in-person) - Tuesday 16th December 2025. Please ensure that you are available on this date.

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 100 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with work across various football facilities across London.

This is a 0.8 FTE (29.2 hours per week) and fixed term contract for 18 months.

We are looking for a Football Development Officer to support the delivery of TeamUCL's new focus sport, football. The role combines football delivery with desk-based sports administration and student engagement. We are looking for someone passionate about developing football in all forms - from running beginner friendly sessions to working with students to co-create community volunteering projects.

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Officer

Salary: £29,500 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours: 5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To deliver Nourish in 40 schools in Hertfordshire (primary, secondary and SEND settings) over 3 years in a delivery team of two Project Officers and a Project Assistant.

Key tasks include

· Support with recruitment of schools to take part in Nourish

· Complete in person food audits in schools looking across the whole school day

· Support schools to create and deliver a food improvement plan (action plan)

· Develop and deliver workshops in schools to staff, parents and students based on their action plan (e.g. assemblies, cooking sessions, school food standards training, packed lunch advice, food ed/sensory tasting sessions)

· Support schools to write a school food policy

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools to improve the food they offer their students

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Work closely with University of Hertfordshire and our Evaluation team to complete all monitoring and evaluation

· Work in collaboration with Hertfordshire project delivery team

· Gather content for our comms team (website and social media platforms)

· Keep Scaling Manager fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time.  Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person specification

Essential

· Registered nutritionist or advanced understanding of nutritional guidelines and health promotion

· Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building relationships

· Confident engaging with a variety of audiences (students, headteachers, school staff and parents), including communications via email, virtual and face to face meetings with the ability to deliver workshops & presentations

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Able to work independently and remote

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

· Ability to work in a team and seek help when needed

Desirable

· Experience of engaging and working with schools and/or communities

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Knowledge in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

Fundraising Operations & Stewardship Manager (Maternity Cover)

Starting salary: £48,822 per annum

St Mary's University is embarking on an ambitious journey to establish one of the UK's most socially accountable medical schools, addressing deep-rooted health inequalities and training the next generation of doctors.

The Development Office is in Year 2 of a £20m high-impact campaign focused on major donors and charitable trusts and we are now seeking a dynamic Fundraising Operations & Stewardship Manager (Maternity Cover) to help drive the next phase of our campaign and join our newly formed development team.

As Fundraising Operations & Stewardship Manager, you will be the Development Director's key partner - shaping donor journeys, managing campaign delivery, and ensuring every gift is recognised and maximised. You'll help us build momentum with our closest supporters and ensure excellence behind the scenes.

We're looking for a confident, capable, and creative individual who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

You will bring proven skills in campaign coordination, donor stewardship, and event delivery, with the ability to manage budgets, pipelines, and CRM systems with precision. You are a natural relationship-builder with an eye for detail and a passion for making an impact.

If you would like the opportunity to play a leading role in helping shape something new and make a meaningful impact in just under a year, we'd love to hear from you.

This is a hybrid role based at St Mary's University, Twickenham, we are happy to discuss flexible working arrangements for the right candidate.

St Mary’s University is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Learn more about our EDI initiatives and work as a Disability Confident employer. Please view our detailed access guide by following the link: St. Mary's University | AccessAble

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. St Mary’s University is holding a work visa sponsorship licence however we will not always be able to guarantee a Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship. To avoid disappointment, please ensure you meet the requirements of the Points Based System before applying as we will not be able to provide advice on individual cases. 

Closing Date: 30 November at 23:00

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 100 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible.

This is a 0.4 FTE  (14.6 hours per week) and permanent role. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus.

We are looking for a Group Exercise Assistant to support the Fitness Centre Manager by liaising with class instructors, sourcing cover, processing invoices and maintaining up to date information on the website and app. The post holder will be expected to visit TeamUCL Gym sites at Bloomsbury and East to quality check class provision, gather customer feedback and engage with instructors.

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 100 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible.

This is a full time and permanent role. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office).

We are looking for a Sports Development Coordinator (Equity & Inclusion) to provide training, knowledge and hands-on support for club committees as well as supporting on the delivery of campaigns and events. The postholder will work closely with colleagues across the department and the wider university to develop and grow our inclusive and disability sport provision. 

