Content and communications officer jobs in troon, south ayrshire council
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About the role
As one of two Regional Programmes Manager, you’ll inspire and lead a team of Senior Programmes Officers and Kinship Family Workers to effectively deliver high quality support services for kinship families across Greater London, the South of England and the Midlands.
You’ll do this by working in close collaboration with local authority teams who have commissioned our services and other funders where appropriate.
You’ll have accountability and ownership for ensuring we deliver impactful services for kinship carers and that we meet targets for our commissioned services. Working collaboratively with our other managers in other services, you’ll ensure we’re delivering high impact programmes.
You’ll ensure your team have real clarity and direction on their role and responsibilities - encouraging curiosity, learning and solutions-focused thinking. As a leader in the organisation, you are a key model for the team.
Your team will deliver the following programmes:
- Kinship Connected – in-person one-to-one support and support groups in the community
- Kinship Reach – remote one-to-one support and virtual support groups
- Kinship Ready – online workshops to prepare new and prospective special guardians for their role, as well as wraparound one-to-one support (in one local authority)
You will also manage a new role of Grants Officer - London, funded by the Aviva Foundation.
As one of our deputy safeguarding leads, you’ll be part of our key safeguarding structure. This means you’ll take ownership to make sure our people feel confident and well supported to demonstrate best practice and making sure safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Key responsibilities include:
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Oversee the day-to-day running of programmes, supporting mostly home-based Senior Programmes Workers and Kinship Family Workers to ensure high quality, consistent and impactful programme delivery.
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Meet performance targets as directed.
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Create and keep developing processes and systems which support consistency across all programmes, ensuring good quality documentation and manualisation on Notion.so
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Develop quality assurance frameworks with other service managers and directors.
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Support your team to establish and deliver in-person and virtual peer support groups regionally and generate engagement with kinship carers.
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Line management and supervision of Senior Programmes Workers and Kinship Family Workers as required.
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Actively encourage personal development and support staff to deliver key targets and outcomes and ensure high levels of wellbeing.
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Work with the Director of Services and Digital, Head of Programmes and the Business Development team to develop proposals and present to local authorities to secure commissions.
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Manage the delivery of commissioned contracts through collaborative relationships with local authorities, ensuring targets are met.
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Manage the programmes and services within budget, in accordance with Kinship’s financial procedures and ensure the reporting of progress in line with funder requirements.
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Work actively and positively with other managers within Kinship to ensure sharing of best practice, problem solving, relevant connections and consistency of delivery across England and Wales.
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Act as a deputy safeguarding lead at Kinship
Essential requirements include:
- Substantial experience in managing a regional service or programme with high quality outputs (national experience desirable but not essential).
- Substantial experience of managing, developing and evaluating effective and innovative services for families experiencing crisis and experience in reaching ‘hidden communities’ and a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Experience of leading and managing continuous improvement in changing contexts.
- Experience of governance and managing risk on high profile service delivery.
- Experience of ensuring that services are designed and led with user needs at the heart, ensuring that the voices of our kinship carers inform ongoing design and development of our programmes.
- High quality digital and data literacy and using technology to help us to be better in our processes. You’ll have to own Salesforce and be a massive champion for the team. You will be accountable for ensuring they use it well.
- Substantial experience of leading high-performing service teams including managing wellbeing, development and performance.
How to apply
In place of a cover letter, you will be asked to answer the following five questions, alongside providing your CV. Please keep your answers to a maximum of 250 words.
- Tell us why you’re interested in working for Kinship in this role and what experience you bring that would make you successful? This is an opportunity to tell us about you, your experience and your values.
- Please give an example where you have managed a successful regional programme or service (this could also be national). Please include scale, key performance indicators and outcome. What made it a success?
- What makes you a great team manager? Give one example of how you have supported teams and individuals to flourish and one example when you have had to step in to address behaviour or performance issues. (This is an opportunity to share your enthusiasm for supporting others to develop and deliver to a high standard. You can share evidence of how your approach has worked and how you’ve tackled challenges and difficult conversations along the way).
- Quality assurance and consistency is key to making sure our programmes deliver impact for our kinship carers. This includes ensuring your team are following processes, using our case management system effectively and have the tolls to do their role. Please describe how you would approach this at Kinship using a previous example.
