Public affairs jobs

Who we are

IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) is a national charity working to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the educational support they are legally entitled to. Since we were formed in 1983, we have helped to improve the education experience of thousands of children and young people across England. We do this by providing free and independent legal advice and casework support for families, undertaking policy work and delivering training on the SEND legal framework.

What you’ll do

Reports to: Chief Executive

Location: Home-based or Hybrid (with frequent travel for events and meeting with parliamentarians and other stakeholders) 

We are seeking a Policy Manager to lead IPSEA's policy and influencing work to achieve positive change for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Head of Legal and Training, trustees and colleagues across the organisation, you will set strategic policy priorities and develop evidence-based influencing plans that support IPSEA's mission and long-term objectives.

Drawing on insights from our advice and tribunal services, legal expertise and the experiences of families, you will identify systemic issues within the SEND system and develop policy solutions that improve children and young people's access to the support and education to which they are entitled. You will ensure that IPSEA's policy positions are credible, legally robust and informed by the lived experiences of those we support.

You will lead IPSEA's engagement with government, Parliament and other key decision-makers, identifying opportunities to influence legislation, policy and practice at both national and local level. This includes overseeing responses to consultations, parliamentary inquiries and calls for evidence, as well as preparing briefings and strategic advice to support senior-level engagement and advocacy.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across legal, communications, fundraising and training teams, you will ensure IPSEA's policy, campaigning and public affairs activities are aligned and maximise the organisation's impact. You will also monitor developments across the political, legal and policy landscape, helping IPSEA respond proactively to emerging opportunities and challenges affecting the rights of children and young people with SEND.

This role offers the opportunity to make a real difference as part of a small, friendly, and dedicated team. If you are passionate about helping children and young people with SEND and have the skills and experience needed, we would love to hear from you.

Who are we looking for?

You will have significant experience in a senior policy and campaigning/public affairs role and have good knowledge of local and national government structure including the legislative process.

You the ability to build and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders including MPs, civil servants, campaigners and parents. You exhibit tact and diplomacy and can be impactful with people of varying levels and experience.

Your research and critical thinking skills enable you to analyse policy and data to produce relevant reports and position papers. You have experience of drafting organisation responses to government consultations and parliamentary calls for evidence.

IPSEA should also reflect the communities we support. We would particularly like to hear from candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people, under-served communities and disabled people, as well as those with lived experience of the SEND system, either as a child or as a parent/carer.

What we can offer you

• 5% employer pension contributions
• Healthcare cash plan
• Flexible working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus an additional day off for your birthday (pro-rata if part-time).

To apply

Visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form.

Deadline for applications: 9am on 7 September 2026.

First-round interviews: on 15 September 2026 in our offices in Takeley, Essex, with second-round interviews (online) on 18 September 2026.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE.

Liberty is looking for a mission-focussed, bold and strategic leader with strong political instincts to step into the exciting role of Director of External Affairs.

Liberty has launched an ambitious new strategy in a rapidly changing external environment, where existential threats to human rights and civil liberties give our work a renewed sense of urgency. 

Leading our external relations directorate, you will work across policy and public affairs, communications and engagement, and legal, to deliver our strategy, shape national debate, influence decision-makers, and strengthen Liberty’s reputation as a trusted, principled and independent voice on human rights and civil liberties. You will build influential and impactful relationships with government, decision-makers, think tanks, NGOs and media partners, and explore new partnerships across other sectors to broaden our impact and reach. 

You will have the experience and skills to lead and inspire teams, embed effective cross-team systems and practice, and deliver high-impact work in a fast-paced and challenging external context. 

You will have exceptional delivery skills, as well as demonstrable experience delivering through and across external-facing functions in multi-disciplinary and complex mission-driven, values-based organisations, balancing both longer-term proactive work as well as reactive work. You will need to demonstrate exceptional political judgement and insight, a proven track record of influencing, and strong experience of managing organisational risk in a fast-paced, complex and sometimes hostile external context. You will have an excellent grasp of detail as well as the ability to communicate complex issues well to a wide variety of stakeholders, including as a leading spokesperson for Liberty. 

As a member of a small Senior Leadership Team, you will be delivering organisation-wide work for which you will need demonstrable experience of leading and delivering complex internal work, excellent communications skills, the confidence and experience to embed a values-based approach across organisational functions, and the ability to work collaboratively and in an agile way in a small leadership team. 

