Volunteer support officer jobs in England, united kingdom

Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - London
Hours: Full-time, 35 Hours per week
Salary: £55,155 per annum (London)
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offer on our website
Contract type: Fixed-term - 2 years
Travel: Occasional travel across the UK including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Sunday 4 January 2026

Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.
You will join the UK Advocacy and Health Intelligence Department within the Chief Executive's Directorate. The team is responsible for leading UK strategy development and delivery across advocacy (policy, public affairs, campaigning) and health intelligence, working closely with colleagues across the UK to ensure effective delivery of the strategy in each nation. The department sits in the Chief Executive's Directorate to ensure driving positive change with and for people with arthritis is at the heart of the organisation.

The Department works closely with colleagues across the charity, including Services, Research and Income and Engagement to ensure we are joined up in our approach to arthritis.

About the role
The Researcher is a new, important post at Arthritis UK. Working within our Health Intelligence team, you will lead on providing expertise on the latest relevant research evidence, providing a responsive, robust and balanced assessment of the available evidence and any key gaps to shape the charity's UK advocacy agenda, and drive organisational priorities. Working across a range of issues you will play a crucial role in ensuring that the experiences and needs of people living with arthritis are understood and acted upon, and that arthritis is taken seriously across the UK.

About you
If your knowledge, skills and experience include the following then we'd love to hear from you:

• In-depth knowledge and experience in working in health-related, research.
• Experience in the synthesis and evaluation of research evidence across a range of sources (including grey literature), including in the design and delivery of rapid reviews.
• Experience in communicating clearly and succinctly to non-technical and non-expert audiences, through both written formats (e.g. briefing papers) and verbally (e.g. via presentations and meetings with senior stakeholders), with a robust approach to accessibility throughout communication.
• Demonstrable understanding of how research can be used to shape policy and practice.
• Experience of consistently applying a range of techniques and research methods applicable to framing research questions, evidence review and research evaluation.
• Able to communicate findings and conclusions clearly to non-specialist and specialist audiences.
• Educated to at least master's degree level or equivalent.

*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.

Benefits
Your excellent benefits include:

• Flexible hours, environments and working practices to promote a healthy work/life balance.
• Health and wellbeing support - including the Employee Assistance Programme (free confidential 24/7 support with mental health, legal and financial queries).
• Simplyhealth cash plan.
• Supportive and inclusive culture, with a wide range of employee networks and support groups available to join.
• Learning and personal development opportunities.
• Competitive annual leave, with the option to buy/sell up to five days per year.
• Generous pension plan, with employer contribution of up to 10%.
• Life Assurance plan (4 x salary).

Application deadline and shortlisting 
We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date.  
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 
We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales. 

Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.

Interview
Interviews are expected be held Thursday 15 January 2026, Arthritis UK London office

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.

About us
We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.

There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life - affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.

Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Arthritis UK is a Registered Charity No: 207711 and in Scotland No. SC041156.

Job Profile

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will lead on the recruitment, retention, and value growth of Afghanaid’s supporter base by directing and implementing communications, fundraising and engagement strategies, aligned with broader organisation goals. Designing and managing a tight budget, you will direct the Communication and Giving unit to maximise their success.

You will provide strategic and supervisory oversight of fundraising income from individual giving, regular giving, major donors, trusts and foundations, corporates, community and student fundraising and events, managing annual fundraising appeals and driving organisational unrestricted income growth. 

You will lead on communications for Afghanaid, overseeing print, digital, and paid marketing activities and the growth of communications channels. You will execute Afghanaid’s organisational brand strategy which ensures the integrity of the brand and maximises awareness. You will manage all public relations including crisis communications, as well as the growth of strategic media placements and high profile relationships. You will drive the success of organisational impact storytelling and communications for both internal and external stakeholders. As a member of the executive department, you will collaborate and synergise with other departments to promote organisational success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive organisational strategy, culture and cross-department collaboration to advance Afghanaid’s mission and objectives.

• Lead development and delivery of Communications, Engagement and Fundraising strategies and work plans.

• Line manage and develop a high-performing team, including staff, volunteers and interns.

• Build and maintain relationships with consultants, agencies and pro bono partners.

• Oversee budgets, reporting and data-driven performance management to ensure efficiency and impact.

• Promote a positive and cohesive London team environment, coordinating hybrid working, inductions and HR support.

• Oversee public fundraising strategy across multiple income streams.

