Writing jobs

The Fundraising Development Administrator will play a vital role in supporting the Director of Fundraising across corporate partnerships, philanthropy and special events. 

The successful candidate will provide high-quality administrative and project support whilst also developing skills in copy writing, marketing, events, stewardship, prospect development and fundraising strategy. The role offers valuable exposure to senior stakeholders, donors, and wider organisational projects. 
 
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is hard-working, enthusiastic, keen to learn and passionate about pursuing a career in fundraising, working work with a driven team in a small, but impactful and growing charity to improve the lives of young carers and patients.

Publishing Assistant (12-month fixed-term contract)

Salary: £30,500

Reports to: Senior Assistant Editor

Application closing date: Wednesday 8 April
Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy subject to a high volume of suitable applications.

Purpose of job: Administrative support across the journal portfolio in managing the peer review process and in the general running of the editorial offices 

Interview Date: Wednesday 29 April

About us

The British Ecological Society (BES) was the first ecology society to be established anywhere in the world.

We are now one of the biggest scientific societies for ecologists, with a membership of over 7,000 across 125 countries. We foster the study of ecology and support the ecology community at all stages of their careers through our journals, meetings, grants, and education and policy work. Our vision is for nature and people to thrive in a world inspired by ecology.

About you

We are seeking an enthusiastic and self-motivated individual to join our friendly publishing team at the British Ecological Society (BES) and support the team in the general running of the BES’ portfolio of ecology journals.

You’ll be looking to build a career in scientific publishing and be eager to learn from a team of internal colleagues and external academic editors. You’ll enjoy staying on top of a range of tasks and be great at working independently and as part of a busy team. You’ll have excellent attention to detail and be effective, friendly, and customer-oriented in your email communications.

The successful candidate will become part of a team seeking to excite and inspire our various audiences in ecology at a time when our science has never been more relevant for society.

About the role

Working across the BES journal portfolio, the Publishing Assistant will:

• Check in new submissions of scientific papers to ensure that manuscripts are complete and authors have adhered to journal policies before passing manuscripts on to Editors for content evaluation.
• In collaboration with the editorial team, monitor progress on manuscripts in the submission system to identify and help resolve potential bottlenecks in peer review.
• Assist in managing the journal inboxes, dealing with straightforward manuscript-related messages from authors, reviewers and external editors.
• Ensure that accurate records are maintained in the submission system on the processing of all manuscripts.
• Carry out post-acceptance checks on manuscripts and liaise with production team when requested, particularly during periods of annual leave for editorial office colleagues.
• Assist in regular performance statistics reporting across the journal portfolio.
• The post holder will also have some opportunity to learn about other aspects of editorial office management, including journal development and marketing and support promotion of articles via social media accounts and press releases.

Requirements

Essential

• Good attention to detail
• Ability to organise time and prioritise tasks effectively
• Adaptable, with good interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate information clearly both face-to face and in writing
• Capacity to work both independently and within a team
• Experience with MS office products and, ideally, content management systems and databases
• Understanding of, and familiarity with, social media and other digital publishing tools
• Education to degree level (or equivalent)
• An interest in a career in STM journals publishing

Desirable

• An interest in ecological science
• A degree in a relevant subject area

Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK. Successful applicants will need to provide evidence that they have the right to live and work in the UK. The BES is unable to provide visa sponsorship and unable to hire anyone living outside the UK.

To apply

Please follow the link below to apply for this role, providing your CV and a covering letter detailing why you are suitable for the role, along with answering the application question.

We would also value your time in completing a short EDI survey following your application. This survey is anonymous and plays no bearing in your application, but helps our work in making sure our recruitment is inclusive and diverse.

Benefits

4-day week

The BES offer a voluntary, opt-in 4-day working week model for all full time staff. Staff who opt-in may work 32 hours over 4 or 4.5 days at no loss of salary.

Leave

Employees receive 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 each year to a maximum of 30 days, plus additional leave between Christmas and New Years.

The BES also offers a generous paid sick leave policy.

Pension

The BES contributes the equivalent of 8% of your annual salary into a sustainable pension fund. You are welcome to top this up at with your salary at your own discretion.

Well-being

The Society runs monthly well-being activities, including social trips, creative courses and sustainable gifts.

Hybrid Working

BES staff are based at least 10 days per month at our office near Old Street in London.