Liberty fully embraces flexible working and is committed to employee development.We aim to encourage people from all backgrounds to work with us and are particularly interested in hearing from people from minority backgrounds and all socio-economic sections of society.Liberty supports hybrid working, and there is a minimum office requirement of 2 days per week however, the Senior Leadership Team typically work from the office at least 3 days per week.

The deadline for applications is 9am, Monday 14 September 2026

Please be aware that we do not accept CVs for this role. All applicants must complete the application form to apply.

First round interviews will be held online on Tuesday 22 September 2026

Second round interview will be held in person on Friday 2 October 2026

Please note that due to team capacity we cannot offer alternative interview dates so please do ensure you hold these dates before you apply.

Role: Habitats and Fisheries Campaign Officer

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Location: Hybrid working. Cornwall or London office three days per week, home working two days per week.

Job Purpose

Oceana is looking for a talented and motivated campaign officer to join our team at a critical and exciting moment for our campaigns.

The role will support our Campaign Manager to deliver measurable progress to ensure the UK’s marine protected areas are fully protected from heavy industry such as industrial bottom trawling and dredging.  You will also be focused on delivering campaign actions aimed at ending overfishing, once and for all. You will help Oceana embed its role as a leading organisation in the marine NGO space in the UK, and drive forward bold campaign actions that inspire meaningful and long-lasting change. 

Eligible candidates should have some experience in campaigning, but we’re equally looking for passion, motivation and a drive to protect the ocean. You should be a self-starter, with a strong ability to work independently and as part of a small team.

The position will be hybrid, based three days per week (Tues-Thurs) in Oceana’s UK offices in Newquay, Cornwall or Paddington, London. Regular national, and occasional international, travel will be required to meet team members and stakeholders in geographically diverse locations, including Washington, Dc

Responsibilities 

• Support the delivery of Oceana’s campaigns on protecting marine habitats and ending overfishing, working with the campaign manager and other colleagues.
• Co-ordinate specific campaign actions within our Habitats and Overfishing campaigns, and draft campaign letters, assets and briefings as directed by the Campaign Manager.
• Commission and coordinate consultants to produce creative campaigning outputs, working closely with the rest of the team. 
• Support the development and delivery of engaging digital campaign actions, contributing to concept development and creating campaign actions through Engaging Networks and other digital platforms.
• Support the effective convening of diverse stakeholders, coordinating logistics, undertaking administrative tasks, and organising online and in-person meetings and events.
• Support public affairs engagement activities, including liaising with parliamentary offices, drafting correspondence and parliamentary questions, and attending stakeholder meetings.
• Monitor parliamentary activity across campaign areas and maintain accurate, up-to-date records within the parliamentary engagement database.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the political climate, and latest science and policy developments, around fisheries and marine habitat protection.
• Gather and catalogue evidence and insights to support lobbying and campaign actions, and public mobilisation.
• Work closely with the UK Communications team at Oceana to ensure that all campaign communications are in line with Oceana’s brand, campaign goals, science, and evidence.
• Actively participate in key policy and campaign events to defend and advance Oceana campaign goals.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with external stakeholders, helping to advance Oceana's campaign objectives with audiences ranging from supporters and community groups to policymakers.
• Represent Oceana externally in relevant networks, with partners and in the media as needed.
• Regularly monitor campaign progress in line with agreed KPIs and contribute to wider organisational monitoring and evaluation processes as required.
• Contribute to annual internal campaign planning cycle.
• Other campaign and administrative tasks as required to support the campaigns team.
• Other responsibilities as appropriate and necessary to achieve campaign and organisational objectives.

Candidate Requirements

   Education and work experience:

• At least two years of professional experience in campaigning or a related field.
• Experience supporting successful public campaigns that directly challenge policy makers. 
• Familiarity with marine and climate issues, regulations and policies in the UK, as well as with key institutions and decision-making processes. 
• Experience working with or coordinating NGO networks/coalitions on a campaign issue. 
• Degree-level qualification in any subject, or equivalent experience, with a demonstrated interest in campaigning, public affairs, communications, advocacy, or environmental issues (desirable but not essential).

