Work experience development officer jobs in compton, west midlands

The Development and Alumni Office (DARO) exists to support the University of Birmingham's academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

As part of an award-winning team, you will work with our Head of Legacies and Endowments and Legacy and Endowment Officer to generate new gifts to the University and to care for our existing donors. The Legacy and In Memory Officer role is your opportunity to join our excellent team at an exciting time during our 125th anniversary year as a University. You will be passionate about the impact the University’s teaching and research has on the world and have enthusiasm for working in higher education fundraising and helping the University achieve its charitable objectives. You will be an excellent communicator, willing to be in an external facing role, speaking regularly with our supporters, and highly organised, thriving in a fast-paced working environment. 

Legacy gifts, or gifts in wills, play a major part in supporting both students and research and you will require a broad skillset but a relationship centred approach to take on this varied role in which you will be well supported with training and development. We are ambitious to grow our legacy and in memory programmes substantially in the coming years and would relish your passion and enthusiasm to help us do that. 

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme.

This is a remote position with some preference for London UK, Freetown Sierra Leone or Nairobi Kenya

Scope of Work

1. Financial Data Entry & Reconciliation

• Enter and reconcile day-to-day financial transactions in the accounting system, including expenses, transfers, payments, and receipts.

• Ensure all entries are accurately coded to the appropriate cost centres, grants, or funding streams.

• Review and reconcile staff expense claims, payment vouchers, and supporting documentation.

2. Budgeting & Grant Allocations

• Support the allocation of expenditure to budget lines across multiple funding sources, ensuring compliance with donor requirements.

• Maintain the habit to monitor actual spend against budgets using existing systems (Netsuite), highlighting any anomalies or risks.

• Assist in the preparation of internal budget summaries and financial snapshots for program and leadership teams.

3. Financial Reporting

• Assist in compiling donor financial reports by collecting, reviewing, and formatting financial data in line with donor requirements.

• Liaise with grants and programme teams to ensure alignment between financial and narrative reports.

• Maintain up-to-date and audit-ready documentation to support all reporting outputs.

4. Managing Fiscal Sponsorship Financial Reports

• Ensuring that income from fiscal sponsorship partners are accurately recorded

• Preparing regular income and expenditure reports for fiscal sponsorship partners and addressing reconciling items. 

• Represent the Finance team in update meetings with potential  or current fiscal partners.

5. Audit & Compliance Support

• Organise financial documentation and support sampling processes during internal and external audits.

• Maintain orderly and accessible digital and physical filing systems for all financial records.

• Support implementation of financial policies, templates, and compliance checks, working closely with the Head of Finance.

Location: Home based

Contract: Permanent, full time - 35hrs per week

Salary: £27,250 gross per annum

Closing Date: 28 July 2025

Assessment Day: 5 August 2025 (Location TBC)

Are you looking for a new opportunity?

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is a vibrant and growing charity delivering life changing nautical adventure for young people through the Sea Cadets to give them the best possible head start in life. We also provide personal and professional development opportunities for seafarers with the Marine Society. Working with our staff, cadets, and volunteers, we have built a vision and five-year strategy to take us forward and further improve the astounding contribution already made through our work to the lives of thousands of young people and seafarers, while fully supporting our volunteers who are vital to our success.

We are currently looking for a Growth and Development Worker based in England to join our team. This is an externally funded post which will be focused on opening new provision and supporting existing provision in order to reduce waiting lists within specific funding areas. This is a very varied and rewarding role that requires someone who is self-motivated, organised, creative, tenacious, positive, IT competent and with a real interest in people. You need to be able to coach, empower and inspire our volunteers and cadets, both in person and remotely, to grow the Sea Cadets.

