Individual Rights Officer Jobs in Edinburgh

Salary: £38,000 per annum 

Contract: Permanent 

Reports to: Head of Policy and Research

Hours: Full time (40 hours per week including one hour lunch break each day) 

Start date: May 2025 

Location: Home-based (travel costs paid for meetings) 

Annual leave: 27 days FTE per annum plus Bank holidays (22 days FTE per annum whilst the 4 day week is in place) 

Please note that at Waterwise we work a Four Day Week, under voluntary agreements which all staff members sign. This means that you will be contracted and paid as full-time but you will sign a voluntary agreement stating that you commit to employing efficiency tools both individual and team-wide to deliver and be paid for 5 days work within four normal 9 to 5 days - the office is closed on Fridays. Training will be provided and you will be expected to continue to refresh your training and to keep up use of the efficiency tools. Annual leave is also pro rata’d. More information on a Four Day Week can be found here. We can answer any questions you may have about this at interview.

Waterwise 

Waterwise is the leading independent voice in the UK for using water wisely, for the benefit of people and the planet. Our vision is that water is used wisely every day, everywhere, by everyone. We are the UK’s conscience on water efficiency, on behalf of people and the planet, and are experts in water efficiency policy, regulation, research, behaviour and campaigns. Waterwise is a people-led organisation which prioritises the wellbeing of its staff.

Water scarcity is an urgent issue right here, right now, right across the UK - consistent record-breaking high temperatures and low rainfall, and recurring drought, show how climate change and population growth are already putting our water resources under severe pressure, and this challenge is growing. Water efficiency has to be a big part of the solution, and we support and challenge governments, industry, customers and others to be innovative and ambitious on water efficiency. Our work includes campaigns, events, media, policy and regulatory influencing, research projects, stakeholder engagement and services such as Waterwise Training and the Waterwise  Checkmark. We are funded by supporters across and beyond the UK water sector. Our Waterwise Strategic Direction to 2030, published in August 2022, tells you a bit more about us. Our UK Water Efficiency Strategy to 2030 tells you a bit more about our ambition.

At Waterwise we put staff wellbeing first, and our staff surveys show that our team knows, feels and appreciates this. Our values are 

People: We will prioritise staff wellbeing, be an inclusive, kind and positive team. 

Purpose: We will deliver independent and ambitious leadership to drive social and  political change on water efficiency 

Pioneer: We will be forward-thinking and visionary in our approach, being brave and  innovative in challenging the status quo 

Passion: We will campaign to protect water and the planet and work to keep our own  environmental impact as low as possible 

We are always looking for bright, committed people with a diverse set of skills and  experience to help achieve our vision that water is used wisely every day, everywhere, by  everyone. We are a lively, happy, friendly team, and we can’t wait to read your application! 

At Waterwise, we’re committed to driving equity and preventing discrimination at work and in the work we do. Please see more on this below. 

We are also working to reduce Waterwise’s own carbon and environmental footprint. 

Policy Manager role description

You will report to the Head of Policy and Research and be part of a small but growing sub-team leading on our policy advocacy work and winning and delivering water efficiency research projects. 

Key responsibilities in the role include: 

• Supporting and influencing policy development including engaging with policymakers through meetings and consultation responses

• Supporting the delivery the UK Water Efficiency Strategy to 2030 and helping provide secretariat support to the associated forum and groups 

• Leading Waterwise’s work with stakeholders on policy across the UK

• Working with the Head of Policy and Research to maintain a network of relevant stakeholders and supporters across the UK

• Working with communications and marketing colleagues to provide content for blogs, trade media and press

• Working on discrete research projects as and when necessary, including undertaking a project management role on some projects

• Assisting the team with events (e.g. Waterwise annual conference), campaigns (e.g. Water Saving Week) and training

• Attending and speaking at conferences, seminars and meetings to represent Waterwise

• Working with colleagues to develop new funding proposals and providing financial information to the CEO

Other tasks and duties may arise and training will be provided. There will also be an opportunity to develop skills in being interviewed for the media.

The above is not an exhaustive list of activities but hopefully gives you a sense of the role  and requirements. 