   Skills and knowledge

• Strong written communication skills, including drafting briefings, correspondence and campaign materials.
• Research and analytical skills, including the ability to synthesise complex information and identify key insights.
• Understanding of UK parliamentary and political processes.
• Ability to confidently communicate campaign messages to a wide range of stakeholders. 
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, and ability to work collaboratively with staff and other organisations.
• Strong co-ordination skills, with demonstrable experience effectively supporting multiple workstreams and prioritising multiple tasks, projects and timelines.
• Good understanding of the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and a proven commitment to improving these in the environmental space. 
• Integrity and the ability to work with confidential information with discretion.
• A passion for UK seas and delivering a healthy ocean in general. 

Application Deadline: 13 September 2026 

Interviews: From 24 September 2026

Policy Engagement Manager - 12-month Fixed Term Contract

At The National Lottery Community Fund we are passionate about strengthening communities and improving lives.  We are driven by our strategy, ‘It starts with community’ and its four community-led missions, as well as our equity-based approach to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.

To help us in supporting our communities in Wales, we are now looking for a motivated Policy Engagement Manager with a strong understanding of the social policy context, and the environment in which our grantholders operate.  You will play a key role in shaping and strengthening our engagement with government, voluntary and community sector organisations, and funding partners. Working closely with the Head of Policy and Engagement in Wales, you will help build influential relationships, provide strategic policy insight, and ensure that the experiences of communities inform our funding and development priorities. You will play a key role in enabling the Fund to use our insight, position and influence in Wales to celebrate and promote the power and expertise of communities.

Key Responsibilities

As Policy Engagement Manager, you will be an excellent relationship-builder with a strong understanding of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. You will be comfortable working across complex stakeholder environments and translating policy developments into practical insight, including providing insight and policy context to inform medium and long-term funding initiatives across the UK.

You will develop a thorough understanding of the policy environment relating to our four community-led missions and our commitment to addressing poverty, discrimination and disadvantage through an equity-based approach. 

You will maintain a broad understanding of the political and social context in which our grantholders operate, convening grantholders and stakeholders to explore shared challenges and opportunities. We’re looking for someone who is values-driven, passionate about the Fund’s purpose and deeply committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We invite you to join our team and contribute your skills and experience to creating lasting change for communities and society.

Regular travel around Wales is expected, as well as some travel to other parts of the UK to connect with colleagues.  We offer a flexible and supportive working environment and an excellent all-round benefits package.

The successful candidate must have an understanding of Welsh language legislation and the Welsh Language Standards of the Fund. Ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable.

Interview Details:

Date: 21 September 2026

Format: In Person

Location: Cardiff, Wales

Our office is in Cardiff, but we are flexible about location within Wales. We have a hybrid approach to working.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the recruitment team.

For any questions about the recruitment process, please email the recruitment team.

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential criteria

• Experience of engaging with government, public sector, VCSE or funding stakeholders.
• A strong grasp and knowledge of the policy environment and the developing issues and themes relevant to our Missions and grantholders in Wales.
• Experience of analysing and interpreting policy and political developments.
• Demonstrable strategic influencing skills
• Strong communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and contribute to strategic planning and development.
• Understanding of the use of digital tools and systems to manage relationships, share information and support policy development.
• Experience of project management

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

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

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

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

We are looking for someone who has experience devising and implementing successful PR and communication plans and can connect, communicate and collaborate confidently with a diverse range of audiences. 

The role requires someone who can use a range of communications channels to grow organisational reach and brand and has experience of crisis communications management. 

You will be proactive, organised and able to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines, with a strong commitment to SJAC’s values alongside having excellent written and verbal communication, copywriting and influencing skills. 

Finally, you will have extensive copywriting experience across print and online channels, be confident monitoring budgets and contributing to financial forecasting and have experience of proactively working with national and regional media to secure positive coverage.

Are you passionate about using research and evidence to influence climate policy and support local and strategic authorities to deliver their climate targets? Do you enjoy working across research, policy and stakeholder engagement in a collaborative, mission-driven organisation? Are you interested in data and impact? Then you could be UK100's new Research and Insights Officer!

You will support the delivery of UK100's research programme, helping to design and deliver projects that generate practical insights for local government. From conducting desk research and stakeholder interviews to producing reports, you'll help turn evidence into actionable recommendations that support ambitious climate action.

