Communications Officer Jobs in Cambridgeshire

This is an exciting opportunity to help Cambridge City Foodbank (CCFb) realise it’s vision of ending the need for foodbanks by assisting the development and smooth running of our Fairbite Food Club network, in support of the Fairbite Development Manager. The Fairbite Food Clubs provide affordable food to those in need for a small membership fee, as well as a sense of community and wrap around support such as financial advice. We currently have a network of five Fairbite Food Clubs throughout the city.

Main Duties

●       Liaise with Fairbite Food Club coordinators on a range of operational issues, such as stock needs.

●       Order stock through a variety of routes, e.g. supermarket, fruit and vegetable suppliers, FareShare etc.

●Look into alternate supply chains, to ensure we are getting value for money.

●Assist with the day to day running of Fairbite Food Club Arbury, such as arranging the volunteer rota, training new volunteers, checking stock needs.

●Help with maintenance issues arising relating to the Fairbite Food Clubs, such as new equipment needs or arranging to get equipment fixed.

●Ensuring that Fairbite Food Clubs are compliant with food safety and health and safety regulations.

●Carry out various administrative tasks, such as issuing time credits to volunteers, inputting member or volunteer data, producing signage for shops

●Support the running of a Fairbite Food Club session, where needed, alongside volunteers.

●Other activities may be requested from time to time by the CEO, consistent with the job role and the needs of the Charity.

Personal Specification:

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

● Strong administrative experience (including budget administration), highly organised, and able to effectively juggle multiple administrative tasks at the same time!

● Experience of community work and working with volunteers.

● Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship management skills.

● Competent in the use of Zoom/Teams and MS Office software.

● Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team.

● Able to do manual handling, including moving chairs and tables.

● Full clean driving licence, and use of car to travel between community locations.

Behaviours and competencies:

● Good community spirit and able to demonstrate empathy for the people we serve.

● Confident in communicating with people from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds in a friendly, non-judgemental manner, and to convey information and win support.

● Be committed to the vision, respect the ethos and uphold the values of Cambridge City Foodbank and Trussell.

Our Vision, Ethos & Values:

Our Vision is for a UK without the need for foodbanks. Each day we meet the need for emergency and affordable food, and tackle the causes of poverty, by harnessing the power of the community. We are an independent local charity and member of the Trussell Trust network.

We value dignity, justice, compassion, community and impact, in all that we do. We serve local people regardless of background, inspired by our Christian ethos and values.

As part of our commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity, we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions and those with a lived experience of poverty as well as any other under-represented group in our workforce. We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of our employees from all forms of harm.

Currently: our amazing team of over 200 volunteers assisted by a small staff team, provided over 17,500 3-day emergency food parcels to people across Cambridge (around one-third are children) and distribute in excess of 170,000 Kilos of food.

Closing date: Tuesday 17th December 2024 at 9am
Please note that the turnaround time between both the first stage and second stage interviews will be short.

We have an exciting opening for someone to join our senior leadership team for a fixed term period during 2025 overseeing our strategy and brand development. We need a strategic expert who understands politics, campaigning and how to get the best out of campaigning organisations - and win credit for that across key stakeholders and with the public.

The Director of Strategy and Brand will guide our strategic direction and public presence to amplify our mission, position 38 Degrees at the forefront of change, and build a resonant brand in the public sphere. They will partner closely with leadership to align 38 Degrees’ strategic goals with real-time social and political landscapes. By shaping organisational strategy, monitoring our progress, and refining public brand positioning, the Director of Strategy and Brand will ensure that 38 Degrees remains agile, cohesive, and impactful, continually driving growth and resilience in service of our mission.

The Director of Strategy and Brand will focus on formulating plans for our strategy, our tactics and how we are set up as an organisation to succeed. 

Your background and experience

We are looking for someone who understands 38 Degrees, our model and our organisational culture already. We want someone who shares our fierce determination to change our country - campaigning to do so without fear or favour whoever is in power. You will have worked at, or with, a similar organisation to us, where our supporters are our purpose, and you’ll be ready to engage in discussions about strategies, tactics and way of working from day one.