 

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 100 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible.

This is a full time and fixed term contract until 1 May 2027.

We’re looking for a creative communications professional ready to lead a team focussed on making impact for our members. Students’ Union UCL is at the centre of students’ education, creating an environment where our members can develop, learn, and have fun. As Communications Manager, you’ll lead our communications strategy across digital, editorial, and internal channels. You’ll shape our brand voice, ensure our messaging resonates with students and staff, and craft a positive image of our organisation. From podcasts and videos to impact reports and internal culture-building, you’ll be at the heart of how we tell our story.

WHO ARE WE?

Part business, part charity, part membership body – students’ unions are all seriously fun places to work. They are organisations in their own right. Professionally run, but different. Professional teams support elected student leaders so as they make change, improve lives and fulfil potential, we help make it happen.

The Union of Brunel Students has a small but impactful staff team dedicated to serving the needs and interests of our members. Our size allows us to work closely together and make decisions quickly, while our passion for creating positive change means that every member of our team has an impact on helping us deliver our vision to ensure that every student thrives at Brunel.

We are one of more than 600 students’ unions across the country. And with more than 15,000 members, 150 clubs and societies, a huge range of services and a bold strategy, we’re one of the most exciting.

WHAT’S THE JOB?

As a Campaigns and Student Engagement Coordinator you will be a crucial part of our student voice team. In this role, you'll work closely with our elected officers, staff, and external organisations to facilitate, support, and monitor student-led campaigns, ensuring that every student thrives at Brunel. You will be the driving force behind campaign development, providing guidance, resources, and support to officers and student groups. You will lead on empowering our students and volunteers to improve the student experience at Brunel, and ensure that the impact we are having in this area is effectively monitored and reported upon.

WHO YOU ARE:

We are looking for an enthusiastic and driven individual who has a genuine passion for student advocacy and engagement.

As a key member of our team, you should possess a deep understanding of the Student Union environment. You will have exceptional organisational skills, enabling you to effectively manage your workload, prioritise tasks, and consistently meet deadlines. Essential attributes include a commitment to our organisation's values, and a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. You should also be self-motivated, self-reliant, and exhibit a flexible and adaptable approach to work, including availability for evenings and weekends when required.

WHY APPLY?

Because you’re excited by the challenge!

The exact opposite of corporate, we’re progressive, creative individuals working to make a difference in an unconventional workplace. In return for your passion and experience we offer a flexible work environment, a competitive salary and excellent holiday allowance.

We’re committed to equality of opportunity for all. We welcome applications from individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, or disability status. We want to support a diverse and inclusive work environment and are actively looking for people who share our values.

BENEFITS

We offer a generous benefits package to reward our staff's hard work and commitment:

• Pension Scheme – statutory workplace pension scheme ‘NEST’.
• Generous holiday allowance - 25 days a year plus bank holidays. Additional days are given at Easter and Christmas in line with the University closure dates (usually about 5 additional days a year).
• Long service - 2 additional days leave will be given after 5 years continuous service
• TOTUM Card - All Union career staff are entitled to receive a TOTUM student discount card free of charge.
• Active@Brunel - Free membership to our social sports programme.
• On-site parking – Parking on campus at a low-cost rate.
• Flexible Working - The Union adopts a flexible working environment.
• The opportunity for some homeworking
• Personal Development - The Union is fully committed to investing in your future. If you are interested in a training programme which you feel would benefit you within your current position you can submit a training request via your line manager.
• Employee assistance programme
• Excellent sick pay
• Enhanced Paternity and Maternity leave after a years’ service

OUR VALUES

Our Values are an important factor in The Union of Brunel Students as they drive our decisions.

• Driven by You
• Open to All
• Passionately positive
• Integrity

APPLY

Closing date for receipt of completed applications is Monday 1st December 2025

Interviews: w/c 15th December 2025

Start Date: To be discussed with the successful applicant

Ivy Rock Partners is proud to be partnering with Regents University to recruit a Finance Business Partner. This is a perfect development role for a finalist/newly qualified Accountant to act as the primary interface between Finance and Budget Holders across the University, with a particular focus on the Academic areas and a dotted line into three Academic Heads of School.