- In this role you will be a deputy safeguarding lead at Kinship. This is a key role, the lives of kinship carers are incredibly complex. Give one example of a safeguarding situation that required your response in a previous role. Explain what your rationale and thought process was. How did you hold appropriate boundaries and progress actions to effectively safeguard vulnerable children and adults?
Key Dates
- Application deadline: Wednesday 30 April, 9am
- First interview: Online – Tuesday 6 May
- Second interview: In person (Vauxhall, London) – Tuesday 13 May (travel expenses covered if required)
About Kinship
We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to.
We are made by and for our community of kinship carers. Like family, relationships run deep. And we hear their experiences; for too long they have been isolated without the help they need.
We support, advise and inform kinship carers. Connecting them so they feel empowered. Because a child needs the love and warmth of a thriving family.
We develop research, campaigns and policy solutions. Creating positive change across society. Because for kinship families, love alone is not enough.
Through our work we harness frustrations to fuel passion for change. And tough experiences to inspire ideas that transform lives.
And as we see momentum building, we keep using evidence to demonstrate the value of kinship care. Helping kinship carers navigate challenging circumstances. Believing in a child’s potential.
Join us. Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.
• Make sure you’ve read the job description and the essential requirements – make sure your answer reflects those points in the requirements very clearly.
• Really tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values.
• Keep your response clear – use bullets points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to really focus on your answer.
• Please do not use AI tools like ChatGPT to produce your answers. We use software to check and your application will be rejected if you do.
We support kinship carers in their homes and communities, giving advice and helping them work through problems to find the best way forward.





The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week
Location:Home-based with frequent travel to projects across Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool
Contract:Permanent
Do you want to work with multiple award-winning charity, FoodCycle? As Regional Manager you will represent, manage and co-ordinate FoodCycle for your allocated regional Projects. Our Projects are spaces where volunteers are empowered to run their own community meals using surplus food.
You will manage local relationships with supermarkets, volunteer recruitment channels and venues to enable this to happen. As an excellent communicator, you will manage the volunteers at each Project ensuring they are trained, supported and on-message with FoodCycle strategy, ensuring that volunteers are confident enough to self-organise and make a success of their Projects.
You will have experience of programme planning and delivery, and working with volunteers. You will be experienced in building relationships with a range of stakeholders, and be passionate about food and cooking.
There will be frequent travel to our projects in the North East, with some evening and weekend work needed to cover our projects. A full driving license and access to a vehicle for work purposes is essential for this rewarding role.
Benefits: We offer 26.5 days holiday plus bank holidays, and additional holiday for length of service (pro-rata for part-time). Our healthcare package allows staff to claim money back on healthcare bills and includes access to telephone counselling and online GP appointments.
How to apply:Please upload a CV of no more than two sides, and a covering note/letter of no more than two sides explaining why you are suitable for the role, via our vacancy website.
Deadline for your application:11.59pm on Wednesday 30 April 2025.
Interview process: Shortlisted candidates will need to complete a 30 minute task prior to being invited to interview.
Inclusivity: FoodCycle is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We are a Disability Confident Scheme member.
Safeguarding: Safeguarding is Everyone’s business – FoodCycle is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare / wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk. This role will therefore require a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check.
Please note that you will need to have existing Right to Work in the UK to apply for this role. We are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
As Individual Giving and Appeals Manager, you’ll deliver integrated fundraising campaigns across direct mail, email, and digital channels — helping us grow our individual giving base and strengthen donor loyalty.
Alongside driving individual and regular giving, you’ll help shape a new in-memory giving offer, build our legacy giving programme from the ground up, and grow our Named Funds programme.
Working closely with teams across the charity, you’ll design inspiring donor journeys and stewardship plans. You’ll also use data and insight to refine our approach and ensure every supporter feels truly valued.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a small charity making a big impact – for a fundraiser who’s not only motivated by results, but by the chance to help change the story for children with cancer.
Who are we looking for?
We’re looking for a creative and strategic fundraiser who is passionate about delivering impactful campaigns and building meaningful supporter relationships.
The ideal candidate will have:
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Demonstrable experience in managing individual giving campaigns, legacy fundraising, and / or in-memory fundraising.
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Proven experience developing compelling propositions that drive results and generate income/supporter acquisition.
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Strong planning and organisation skills, with the ability to handle multiple activities simultaneously.
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Proven record of being results-driven and achieving agreed fundraising targets ad outcomes.
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Excellent verbal and written communication as well as relationship-building skills with an ability to inspire and engage supporters.