You will understand the challenges we may face from a change of government. Our power is the passion, and number, of our supporters. You will have insight and experience on how an organisation like ours should respond to a new environment - and capitalise on the changed landscape. 

You will understand not just the purpose and strategies of organisations like ours, you’ll know that we can only succeed if we have the right people, structure and culture. You’ll have experience of working in productive and positive environments, and you’ll have insight into how teams can be set up for success in a campaigning space.

You’ll be adept and experienced at project management, understand the pressures the team face working in a fast paced reactive environment and be able to get the best of people in this context to help deliver on longer term, strategic goals.

And most of all, you will be a positive, practical person who can work with others, bringing them with you, to solve problems in a collaborative way.

About us
38 Degrees is one of the UK's biggest campaigning communities, involving over a million supporters who campaign to make the UK a better place. We’re united by a shared vision to create a fairer and more respectful UK and a more sustainable world.

In the space of a week, millions of supporters could be campaigning on anything from protecting our NHS and stopping cuts to Universal Credit, to saving local green spaces and protecting our democracy.

38 Degrees is fiercely independent. We are primarily funded by small donations from hundreds of thousands of members of the public from all over the UK. This independence means we never have to hold ourselves back from taking on those with power and can truly listen to our supporters.

Why you’ll want to work here 

The 38 Degrees culture is honest, kind, supportive, courageous, and respectful. We move fast, and frequently change plans to respond to events. We work hard but we also have fun. We regularly enjoy team away days and social hours. 

Benefits include: 

27 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays); Office closure between Christmas and New year; 9-day fortnight (office closed every other Friday); 4pm closure on the alternate Friday; Flexibility to work 90 days per tax year (30 day maximum per travel in any location as per approval process); one month paid sabbatical leave after 5 years of service; Employer pension contribution; 24 hour employee assistance programme; Enhanced family leave policies; Cycle to work scheme; Employer paid annual flu vaccination; Rental deposit loan; Contribution to eye tests/glasses; Learning and development budget

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

We’re especially keen to hear from people who’ll bring lived experience of the issues we work on and who’ll make our team more diverse as a result.

So if you’re Black, Asian or from any other minority ethnic group, if you’re disabled, LGBTQIA+, or if you’re from a working class home, your application will be especially welcome. 

And thanks to our flexible home working approach and network of offices, we have a staff team that is increasingly based across the UK. We’re keen to continue diversifying geographically, so that we’re rooted in our supporters’ communities.

To make sure that we are able to reach our goal of a diverse team we have equal opportunities monitoring requirements. Your application will not be complete without the equal opportunities monitoring form.

38 Degrees is committed to inclusive working practices, so during the application process we commit to:

• Paying for childcare whilst you’re at 38 Degrees interviews or tasks

• Paying for your travel costs to the office and back – and for overnight accommodation if you’re travelling from a long distance for an interview although at present the majority of interviews are held online using zoom. 

• Making any reasonable adjustments – for example ensuring we have a BSL interpreters organised in advance if you’d need one

• If there anything else you’re concerned about or think we could provide, please let us know. 

To be successful in your application you must meet the essential requirements for this role and answer the questions below which are part of the selection criteria. Without completion of this task your application cannot be considered.

The successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK at the time of appointment.

Application Questions (max. word count: 2000 words across all questions)

1. Our mission is to ‘mobilise a growing and diverse community to collectively campaign for and win change’. What challenges and opportunities are posed by the election of a Labour government to a campaigning community with that mission?

2. Tell us about a time where you have been responsible for implementing an organisational strategy - what were the key challenges and how did you achieve positive results?

3. 38D is a digital first, people-powered campaigning organisation where millions of people do something small to add up to bigger political and corporate change. Tell us about a time you’ve worked with a similar model - and about how it can make a difference in the country. 