Responsibilities

Delivering a variety of training sessions on, for example, recruitment of cadets and volunteers
Developing new growth and recruitment tools and ideas
Promoting flexible volunteering and the volunteer strategy
Assisting with running our social media accounts
Working with and empowering our volunteers to develop plans for growth
Planning and setting up Juniors Sections in new and existing locations/units
Delivering assemblies in schools
Forming part of various working groups with colleagues to develop the tools, resources and processes needed to increase the positive impact of the Growth and Development team.
Supporting the delivery of funded outreach projects

Requirements

Previous experience of working with volunteers
Experience delivering on multiple project plans simultaneously
Ability to build and maintain excellent relationships with a variety of stakeholders remotely and face-to-face
Experience delivering workshops and/or training
Self-motivated and able to manage your time and workload effectively
Flexible and enthusiastic
Able to work as a team player with creative ideas and solutions who will empower our volunteers to make a difference to the lives of even more young people across the UK

For further information, please download the

Benefits

Flexible Working hours and a hybrid culture
Cycle to work scheme and Season Ticket Loan
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Life assurance (4x salary) for those that join the pension
Private medical insurance
Pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling
Employee development: We are investing in our employees' development and have an annual calendar of learning and development opportunities, designed to support employees to develop into their roles and stretch them to achieve their full potential.
National staff conference: All employees come together once a year to reflect on the past year and celebrate success at our offsite staff conference. This is a great opportunity to listen to employees' views, and for employees to network, share information and socialise.

If you are interested in this Growth and Development vacancy, please apply now!

Additional Information

MSSC positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. Equity, diversity, and inclusion really matters to us, so we can best serve our beneficiaries from every community. We work to ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process and aim to be a charity where diversity of experience, identity and skills are valued and welcomed. MSSC is an equal opportunities employer.

We recognise our responsibilities to safeguard and protect the young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We do all we can to promote their health, safety and wellbeing, and we expect our staff to share this commitment and work in line with safeguarding policy, the MSSC’s values and ethos of inclusivity. We adhere to safer recruitment practices and therefore employment is subject to detailed pre-employment checks for successful candidates, including references and criminal disclosure checks and the completion of a disclosure questionnaire.

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo a criminal record check.

The Corporate Development Manager (Arts Fundraising) will take a lead role in transforming our corporate engagement to generate revenue in support of the organisation’s ambitions, creative programmes and commitments as an arts charity. They will also play a pivotal role in our Capital Fundraising Campaign.

• Department: Fundraising and Development, reports to Head of Fundraising and Development
• Permanent, 37.5 hours per week (full-time)
• Location: Hybrid, with a minimum of two days onsite at Birmingham Hippodrome, plus events work
• Salary: £34,000 - £36,500 + benefits
• Job Closing Date: 03/08/2025 
• Video interviews: 7-8 August 2025

Please download the candidate pack for full details of the role and the person specification.

You will be a committed Development professional, with experience of cultivating and securing financial support from the business community. At Birmingham Hippodrome you will work in a dynamic, creative environment where no two days are the same, implementing successful fundraising initiatives, including events that attract corporate support.

This is a fast-paced and varied role for a committed and enthusiastic person who will be expected to work to deadlines, collaborating closely with colleagues in other departments across the organisation. You will work closely with the Executive team, Fundraising colleagues and other departments across the organisation while building productive relationships with the Board of Trustees that maximise our corporate relationships across wider networks.

This is a full-time, permanent role with us, in a hybrid capacity. The expectation is a minimum of 2 days per week onsite, and frequent appointments with current and potential supporters across the city, which may be outside the onsite days. The role will require some evening work at on and off-site networking events, hosting Corporate Patron visits and cultivation events. There will be occasional visits to our projects involving vulnerable populations, so the successful candidate will need to have, or be willing to undergo, a Basic DBS check. There are occasional weekend commitments, for which plenty of notice is given.

Our Employee Benefits

• 30 days holiday plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro-rated for part time employees).
• Show ticket offers at the Hippodrome and other arts venues in Birmingham.
• Personal Growth Fund - up to £175 per year to spend on your growth and wellbeing.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Discounted public transport passes.
• Discounted car parking.
• Discounted gym membership.
• Enhanced company sick pay.
• Discounted private health cover.
• Enhanced maternity/adoption/paternity pay.
• Free life assurance.
• Free Critical Health insurance.
• Free flu jab.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Electric car scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.

Please visit our website to download the candidate pack for full details of the role and the person specification.

We are advertising for 2x Homicide Family Case Workers in the West Midlands Homicide Team.

This post covers the whole of the West Midlands (depending on demand) both roles will be working 37.5 hours a week with a permanent contract.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it?

Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we'd love to hear from you…

What we offer:

At Victim Support we believe in attracting & retaining the best people and offer a competitive rewards & benefits package including:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 33 days plus Bank Holidays
• An extra day off for your birthday & options to buy or sell annual leave
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced sick pay allowances, maternity & paternity payments
• High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment & leisure discounts
• Access to our financial wellbeing hub & salary deducted finance
• Employee assistance programme & wellbeing support
• Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes
• Cycle to work scheme & season ticket loans
• Ongoing training & support with opportunities for career development & progression

About the role:

Becoming a Homicide Caseworker is a unique opportunity to support families and individuals bereaved by and eyewitness to murder and manslaughter.

The National Homicide Service is a fast paced, specialist team funded directly by the Ministry of Justice to provide exceptional trauma informed practical and emotional support every day.

You Will:

• Work closely with the Major Crime Police Units, Senior Investigators and Family Liaison Officers, you will provide a pivotal role to support clients through the Criminal Justice System.
• As well as by phone and Zoom, you will meet families in their own homes or community, therefore travelling across the area you work will be essential. You will complete needs assessments, and will coordinate and deliver a tailored package of support alongside our commissioned providers and other key stakeholders.
• The role of Homicide Caseworker is varied, demanding and rewarding; no one day is the same and you will thrive on this challenge. You will need to be extremely organised and able work independently and as well as being a pro-active, supportive member of a team open to developing your personal resilience.
• Our priority is to ensure that those bereaved by and eyewitness to murder have the support they need for as long as they need.

About Us:

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity providing a range of specialist services to people who have been affected by crime across England and Wales. We work towards a world where there are fewer victims but who have stronger rights, better support and a real influence in the Criminal Justice System. Everyone at VS is driven by our Vision Ambitions and Values to play their part in making a difference for those who experience crime and traumatic events. Working for VS gives you the opportunity to play a key role in a national charity providing high quality services to victims and witnesses and being a vital force for change.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

Victim Support strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need.

As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role.

If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date.

If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.

The National Lottery Community Fund is recruiting for two External Affairs Officers, key roles in our External Affairs Team within our newly restructured communications function.

The External Affairs Officer role is part of our ambitious transformation as we implement a significant pivot in our communications approach – building on our support for grant-making to demonstrate the powerful impact communities have in strengthening society and improving lives.

You will help position the Fund as a convening force in civil society, supporting our sectoral and political engagement during a time of exciting change.

Working across the External Affairs team, you will research and analyse policy, political and sectoral developments that affect our work, helping create clear briefings for meetings and events and arranging visits as appropriate. By horizon scanning and monitoring the external landscape, you will help the Fund respond proactively and effectively to emerging issues.

You will build and maintain relationships with parliamentary staff, officials and sector peers. By gathering intelligence, managing and supporting internal and external events, you will contribute to the Fund's engagement with decision-makers and opinion leaders. Your research and analysis will strengthen our policy positions and advocacy work.

Our External Affairs Officers play an important role in supporting the External Affairs team to deliver an effective, insight-driven strategy that articulates the Fund's missions (nationally and regionally) to critical stakeholders across the UK.

Key responsibilities :

• Responsible for providing public affairs, policy and stakeholder engagement support across the External Affairs team, working on the development and delivery of our External Affairs plan, including management and delivery of events.
• Lead the development of briefings and other assets to support the delivery of external affairs work through high quality research and analysis
• Monitor the external political and policy landscape for developments that are relevant to the Fund and advise colleagues on these as appropriate
• Represent the Fund at networking and stakeholder events
• Develop a network of key internal and external contacts in the public affairs and policy space to further the Fund's aims
• Work collaboratively with the other External Affairs Officers to share skills and intelligence
• Cross-collaboration with the Communications Strategy and External Affairs teams to ensure our engagement strategy across the full communications function (media, corporate communications, brand, campaigns and public affairs) is impactful and cohesive
• Support the effective use of the Stakeholder Relationship Management (SRM) system

Location: Hybrid working

We have a hybrid approach to working, work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices, these are Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Newtown.