You'll also play a key role in translating research into policy and advocacy, through monitoring policy developments and helping to coordinate member networks and working groups. You'll lead on tracking the impact of our programmes by gathering evidence and maintaining organisational knowledge and data systems.

Research programme delivery:

• Support the Research Manager across UK100’s research, policy and member engagement workstreams, contributing to the development and delivery of projects and outputs aligned with organisational priorities and strategic objectives.
• Support the delivery of a research project focused on improving energy performance in the private rented sector. This will include stakeholder and policy mapping, coordination of qualitative fieldwork with local authorities and key stakeholders, and contributing to the development of outputs such as reports.
• Support the broader research programme through activities such as stakeholder interviews, desk-based research, and the development of research tools including surveys, questionnaires, discussion guides and workshop materials.

Policy, advocacy and parliamentary engagement:

• Translate research insights and evidence into policy and advocacy outputs.This includes monitoring relevant legislation, inquiries and policy developments; contributing to consultation responses and policy briefings; and identifying opportunities for engagement.
• Support engagement with parliamentarians and government departments, helping to organise roundtables and meetings that enable members to share evidence and insights with decision-makers.

Impact tracking:

• Lead the tracking and demonstration of UK100's impact, including gathering qualitative and quantitative evidence of our work's outcomes, speaking with member councils about the difference our support has made, and developing case studies that capture and communicate this impact.
• Support the development and maintenance of UK100’s CRM database, website and Knowledge Hub, using data and insights to help track, and demonstrate organisational impact.

Member engagement:

• Support member engagement networks and working groups, including agenda setting, meeting coordination, development of materials, and ongoing administrative support to ensure effective delivery against timelines and objectives.

Communications and dissemination:

• Support the dissemination of research and policy outputs across UK100's network and wider stakeholder base through social media, events, email communications, and contributions to the newsletter.
• Organise and support UK100’s presence at internal/external events, and positively contribute to raising UK100's profile in line with our guidance on branding, tone of voice and key messages.

Job Specification:

Essential Criteria:

• Understanding of research methods
• Knowledge of UK public policy and policymaking processes.
• Experience supporting research projects from planning to delivery and producing written outputs such as reports or briefings.
• Experience coordinating meetings or workshops
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders and managing competing priorities.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Excellent organisational and project coordination skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external stakeholders.
• Committed to the vision, mission and values of UK100

Desirable Criteria:

• Understanding of the structures and functions of local government in the UK
• Awareness of climate, energy efficiency, or sustainability policy issues.
• Familiarity with communications and public affairs.
• Experience working in a policy, research, think tank, charity, or local government environment.
• Experience collecting and analysing impact or evaluation data.

First interviews will take place online across the 22nd and 23rd of September.

For more information, please read the attached recruitment pack.

About the role:

We are seeking a Communications and Engagement Officer to support our Policy and Public Affairs team and lead on engaging with our members. You will be the main point of contact for our members and support our Policy team to mobilise the collective voice of our membership to influence public policy and drive long-lasting, systemic change. The successful candidate will be competent in digital technology, have a passion for human rights, equality and social justice, some experience or knowledge of public policy and/or human rights and equality frameworks, and strong interpersonal, communication and organisational skills. 

This is a varied role that would suit a candidate with a broad range of skills and interests. Each day is likely to be different and might include drafting communications material, supporting a submission to a government consultation or arranging and servicing member meetings. 

About the organisation:

Equally Ours (previously the Equality and Diversity Forum) is a UK charity that brings together people and organisations working across equality, human rights and social justice to make a reality of these in everyone’s lives. 

Through its members and networks, Equally Ours joins up research, policy and communications to shift public opinion and policy in positive and powerful ways. This is an exciting and pivotal time for us. Our 10-year strategy, Together for social justice, sets out our bold agenda to increase equality and strengthen rights at scale in the areas of law, climate and investment. 

Our policy work supports our membership of networks, communities and grassroots groups across the UK to influence public policy and decision-making.