See our Recruitment Pack for the full role description and specification and for more information about the charity.
Location: Home-based within England with regular travel to London and elsewhere in the UK as required
Interviews: 19 May 2025 (London Office)
Safeguarding: As a safeguarding charity whose work and practice are underpinned by safeguarding principles to protect children and young people and enhance their welfare, we always work in accordance with legislation, statutory guidance, and best safeguarding practices. All our roles require a basic criminal record check.
Promoting equality and diversity: We actively encourage applications from those with lived experience of neuroblastoma and/or other childhood cancers. As an equal opportunity employer, we also welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation
Our vision is a future where no child dies of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma or suffers due to the treatment they receive.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Research Associate - National Youth Agency
Contract: 12-month Fixed Term Contract (with potential to extend)
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 per annum, dependent on experience
Remote: This role is 100% homebased with occasional travel for staff residentials and other events.
What we do
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
About the Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join our Knowledge Team, working alongside two existing Research Associates and a Data Analyst.
You will be integral in delivering research, data, and insights that support organisational development and programme delivery across NYA.
We are looking for an experienced mixed-methods researcher with a strong understanding of social research and evaluation approaches. Ideally, you will have experience working in or alongside the youth sector and be confident using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
You’ll need to be flexible, proactive, and a strong communicator, able to explain complex ideas to varied audiences.
This role is ideal for someone looking to make a tangible difference through evidence-led approaches that shape policy, practice, and impact in youth work.
Key responsibilities for this role will include:
- Designing and delivering research projects using a range of methods including surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
- Supporting the development of the NYA research and data hub, including external research collation and data visualisation.
- Leading on evaluations to meet funder requirements and contribute to NYA’s growing evidence base.
- Analysing data from NYA programmes to support impact measurement.
- Promoting evidence-based practice across NYA and the wider youth sector.
- Communicating findings clearly through reports, briefings, and presentations.
- Managing research projects and collaborating with internal and external partners to deliver on time and to quality.
- Responding to internal and external research enquiries.
The ideal candidate will have experience in social research, familiarity with various research methodologies, and the ability to communicate complex findings to diverse audiences.
Please refer to our Candidate Pack for more information on the role and the requirements.
Why Work for NYA?
NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
How to Apply:
Please download our applicant pack to find out more about the role and requirements
To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Monday 12th May 2025:
A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the
About You section.
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.
Please note: the covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 30% AI generated content with be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
Youth Work changes lives
Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from it. As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.
We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.
REF-221126
Advocacy Manager
Location – Remote from the UK with regular travel to Manchester and London
Starting Salary - £40,416 per annum (plus contributory pension)
MAG saves lives and builds futures by working with others to reclaim land contaminated with the debris of conflict, to reduce the daily risk of death or injury for civilians, and to create safe and secure conditions for development. MAG shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize as a founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines for our work to ban landmines. Our vision is a safe and secure future for men, women and children affected by armed violence and conflict.
We are looking for an exceptional Advocacy Manager to work within our Policy and Strategic Partnerships team. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic international charity that shared the 1997 Nobel Peace-Prize.
You will be working with the Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships in the development and delivery of MAG’s advocacy work, including leadership of MAG’s UK parliamentary engagement, and contribution to the European and US engagement strategies.
The successful candidate will have previous experience of engaging and influencing UK parliamentarians, including the House of Commons and House of Lords, in support of advocacy objectives through a variety of tactics. You will have up-to-date knowledge of the UK political scene, and key players for MAG’s focus areas, knowledge of UK parliamentary processes and influencing tactics. You will also have a proven track record of meeting targets and deadlines and an ability to build, manage and develop relationships with key stakeholders. Excellent coordination and communication skills will also be essential.
The role will involve travel in the UK and Internationally.
What you can expect in return:
· Competitive salary
· 25 days annual leave per year, plus public holidays.
· Company pension (matching at 5%
· Employee Assistance Programme: MAG offers free access to Health Assured, a service providing 24/7 confidential support and expert advice on a wide range of issues.
Further information and how to apply:
For the further information on the role, the application pack and details of how to apply, please visit the MAG website by the closing date of 5th May 2025.
Application is by submission of the following documents to humanresources [@] maginternational [.] org by the closing date of 5th May 2025:
1. Up-to-date CV
2. Cover letter, setting out why you believe you are suitable for this position, and how you feel you align to MAG Values.