Interview date: Week commencing 11th August

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential criteria

• Excellent persuasive communication skills, oral and written
• Confident in writing briefings, positioning papers and other materials to support political and non-political stakeholder engagement
• Strong skills in political analysis and advising senior stakeholders
• Strong project management skills; the ability to produce high-quality work against competing priorities in a complex environment
• Experience in managing events and other stakeholder engagement activities

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of, or background in the VSCE sector
• Understanding of public affairs at a national and regional level and/or in civil society
• Experience in using and developing customer relationship management (CRM) systems

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Are you an outstanding Christian leader with a track-record of collaborative international working? Are you looking for the next opportunity to use your skills and experience for the benefit of a global organisation? If this is you, then you are invited to apply for the role of Chief Finance Officer at Open Doors International.

The global Chief Financial Officer of Open Doors International has a key leadership role both within the line-managed Open Doors International entity, and more widely across the Global Finance Network of development and field offices. The CFO reports to the CEO and works closely with other executives on all strategic and tactical matters as they relate to Financial Planning & Analysis, Financial Accounting (including transactional management and audit), Risk & Compliance, Treasury & Cash Management, Financial Data & Systems, Field Finance, Development Finance and Transformational Programs.

The CFO ensures Open Doors International is known for its excellent stewardship by delivering world-class and well-coordinated financial functions that contribute to excellent operations, risk management, forward-planning and mature governance.

You will:

• Be an experienced CFO with a strong track record of operating in international organisational structures, with exposure to developing markets, complex treasury and money transfer functions, and high-risk environments.
• Have experience of leading strategy formation, team supervision and timely delivery in a complex network or matrix style structures.
• Enjoy and have a matured gift of forward-planning, helping the Board, Executive Leadership Team and colleagues benefit from transparent budget plans in a dynamic missional context that will demand agility.
• Employ wise risk assessment in a context of faith, so that Open Doors can, with effectiveness and great sophistication, deliver its ministry in very challenging and at times restrictive environments.
• Bring a servant-hearted leadership gifting, including the ability to lead through influence and build consensus amongst divergent senior stakeholders; inspire trust; and take a highly relational and capacity-building approach with their colleagues.
• Have excellent communication skills - written, verbal and able to deliver insights with data; effective with a range of audiences from local staff to Board level
• Exhibit grace, to patiently but persistently mature a complex organisation moving through significant phases of growth in a rapidly evolving external environment

Your responsibilities are under the following headings (for a full explanation, please read the attached pdf):

• Strategic Financial Leadership
• Management Reports & Communication
• Accounting & Financial Controls
• Treasury and Cash Management
• Risk Management & Compliance
• Innovation & Transformation
• Leadership and People Management

Person Specification

KEY QUALITIES

Open Doors believes that spiritual maturity, character and behaviour are as important as financial competence, therefore the CFO is:

• A devoted follower of Jesus with a heart to strengthen persecuted Christians.
• Prayerful and able to take financial decisions, founded on faith in God.
• Able to build strong relationships across national cultures.
• Able to empower others and intentionally develop future finance leaders.
• Prepared to make difficult decisions and have honest conversations with grace.
• Active in a local church that supports their vocation and provides spiritual support.
• Emotionally intelligent and aware of the impact of their leadership on people.
• Experienced in negotiating and influencing at a senior level, combined with strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES

• A highly skilled Finance professional, who demonstrates an appetite for continued learning and personal development.
• Approximately 15 years of senior finance operational leadership experience prefered in multi-national commercial sector and/or international charity sector.
• Significant team management experience, including remote working across different time zones.
• Proven ability to lead change, including working well across many operational disciplines (Field programs, IT, Legal and HR teams, for example).
• Oversight of a complex treasury function providing financial access across geographical locations.
• Experience communicating and providing reports to Board Audit & Finance Committee.

Open Doors International will offer a competitive salary for the post. We are open to applications from anyone who is suitable for this role, regardless of their current location, with a willingness to be located within -6hours/+2 hours Central European Time zone for ease of communication within a dispersed global ministry.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an MS Teams Interview with the Open Doors International search panel. Finalist Candidates will be asked to come to Netherlands for in-person interviews on 5 September. The Open Doors International search panel members are very aware that this is a two-way discernment process, therefore we encourage each applicant to pray to the Lord and consult their trusted and closest fellow Christians as they consider this opportunity. The successful candidate will be expected to take up the post of CFO as soon as is reasonably possible.

Thank you for taking the time to prayerfully consider this opportunity and to learn more about the work of Open Doors International.