We are a small team, which means you will have the opportunity to work closely with colleagues across the organisation and gain experience of a wide range of activities involved in running a small membership charity. You will support different aspects of our day-to-day work and have opportunities to learn from colleagues with expertise across policy, public affairs, engagement, operations, finance and programme delivery. You can find out more about our team on the 'about us' page of our website.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Membership engagement 

• Support potential new members through our member application process, prepare applications for review by the board 

• Arrange inductions with new members, including arranging induction meetings between senior staff and CEOs

• Organise regular members’ meetings, contacting and liaising with speakers from across our membership and research networks, as well as parliamentarians and other policy-makers. 

• Ensure all our methods of engagement (meetings, events, comms, web content, etc) are accessible, liaising with participants, suppliers, venues, etc to ensure that access needs are met 

• Maintain our member and research network contact lists and support the Head of Policy and Engagement in maintaining contact lists for parliamentary contacts, using Mailchimp 

• Take ownership of longer-term projects to support and improve our membership engagement offer 

• Use membership engagement to support the wider team in its long-term efforts to protect the equality and human rights legal framework 

Communications and Engagement 

• Draft and send member updates regularly, informing our members about opportunities for collaboration, and upcoming meetings and events 

• Draft and send newsletters to our audience of 5,000, providing updates on the work of our membership as well as news and updates from government and public bodies 

• Draft and schedule LinkedIn and other social media posts to share information about our work and that of our members. 

• Update and manage the website with any relevant news or information. 

• Monitor and report on engagement levels with our newsletters, member updates, social and web content, suggesting areas for improvement. 

• Use communications tools and techniques to mobilise support for the protection of the equality and human rights legal framework. 

Policy and team support 

• Organise meetings and events; including timelines, sending invites and reminders, speaker liaison, logistics and planning. 

• Draft meeting agendas and send along with any supporting documentation in advance of any meetings. 

• Take the minutes at various meetings, summarise for distribution, and follow up on any actions. 

• Monitor and report on the attendance levels of our members’ meetings, working group meetings and events. 

• Draft and administer satisfaction and impact surveys, and report on the results. 

• Support the wider team to conduct its policy influencing work for example, through government consultations and correspondence with policy makers. 

Person Specification (Essential Skills and Experience):

Communication skills:

• Very strong oral and written communication skills, coupled with an ability to communicate with tact and diplomacy.

• An ability to quickly adapt to our unique tone of voice in your communications, ensuring that your language and tone are accessible and sensitive to the topics being written about.

• A willingness to understand and adopt a human rights-based approach in your language, understanding the power of words and how they might uplift or diminish people.

Organisational skills:

• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

• Strong attention to detail whilst maintaining the ability to work quickly and responsively. 

• Demonstrable experience of using platforms such as Eventbrite and Microsoft Teams to manage large meetings and online events, and Microsoft SharePoint for file management. 

Interpersonal skills:

• The ability to liaise and engage with people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and create and sustain positive, collaborative relationships.

• High levels of emotional intelligence and resilience including an ability to hold and manage difficult feelings and conversations with tact and sensitivity. 

• Understanding and ability to manage how privilege and inequality can impact in the workplace for yourself, colleagues and external stakeholders. 

Professional skills and experience: 

• Equality and Human Rights: a passion for human rights, equality and social justice and a drive to support systems change in order to support communities and people who experience disadvantage and discrimination. 

• Content creation and management: experience of drafting engaging content for a range of audiences and through a range of channels, using Wordpress, Mailchimp, and Canva. 

• Experience in or strong understanding of accessibility and inclusion; ensuring that communications and events are accessible to people with a range of conditions.

• Confidentiality and safeguarding: A good understanding of GDPR principles, ensuring people’s privacy is protected where necessary, and experience of or ability to work within our safeguarding policy. 

• An understanding of, or a willingness to learn about, how public policy is developed in the UK and the importance of civic engagement in building public policy and legislation 

Personal qualities 

• Initiative and growth mindset: the ability to identify and act on opportunities. 

• A flexible and collaborative approach, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and support a range of projects in response to organisational needs. 

• Commitment to embed anti-racism across all aspects of our work. 

Please read the full application pack attached before applying. You must be signed into your CharityJob candidate account to access and view this document.

Please note we will only accept applications that include a cover letter.

Application Instructions

Please submit a CV and cover letter (max 5000 character) explaining your interest in this role by 11pm on 11 September. Ensure that you address all the criteria, providing sufficient relevant evidence, including examples, to show how your skills and experience match those required in the person specification. 