This would suit an ACA qualified Accountant moving out of an audit firm looking to move into Business Partnering, or a CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA qualified/finalist Management Accountant/Junior Business Partner who is looking for a progressive move.

Regent’s University London is a private university with a highly cosmopolitan community based in royal Regent’s Park. With around 140 student and staff nationalities on campus, the university offers an exclusive and inspiring learning environment, with easy access to the wealth of professional and cultural opportunities of London

The Finance Business Partner will be significantly involved in the budget planning cycle including preparation of, and constructively challenging, budgets and their underlying assumptions, bridging the gap between the central finance function and Academic leadership. They will provide insight and analysis to support decision-making and value creation through revenue generation or cost reduction..
The Finance Business Partner will also manage both income and costs for month end reporting and the preparation of  financial information to non-finance senior whilst business partnering the cost owners across the organisation.

Interviews will be held between Monday 8th and Wednesday 10th December.

For more information, please contact Phil Southern.

At One Roof Leicester we provide accommodation and support to single adults who are homeless. We support our residents to recover, reset and rebuild their lives in a safe and stable home.

Every resident is provided with the specialist and tailored one to one support to enable them to move on into permanent homes. In their journey with us we want to ensure they can maintain their new homes and never return back to homelessness. That is why we have created this new role.

This is a really exciting opportunity for someone interested in supporting people who are homeless and the climate.

Thanks to the funding from the National Lottery Community Fund Climate Action Fund for the LEAF (Leicester Environmental Action and Future) programme we will be employing a Climate Action Officer to join our team. The role will help residents prepare for independent living by increasing awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of daily behaviours, such as energy use, diet, transport, recycling, and DIY skills. Through workshops, events, and hands-on activities, the postholder will inspire and empower residents to make positive lifestyle changes that support both personal wellbeing and the environment.

The LEAF initiative brings together De Montfort University and five local community organisations (including ORL) who are working together to increase climate awareness and action across Leicester communities.

About Us

Unfold is a bold, community-rooted charity supporting children, young people and families to thrive on their own terms and shape the systems around them. We’ve been driving social justice locally for 35 years, powered by brilliant volunteers who mentor, champion and walk alongside the people we serve.

About the Role

We’re growing fast, and we’re looking for someone who can supercharge our volunteer experience. You’ll lead the full volunteer journey,  recruiting community-rooted mentors, designing inclusive training, strengthening partnerships with universities and employers, and making sure every volunteer feels valued, prepared and inspired.

About You

You’ll embed social justice, accountability and care at every step, ensuring our volunteers reflect the communities we support. If you’re a relationship-builder, a storyteller, a strategist and a champion of equity who knows how to turn passion into action, we’d love you on our team.

We’re eager to hear from applicants with lived experience of the challenges our service users face, including people from the global majority, women, people living with disabilities, and those who identify as LGBTQ+.

Why Work with Us

• Holidays: 25 working days (along with additional Christmas closedown days)
• Pension: We offer a generous pension provision. New staff are automatically enrolled for a pension after three months, and after six months, we will match your contribution up to a maximum of 8%.
• Team working: We are a small but brilliant team: we're supportive, diverse, and we help each other out. There are always opportunities to get involved in different aspects of the organisation, or lead on new initiatives.
• Training opportunities: We want to ensure that our team is continuously learning and building expertise in their field. For this reason, we offer each team member two days per year dedicated to professional development and training opportunities.
• Wellbeing - How we feel matters: Staff have access to a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, and our staff Wellbeing Champions are leading on the design and delivery of our wellbeing strategy, including the review of our quarterly wellbeing survey. Staff have regular supervision sessions to encourage reflection and discussion on our work and wellbeing. Additionally, we’re excited to introduce three days a year dedicated to team-building activities. These days are an opportunity to build skills, foster connections, and recharge as a team!
• Flexible working: We're happy to consider flexible working arrangements in line with the requirements of the role.
• Working Environment: We work in a beautiful, accessible, eco-friendly co-working space with a number of other charities, with plants, a leafy roof terrace and free hot and cold drinks. With comfortable spaces to read quietly or talk in a group, our workspace is somewhere you'll want to be. 

We mobilise the PhD community to support students from less advantaged backgrounds to access the most competitive universities and succeed when they get there. We work with students who, because of their family income, parental history or the postcode they live in, are at risk of missing out on the life-changing opportunities linked to higher education.