4. What is the most interesting campaign or campaigning initiative run by 38 Degrees in the last two years, and why?

We have a full-time vacancy for an Executive to join the Prospect Development team (the team currently consists of one Manager and two Officers).  This role will focus on providing information on prospects, improving our data integrity, identifying connections and supporting the team.  The team takes a data driven approach to fundraising, ensuring that information is centrally logged and can be used in the future to help us identify further high value opportunities.

This role sits within the wider Insight and Development function, the aim of which is to maximise Alzheimer’s Research UK’s fundraised income and support the charity by driving collaborative, efficient and sustainable fundraising. This means that you will predominantly work with our Philanthropy and Corporate functions but will be positioned to work collaboratively across the whole organisation.

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

· Undertake detailed research on prospects and donors in order to increase our knowledge of potential donors and to increase the likelihood for a successful fundraising ask.

· Be proactive and creative in identifying new potential donors and be able to present findings to fundraising colleagues.

· Be agile in responding to ad-hoc requests as required, ensuring we are equipped to act on new fundraising opportunities.

· Gather and disseminate information about relevant supporter networks and peer links to colleagues in order to support fundraising activities, including through our fundraising events.

· Provide administrative support to the team (helping with process documentation, booking regular meetings etc).

· Work with other teams to share expertise and knowledge about prospect research techniques.

· Effectively manage and prioritise your busy and varied workload. 

Partnership Working

· Proactively build partnerships across the Fundraising Department and with other teams.

· Act as an ambassador for the team in interactions across the whole organisation. 

· Be committed to best practice, constantly seeking improvements in our operations.

Information Management

· Learn to use databases to identify new prospects and opportunities. 

· Ensure accurate record keeping of prospects on the fundraising database, being mindful of the GDPR.

· Store information appropriately, with sources and in a clear and retrievable format.

What we are looking for:

· Confidence working with computers; knowledge of Word, Excel, and Outlook.

· Research experience.

· Experience of working with databases.

· Understanding of Data Protection and confidentiality.

· Experience of writing detailed reports suitable for all levels of management.

· Ability to work with independence, intelligence, drive and initiative.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

· Excellent relationship management skills.

· Ability to prioritise and effectively manage multiple tasks.

· Good planning and organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.

· Work well as part of a team, but proactive and can work independently.

· A confident and friendly manner.

· Creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness to identify opportunities.

· Willingness to learn and adaptability.

· Highly motivated and naturally inquisitive.

· Understanding and awareness of the bigger picture.

· A commitment to the ethos and goals of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £23,000 per annum, plus benefits

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 8th December 2024, with interviews likely to be held week commencing the 9th December 2024. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.  Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website.

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK:

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure. 

In 2024, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement. This is the second consecutive time; we have been awarded a Best Companies 3-star accreditation.

We were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:

· 18th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.

· 10th in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

· 2nd in the 30 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.

In addition, we were also shortlisted for a special award recognising the work undertaken on reducing our environmental impact.

In 2021, we were awarded the HR Management award by The Charity Times for our Wellbeing initiatives throughout the pandemic.

In 2020, we demonstrated our commitment to changing the way we think and act about mental health in the workplace and signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. 

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference. 

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK

About Care4Calais and the Legal Access Department

Care4Calais is a volunteer-based charity providing essential aid and support for refugees in France and the UK. 

In northern France we operate year-round from Calais, working alongside communities in Calais and Dunkirk to provide warm clothing, bedding and service provision to displaced people who live in appalling and dangerous conditions. 

Across the UK we collect and distribute clothes, shoes, mobile phones and other essential items, as well as providing social support and interaction, including language lessons, sport and music workshops. We also help with vital access to medical and educational services. 

Our Legal Access Department is an access to justice project that exists to support people seeking asylum in the UK by facilitating access to legal representation and offering holistic support to people throughout the asylum process. The department, made up mostly of specially trained volunteers, works tirelessly to ensure that people feel informed, empowered, and far less isolated and alone. We conduct one-to-one, complex casework for people seeking asylum for a variety of matters, over the years we have supported thousands of people to secure legal representation. Our current casework channels include securing legal representation and support for people’s asylum claims, challenges to unsuitable accommodation and potential removal from the UK (for example under the previous Rwanda policy), and support of young people in their age dispute matters. Our teams work remotely across the UK. The Department seeks to adapt and amend our services based on the needs of the communities that we work with. 

