Do you share our dream of a UK where poverty is a thing of the past?
Founded in 2019, the Poverty Truth Network believes that this can only happen when those most impacted by poverty are at the heart of the movement to end it. Our specific contribution brings together people experiencing poverty with those with responsibilities for alleviating it. “Nothing About Us Without Us Is For Us.”
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, we are recruiting for a Communications Officer who will coordinate our internal, Network-wide, and external communications. Ensuring excellent communications across the staff team, and the effective promotion of its work.
You will be a highly motivated communications specialist with a proven track record of internal and external communications. You will have excellent planning and prioritisation skills to ensure timely delivery of tasks, along with prior proven experience managing social media channels that results in an impact of campaigns and engagement.
Key Tasks
- To create content and coordinate internal communications across the Network staff team, ensuring the effective development and implementation of appropriate channels
- To develop and maintain a communications content calendar when and how the Network’s activity will be effectively communicated
- To coordinate communications across the wider Network, including PTCs, Regional Hubs, and partners, including through the production and dissemination of a regular digital newsletter
- To develop, post and oversee content for the Network’s social media channels to promote the effectiveness of the Network’s approach and the impact of PTCs and commissioners
- To establish and maintain appropriate media links to ensure that the reality of poverty, and the impact of commissioners in seeking to alleviate it, is effectively shared
- To support the Network’s parliamentary engagement and its national programmes to ensure that its work is shared impactfully
- To provide an appropriate level of support to PTCs as they develop their social media and engage with the media appropriately
- To undertake other appropriate duties as requested by the Operations Manager
This role involves working from home with some travel.
To apply for this role, please submit your CV with a cover letter that clearly shows you have the necessary skills and experience to do the job. The cover letter should be no more than 900 words. Include the names and contact details of two referees (at least one of whom knows you on a professional basis). The application deadline is 5pm on Friday 27th June. Interviews will be held online 14th/ 15th July.
Applications will only be considered from applicants who already have the right to work within the United Kingdom.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Rainy Day Trust is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to lead our small but mighty charity as we enter an exciting new strategic planning cycle. If you’re an enthusiastic, dynamic leader ready to roll up your sleeves and drive real change for those who’ve worked in the home-improvement sector, this is your opportunity to steer an 182-year-old charity into its next decade.
About Us
The Rainy Day Trust provides practical, financial and emotional support to people who work - or have worked - in the home-improvement and enhancement industries (builders’ merchants, DIY, garden centres, tradespeople and related sectors). We deliver grants, debt relief, apprenticeship funding, fuel-poverty assistance, legal advice, counselling and e-learning, partnering with industry peers to tackle poverty through both direct intervention and prevention. We pride ourselves on punching above our weight to ensure every beneficiary lives with dignity.
The Role
As CEO, you will work in partnership with the Board to finalise and own our new five-year business plan, ensuring its successful delivery. You’ll combine strategic vision with hands-on leadership. overseeing service delivery, fundraising, financial stewardship and regulatory compliance, while modelling our core values of transparency, fairness, energy, inclusivity and compassion.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Co-create, implement and evaluate the new five-year strategy, business plan and budgets.
- Operational Management: Lead a small core team and manage partner relationships (e.g. Maximus for casework). Ensure high-quality, cost-effective service delivery and robust risk controls.
- Income Generation: Devise and deliver a diversified fundraising strategy (corporate partnerships, events, digital campaigns) to secure financial stability in a demanding climate.
- Governance & Compliance: Act as Nominated Individual to the Charity Commission; support the Board in trustee recruitment, training and governance best practice.
- External Relations: Serve as chief spokesperson; build and sustain partnerships across the home-improvement sector to raise awareness and influence.
- Culture & Values: Foster an organisational culture of learning, innovation, professionalism and integrity that reflects our values at every level.
Key Details
- Job Title: Chief Executive Officer
- Salary: circa £70,000 per annum
- Contract: Permanent, full-time (evenings and occasional weekends; UK travel required)
- Location: Head office in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, with travel across the UK
Person Specification
Essential
- Graduate or equivalent vocational qualification.
- At least 10 years’ senior-management experience in a comparable organisation (charity, social enterprise or commercial).
- Proven track record of income generation across varied channels.
- Experience of strategic planning, budget management and regulatory compliance (Charity Commission, SORP).
- Strong leadership skills: able to inspire small teams and foster collaborative partnerships.
- Excellent communicator, both orally and in writing; adept at presenting complex issues succinctly.
- Financially literate: able to interpret spreadsheets, set forecasts and manage risk.
Desirable
- Experience in the home-improvement, construction or retail sectors.
- Familiarity with mental-health or preventative-welfare work.
- Background in formal collaborations/joint ventures.
Attributes
- Values-driven, demonstrating integrity, empathy and inclusivity.
- Strategic thinker with a results-oriented, commercial mindset.
- Resilient under pressure, well organised and adaptable to changing priorities.
- Curious and innovative: open to new ideas and continuous learning.
If you would like to receive an Information Pack for this role with details on how to apply, please send an expression of interest and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile in confidence to our consultant, Jenny Hills via the apply button. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny at the above address with suitable times to speak.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 30th June 2025
As leading charity recruitment specialists 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.