Policy Manager person specification

We need someone who is proactive and a self-starter, with excellent communication and organisational skills. You will have a track record in policy and evidence work and/or water sector stakeholder engagement management to join our small, high-powered, influential team. The role involves policy and strategy support, project and programme management and delivery as well as stakeholder engagement. It's a great opportunity to be immersed in the water policy, regulatory and delivery agenda, as well as engage in external meetings and networks.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours

• Experience in influencing and advocating for policy change - including planning and delivering against agreed objectives

• Experience working with external stakeholders

• Experience in supporting delivery of stakeholder groups such as steering groups, task and finish groups, workshops, webinars and conferences

• A good understanding of the UK water industry and, ideally, some experience with water efficiency

• Excellent interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, including policy makers

• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to plan and work proactively to meet deadlines

• Excellent attention to detail 

• Ability to positively promote Waterwise and its work

• Experience in project management such as developing leads and bidding for projects desirable but not essential if a commitment to develop skills in this area

• Ability to work flexibly within a small team that works from home

• Ability to manage own time and prioritise tasks

• Ability to communicate across the team about your work and workload

• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and wellbeing 

• Eligibility to work in the UK

Benefits 

At Waterwise the wellbeing of our employees is our number one priority. To recognise the  fantastic work our team does in driving water efficiency, and to support their wellbeing, we  have a wide range of employee benefits, beyond statutory commitments. These include: 

• Positive, values-based environment and an inclusive culture where it feels safe for  employees to say ‘no’ on grounds of workload 

• Strong emphasis from CEO on wellbeing and workload management 

• Homeworking and a small allowance for occasional shared office working 

• Four Day week - being paid full-time but working 80% of this (or pro rata equivalent), in exchange for using tools to work efficiently - for full-time employees this equates to a day off every week, in addition to annual leave

• Flexible working 

• Part-time working 

• 27 days annual leave per annum for full-time employees (or pro rata equivalent for part-time colleagues), plus Bank Holidays (pro rata’d to 22 days full-time equivalent as we work a Four Day Week)

• Death in service benefit at x2 of salary 

• Paid chartered and professional memberships 

• Individual and team training budgets 

• Maternity leave and maternity adoption leave beyond statutory 

• Childcare costs for activities undertaken outside normal working hours 

• Sickness pay beyond statutory 

Equity, diversity and inclusion 

At Waterwise, we’re committed to driving equity and preventing discrimination at work and in the work we do. We know that simply having a diverse workforce is not enough. We want to create an inclusive environment within Waterwise and in our work and events, where everyone can contribute their best and develop to their full potential. We celebrate and value how different everyone is, and we work hard to ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect. This aligns with our ‘People’ value that we will prioritise staff wellbeing, and will be an inclusive, kind and positive team.

Please see our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement here. 

We are committed to treating all current and prospective employees fairly and to ensuring  that our workplace and employment practices are free from discrimination, harassment or  victimisation on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil  partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We  strongly encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and with different identities and experiences to apply. Everyone in our team has a role to play in helping Waterwise become more diverse and inclusive, and we hope you will join us for this next stage in our journey - for this role we therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be under-represented in Waterwise’s workforce. These include people of the global majority, LGBTQI+ people, and men.

We want to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive of and accessible for everyone.  If you are interested in applying for a role with us and think you may need some additional  support or reasonable adjustments made to any part of the recruitment process, please get  in touch on the email address below.

How to apply 

To apply for this role, you will need to answer role-related questions.  Please provide evidence and examples from your work history or other aspects of your life to  answer the questions and demonstrate how you meet the criteria required. Please refer to the person specification when you are doing this.

Our goal is to remove bias from the hiring process and so rather than asking you for a CV  and cover letter, we have set up role-related questions which will allow us to assess your  approach to a problem and understand what knowledge and skills you have. Your answers  will be anonymised, randomised and reviewed by the selection panel. We will use these  scores to shortlist for interviews. We also think giving feedback is incredibly valuable for  candidates, so at the end of the process, you'll see how well you performed during the  application process.

The closing date for applications is 23:59pm on 16th March 2025. There will be a two-stage interview process. First interviews will be held on 25th March 2025 and second interviews will be held on 9th April 2025.  First interviews will be held online via Zoom and second interviews will be held in person in Birmingham (venue TBC).

We will consider flexible working requests within this role - please state your preferred hours  and working pattern within your application.

Location: To cover the Dorset, Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire area

Working pattern: Remote work with frequent travel required. You will be expected to deliver a face-to-face service to clients in their own home or safe meeting place within the South West area.

Deadline for applications: 16th March (we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications)

Interviews to be conducted: Late March

Start date in role: Late April / early May 2025

 Rare opportunity: Help those affected by road crashes and create lasting change with Brake, the renowned road safety charity.