About the role

The aim of the role is to support and inspire volunteer casework teams to undertake the individual one-to-one casework and support that lies at the heart of what the Legal Access Department does, furthering access to justice for people seeking asylum and refugees. The successful candidate will lead our Asylum Team of volunteer caseworkers to support individuals in their asylum claim, assisting with legal referrals and onward signposting where appropriate. They will work collaboratively with other Volunteer Team Leads and the Head of Department to respond with agility to a fast-moving policy environment.

Responsibilities

Volunteer Team Lead / Coordinator

• Lead existing team(s) of volunteers to undertake their specified casework roles as agreed with the Head of Department.

• Conduct quarterly 1:1s with volunteers to receive feedback, reaffirm commitments, and ensure volunteer wellbeing. Escalate any issues and/or concerns to the Head of Department where necessary.

• Motivate and engage volunteers, taking into account the remote nature of the roles, collaborating with other Volunteer Team Leads.

• Facilitate regular team meetings and/or virtual drop ins for volunteers to ensure continued engagement and space to raise issues or concerns.

• Support volunteer caseworkers undertaking their roles, providing advice on casework and stepping in to support clients where required.

• Oversee the appropriate collection and management of client information and data, ensuring that volunteers adhere to organisation policy at all times.

• Support volunteers to raise safeguarding / protection concerns through the appropriate channels. Escalate concerns where necessary. Support volunteer caseworkers through debriefs.

• Recruit, train and onboard new volunteers with the support of the Head of Department.

• Keep team procedure documentation up to date, implementing changes where required to keep pace with the ever-changing policy environment. Work with the Head of Department to proactively adapt the casework services provided to suit the needs of the communities we work with.

• Report on team progress to the Head of Department, CEO and senior leadership via pre-arranged channels and format.

• Work with the Head of Department to proactively identify systemic issues seen regionally and/or nationally and influence the direction of the Department. Contribute to evidence gathering and furthering any strategic litigation cases undertaken by the Department. 

• Develop and maintain a network of key contacts within relevant authorities, legal teams dealing with immigration and public law matters, and other NGOs focused on support of refugees and people seeking asylum.

• Attend and contribute meaningfully to team meetings.

• Attend relevant external meetings representing the organisation as needed, ensuring that knowledge and learning is shared across the department. 

Individual casework

• Manage own limited, complex caseload of adult asylum seekers requiring legal representation where required to support the volunteer casework team.

• Communicate effectively and sensitively with clients and refer to legal firms. 

• Identify clients’ individual wellbeing needs and make onward referrals in line with this. Provide emotional support to clients through the process of claiming asylum in the UK.

• Liaise with legal teams on behalf of clients where necessary.

• Keep relevant records up to date to allow for quick and effective retrieval.

Person specification

• In-depth understanding of the UK asylum system

• Dedication to social justice with a clear understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable populations, or a willingness to learn about these

• Ability to work sensitively with a diverse range of people, demonstrating cultural competence, respect and compassion

• Able to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders including those from displaced communities, legal teams, and other charities

• Clear leadership ability, with the capability to act with initiative and drive

• An understanding of the volunteer experience including potential challenges volunteers may face

• Self-motivated and used to managing multiple priorities to meet deadlines

• Collaborative team member with excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong digital literacy, including ability to work on Google Workspace and Office 365

• Resilience in the face of challenging and emotionally demanding situations, with a positive and solution-oriented mindset

Whilst not essential, we welcome applications from people with the following skills

• Proficiency in one or more of the languages spoken within asylum seeking communities, such as but not limited to: Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Dari, Kurdish Sorani, Tigrinya or Amharic

• Experience leading and managing volunteer teams from varied backgrounds

Application process

Please apply via CharityJob and submit your CV and a letter of interest. In this, please outline your interest in the role and what skills and experience you have that meets the person specification. The recruitment process will include two interview stages. We will be reviewing applications as they arrive and reserve the right to close the posting before the closing date.