If you would like to apply under the guaranteed interview scheme, please review the criteria on the last page of the job pack, and then contact us so we can provide further details.

Policy Engagement Manager - 12-month Fixed Term Contract

At The National Lottery Community Fund we are passionate about strengthening communities and improving lives.  We are driven by our strategy, ‘It starts with community’ and its four community-led missions, as well as our equity-based approach to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.

To help us in supporting communities in Scotland, we are now looking for a motivated Policy Engagement Manager with a strong understanding of the social policy context in Scotland, and the environment in which our grantholders operate. You will play a key role in shaping and strengthening our engagement with government, voluntary and community sector organisations, and funding partners. Working closely with the Head of Policy Engagement in Scotland, you will help build influential relationships, provide strategic policy insight, and ensure that the experiences of communities inform our funding and development priorities. You will play a key role in enabling the Fund to use our insight, position and influence in Scotland to celebrate and promote the power and expertise of communities.

Key Responsibilities

As Policy Engagement Manager, you will be an excellent relationship-builder with a strong understanding of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. You will be comfortable working across complex stakeholder environments and translating policy developments into practical insight, including providing insight and policy context to inform medium and long-term funding initiatives across the UK.

You will develop a thorough understanding of the policy environment relating to our four community-led missions and our commitment to addressing poverty, discrimination and disadvantage through an equity-based approach. 

You will maintain a broad understanding of the policy and social context in which our grantholders operate, convening grantholders and stakeholders to explore shared challenges and opportunities. We’re looking for someone who is values-driven, passionate about the Fund’s purpose and deeply committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We invite you to join our team and contribute your skills and experience to creating lasting change for communities and society.

Regular travel around Scotland is expected, as well as some travel to other parts of the UK to connect with colleagues.  We offer a flexible and supportive working environment and an excellent all-round benefits package.

Interview Details

Date: 17th September 2026

Format: In Person

Location: Glasgow -  We have a hybrid approach to working.

We will be hosting a briefing session  on Wednesday 26th August at 1 pm. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the role, gain insight into the team and key responsibilities, and ask any questions you may have. To register or ask any questions please email the recruitment team.

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential Criteria

• Experience of engaging with government, public sector, VCSE or funding stakeholders.
• A strong grasp and knowledge of the policy environment and the developing issues and themes relevant to our Missions and grantholders in Scotland.
• Experience of analysing and interpreting policy and political developments.
• Demonstrable strategic influencing skills.
• Strong communication including written communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and contribute to strategic planning and development.
• Understanding of the use of digital tools and systems to manage relationships, share information and support policy development.
• Experience of project management

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

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

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

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

For over 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been building a better childhood for all.

We are currently recruiting a Policy and Communications Coordinator to join our Policy and Communications team on a two-year fixed-term contract.

Policy and Communications Coordinator
Contract: 2-year fixed term
Work Pattern: 35 hours per week. (1 FTE). We are open to flexible hours and working patterns, including accommodating part-time and compressed hours where possible.
Salary: £31,000 per annum
Location: London Fields, London E8 3PN. NCB promotes a hybrid, flexible way of working with 1 day working in the office if based in London

About the Role

The Policy and Communications Coordinator plays a key role in helping NCB drive positive change for children and young people across the UK, by supporting the delivery key elements of policy, public affairs, and communications work. This role supports the development and delivery of high-quality and impactful policy outputs, communications and campaigns, to enhance our visibility and impact, bringing lived and learned experiences to the heart of our influencing work.

Supporting cross-NCB coordination by working across teams and Specialist Membership Groups, the Coordinator will grow and maintain vibrant, diverse and engaged memberships, and help ensure NCB’s voice is clear, timely, and influential across the policy arena and public conversation.

We are particularly interested to hear from candidates with an interest in wellbeing, belonging and anti-bullying, as these will be key areas that the post-holder will focus on. NCB's Policy and Communications team also works across a range of other issues such as SEND, health, social care, poverty and justice.