 Who we are: Brake has been supporting victims of road carnage since 1995, and we're on a mission to prevent future collisions. Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on our roads, impacting lives profoundly.

 Join our team: We're expanding our National Road Victim Service and need a dedicated caseworker to join our dynamic, compassionate team. Your role will involve delivering world-class support services to those at their most vulnerable.

 Not your average job: This isn't a 9 to 5. You could play a significant part in rolling out trauma-informed support services nationwide. Make a real difference in the lives of those affected by road crashes.

 What we offer:

- A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day shutdown period between Christmas and New Year, pro-rata for part-time working patterns)

- Birthday day off

- Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave

- Death in service benefit

- Pension

- Employee Assistance Programme

- A rewarding role with purpose

- Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees 

Who you are: We need passionate, self-starters with a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Your experience in roles within the police, criminal justice, counselling, caseworker or health and social care sectors could make you an ideal candidate.

 Specifically seeking candidates with:

- frontline support service experience

- a full, clean UK driving licence, access to your own transport and are willing to use it for work purposes (we reimburse travelling expenses)

- experience supporting people who have suffered sudden bereavement or working with those with heightened vulnerabilities.

- research and advocacy skills – you will reach out to other organisations to support your cases where required

- competent IT skills for remote work

Join our mission: Your greatest reward will be knowing you've made a positive difference in someone's recovery from psychological trauma.

About us: Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now: If you're up for a new challenge and have the skills, apply now.

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at interview.

A DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service.

Join us today and be part of the solution! 

Title:Policy and Advocacy Manager

Salary:From £40,000 per annum

Contract:Permanent

Hours:37.5 per week (Monday to Friday)

Holiday:25 days per year plus bank holidays 

Location:Home based with travel within / to London and across the UK

Probationary Period:3 months

Reports to:Head of Legal and Policy

Benefits:An additional 3 days holiday between Christmas and New Year, Flexitime policy, 5% pension contribution

Start date:As soon as possible / flexible

We are River Action

We are a small and agile campaigning organisation on a mission to rescue Britain's rivers from a toxic cocktail of agricultural, sewage and industrial pollution. We support community action, galvanise and mobilise public opinion, influence government policy, and call out destructive industrial practices to incentivise changes that end pollution. 

We are building a talented team of positive disrupters and community mobilisers to deliver our strategy to urgently protect and restore our rivers for the benefit of community and wildlife.

Britain’s rivers are our life support system and they are dying. We need urgent action to bring them back to life.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual who shares our passion for protecting rivers to join our team to drive forward our policy and advocacy work. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong policy insights capable of blending analytical problem-solving with intelligent advocacy to drive meaningful change. This role requires someone to have excellent writing skills and the ability to draft complex policy documents as well as top line arguments for wider communication. 

The ideal person will bring a combination of expertise, energy and ideas to amplify our impact, holding decision-makers and polluters accountable with a professional and diplomatic approach. 

If you thrive in fast-paced environments and want to be at the forefront of environmental policy and advocacy, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

As our Policy and Advocacy Manager, you will play a key role in shaping and advancing River Action’s political and policy influence, working closely with the Head of Legal and Policy, Chief Executive and wider team to develop and execute an impactful policy and advocacy strategy.

River Action is the Co-Secretariat for the APPG on Water Pollution, offering our Policy and Advocacy Manager a unique opportunity to shape the policy direction for River Action and also to influence policy development across Parliament. 

You will also work closely with our public affairs agency who manage our daily Westminster activities. 

You will:

• Lead River Action’s policy and advocacy work. 

• Collaborate with River Action’s team and external partners to ensure our collective work is underpinned by robust and forward-thinking policy analysis.

• Develop policy analysis to support campaign, communications and policy strategies, based on a strong evidence base and a sound understanding of the relevant legal and policy frameworks.

• Translate complex policy and evidence into clear messages and compelling campaigns to engage political and policy stakeholders.

• Monitor and analyse political and policy developments, interpreting their implications and opportunities for River Action and its supporters.

• Generate analysis to enable participation in public consultation processes, including drafting high-quality and persuasive consultation responses and briefings for Westminster and Whitehall audiences.

• Increase our political influence with exciting policy interventions, ensuring River Action’s voice is heard at the highest levels of decision-making.

• Build and maintain relationships with key policymakers, civil servants, and partner organisations.

• Support grassroots community groups in engaging with their local representatives for effective advocacy.

• Organise and attend key political meetings and events, including the Water Pollution APPG.

• Manage strategic policy partnerships, including our relationship with Wildlife and Countryside Link and other third-sector organisations.