We are looking for a suitably qualified person to join our team as HR Officer to promote good HR practice throughout the District and its constituent churches and Circuits. The HR Officer will provide expert advice for line managers and provide support for all HR matters, enabling all lay staff to flourish in their roles in addition to meeting statutory and Methodist requirements. This role will include working closely with the District Secretary and other members of the District Lay Employment Committee to develop policies and ensure these are implemented across the District.

A full job description can be found on the attached Job Pack.

The Senior Bid and Funding Officer is a new role for Involve as we seek to build the infrastructure to support the growth that we have experienced in recent years.  This role will sit within our Finance & Support Services function and will work alongside colleagues at all levels in the Innovation & Practice, Capacity Building & Standards and Advocacy & Communications functions to identify and provide compelling proposals in response to fundraising and tender opportunities. 

As Senior Bid and Funding Officer you will be responsible for identifying fundraising opportunities to bring forwards to the team for evaluation and coordinating the submission of returns ensuring high quality tenders are produced that meet the needs of funders and commissioners.  You will support function leads in monitoring fundraising outcomes and comparing to income generation targets, developing a database of funders and improving tender response processes to reduce the administrative burden of tender responses without compromising on quality.

Our ideal candidate will have experience of managing the tender return process in other organisations, either in a commercial or charitable sector environment. You will bring strong project management skills, be able to coordinate tender submissions to set deadlines and have an inquisitive mindset to enjoy researching opportunities and thinking creatively how Involve can meet funder requirements while also advancing our mission.

We work across the UK, with offices in Belfast and London. Many of our staff work from home across the UK or in a hybrid pattern, rather than being based at one of our offices, though we meet up regularly as a team. We are flexible but you must be comfortable with regular travel both for project work and for Involve team activities.  Must be able to travel to deliver work across the UK.

Please see our website for more details. 

We are a small but mighty team, with huge ambitions to transform more lives of those who live with an intellectual disability, through the power of sport.  

If you are just looking for a job, then we are probably not for you. However, if you are an experienced Corporate Partnerships Manager with a track record of driving high-value, purpose-driven partnerships that create lasting impact and you are looking for a challenge, a chance to make a huge difference and you want to be part of a high performing team which gets things done, then we would like to hear from you. 

We continue to be focused on our vision to create an inclusive world for all, driven by the power of sport, through which people with intellectual disabilities live active, healthy and fulfilling lives. We are a small, but growing, team with huge ambitions, and applicants must be comfortable operating in an environment where working under your own initiative is expected and encouraged.

We are looking for people who are passionate about Special Olympics and are completely aligned with our values. We are authentic. We act with honesty, integrity and respect. We are creative and innovative. We love to embrace difference and doing things differently. We are brave, courageous, resilient and determined. We listen and are led by the voice of our athletes. We are always kind. We are Inclusion in Action.

We are continuing to build a high-performing team who care for each other and care about our cause. Our athletes are incredibly inspirational, courageous and insightful people, and they deserve a team who are equally committed and passionate about our mission. 

How to Apply  

For Job Role specifics please see the Job Description attached. The role is a fixed term contract to 31st March 2027,  with the possibility of this being extended.  The role will require travel, with 3 days per week traveling to Fuller, Smith and Turner sites. Previous applicants need not apply.

To apply, please send a covering letter (maximum 2 pages) explaining why you wish to work for Special Olympics GB. It is important that all prospective employees understand our mission and are driven by our cause. Please be specific about how your skills and experience will help you undertake this role. Generic letters and agency approaches will not be considered. Please also include your CV.

Closing date for applications is 04/08/25. First stage interviews will be held w/c 11/08/25. 

Special Olympics GB is committed to equality and diversity and encourages all sections of the community, particularly those living with a disability, who meet the job requirements to apply. We are a Disability Confident Employer.

The job holder will need to provide evidence of their ability to live and work in the UK and will be required to undertake a DBS check.   

We will only contact those who have been selected for interview. 

We request no contact from agencies. 

We have an exciting opportunity within our Communications Team on a part time basis for a Media and Communications Officer.   This post is for a one-year fixed term contract.

 The Down’s Syndrome Association is the only organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland focusing solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down’s syndrome. The Down’s Syndrome Association aims to create the conditions that all people with Down’s syndrome need to live full and rewarding lives.