• Lead design and delivery of internal and external appeals, campaigns and donor stewardship.

• Identify new funding opportunities, partnerships and innovation in engagement.

• Oversee the full range of Afghanaid’s event portfolio, and attend relevant events to represent Afghanaid;

• Ensure effective CRM management, data integrity and financial reconciliation.

• Serve as brand guardian, ensuring consistency and evolution of Afghanaid’s identity.

• Oversee creation and execution of integrated communications and marketing plans.

• Direct production of engaging digital and print content, including newsletters, social media, and fundraising collateral.

• Manage website optimisation, SEO and analytics to drive engagement and conversions.

• Lead innovation in digital marketing, email campaigns and supporter journeys.

• Advise leadership on reputation management and crisis communications.

• Develop media policies and act as spokesperson when required.

• Manage proactive and reactive media relations, building relationships with journalists, influencers and advocates.

• Promote Afghanaid’s thought leadership through strategic storytelling and public commentary.

• Commission and direct multimedia content to strengthen organisational storytelling.

• Lead content planning, production and performance analysis.

• Champion participatory storytelling approaches and creative innovation.

Undertake any other duties as and when required by the line director.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

You will be an experienced and dynamic communicator with significant demonstrable experience in fundraising and/or communications at a senior level, coupled with an awareness and up to date knowledge and experience of the tools that would maximise the success of our communications and fundraising activities. In addition, you will have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders. Possessing strong management skills, you will have experience of managing small multi-disciplinary teams, providing direction and leadership to enable development and high performance, and the ability to role-model a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Education/ Training

Master’s Degree in communications, marketing, public fundraising or another relevant field (or at least 5-years’ experience).

Work Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, supporter engagement or communications, with at least 2 years’ experience directly managing staff.

• Experience developing and leading integrated multi-channel and multi-stakeholder communications, engagement and/or fundraising strategies.

• Experience in growing audiences, engagement and/or income streams.

• Experience communicating about and/or fundraising for and/or maintaining engagement with Afghanistan or a similar context.

• Experience using KPIs and data to make data-driven decisions to improve efficacy and efficiency.

• Experience managing and monitoring a tight budget.

• Experience conceptualising, producing and commissioning multimedia content, from marketing and fundraising collateral to audiovisual content.

• Experience running full-funnel, multi-channel marketing strategies including paid advertising.

• Understanding of risks associated with communications, public fundraising, and NGO operating contexts, and experience in mitigating those risks.

• Experience supervising, organising, motivating and developing staff.

• In depth knowledge of trends in storytelling, brand, PR, marketing and fundraising.

Professional Skills, Competencies, Values and Attitudes

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff is passionate about and proud of Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Specifically, the holder of this position should also demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Fluent in spoken and written English. 

• Track record of increasing audiences, fundraising totals and engagement metrics from multiple different sources, with a strong business development mindset.

• Experience securing five or six figure gifts from funders;

• Solutions and results orientated; energised by thinking outside the box, and by finding and pursuing novel or innovative approaches and solutions.

• Experience using Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud

• Skilled at spotting and prioritising opportunities and synergies, and effective in securing wide-ranging forms of engagement and partnership.

• Excellent listening, speaking and writing skills; strong capabilities of persuasion and a proven track record of uniting people around a common goal.

• Multimedia skills, with knowledge, experience and enthusiasm in driving digital innovation.

• Highly organised with strong leadership and project management skills, able to collaboratively manage competing priorities with senior and junior colleagues.

• Demonstrably skilled brand custodian, able to mitigate risks, anticipate and capitalise upon opportunities, and strengthen reputation.

• Capable of working independently as well as collaboratively, both in leading a team and as part of the team.

• Passionate about driving change, and inspiring individuals and groups to support a cause to deliver that change.

Desirable

• Experience working within an international development or humanitarian context, particularly with causes related to Afghanistan

• Strategic understanding of UK and global fundraising landscapes and emerging giving trends.

• Proven ability to represent an organisation publicly with confidence, professionalism and credibility.

• Experience guiding senior leaders or trustees on media, communications and reputational matters.

• Skilled in crisis communications and reputation management.

• Understanding of inclusive and ethical storytelling practices, with sensitivity to safeguarding considerations.

• Experience developing high-value corporate or media partnerships.

• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, resource-limited environment and adapting to changing external circumstances.