• Ensure River Action’s policy and advocacy efforts align with our creative campaigns, maximising reach and impact.

You will also:

• Actively engage in professional development and training.

• Adhere to health and safety policies while working in different locations.

• Maintain confidentiality in all areas of work at River Action.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across River Action to collectively deliver our mission while being true to our values. 

UK travel will be required. Training and operational activities may require overnight stays away from home, in which case costs will be covered and standard River Action procedures will apply.

What you’ll bring

The position will suit a self-motivated, strategic and determined person. You will be an excellent communicator, comfortable representing River Action and engaging with diverse stakeholders. You will have a passion to protect and restore our waterways and to hold decision-makers and polluters to account.

Essential knowledge, skills and experience:

• Experience in a similar policy and advocacy role, ideally within the environmental sector. 

• Policy and/or legislative experience, with a good understanding of the workings of the UK government and Parliamentary procedure.

• A good understanding of the UK water industry, the key UK water-related policies and the issues that are impacting our rivers, land and wildlife.

• Excellent communication and writing skills with close attention to detail and the ability to produce concise and persuasive political briefings and consultation responses.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to working with colleagues, stakeholders and partners. 

• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to proactively plan and prioritise work.

• Ability to work flexible hours as necessary.

• A good and supportive team player with a willingness to muck in as and when required.

Why join us?

• Be part of a mission-driven organisation working to restore and protect the UK’s rivers.

• Work at the heart of political and environmental change, influencing decision-makers at the highest levels.

• Work in an agile, supportive and happy work environment where your ideas and expertise will have real impact.

• Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organisation.

Diversity and inclusion

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. So if you like the look of this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with everything in the job description, we’d still love to hear from you. You may be just the right person for this role.

How to apply

To apply, please submit to jobs at riveractionuk dot com with the subject ‘Policy and Advocacy Manager’:

• your CV (2 pages), 

• a cover letter (2 pages) explaining why you want to work for River Action and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role, and 

• a written submission (2 pages) as described below. 

Only applications including all three documents will be accepted. Please provide your documents in pdf format. 

Written submission

Please prepare a 2 page policy briefing for MPs on a current issue affecting the health of UK rivers. Your briefing should be written in a clear, persuasive style suitable for a Parliamentary and government audience and:

• Identify a water-related issue (e.g. agricultural pollution, sewage discharges or water management).

• Provide a concise analysis of the impact on rivers and biodiversity.

• Summarise relevant UK Government policies and legislation.

• Propose two or three practical policy recommendations for decision-makers.

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 23:59 on Sunday 16 March 2025.

Should your application be selected during sift, the next stage will involve a panel interview. You may also be invited to attend a second interview. 

Interviews will be held on 20, 24 and 26 March 2025 via video conference. Some questions will be provided in advance for equity and to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and experience most effectively. 

Please indicate in your covering letter or in a covering email your availability for an interview on those dates. 

If you have any questions about the role or your application, please contact us on jobs at riveractionuk dot com.

Make an Impact: Join us as a Sale and Marketing Executive at NFER
As a Sales and Marketing Executive, you’ll play a crucial role in promoting our assessments, engaging with schools, and driving revenue growth through targeted campaigns. With a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and the chance to work with a globally respected charity, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Salary: £30,000–£34,000 per annum (non-negotiable)
Annual Leave: 30 days plus 4 paid closure days and bank holidays
Pension Contributions: 10% employer contributions
Family Support: Enhanced maternity/parental leave and paid compassionate leave
Flexible Working: Hybrid setup with 1 day a month in Slough office, full-time (35 hours). Also open to flexible working from day 1 including compressed hours and job share.

JOB DESCRIPTION
As a Sales and Marketing Executive, you’ll be at the heart of our collaborative Product Marketing team, working together to engage schools, build lasting relationships, and promote our assessment solutions. You'll be part of a supportive and motivated team that shares ideas, celebrates successes, and works towards a common goal.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a team-oriented environment, is eager to drive revenue, and enjoys building strong customer relationships while delivering creative and effective marketing campaigns.

Key Responsibilities:
• Support sales activities – engage with schools, provide quotes, and manage customer queries.
• Drive marketing campaigns – create compelling content, manage social media, and optimise digital channels.
• Coordinate events – organise webinars, school engagement activities, and product launches.
• Analyse market insights – use data to refine strategies, improve engagement, and enhance product positioning.
• Maintain compliance – ensure GDPR and ethical marketing standards are met.