We endeavour to make our new custom-designed office a relaxed environment, with a casual dress-code, free coffee, fresh fruit, pastries and toast, and regular social activities.

The office adjoins a beautiful canal where you can watch the local wildlife (currently many varieties of nesting birds!). We have dedicated break-out working space, and a dedicated private well-being room.

This is a genuinely exciting time to join our growing team and make a real difference to people affected by gyanecological cancers.

As our Senior Digital Marketing Officer you will be responsible for boosting our income through online engagement, marketing and stewardship. The role includes responsibility for delivering paid advertising across various platforms (currently META, PPC, Reddit and TikTok) driving income through direct gifts, challenge event participation and other income generation activities.

Writing, designing and delivering our supporter emails, and overall supporter journeys, is also a key component of the role, boosting digital engagement with a view to driving additional income over time.

When it comes to this work, you'll be our lead for this area internally but you'll also have the support of our digital agency, who we maintain a close working relationship with, the wider fundraising team and the organisation as a whole. You will also benefit from several years of testing, insight gathering and proven results to build upon.

No formal qualifications are needed and charity sector experience is not a requirement. We encourage everyone with the appropriate skills, experience and potential to apply.

Description 

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Head of Fundraising to lead and further develop our fundraising activity at a pivotal time for the Cathedral. This is a strategic and hands on role, working closely with the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Management Team to secure the resources needed to sustain and grow the Cathedral’s mission, ministry and buildings. 

You will take the lead on generating fundraising income, primarily through trusts and foundations, while also developing appeals, legacy giving, regular giving and new fundraising income streams. You will build on the strong foundations already in place, bringing creativity, rigour and collaboration to everything you do. 

The role 

As Head of Fundraising, you will: 

• Lead relationships with trusts and foundations, identifying opportunities, writing compelling applications and managing reporting and compliance 

• Drive major fundraising bids to support the Cathedral’s Estates Masterplan and strategic priorities 

• Develop and deliver fundraising appeals and pilot new initiatives to diversify income 

• Grow legacy and regular giving, building a sustainable pipeline of long-term supporters 

• Lead supporter care, engagement and fundraising events 

• Oversee fundraising communications and profile raising activity 

• Work collaboratively across the Cathedral to develop fundable projects and shared ownership of fundraising 

• Manage the fundraising budget and report progress to the Senior Management Team and Finance Committee 

• Act as Line Manager for the Development Officer 

This role combines strategic thinking with practical delivery and will suit someone who enjoys working in a small, committed team where no two days are the same. 

What we're looking for 

• Proven experience in fundraising, particularly trusts and foundations 

• A strong track record of writing successful funding applications generating over £250,000pa 

• Excellent relationship building and communication skills 

• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers and external partners 

• Empathy with the values, mission and worshipping life of a Christian cathedral 

• A calm, organised and proactive approach, with strong attention to detail 

• A clear commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and best practice 

Experience in cathedral, church, heritage or charity settings is welcome but not essential — we are keen to hear from candidates with transferable skills from other sectors. 

Why join us? 

You will be part of a warm, committed community, working in a unique historic setting and helping ensure Portsmouth Cathedral continues to thrive for generations to come. 

 
Benefits 

• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days per annum (FTE) plus public holidays and 2 'given' days over Christmas. Pro rata for this part-time role. 

• Employer pension contributions of 7% plus 1% employee contribution. 

• Commitment to professional development and training 

• Cash health plan 

Portsmouth Cathedral is an Equal Opportunities Employer and a member of Inclusive Church.   

Interviews in person Tuesday 5 May 2026

About the Role

We are seeking a charity professional with evaluation and impact experience, and skills to develop Lewisham Local’s business functions such as service delivery impact with a focus on impact measurements of infrastructure work, premises, and admin.

This is a newly built role to support the charity’s new ambitious three-year strategy.

Main Objectives

• Develop and deliver the charity’s Impact and Evaluation framework
• Ensure charity’s CRM Salesforce is used at every level of capturing data

Support, develop and manage Lewisham Local’s business functions such as Admin and Premises management

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Impact Measurement

• Working closely with the SMT and project leads to understand the depth of the work carried out by Lewisham Local and develop an impact and evaluation framework to measure the success of our work.
• Train and support colleagues to ensure the framework is embedded into our daily work measuring the change created as a result of the work carried out by Lewisham Local.
• Run a quarterly impact report for SMT and Board
• Introduce data capture protocols and training on using the charity's CRM Salesforce to ensure data is recorded and up to date
• Act as a champion for this across the team

Manage Admin function

• Manage the two (job share - 0.8 & 0.2 FTE) Admin officers who support the CEO, Board and take on the general office admin tasks
• Develop and improve Lewisham Local’s admin processes

Manage premises – support and training will be offered

• Manage a Premises Coordinator (0.6FTE) in safe running the Orchard Gardens Community Centre
• Support the CEO in developing premises strategy and future proposals

Together with SMT and the CEO manage Lewisham local’s fundraising function, reviewing and contributing to the grant applications.