The Organisation

Afghanaid is a British humanitarian and development organisation. For over forty years, our dedicated personnel have worked with millions of families in some of the poorest and most remote communities in Afghanistan. We build basic services, improve livelihoods, strengthen the rights of women and children, help communities protect against natural disasters and adapt to climate change, and respond to humanitarian emergencies. We are headquartered in Kabul, and operate provincial and district offices across Afghanistan, as well as a Marketing and Fundraising office in London. We employ around 500 personnel, 97% of whom are Afghans.

Other Information

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff are passionate about and proud to work at Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Our remuneration and benefits package is competitive with other similar organisations. 

This position presents an excellent opportunity for someone who has the ambition and determination to move up in their career.

Data, Insight and Impact Manager

Salary: £41,097 - £45,423 per annum (salary depending on experience)

Location: Leeds, with regular travel to Centres across Yorkshire and Humberside

Hours: 37 hours per week, full-time

Closing date: Monday 5th January 2026, 9AM

Interview date: W/c 12th January 2026

Please note: this role is only open to women, in accordance with the sex-based exemptions of the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.

About us

Together Women is an award-winning charity that supports women and girls across Yorkshire and Humberside, with particular focus on women who are involved in or at risk of entering the criminal justice system. Our vision is for women and girls to feel safe, valued and in control of their own life choices.

From our women centres, we provide tailored support across a range of different pathways, including housing, domestic abuse, debt, and unemployment. As a charity led by women, for women, we provide trauma informed, holistic support to help break cycles of trauma, abuse, and re-offending, and evoke systems change.

Role Summary

This is an exciting role for someone with a passion for leading data-driven, insight-led service design and delivery, and for a person who loves to champion best practice in data management and governance. In this role you will contribute to improving the experiences and outcomes of the women who access our Women’s Centres and Services, and by listening to and learning from women, you will utilise insight to drive organisational and systemic change.

You will lead on the strategic use of data and insights, embedding best practice in data collection methods and gender-specific assessment tools, with a focus on the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) and the Gendered Wellbeing Assessment (GWA). You will deliver robust and meaningful operational and strategic reporting; regular and accessible management information to support effective service delivery; regular performance monitoring and reporting to commissioners and funders; and further develop the ways we demonstrate our impact and share stories of change.

You will lead operational delivery of our data systems, to ensure robust data governance, compliance and ongoing technical implementation and optimisation. This role is critical to embedding a culture of data-driven decision making, using insight to support high quality service delivery, and to drive long term systemic change through key research projects. You will work closely with our WRNA Project Manager and the wider Management team to embed learnings from the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership and support our ongoing contribution to University of Birmingham long term research into women’s experience of the criminal justice system, helping to shape the development of evidence-based policy and best practice across the Women’s sector in the UK.

You will work closely and line manage the Data and Impact Analyst to ensure robust training programmes are in place, to support our staff teams to effectively and efficiently utilise our data tools and systems, and to embed data management best practice. You will also work together to embed our involvement and lived experience strategy, ensuring women’s voices and insight are at the heart of our service delivery models.

The role will also provide leadership on data protection and organisational Data Protection Officer (DPO) responsibilities, and will work closely with our Information Governance Lead.

Key accountabilities

Data Systems Oversight and Leadership:

• Work with EWC partners, The JABBS Foundation and University of Birmingham to support the final design phases of a specialist, bespoke case management system (CMS), to ensure it meets the needs of Together Women, and our sister organisations within the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership.
• Roll out the implementation and adoption of the new CMS, to include data migration, staff training programmes, and new reporting suites and dashboards.
• Provide strategic CMS oversight to ensure the system continues to meet organisational needs and lead planning for CMS development projects including upgrades, integrations and enhancements.
• Monitor and assess future CMS system needs, scoping and identifying development areas.
• Contribute to budget planning, including CMS ongoing costs and development projects, and ensuring activities are delivered within agreed resources.
• Work closely with Senior Management and wider Management team on future projects relating to updates or changes to the CMS system.

Data Leadership and Governance:

• Develop a Data and Impact Strategy to align with organisational priorities.
• Lead on data governance and UK GDPR compliance, including data governance policies, DPIAs, information sharing agreements, SARs, and ongoing breach and information security risk management.
• Support the implementation and ongoing review of data policies, ROPA documentation, data security protocols, and internal staff training.
• Provide assurance to the Senior Management team on data compliance, reporting risks and mitigating actions.
• Ensure staff understand their data responsibilities, build data capability and a strong data protection culture through training, guidance and fostering data confidence and accountability.