PERSON SPECIFCATION
Essential Skills and Experience:

• Experience in sales and marketing, preferably within education or a related sector but not essential.
• Strong communication and writing skills – you can create engaging content for diverse audiences.
• Excellent organisational skills – able to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively.
• Confidence with digital platforms – social media, email marketing, Google Ads, and CRM tools.
• Analytical mindset – comfortable working with data and reporting on campaign effectiveness.

Other roles you may have experience of include: Sales executive, Marketing executive, sales and marketing coordinator, CRM executive, junior marketing officer.

WHY NFER?

At NFER, we are recognised globally for providing trusted research, resources and insights that drive meaningful change. By joining us, you’ll contribute to a mission that prioritises impact over profit, working in an environment where collaboration, flexibility, and inclusion are valued.
What we offer:

• A supportive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.
• Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• The chance to make a real difference in the education sector.

APPLICATION PROCESS

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply early. Shortlisting will commence from 17th March 2025.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any adjustments or accommodations at any stage, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to support you and ensure a positive experience. For further details, please review the Job Information Pack.

If you’re ready to bring your skills and passion to a role that makes a difference, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and start your journey with NFER.

Not your average job: This isn't a 9 to 5. You could play a significant part in rolling out trauma-informed support services nationwide. Make a real difference in the lives of those affected by road crashes. 

Location: Covering the North Yorkshire area, you must live in this area or within easy commutable distance.

Hours: 36.25 per week, spread across 5 days, between the hours of 8am–6pm

Reporting to: Regional Case Manager (North)

Working pattern: Remote work with frequent travel required. You will be required to deliver a face-to-face support service to clients in their own home or safe meeting place within North Yorkshire.

Rare opportunity: Help those affected by road crashes and create lasting change with Brake, the renowned road safety charity. 

Who we are: Brake has been supporting victims of road carnage since 1995, and we're on a mission to prevent future collisions. Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on our roads, impacting lives profoundly. 

Join our team: We're expanding our National Road Victim Service and need a dedicated caseworker to join our dynamic, compassionate team. Your role will involve delivering world-class support services to those at their most vulnerable. 

What we offer: 

• A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day shutdown period between Christmas and New Year)

• Birthday day off 

• Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave 

• Death in service benefit 

• Pension 

• Employee Assistance Programme 

• Flexible working 

• A rewarding role with purpose 

• Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees  

Who you are: We need passionate, self-starters with a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Your experience in roles within the police, criminal justice, counselling, caseworker or health and social care sectors could make you an ideal candidate.

Specifically seeking candidates with: 

• frontline support service experience 

• a full, clean UK driving licence, access to your own transport and are willing to use it for work purposes (we reimburse travelling expenses) 

• experience supporting people who have suffered sudden bereavement or working with those with heightened vulnerabilities. 

• research and advocacy skills – you will reach out to other organisations to support your cases where required 

• competent I.T skills for remote work 

Join our mission: Your greatest reward will be knowing you've made a positive difference in someone's recovery from psychological trauma. 

About us: Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you. 

Apply now: If you're up for a new challenge and have the skills, apply now. 

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at interview. 

A DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service. 

Join us today and be part of the solution! 

We are recruiting for an exciting new role:

• Participation and Networks Coordinator. 
• 28 hours per week at £15.00 an hour (Actual salary £21,840 -FTE £27,300).
• Fully remote with occasional prearranged in person meetings

This job is essentially about facilitating great conversations and then making sure that the learning from those conversations has real life impact. It’s a special role and will influence everything we do as an organisation - so we are keen to have someone really fantastic in it. Every day will be different in this role but you will be responsible for:

• Growing and managing our network groups, including those for researchers, universities, professionals, support groups, PDAers themselves & family members.
• Noticing themes that emerge, and bringing together people from across networks to take action. This will include co- producing research, written information, video/podcasts and convening groups who are trying to influence change.
• Encouraging people in networks to understand and use their power and influence, resulting in more and better research about PDA, new ways to share best practice, and a better understanding of PDA generally.
• Managing and supporting change projects alongside people in networks.

To do this role, you’ll need to understand PDA, and be an enthusiastic, inclusive and engaging facilitator. You’ll need to be self- organised, trustworthy and good with deadlines. Excellent writing skills, the ability to adjust your communication style to meet the needs of your audience, as well as the ability to use or quickly learn to use different software are also essential. In addition you will have the skills to be able to credibly and effectively design and push forward projects involving everyone we work with, treating everybody with respect.