Core Team Responsibilities

• Build and share knowledge and intelligence internally
• Build strong and effective local relationships across sectors
• Be a visible, active, positive and engaging presence within the community at local events, activities and meetings.
• Contribute and create regular communications content
• Champion the role of local giving, and the contribution of civil society in Lewisham
• Collect and process data, carry out monitoring and evaluation of our impact
• Help other team members at times of increased workload and/or specific events
• Contribute to office organisation and administration responsibilities to ensure the effective running of the organisation and staff presence at the office premises
• Manage volunteers to achieve the portfolio and charity’s aims and objectives
• Attend regular team meetings and supervision sessions as required
• Undertake training and development as required
• Contribute to writing grant applications for future projects and core work

This is not an exhaustive list of tasks, and you may be asked to undertake any other reasonable duties in connection with the role. Job descriptions are reviewed regularly and may be amended at any time in accordance with the needs of the organisation

Please see attached the full job description and person specification.

If this sounds like you, then our four-month (7th September to 18th December 2026), salaried Grant Fundraising Traineeship might be the perfect opportunity for you.

Chell Perkins is looking for four individuals with excellent writing skills who want to learn how to fundraise from grantmakers. 

Our industry-leading paid traineeship (monthly equivalent of a £24,792 annual salary) will see you writing grant applications for multiple charities and gaining a recognised certificate with education credits towards CFRE to kickstart your fundraising career. There are up to four vacancies at Chell Perkins, and at the end of the course trainees will be eligible to apply for a permanent position.

“This programme has been an amazing opportunity to work with so many different clients, and constantly learn new skills on the job. I have learned so much.” Junior Fundraiser, 2022

This immersive programme is home-based with quality training and plenty of support from other experienced fundraisers.

“The hands-on training opportunities that come with a role at Chell Perkins are invaluable for anyone who is looking to get into fundraising. I don't think you could find a more immersive and rewarding experience in the charity sector anywhere else!” Junior Fundraiser, 2022

Why Chell Perkins?

At the end of our Grant Fundraising Traineeship, you will be a confident and capable fundraiser. But there’s much more to the scheme than that. The Chell Perkins team are a great bunch of people to work with. We really care about our partner charities and YOUR future. Our supportive and empowering work culture will enable you to realise your own potential.

“This programme is truly unique and rewarding. I recommend it to anyone thinking of beginning a fundraising career.” Junior Fundraiser, 2020

Client mix

Candidates should be aware that at present, 70% of our partner charities come from a Christian background (churches or Christian charities). While it is not a requirement to be Christian, candidates must be happy to write for a faith-based audience.

Applications

This role is home-based; however, you may occasionally be required to work from client sites across the UK.

For more details about this opportunity, contact us and request a copy of the Job Description & Person Specification document.

Interviews will be held in the week commencing 4th May 2026 for positions starting on 7th September 2026.

If our Grant Fundraising Traineeship sounds like it could be a perfect fit for you, why not apply? We look forward to hearing from you!

To apply for this role, please complete our job application and email it to us with a recent CV and a covering letter. In your covering letter, we are looking for:

• Evidence of strong written communication skills
• Passion for the third sector, and in particular fundraising
• Ability to write persuasively
• Evidence that you have carefully researched the role and our organisation.

Click 'how to apply' below for the email address to send your application to, and for more information on the role and person specification.

A note about generative AI use

As an agency we are not against the use of AI to research or help improve the quality of your application. However, we strongly advise against using AI to generate copy for you. Last year, over 40 applications contained sections with identical wording, due to the use of generative AI. As a result, we could not get to know the applicants from their writing, and subsequently had to reject all of these applications.