3. Completed Candidate Profile Form
Due to the high volume of applications, we receive, we cannot respond to every application. If you have not heard back from us within 3 weeks of applying, your application has not been successful.
Please note that as part of MAG's commitment to safeguarding, this post is subject to background checks before an offer of employment is confirmed. For more information on MAG’s approach to safeguarding here and background checks here. You can also find more information in the candidate information pack, available on our website.
MAG is committed to the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion. If you think you would be suited to one of our roles we would welcome your application regardless of your background. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all employees feel respected and supported in fulfilling their potential.
We do whatever it takes to get to a landmine before another child does.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Department: Programmes
Reports to: Head of Programmes
Location: Home-based, with travel across England, Scotland, and Wales
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits:
- 25 days holiday plus England bank holidays
- Employer pension contribution up to 5%
- Life insurance, critical illness cover & private health benefits
- 37.5-hour workweek
Note: This role requires travel with overnight stays across England, Scotland, and Wales.
About British Gas Energy Trust (BGET)
British Gas Energy Trust (BGET) supports individuals and families across England, Scotland, and Wales who are struggling with energy debt and financial hardship. This is an exciting opportunity to support the effective management of the Trust’s third party funded organisation grant programmes across England, Scotland and Wales
Key Responsibilities
· To act as the managerial point of contact between the Trust’s Grantees & the Trust ensuring programme materials up to date.
· To create documentation linked to grant programmes, such as Applications, Review Templates, Scoring Matrix and Grant Agreements.
· Build & manage positive “listening & learning” relationships with organisational grant applicants.
· Help ensure BGET learns from best practice delivery, and identify, recognize & respond to issues or opportunities as they arise.
· Undertaking both face to face and virtual monitoring visits as part of the project initiation, ongoing KPI and impact evaluation process, creating comprehensive follow-up reports and end of year reports.
· Ensure visibility & assurance of current policies and practice are in place with funded entities, identifying any risk to the Trust e.g. Safeguarding & Data Protection.
· Collect communication materials and help the Trust to amplify the voices of the organisations we support.
· In-put to the day-to-day contractual relationship with our Grant Management System provider, keeping data current and identifying improvements.
Reporting & Contract Management:
· Help ensure that organisations are supported to meet their obligations under their grant agreement, including KPIs and other reporting tools. Including identifying risks to delivery and supporting the grantee to help resolve any challenges with delivery that impact on the grant obligations.
· Collate comprehensive and clear feedback, data and information to monitor performance and impact on an ongoing and regular basis.
· Input into coordination, collection and analysis of Ofgem end of year reporting information.
· Ensure all data collection aligned to current Data Protection regulations and use and storage of data is in line with the Trust’s own policies and provide reassurance to the CEO and Board.
· Prepare clear and informative monthly programme updates and support the preparation of quarterly programme reports to the Board to clearly evidence operational delivery across the grant portfolio.
· Ensure that the outcomes and KPI information are used to create impact reports during the contract period.
· Conduct monitoring visits to funded projects, (in person and online) ensuring accurate briefing notes and write up of meetings are compiled and logged appropriately.
· Establish clear reporting systems with each grant organisation and ensure accurate notes of quarterly meetings with portfolio of projects.
· Work with Finance to ensure grant funds are expended in line with grant agreements and any regulatory requirements.
· Ensure accurate data is in place for year-end reporting.
Knowledge Sharing
· Identify and develop opportunities for the organisational grant applicants to work collaboratively and share learning.
· Create and deliver events for our projects either online or annually at our Annual Advisors Gathering.
· Ensure case studies and other content is collated from the projects to share through our channels.
Person Specification:
Skills and Knowledge:
Essential:
· Strong project management skills, with relevant project management software training.
· Good written communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships.
· Strong at operational and project management with the ability to meet deadlines.
· Accuracy and attention to detail with a methodical approach.
· Flexible approach to changing circumstances, prepared to re-order priorities as required.
· Practical “can do” approach with ability to manage multiple work streams.
· Highly adept at Office 365 and Excel, technically confident in managing Grant Management systems.
· Significant experience monitoring grant programmes including KPI reporting, assessment and write-up.
· Excellent written communication skills, with an ability to communicate with confidence to a wide range of individuals and audiences.
· Excellent analytical & numerical skills with the ability to interpret data and share insights.