What you’ll be doing:

Communications and digital engagement:

• Support the delivery of integrated communications and campaigns that amplify the voices of children, young people and families.
• Draft, design, and schedule engaging, accessible content across a range of digital channels, including social media, website, sector-facing briefings, newsletters and e-marketing content.
• Monitor news coverage, maintain a media contact database, and draft media statements and press releases to secure national and regional coverage.
• Work closely with our networks and advisory groups to ethically gather, produce, and share powerful case studies and testimonials that highlight lived experiences of our areas of work.
• Maintain digital assets, ensuring all case studies and images are ethically sourced with informed consent and stored securely.
• Monitor, analyse and report on monthly digital analytics to optimise website traffic, social media performance and sector newsletter open rates.
• Develop and maintain membership processes for external networks and groups.
• Coordinate logistics for cross-sector membership groups, campaign launches, sector webinars, and network-wide stakeholder events.

Policy and public affairs:

• Monitor UK policy and parliamentary activity, announcements and sector trends to flag advocacy opportunities or policy risks for our networks.
• Summarise complex policy documents, legislation, and research reports into clear and concise briefings for internal teams, sector partners and member, and to support engagement of lived experience groups.
• Contribute to the development of high-quality consultation responses, position statements, and briefings for civil servants, MPs, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate policy activities across NCB projects and networks, including our work involving members, children and young people.
• Support the organisation of parliamentary events, roundtables and stakeholder meetings.
• Support the development of positive relationships including Parliamentarians, politicians and officials in central and local government, and other key stakeholders.
• Support secretariat work and parliamentary engagement for All-Party Parliamentary Groups.
• Maintain up-to-date records of key stakeholders including policymakers, parliamentarians, officials, and sector contacts.

We are looking for someone who brings:

• A genuine interest in policy, public affairs and communications.
• An understanding of issues affecting children and young people in the UK.
• Knowledge of UK government, policymaking and parliamentary structures and processes.
• A personal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice, particularly in anti-racism and anti-ableism.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with people from a range of backgrounds and build collaborative working relationships.
• Strong organisational, administrative and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Excellent written communication skills, with experience of producing high-quality content for different audiences and purposes, including briefings, reports, digital content or stakeholder communications.
• Experience of creating content for digital channels, including websites, newsletters and social media in a professional context.
• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to identify, interpret and synthesise information from a range of sources accurately and clearly.
• Commitment to involving children, young people and adults with lived experience, in effective, ethical and evidence-based ways.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and experience using databases, websites and digital systems.

About NCB

For more than 60 years, the National Children’s Bureau has championed the rights and amplified the voice of children and young people in the UK. We interrogate policy and uncover evidence, blending in lived and learnt experience to shape future legislation and develop more effective ways of supporting children and families.

Bringing people and organisations together is fundamental to how we improve the systems that babies, children, young people and their families rely on to thrive. We push boundaries, even looking beyond childhood itself to consider transitions into adulthood and the impact of childhood issues on an entire lifespan. We are united for better childhoods and brighter futures.

The Benefits

• 30 Days Annual Leave
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexible Working
• Winter Holiday Closure & Break
• Employee Assistance Programme

Applications close at 08:00am on Tuesday 1st September 2026.
Assessments and interviews to be conducted during the week commencing 7th September 2026.
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are actively seeking to broaden the diversity of our staff group and warmly welcome applications from candidates underrepresented in the charity sector, including those from Black and Global Majority communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with lived experience of the issues NCB works on.

No agencies please.

About the role

The policy officer is based in our policy, evidence and influencing team. They support our vital work to create change for people with breast cancer across the UK.

The policy officer supports our policy development work by building knowledge of key policy issues, drafting policy materials and helping with the generation of evidence and insight to shape our work. They work closely with public affairs and campaigns colleagues to develop and deliver influencing strategies to support our policy calls.

They work with others across Breast Cancer Now to inform our policy development, provide advice on key areas of policy and keep everyone informed about our work. They also work with other organisations to influence on shared priorities.

About you

You’ll have experience of policy development work, including developing written briefings, working with supporters and analysing evidence and insight to support policy development.

You’ll be an excellent communicator, who can translate complex information into accessible language. And you’ll have great interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with others including people with breast cancer and the public.

You’ll be organised, able to coordinate projects, and able to prioritise work effectively under pressure. You’ll need to work effectively as a member of a team.