We are excited to be recruiting a School Partnerships Officer to join the School Partnerships Team. Your job will be to raise awareness of our programmes and transform expressions of interest into school partnerships. If you are passionate about communicating with different audiences, quickly building relationships, and meeting ambitious targets that have a huge social impact, this could be the perfect role for you.

This role will require you to become an expert on our programmes so that you can confidently discuss their features and benefits with key stakeholders. You will be comfortable in winning the confidence of head teachers and senior school leaders of prospective schools who have expressed an interest in partnering with us. This isn’t just about administering a process, it’s about understanding the needs of individual schools and how our programmes can support their priorities. You will be tenacious and empathetic in equal measure.

Alongside meeting with schools and securing partnerships, you will be involved with generating interest in our programmes, via marketing campaigns and network building. You will also work to improve the efficiency of our internal systems, so teachers have the best experience communicating with us. The role will report to the Director of School Partnerships. It can be based at either of our Brilliant Club offices, located in London and Leeds.

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Communications and External Engagement to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping Martingale’s external profile, strategic partnerships, and policy influence.

As Head of Communications and External Engagement, you will join our growing senior management team, overseeing several critical aspects of Martingale’s work: communications and recruitment; partnerships and fundraising; and policy and advocacy. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspect of Martingale’s external communications and engagement to ensure Martingale’s success.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s external positioning, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that our communications, partnerships and policy activity is aligned and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s messaging is consistent, with a bold brand presence and strong collaboration with various external stakeholders including funders, universities, media, and government.

We are looking for a strong communicator with extensive leadership experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Communications and External Engagement will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and deliver a clear, bold strategy for communications, policy, and partnerships aligned with Martingale’s vision and growth.
• Lead the development of Martingale’s voice, ensuring consistency across all external channels and stakeholder interactions.
• Act as a senior leader within the organisation, contributing to overall strategic planning.

Communications & Brand

• Oversee all external communications, campaigns and media engagement, strengthening Martingale’s profile and influence.
• Manage content strategy, digital channels, storytelling and brand evolution.
• Ensure high-quality and accessible communications across print, digital, and in-person events.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain and grow relationships with Martingale’s university, philanthropic, and other partners.
• Collaborate with the CEO on fundraising engagement strategies and impact storytelling.
• Oversee ambassador engagement and support Martingale’s national and regional events.

Policy & Advocacy

• Lead Martingale’s policy and advocacy work to shape the future of postgraduate access and equity.
• Along with the CEO, represent Martingale in external forums, responding to consultations and influencing key stakeholders in research and education policy.
• Collaborate with researchers and partners to generate evidence and drive systems change.

Team Leadership & Management

• Line manage team leads across communications and partnerships, with oversight of a team of four.
• Support the professional development of the team, ensuring alignment with Martingale’s values and goals.
• Foster a collaborative, agile, and inclusive culture within and across teams.
• The post holder will carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit, and purpose of the role as requested by the line manager. 

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences including senior stakeholders.
• Significant senior-level experience in communications, policy, or external relations within a mission-driven organisation.
• Proven experience line managing a multi-person team, including managing people who manage others.
• Strong track record of developing and delivering high-impact external engagement strategies.
• Excellent communication skills — strategic thinking combined with hands-on content expertise.
• Experience managing and cultivating high-value partnerships or donor relationships.
• Understanding of UK education, social mobility, or research funding landscapes.
• Proven experience in account management, managing multiple external stakeholder relationships and partnerships successfully.
• Advanced IT proficiency: Spreadsheet, Word Processing, CRM or Databases, Email, Web-based applications.

Desirable

• Experience working with or within higher education or research organisations.
• Familiarity with charity fundraising or philanthropic communications.
• Experience delivering communications in a startup or scale-up environment.
• Experience in working with governance boards and/or trustees.
• Experience delivering / overseeing ambitious recruitment campaigns.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.

Benefits:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 29 days after two years of service and to 30 days after three years of service. This entitlement is pro rata for part-time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays.
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work-life balance and personal commitments.
• As a Purposeful Ventures employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme, where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to.
• Access to Charlie Perks, offering discounts and rewards at over 30,000 brands and retailers.