Settled is a dynamic charity that supports the rights of EU and Ukrainians citizens who have made the UK their home, through providing expert, multi-lingual services. We seek an experienced communications professional with technical and writing skills, who understands how great communications can boost the profile and sustainability of a charity and help it meet the needs of its beneficiaries. Organising events is also part of the role. If you would like to join our supportive and impactful team, please  include a cover letter which explains how you fulfil the person specification, along with your CV.

The Development Manager (Grants) leads on bid-writing and relationship building with grantmakers (Trusts/Foundations/Public). The candidate will be a key player in the Grants team alongside the Director of Development (Grants/Major Gifts) and Development Officer. Create has seen its fundraising increase significantly in recent years, as it fulfils its ambitious plans to double its reach by its 25th anniversary in 2028. The Grants team is responsible for securing over 50% of the charity’s income, managing an extensive portfolio of T/F/Public funders, approaching a well-researched pipeline of potential funders, and researching prospects. The successful candidate will share Create’s commitment to the transformative power of the creative arts within community settings, with exceptional written and verbal communication, research, organisational and IT skills, and meticulous attention to detail.

Are you a brilliant communicator who loves writing copy and supporting donors? Join a passionate team working to end education inequality through the power of Classics.

We're looking for a Fundraising and Communications Officer to create and distribute newsletters and emails and be the first port of call for new and existing donors. You will enjoy collating case studies and reports, learning about our impact in schools and ensuring that donors and funders have a positive and meaningful relationship with Classics for All. You’ll play a vital role in enabling our programmes to reach schools and students across the UK. This is a varied and rewarding role at the heart of a small, friendly team making a big impact.

Diversity and inclusion

As a social mobility charity, being inclusive is a fundamental value of Classics for All. We welcome applications from all eligible people and are particularly keen to receive applications from those who are from communities that are less represented within the Classics community, such as those from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities.

It does not matter if Classics was offered at your own school, and you do not need to be a Classicist to join our team – there are no Latin tests!

The Stuart Low Trust (SLT) is a well-respected and award-winning charity based in Islington supporting people who experience mental health issues and socially isolated.SLT was created to be radically different from other mental health charities – uniquely accessible, inclusive and community-embedded. You will be joining a small friendly team, where we care about staff wellbeing.We believe in trusting the expertise of our staff and giving them the freedom to thrive with regular help on hand when needed. 

We support over 500 adults per year through social groups -creative arts, nature-based activities, wellbeing workshops and peer support.90% of participants report improved mental health and wellbeing. 

Why Join Us?  
This is an opportunity to play an important role in a small but impactful charity.  Your work will directly enable adults experiencing isolation to access safe, creative and life-affirming activities. Perfect for someone who thrives in a small charity where you can see the impact of your work every week. 

Who we are seeking 
We are seeking a Fundraising Manager, who enjoys writing grant applications and building strong relationships with supporters. Working closely with the Chief Executive, you will have a primary focus working on our trusts and foundations pipeline, while generating around 10% of total income from other sources. We are realistic what is possible in 21 hours per week! 

We are seeking a fundraiser who combines: 

• A strong track record securing trust and foundation income 
• Excellent bid-writing skills 
• Experience generating income beyond trusts (corporate, community or individual) 
• Comfortable working autonomously in a small team 
• Experience in a mental health organisation or small charity is desirable but not essential.

Summary role description 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, you will: 

Lead Trusts and Foundations Income 

• Develop a pipeline of grant funders to apply to. 
• Write compelling, high-quality applications.. 
• Deepen funder relationships to secure repeat grants. 

Raise income from other sources 

Work with the Chief Executive to generate income from other sources with a realistic and achievable target of 10% total income via:

• Corporate partnerships in Islington, King’s Cross tech, creative industries and the City. 
• Community and individual giving, especially among affluent local residents. 

Build sustainable systems to support fundraising 

• ​Strengthen stewardship journeys including donor tracking systems and explore use of AI tools. 
• Contribute to fundraising communications and our profile-building. 

Why this Role is Different 
You will be stepping into an organisation in a strong position to build on: 

• Multi-year funding security (63% of next year’s income already secured through multi-year grants, 4 months’ free reserves, annual income circa £250k). 
• Trusted funders include City Bridge Foundation, Garfield Weston, Sport England and leading City Livery Companies. 
• Strategic Plan 2024–28 with clear goals. 
• Excellent impact measurement systems. 
• A highly experienced Chief Executive with 30 years in the charity sector. 
• A collaborative and supportive team, who understand fundraising is everyone’s responsibility. 