Desirable:
· Stakeholder management experience
Experience:
· A proven track record of managing effective operational delivery of impact focused grant making projects or programmes. Including grant programme design.
· Experience of developing and managing positive, equitable partnerships.
· Responsibility for managing our Grant Management System including establishing reporting systems and dashboards for the Senior Leadership Team and Board.
This role is an opportunity to make a real difference in communities across the UK, working directly with organisations that deliver tangible support to those who need it most. If you are passionate about tackling fuel poverty and have the skills to drive a high-impact programmes initiative, we encourage you to apply.
Please note that we are not able to offer sponsorship and the successful candidate must hold the right to work in the United Kingdom.
A basic DBS check is a requirement of this role.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Role: Fundraising Manager
Salary: £30,000 - £35,000
Location: Remote, UK
Contract type: Permanent, full time (37 hours/week, with flexible working hours). Part time over 30 hours/week considered
About the charity
Tiyeni is a UK-Malawian NGO whose mission is to end food poverty and to improve water security. We achieve our mission by delivering training and support to smallholder farmers in our innovative form of climate-smart agriculture, Deep Bed Farming (DBF). Our low-cost, low-tech farming method dramatically increases crop yields from the first year of adoption while simultaneously regenerating the natural environment, empowering communities to become more climate-resilient.
Tiyeni means "Let's Go!" in Chichewa, Malawi's most widely-spoken language.
About the role
You will be responsible for developing and diversifying the base of supporters and achieving fundraising targets. You will help maintain our existing stable income but also develop other income streams, expand our supporter networks, and build our sustainability for the future. The successful candidate will develop and maintain relationships with trusts and foundations as well as corporate partners and individual givers. You will develop and deliver successful plans to diversify and optimize our income as well as maintaining and improving the tools, processes, and internal expertise to ensure sustainability. You will explore other forms of fundraising, such as crowdfunding, major donors, and events.
Skills and experience
You will have a proven track record of soliciting, managing, and securing income from diverse income streams. You will have experience of developing successful grant applications and proposals for support to trusts and foundations. You will have digital fundraising fluency such as using social media to build support and run crowdfunding campaigns.
You will be an outstanding written communicator with the ability to absorb and synthesize complex information and translate it into compelling written cases for support. You should have excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills with the ability to relate to, influence, and persuade internal and external stakeholders at all levels. You should be proactive, positive, and able to work on your own initiative, learn and test creative approaches, and remain resilient in the face of setbacks. For more information about responsibilities and person specification, please see the job description.
Other information
Please ensure you fully read the job description and that you meet the people specification in the ‘About you’ section.
Please note that you must have the right to work in the UK. We cannot sponsor visas for candidates.
To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role. Deadline for applications is 27th April at 23:59.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Reporting to: Director of Policy and Engagement
Direct reports: 1 x Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager and Legislative Lead, 2 x Policy and Public Affairs Officers, 1 x England Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Location of work: Home-based. The post holder must be easily and quickly commutable to London and will require frequent meetings in London. The role may involve some irregular travel throughout England and Scotland to attend events and meetings.
Contract type: Full-time, 35 hours per week, flexible hours may be considered. The role may require occasional evening and weekend work
Contract Length: Permanent
Salary: £54,500 - £56,500
BACKGROUND
Our work has never been more needed. The latest research suggesting that the number of children and young people at risk of hunger has rocketed to 2.6 million* means that one in five children don't have enough to eat.When a child is too hungry to learn, when they’re aching for something to eat, they can’t concentrate. They can’t absorb information. Big feelings and worries can be impossible to control. They fall behind in their studies.
Magic Breakfast provide a nutritious and filling breakfast to over 300,000 children and young people every school day. We work with schools in areas of high disadvantage, helping staff target the children most in need without barrier or stigma. Magic Breakfast are ambitious to grow our impact to remove hunger as a barrier to learning for all children and young people in the UK.
This is an exciting time to join Magic Breakfast if you wish to make a difference to the lives of children as we work to influence both policy implementation, with the national rollout of primary-aged universal school breakfast, and legislative change, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. There has also been commitment from the Scottish Government for a national breakfast scheme and we are seeking to expand our advocacy work into Wales. Magic Breakfast’s influence will be instrumental to ensuring school breakfasts are implemented in a way that is hunger-focused and barrier free.