Insights, Analysis and Performance:

• Lead the provision of insights, analysis, and performance reporting, and embed a culture of insight-led decision making across the charity.
• Support the ongoing development of our involvement and lived experience insight workstream, and further establish our ability to co-design and co-produce our service offer.
• Evidence our impact and performance within contractual monitoring reports, and contribute to future funding bids and tenders to secure commissioning arrangements.
• Produce clear, interpretable reports for internal and external stakeholders, as required.
• Produce clear management information and performance reports on both outputs and outcomes, and enable Managers to articulate stories of change, drive continuous improvement and demonstrate the quality of our work.
• Develop a performance framework to monitor progress of the implementation of Together Women’s strategy, and prepare reports to inform Trustees of progress made.
• Support senior leaders with data-driven planning, presenting insights in accessible ways.
• Conduct ongoing data analysis to identify improvement opportunities, risks and issues.

Team Leadership and Collaborative working:

• Line manage the Data and Impact Analyst, providing support, direction, coaching, workload prioritisation and professional development opportunities.
• Take a hands-on role in data processing to support the day-to-day delivery of the data function, ensuring operational resilience. Contribute to the immediate data management requirements as well as leading on the longer-term data strategy.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Together Women to align data activities with organisational objectives and mission.
• Work closely with key external stakeholders and maintain excellent relationships with key partners through collaborative, mutually beneficial working practice.
• Attend regular meetings and networking opportunities relating to the Effective Women’s Centres Project, and associated networks and events.

Quality Assurance and Contribution to research:

• Ensure data collection, management and storage processes are standardised and consistent across all our services.
• Embed the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment and Gendered Wellbeing Assessment as Together Women’s default assessment tools.
• Support Master Trainers to embed WRNA and GWA certifications across all frontline staff teams.
• Work closely with colleagues to develop a new Quality Assurance (QA) audit process and embed this into Together Women’s work.
• Identify and resolve problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines, and escalate where necessary.
• Uphold the principles of ethical research, particularly with regard to consent and confidentiality.
• Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research.

General duties:

• Maintain and improve competencies through continuous professional development.
• Support and uphold the mission, values and behaviours of Together Women.
• Actively promote equity, diversity and inclusion, and work in line with our Ethical Framework. 
• Adhere to all organisational policies, code of conduct, and practices. 
• Complete all mandatory organisation training.
• Treat personal or sensitive information and data about organisations, clients, staff and projects in line with UK GDPR and Data Protection principles. 
• Carry out other associated duties as needed, in line with the broad remit of the role. 

Please note these accountabilities do not form part of the Data and Impact Manager’s contract of employment, and may be subject to amendment as the organisation's needs evolve. 

Person specification

Essential:

• Practical experience of conducting research, collecting and analysing data and presenting findings to a range of audiences.
• Experience of leading or coordinating organisation-wide data, evaluation, or reporting projects.
• Ability to translate data into actionable insights that inform service improvement or strategic planning
• Experience of preparing data reports for external funders.
• Experience of analysing and communicating complex information clearly.
• Good working knowledge of software packages and excellent organisational skills.
• Experience of presenting to external or internal audiences.
• Experience of developing others and providing training to staff.
• Experience of outcomes/impact monitoring and reporting.

Desirable:

• Experience of working or volunteering in a trauma-informed, gender responsive environment and/or Women’s Centre.
• Experience of presenting to academic or policy-making audiences.
• Experience of working in partnership with academic or research institutions

Personal Attributes:

• Excellent communication skills and self-motivation.
• Ability to build trust and influence at all levels, including senior leadership and external partners
• Ability to problem solve and work collaboratively. 
• A commitment to the principles and practice of safeguarding adults and children at risk of harm.
• Ability to travel independently to meet the needs of the role, including work at the Women’s Centre, with occasional meetings at the University of Birmingham and/or other Women’s Centres.
• Commitment to undertake learning opportunities and continuing professional development.

Other Requirements: 

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 
• Willingness to travel across the region
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings as required. 
• Commitment to anti-racism, feminism, social justice, and abolitionist values. 
• Commitment to safeguarding data integrity, confidentiality, and ethical use of information.
• Lived experience of the criminal justice system is welcomed and will not necessarily preclude appointment.