What You’ll Gain 

• Real autonomy and ownership 
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Occupational pension scheme 
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Access to training and development opportunities 
• Supportive management culture 
• A genuinely collaborative, values-led culture 

Location
Based at Jean Stokes Community Centre, Islington (5 minutes by bus from King’s Cross) 

Application instructions
Please note, while we appreciate the value of AI tools, we strongly prefer that applicants prepare their supporting statements for this purpose with minimal use of AI.This helps us to better understand your authentic voice, skills and motivation for this role.Thank you. 

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and two satisfactory references. 

We are embrace diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that represents are variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills.The more inclusive we are, the more we can achieve. 

Deadline for applications: Sunday, 5th April 2026 at 12midnight
Interviews: Monday, 20th April 2026 
Estimated Start:June/July 2026 

Government and Multi-Lateral Funding Advisor

Permanent, Full Time, Hybrid working (2 days per week in one of our UK offices)

Location: This role can be based in any of our UK offices - Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, or Warrington

Salary: £41,783 for Cardiff, Edinburgh, Warrington per year. £46,666 for London (inc. London allowance per year)

If we receive a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert before the scheduled closing date. Therefore, we encourage interested applicants to apply at their earliest convenience. 

About us

Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognise the value this brings in forming strong, creative and high performing teams. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and from those with experience from outside of the voluntary sector. And no, you don’t have to be Christian to work here – we encourage people of all faiths and none to apply. We just ask that everyone lives out our values of dignity, equality, justice and love. We value a good work-life balance, so we’re open to part-time and flexible working. We also offer hybrid working for our office-based colleagues.

About the role

Reporting in to the Government and Multi-Lateral Funding Manager, the Government and Multi-Lateral Funding Advisor will drive substantial growth in income and impact outcomes by actively engaging and cultivating strong relationships with existing and new Institutional funding partners, co-creating and bidding with our Multi-Country Cluster (MCC) and Global Programmes teams.

The role supports development and delivery of the government and multilateral funding strategy for Christian Aid positioning Christian Aid and its partners to secure multi-million awards to maximise impact.

The post-holder will actively engage and cultivate strong relationships with existing and new Institutional funding partners, co-creating and bidding with MCC’s and Global Programmes teams, and will lead  on business capability statements and online donor account registrations.

Some of the main areas of responsibility for the Government and Multi-Lateral Funding Advisor are:

• Working with Government and Multi-lateral Funding Managers, Partnerships and Business Development Lead and Heads of Impact to implement an ambitious strategic framework to enhance engagement and build strong partnerships with agreed Government and Multilateral Funding Partners (including Global Climate Funds, UN, World Bank, Regional Development Banks, Bilateral donors including UK and devolved Governments, European and other Governments) in key areas for collaboration, ensuring alignment with organisational goals to drive impactful results.
• Build and maintain a forward opportunity pipeline for Christian Aid’s institutional funding, collaborating closely with CA Ireland to maximise funding growth.
• Support agreed Supplier Framework Agreements working with MCC Business Development Managers in taking forward pipeline opportunities.
• Collaborate across the Partnerships and Business Development Team and MCC BD Team on tenders and grants, leading bid preparation and ensuring alignment with funding requirements.
• Conduct donor mapping approaches to strengthen long-term financial growth.
• Identify and analyse funding opportunities, providing strategic insights and competitive analysis to maximise Christian Aid’s positioning.
• Support or lead the development of high-quality funding proposals, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and fostering co-creation with partners.
• Lead on global business capability statements and content across Christian Aid programme priorities ensuring these are up to date on the CA intranet and website and available and adaptable for bid teams and business development roles to use. This can include work with internal and external designers as required.
• Leads on key online donor accounts and portals management supporting Government and Multi-lateral Funding Manager(s) and Business Development Managers (MCC).

About you

Who we are looking for:

Essential:

• Highly developed communication, networking, consulting and relationship-building skills, including but not limited to Government Departments, INGOs, NGOs and Private Sector and country missions.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills at senior levels with advanced negotiation and conflict resolution abilities.
• Highly developed research skills for identifying strategic funding and partnership opportunities.
• Highly developed organisational, planning, and prioritisation abilities.
• Substantial experience and proven success in securing six to seven figure grants.
• Substantial understanding of institutional donor funding landscapes and emerging trends.
• Substantial experience in donor engagement at global regional or country mission levels, working with senior stakeholders.
• Strong writing skills including promotional materials.
• Substantial experience in technical grant and service contract bid writing and annexes and developing grant budgets.
• Developed understanding of financial controls, project design tools, monitoring frameworks, and humanitarian programming principles.