Care4Calais receives a very high volume of applications for roles we advertise and therefore we are unfortunately unable to reply or feedback to applicants who are not successful in securing an interview. We do however thank you for your interest and taking the time to apply for this role.

Care4Calais is dedicated to cultivating a diverse and inclusive work environment and recognises that this is invaluable to our ability to serve the communities we work with. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds including from Black, Asian and Minority-Ethnic communities, people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, and people with lived experience of the UK or EU immigration system. If you have first hand experience applying for asylum in any country, please let us know in your application. We do however respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and will not expect candidates to describe their lived experience at interview unless they wish to do so.

We also recognise that experience comes from more than just employment history and encourage anyone who meets most of the specification for this role to apply even where this experience comes from outside traditional employment structures. If you are interested in applying but do not have all the experience necessary, we encourage you to contact us at ukadmin [@] care4calais .org to set up an informal chat with our staff. We can discuss why you would like to apply for the role and what skills or experiences you have which could be relevant to the role.

If you have any questions about this or need additional support with the application process for any reason, please contact us at ukadmin [@] care4calais .org.

LOCATION - Remote 

Are you looking for an exciting and rewarding role in 2024? Apply for the HR Manager role at homelessness charity Emmaus UK.

About Emmaus

Emmaus is a secular organisation supporting homeless and socially excluded people by providing a home for as it is needed, meaningful work in a social enterprise and a sense of belonging and community. There are currently 30 Emmaus communities in the UK stretching from Glasgow to Dover and Norfolk to South Wales, collectively supporting more than 850 people. There are also 3 Emmaus groups working towards the development of services in their areas. We understand that a home is more than just a roof over your head; it’s somewhere to belong, where you feel part of a community, and that’s what Emmaus offers.

About the role

The principal responsibility will be to support our ambition to become a best practice national body and an employer of choice, responsible for the day-to-day management of the HR function within Emmaus UK, as well as the development of our approach to in-house learning and delivery of our new People & EDI Strategy.

The role will be responsible for all aspects of Human Resources at Emmaus UK, overseeing the whole employee lifecycle, from recruitment and induction processes to offboarding and exit interviews.

The postholder will oversee HR processes, reviewing their effectiveness and identifying and embedding improvements to improve the employee experience.

Working with the Director of Resources, the role will be central to the delivery of the strategic objectives with an HR focus, while taking responsibility for the operational HR function to ensure a positive and supportive working environment for the staff team.

Who are we looking for?

The newly created role of HR Manager will sit within the Resources directorate, to support the delivery of key charity and federation-wide objectives, as part of our mission to empower people affected by homelessness and poverty to change their lives for the better while using our voice to achieve social change.

What we offer

· £46,297 (pro rata)

· Working hours: 3 days per week, Monday to Friday

· Contract: Permanent

· Pension: Stakeholder pension with employer contribution

· Annual leave: 25 days + Bank Holidays + 3 concessionary days leave

· Training & development: Ongoing training and development

· Volunteering: 2 days allowance each year

· Employee assistance: 24/7 employee assistance scheme is available

· Wellbeing: Weekly wellbeing hour to promote personal wellbeing

· Flexible working: Options available, subject to the requirements of the role

· Life assurance: Death in service lump sum of 3 x salary

To apply

To apply for the role, please complete our application form and equal opportunities monitoring form and email us by Sunday 08 December 2024.

Please ensure you download the job pack and refer to the job description and person specification when completing your application form.

Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview conducted via Microsoft Teams week commencing Monday 16 December 2024.

If you would like to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please email us.

Equal Opportunities

Emmaus UK provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. We are dedicated to an inclusive culture, and we strive to create a workplace where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristic, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together. We welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital status or parental responsibilities.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for our roles, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed so that shortlisting is based solely upon the suitability of the candidate’s experience.