In addition, thousands of secondary school children are at risk of losing their free school breakfasts from September next year. For many of these students, this is their only opportunity to have a nutritious meal before facing a demanding school day, including taking exams. And for the very youngest, we know that the disadvantage gap begins before they even reach reception. With the Government commitment to another 100,000 places in school-based nurseries, early years is also a critical part of our advocacy work.
Being part of the work of Magic Breakfast is your chance, together with parents, teachers and people across the UK, to demonstrate the power of school breakfasts and to shape the way forward to end morning hunger for good.
*Food Foundation Insecurity Tracker Jan 2025
JOB PURPOSE
The Head of Policy & Public Affairs will review, develop and implement our advocacy strategy and lead a team to influence the devolved legislatures across the UK to address child morning hunger, with a view to the underlying systemic causes of child poverty and hunger, by driving change through policy and legislation. The role operates at our ‘Head of level’ which is the most senior operational specialist level and provides both operational and strategic leadership.
This role will also provide wider leadership across the charity and input into organisational strategy development and planning as part of the Core Management Group. This role will ensure that the Policy and Public Affairs function is aligned to the wider strategic aims and outcomes of Magic Breakfast as well as the internal operational systems and delivery.
The strategic leadership will ensure an external and long term view, with an outward looking and forward thinking approach that builds thought leadership, relationships and partnerships, with positioning to anticipate and build on new opportunities to end child morning hunger for good.
It will require an experienced Policy and Public Affairs professional, with significant experience of high impact and demonstrable outcomes at a senior level in the field. The postholder will lead the policy and public affairs team to influence the Early Adopters Scheme, the national rollout of primary school breakfast provision in England and breakfast legislation in the Children’s Wellbeing Bill (CWB).
They will also develop, guide and lead plans to influence the Scottish government, particularly in the run up to the election in May 2026 and the influencing of manifestos; and will lead Magic Breakfast’s upcoming influencing work in Wales.
In the external leadership that the role provides they will build relationships with politicians, political influencers, special advisors and civil servants to establish long-term, sustainable solutions to child morning hunger in the UK.
As a compassionate, people centric and inspiring leader they will work to enable their team to grow and develop in their skills ensuring they can step away from the detail whilst retaining accountability, build effective resource management and progression pathways. This role may manage external consultants where necessary, and work collaboratively with external organisations to amplify our voice and asks and strengthen our position as a thought leader.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
· Review and define the advocacy strategy for 25/26 in line both with moving political environment and Magic Breakfast’s influencing agenda, considering the systemic barriers to ending child morning hunger for good.
· Develop and maintain close relationships with the Department for Education and other key departments including Department for Health and Social Care and Treasury, to secure hunger and child focus as key priorities for breakfast provision.
· Develop, monitor and evaluate influencing plans for each devolved nation
· Support the development of influencing plans with coalition groups and organisations to influence school breakfast policy, commitments and implementation
· Review policy positions in Wales and Northern Ireland and define our advocacy approach, gaining external insights and analysing available research and data to shape the plan
· Develop a vision for advocacy beyond current demands, considering political appetite and gaining insight from lived experience communities and relevant sectors, to ensure that we are clear on future asks, and can build the foundation towards them.
· Work with Impact and Insights team to define future research needs to meet our longer-term advocacy plans
· Enhance and establish internal processes and ensure good internal information dissemination
· Work closely with key internal stakeholders to shape advocacy work and support broader organisational objectives
· Embed learnings and develop a fail fast, learn fast culture in the team
· Coach, support and lead direct reports enabling increased professional development, strategic decision making, proactive project management and robust political influencing
· Contribute to and help shape the work of the Core Management Group to ensure ongoing alignment for in year implementation of the strategic plan and create integrated future year plans which meet organisational goals
· Monitor and review KPIs to monitor and measure both team and cross organisational performance, using the results to guide teams and surface learnings
· Assess areas of risk and escalate where necessary and according to policy
· Develop and monitor annual team budgets
General
• Work collaboratively across the organisation, building good working relations and providing ad-hoc support to other teams and members of staff
• Passion and commitment to Magic Breakfast’s aim of alleviating morning hunger as a barrier to learning for children in the UK.
• Help to maintain a positive working environment; keeping the vision of Magic Breakfast at the heart of everything we do.