Desirable:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education.
• Experience or understanding of EU, UK Government, UN partner portals.
• Medium level proficiency in speaking and writing in French or Spanish.

Further information

At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.

We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams. 

We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and sympathy with Christian Aid’s faith identity. 

All successful candidates will require a DBS/police check appropriate to the role and location and a Counter Terrorism Sanction check as part of your clearance for commencing your role with us. We also participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information as part of the referencing process from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

This role requires applicants to have the right to live and work in the country where this position is based and undertake the role that you have been offered. If you are successful and we make you an offer for the role, we will be required to conduct a right to work check on your immigration status in the UK. We will contact you regarding the documentation you will need to provide to evidence this. 

At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe everyone should be able to live a fulfilling life, regardless of how severely mental illness affects them. Our services are growing — and so is our ambition. That’s why we’re looking for a passionate and skilled Business Development Manager to help us shape the future of our charity and the support we provide.

About the role

As our Business Development Manager, you’ll play a key role in sustaining and expanding the services that make a real difference to people severely affected by mental illness. You’ll bring teams together, write with clarity and purpose, and lead the end‑to‑end bid development process — ensuring we continue to deliver high‑quality, impactful support where it’s needed most.

You’ll champion collaboration, draw on the expertise of colleagues across the charity, and craft compelling, evidence‑based proposals that reflect who we are and what we stand for. From early development to final submission, you’ll help us win and retain contracts that directly improve lives.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading the end‑to‑end development of bids, retenders, and proposals in line with internal quality standards.
• Working collaboratively with teams across Rethink Mental Illness, building strong relationships and creating connected ways of working.
• Supporting and managing Bid Development Officers.
• Contributing to regional business development plans and helping shape sustainable, innovative service models.
• Writing high‑quality, insightful submissions that articulate our strengths, capabilities, and lived‑experience approach.
• Developing early-stage budget models and working with Finance and HR to finalise financials ahead of submission.
• Generating insight through data, evidence, and internal expertise to create winning proposals.
• Researching competitors and identifying what makes Rethink Mental Illness stand out.
• Supporting successful bids through structured handovers and mobilisation.
• Contributing to continuous improvement through feedback, learning, and maintaining our Bid Library.

What you’ll bring

Essential

• A strong track record of writing successful competitive bids or proposals.
• Excellent writing, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• The ability to interpret complex tender documents and understand commissioner expectations.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to unite diverse teams.
• Knowledge of commissioning, current legislation, and best practice in mental health and social care.
• Experience constructing budgets and modelling service assumptions.
• Strong organisational and project‑management abilities, with flexibility to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and excellent general IT skills.
• A values‑driven approach consistent with Rethink Mental Illness’ ethos.

Desirable

• Experience working within mental health, health, or social care sectors.
• Lived or professional experience related to mental health and wellbeing.

Why Rethink Mental Illness?

When you join us, you’re not just taking on a role — you’re becoming part of a movement.
A movement committed to improving the lives of people severely affected by mental illness through high‑quality services, innovation, and compassionate support.

You’ll be part of a collaborative, supportive team where your growth and wellbeing matter, and where your work has a clear, direct impact.

1. JOB TITLE: Grant Officer (Sustainable Future)

 

 Contract: 2 year fixed-term, 35 hours per week
 

Location: York/ hybrid (in office attendance once or twice a week)
 

Salary range: £46,036
 

2. MAIN PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE JOB

To support the management, administration and development of the Sustainable Future grant programme and occasional related initiatives. 
 

Assess and critically appraise project ideas, using sound judgement to provide clear, constructive guidance to prospective applicants.
 

3. POSITION IN ORGANISATION

Reports to: Sustainable Future Programme Manager 
Responsible for:  n/a
 

4. DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
 

4.1       GRANT PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT SUPPORT

To work within organisational strategies and policies, and in accordance with the priorities and guidance as specified by the Programme Manager:
 

• Contribute to the delivery of all aspects of the grant cycle, including responding to applicant inquiries, assessment of applications, presenting and discussing applications with the grant committee and communicating decisions to applicants. On occasion, there may a requirement to contribute to this work for other JRCT grant programmes.