The successful candidate will cover the whole spectrum of duties in relation to media and communication areas and needs to be able to think strategically and work operationally. You will lead the development of our media strategy, build and maintain a strong media contracts database and nurture relations both online and across other offline platforms.  Your work will amplify the voices of people who have Down’s syndrome and help shape public understanding through inclusive and impactful storytelling.

We are looking for candidates with at least three years proven experience in either media relations, journalism or communications.  An understanding of the key ingredients of success in developing relationships with local and national media engagement, as well as managing performance in line with budgets are also essential.

A valid UK driver’s licence is essential, as well as a willingness to be flexible about hours and location of work as there may be some occasional travel in UK with overnight stays as required. The post-holder will also be DBS checked.

The successful candidate will report directly to the Head of Policy and Strategic Communication.  (The full-time equivalent salary for this role is £30,000 pa)

Informal inquiries are welcome and should be made to the Head of Policy and Strategic Communication, Sharon Smith at the Down's Syndrome Association or email her directly.

To download the full job description, visit the Down’or ss Syndrome Association website or see attached.

Please apply via Charity Jobs directly  or  submit a CV and covering letter to Sharon Smith. If you need any help with this or have any questions, please contact Sharon directly.

Closing date:  Friday, 8th August 2025

Interview date: w/c Monday, 18th August 2025

About SOFT UK

SOFT UK is a national charity supporting families affected by Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome). We provide emotional support, information, advocacy, and community connections to ensure no family faces this journey alone.

Purpose of the Role

The Regional Engagement Officer (REO) for Northern Ireland will build and strengthen SOFT UK’s presence in the region. This includes supporting families, developing local community networks, enhancing relationships with healthcare professionals, and coordinating volunteer and fundraising activities to reduce isolation and improve support access for families affected by Trisomy 13 and 18.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Engagement and Support

• Build meaningful relationships with families affected by Trisomy 13 and 18 across Northern Ireland.
• Develop and facilitate local support meetings, coffee mornings, and family gatherings.
• Provide emotional support, signposting, and information in line with SOFT UK’s values and safeguarding policies.

2. Volunteer Support

• Identify, recruit, and train new volunteers within the region.
• Provide ongoing guidance, resources, and encouragement to existing volunteers to strengthen their impact.

3. Healthcare Professional Engagement

• Develop and maintain relationships with regional healthcare providers to increase awareness of SOFT UK’s services.
• Encourage and facilitate referrals of families to SOFT UK by healthcare professionals.
• Share resources and information to improve understanding of Trisomy 13 and 18 among professionals.

4. Event Coordination

• Organise and deliver regional events such as awareness campaigns, remembrance gatherings, and local fundraising events.
• Support national SOFT UK events by promoting and representing the charity locally.

5. Fundraising and Awareness

• Assist with regional fundraising activities by promoting events, supporting local fundraisers, and identifying new funding opportunities.
• Raise awareness of SOFT UK’s mission through local networks, media, and community engagement.

6. Administration and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of activities, contacts, and outcomes to report impact effectively.
• Work collaboratively with the national SOFT UK team, contributing to meetings, strategic development, and evaluation.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Proven experience in community engagement, outreach, or support roles.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with empathy and understanding for families experiencing complex medical and bereavement journeys.
• Ability to work independently and organise time effectively.
• Experience in planning and delivering community events.
• Confidence in engaging with healthcare professionals and external stakeholders.
• Basic IT skills, including email, social media, and Microsoft Office.
• Commitment to SOFT UK’s mission and values.
• Willingness to travel regionally and work flexible hours where required (some evening or weekend meetings).

Desirable:

• Experience working within the charity or health support sector.
• Knowledge of the healthcare and perinatal loss support systems within Northern Ireland.

Additional Information

This role requires occasional travel across Northern Ireland. Mileage and travel expenses will be reimbursed in line with SOFT UK policies. The postholder will be expected to work from home and maintain confidentiality, safeguarding, and data protection standards at all times.

Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in their place of education. We are currently reaching over 2.6 million children every school day, across 16 countries.

We are recruiting for a dynamic, visionary leader to join us as Director of Strategic Initiatives – a vital role in helping us grow our global movement. Reporting to our Chief Growth Officer, you’ll lead a talented team responsible for designing and delivering bold new strategies to increase revenue and build long-term, sustainable income growth and grow the strength of our National Affiliate network.