• Share Magic Breakfast’s commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
• Establish and ensure existing Ways of Working are adhered to across team
• Adhere to all Magic Breakfast policies and procedures and ensure that all activity is compliant with current legislation, GDPR, data protection and child safeguarding requirements
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
· Strategy development, demonstrating a deep understanding of how to craft, implement, and evolve strategies that align to operational outcomes for the Policy and Advocacy function as well as enabling our organisation strategy in our aim to end child morning for good.
· Stakeholder management and partnership building with extensive experience of engaging, influencing, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including senior political figures, policymakers, funders and sector leaders.
· Ability to confidently and flexibly deal with volatile political environment, anticipating potential developments and adapting to emerging situations to meet aims
· Highly experienced in developing and shaping policy positions, using insights, research and data sets to inform and guide decision-making
· Understanding and experience of the role of the broader external environment to shape policy asks and political influencing, including the implications of a policy ask in one sector on another.
· Experience of influencing key political events such as budgets, national elections and the legislative process.
· Significant experience of coaching, supporting and managing the development of a team, with the ability to make difficult decisions and challenge where needed to deliver the organisational strategy.
Desirable
· Experience of education, food insecurity, child poverty or childcare sectors
Skills and Abilities
• Effective leadership mentality with confidence to step away from the detail and delegate responsibility, enabling others to use judgements, make decisions, learn from failures and continuously improve.
• Analytical and evidence based decision making, with the ability to turn data and analysis into policy and advocacy related recommendations or outcomes for action.
• Effective planning, prioritisation and project management skills. Able to organise self and team to meet planned objectives and strategic direction with the ability to pivot and manage the unexpected.
• Strong, influential and impactful interpersonal and communication skills and to advocate for own specialism, department and Magic Breakfast's mission, effectively conveying the organisation's impact and needs to a wide range of audiences.
• Operational and financial acumen and analysis: understanding and practical application of knowledge as required around funding considerations, budget development and management, risk management, and ensuring systems in place for efficiency by setting and maintaining policy and procedural frameworks.
• An outward looking and forward thinking approach that drives a sense of curiosity, innovation and continuous improvement. Always thinking what can we learn from others, what new developments can be explored and what are the opportunities for the function to improve and grow with others too.
WHAT WE OFFER
At Magic Breakfast we value our employees and work hard to develop offer a supportive, respectful culture which enables everyone to bring their whole self to work.
Please find attached our job pack
APPLICATION PROCCESS
Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @ magicbreakfast. com
Shortlisting - w/c 5th May
Interview 1 - 15th and 16th May
Interview 2 - w/c 21st May
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.
Make a Change
Make a Change is a community-wide, early response approach to people using abusive behaviours (or who are concerned that they might be) towards a current or ex-partner. The model has been developed by Respect in partnership with Women’s Aid Federation England, drawing inspiration from their Change that Lasts approach. It includes three strands: expert support programme for perpetrators with parallel support for survivors, workforce development and community outreach.
Improving the safety, freedom and wellbeing of adult and child survivors of domestic abuse is a key outcome for our work with perpetrators. The Make a Change model is a multi-partner project offering local areas a framework for delivering perpetrator work. Where feasible, we aim to establish partnerships with local survivor domestic abuse service to deliver parallel support for survivors (referred to as Integrated Support Service) as part the expert support strand.
This is a new and exciting role within the Make a Change team. This exciting new role offers a unique opportunity to join our team at a pivotal moment. As the first person to fill this position, you'll play a key role in shaping its development and collaborating with the team to define its future direction. This is a fantastic time to join us as we grow, and you'll be an integral part of establishing this important function and contributing to our collective and continued success
We are seeking a Make a Change Development Lead to drive the development and innovation plans for the model for 2025-28. This pivotal role will focus on enhancing the three core strands of Make a Change: Expert Support, Workforce Development, and Community Outreach.
This role requires innovation, leadership and collaboration with a range of stakeholders, ensuring these strands work seamlessly together to achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes for individuals and communities.
You will need to think long-term and understand how different components of the programme fit together. Strong leadership skills are necessary to guide teams, inspire collaboration, and make decisions that will influence both the direction of the programme and its day-to-day operations. You will have a passion for innovation and continuous improvement to develop and test new strategies, tools, and methodologies, ensuring that the programme remains dynamic and responsive to changing needs.
This is an exciting opportunity within a creative and proactive team, where members are encouraged to seek out and share learning. The role focuses on continuously developing our work with perpetrators, contributing to the growing evidence base on effective behaviour change and strategies to keep survivors safe.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.