• Assist with monitoring grantees’ work and expenditure of JRCT funds.

• Contribute to the design and delivery of networking, convening or learning initiatives for grantees. 

• Manage and co-ordinate the administration of external events and consultations.  

• Assist the Programme Manager with the administration of proactive projects.

• Keep abreast of external developments through reading, attending conferences and similar events, and liaising with other funders.

• Contribute to the development of grant policy and grant programme reviews.

4.2 GRANT PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATION
 

• With direction from the Programme Manager, co-ordinate and contribute to the preparation and circulation of committee papers for the grant cycle, including writing assessment memos, meeting notes, agenda papers and minutes.  On occasion, there may a requirement to contribute to this work for other JRCT grant programmes.

• Use the grants administration database to process and monitor grant applications and provide reports and statistics.  Maintain accurate database records to enable the appropriate payment and ongoing monitoring of grants. 

• Ensure that effective information storage and retrieval systems (paper and electronic) are developed, maintained and managed for the programme area and maintain records of committee membership and subscriptions.

• Arrange and co-ordinate committee meetings and meetings with applicants/grantees on behalf of the Programme Manager, including related travel, accommodation and room bookings, liaising with trustees and co-optees.

• Liaise with other staff and external colleagues on behalf of the Programme Manager and assist in implementing good communication systems for the staff team and wider organisation. 

5. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
 

• Consistently perform the role effectively and in line with the values and mission of JRCT.

• Proactively keep up to date with developments affecting your work and maintaining and improving personal competence through continuous professional development.

• Take direction on projects and priorities from your line manager and trustees, which may vary from time to time.

• Develop, foster and maintain effective relationships with relevant external stakeholders and organisations.

• Work to administration and communication protocols efficiently to ensure that organisational systems and procedures are implemented.

• Abide by all organisational policies, codes of conduct and practice.

• Prepare for and participate in supervision and appraisal meetings.

• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times.

• Contribute constructively to team meetings and organisational priorities.

• Demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

• Carry out other duties as may arise, develop or be assigned commensurate with the role.

There when it matters

About the role:

This role supports the delivery of stories and campaigns that achieve media coverage nationally and in regional media that fall outside of our hospice catchment areas.

You will lead on PR support for some key areas of the charity, including retail and volunteering.
You’ll also gain exposure to all the teams that the press office supports, which includes writing press assets for fundraising, healthcare, bereavement and influencing/campaigning stories.
You will ensure enquiries from the media are actioned efficiently (including when on-call) and be skilled at spotting media opportunities based on the news agenda, as well as pitching Sue Ryder stories to the media and liaising with journalists.
In this role you will be required to lead on some PR activities/projects with minimal supervision and support the PR officer with their projects, as required

About you:

• Have good attention to detail
• Be excited to learn about Sue Ryder and how we engage with the media
• Be curious about the care and support we offer
• Have a good understanding of the media and how it works

Essential Criteria
• Have previous experience of media monitoring and evaluation platforms
• Be able to write stories for the media in different formats (press release, comments, op-eds) to a good standard
• Be able to communicate clearly (written and verbal) with colleagues, journalists and other members of the media
• Have a basic understanding of crisis and reputation management PR

Sue Ryder is here to make sure everyone approaching the end of their life or living with grief can access the support they need. There is no one size fits all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need, but with our support, no one has to face dying or grief alone.

Closing date: 20th April 2026
Interviews: CV’s reviewed as received

We reserve the right to close this advert prior to the closing date should we feel we have a sufficient number of suitable applications.

Benefits
• Company pension scheme
• 27 days holiday - rising to 33 with length of service plus bank holidays
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• Employee Networks - LGBTQ+, Ethnic Diversity and Equality, People with Disabilities, and Women and Non Binary Individuals
• Staff discount of 10% on new goods online at shop
• Structured induction programme and learning and development opportunities.

We actively encourage applications from people from all backgrounds to help us to provide the best possible experience for the people who use our services and continue to make Sue Ryder a great place to work, and attract and recruit the best, most diverse workforce possible.
We are particularly interested in increasing applications from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities as they are currently underrepresented in our organisation.

For more information on our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work, please visit our website.

Please let us know if you have any feedback to make our recruitment processes more accessible and inclusive or if you require any adjustments made to your application or interview process.

If you want more than just a job, we want you.
Join the team and be there when it matters.