You will:

• Drive a programme of high-impact, global initiatives, from new fundraising products and digital solutions to youth and faith engagement strategies.
• Provide expert support and coaching to Executive Directors leading National Affiliates across the world.
• Guide strategic planning and change programmes with measurable outcomes, clear delivery plans and a deep focus on stewardship.
• Lead and inspire a high-performing team of specialists focused on audience insights, product development and market expansion.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership across our global family to ensure alignment, shared learning and sustainable growth.
• Support the development of effective governance, technology and safeguarding practices across affiliates.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the MMI Executive Leadership Team and contribute regularly at the highest levels of decision-making.

About you:

You will bring significant senior-level experience in strategy, programme leadership, and/or business development – ideally in a global or multi-entity context within the charity sector.

• A strong track record of driving income growth and leading successful change initiatives.
• Experience working across cultures, with the ability to influence, inspire and build trust in diverse settings.
• A sharp focus on what works in fundraising, product innovation and audience engagement – particularly in the context of international development.
• Experience collaborating closely with technology teams to deliver digital and tech-enabled solutions.
• Proven leadership and coaching experience, with the ability to build high-performing teams and work with autonomy, agility and purpose.

Most of all, you’ll be motivated by our mission and ready to play a key role in helping us reach the next child waiting for Mary’s Meals.

About us:

We believe in the innate goodness of people, respect the dignity of every human being and family life and believe in good stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. In line with our values, Mary’s Meals is fully committed to a culture of safeguarding. Mary’s Meals is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work and we expect all the Mary's Meals family to share this commitment and work in the best interest of the communities we serve. Our safe recruitment practices ensure that only those that are committed to our high standards join our movement.

Salary advertised is for UK based candidates, our salary philosophy ensures consistency across locations where Mary’s Meals operates, please reach out for more information on salary & benefits if you are based outside the UK. 

To apply:

If you are inspired to join our movement and our vision, mission and values resonate with you, we would love to hear from you. To apply, please click below to send your CV and a short covering note (no more than 1 page) telling us why you are a great fit for this role and why you would like to work for Mary’s Meals International.

Remote position with some preference for London UK, Freetown Sierra Leone, Cape Town South Africa or Nairobi Kenya

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Grantmaking Due Diligence & Onboarding

• Coordinate the collection, review, and secure storage of due diligence documentation from prospective grantees.

• Assist with risk screening checks and internal reviews in alignment with Purposeful’s grantmaking policies.

• Prepare grantee onboarding documentation, including grant agreements and orientation materials.

• Track submission of required onboarding documents (e.g., bank forms, MoUs, safeguarding policies).

• Monitor and keep track of the grants due for payment.

• Respond to grantee and applicant inquiries and proactively update them on the status of their grant awards.

2. Grant Compliance & Documentation

• Monitor compliance status of all active grants, flagging outstanding requirements and follow-up needs.

• Ensure that compliance-related deadlines (e.g. reporting dates, grant conditions) are met and documented.

• Maintain clean, well-organised, and accessible digital grant files, using existing tools or systems (e.g., Google Drive, Netsuite, Salesforce, etc.) to ease retrieval and generation of reports.

• Support internal checks to ensure that funds are disbursed in line with compliance protocols and funding agreements.

3. Finance Coordination

• Liaise with the finance team to prepare and verify payment documents, banking instructions, and payment schedules.

• Support alignment between grant budgets and payment disbursements.

• Track the movement of funds across grants, ensuring appropriate documentation is in place for each transaction.

4. Donor & Internal Reporting

• Assist in preparing compliance-related sections of donor reports and internal grantmaking summaries.

• Track reporting obligations by donor or partner, and ensure all documentation is collected and filed on time, including any relevant country-specific compliance requirements.

5. Audit & Policy Support

• Prepare documentation for internal and external audits, including sampling, document summaries, and data extractions.

• Assist in developing and maintaining internal tools (templates, checklists, trackers) related to grant compliance.

• Contribute to ongoing improvements in Purposeful’s compliance systems, bringing in lessons learned and audit feedback, and emerging regulatory or legal considerations relevant to our work.