We’re particularly interested in candidates with experience of the charity sector and a good understanding of the current health policy landscape.

Job description and benefits

The job description and our attractive benefits are available for you to download.

Primary location of role and hybrid working

This role is primarily based in our London office. Our hybrid working model allows you to work up to 3 days per week at home.

The salary range is: £30,757 to £31,000

When applying

We hope you choose to apply for this role. To support your application, you’ll be asked to submit your anonymised CV and a supporting statement. Please refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and clearly provide as much information as you can with examples, to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who
we support.

We reserve the right to close this advert early. Therefore, to avoid disappointment please submit your application as soon as possible, if you’re interested in this opportunity.

Closing date Tuesday 8 September 2026 11:59 pm

Interview date Thursday 17 September 2026

About Malaria No More UK

Malaria is one of the oldest killer diseases in history; even now, despite recent progress, it claims the life of a child every minute. Malaria No More UK is part of a global movement that is determined to make this the generation that beats this killer. To realise this vision, we need to mobilise governments, influencers, businesses and the public, inspiring them to commit funds, energy and resources to ending deaths from malaria and wiping out the disease for good.

Role description

Malaria No More UK is looking to appoint a highly motivated Senior Advocacy Officer to join our team and help implement our advocacy strategies. Working with both our UK and global advocacy, you will cultivate a new generation of malaria champions and push malaria up the political agenda. This role will work on increasing our visibility and the resonance of our case with key stakeholders, including decision makers in the UK and around the world. Securing increased support will be vital to global efforts to accelerate progress towards ending malaria for good within a generation. We are looking for a confident communicator with strong project management skills and a good understanding of political advocacy.

Key responsibilities

• Providing project management support for a range of projects relating to our UK and global advocacy, including acting as project lead on agreed projects.
• Strategic stakeholder mapping, including building and maintaining relationships with UK parliamentarians and keeping contact records in our database updated on a regular basis. 
• Lead the delivery of high-quality events for policy and political audiences, including at the UK party conferences, and international meetings.
• Daily monitoring of the global malaria landscape and UK parliamentary activities and keeping the team informed of relevant developments and engagement opportunities.
• Drafting of political briefings on key policy areas within malaria and global health.
• Providing administrative support relating to our UK and global advocacy, including the coordination of stakeholder mailings, updating our contact management system (Salesforce), scheduling and attending meetings, and taking minutes.
• Managing relationships with scientists working on malaria and providing them with advocacy insight through our UK Malaria Technical Expert Collective.
• Identifying opportunities to engage political decision-makers and new malaria champions in the UK. 

Person specification

Essential

• Strong commitment to the mission and values of MNMUK
• Demonstrated experience working in a parliamentary, advocacy or campaigning role.
• A degree, or equivalent experience. Strong verbal and written communication skills, with high attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholder relationships confidently and independently.
• Experience of managing events and providing logistical support.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, manage workload independently and work to tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of UK parliamentary procedures and strong interest in politics and international development.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.  
• Ability to work well within a team and willingness to take on a range of tasks as necessary.
• Ability to exhibit diplomacy, tact, and discretion.

Desirable

• Knowledge of malaria and/or global health policy.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced NGO environment.
• Experience of contact management and working with databases.

Staff benefits include:

• 10% employer pension contributions.
• 28 days’ annual leave plus public holiday days in the postholders country of residence, and organisation-wide closure over the Christmas period to ensure everyone enjoys a meaningful break.
• Private medical insurance may be available for non-UK residents depending on the postholders country of residence.
• Subsidised gym membership
• Fully flexible working opportunities
• Interest-free staff season ticket loan and bicycle loan schemes.
• Continuing personal development opportunities.
• Professional training & qualifications subsidy.

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Officer

Salary:  £29,500 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at:     Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours:                  5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension:   School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday:      31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To deliver Nourish in 15 primary schools in Hertfordshire over 2 years in a delivery team of two Project Officers and a Project Assistant.

Key tasks include

· Support with recruitment of schools to take part in Nourish

· Complete in person food audits in schools looking across the whole school day

· Support schools to create and deliver a food improvement plan (action plan)

· Develop and deliver workshops in schools to staff, parents and students based on their action plan (e.g. assemblies, cooking sessions, school food standards training, packed lunch advice, food ed/sensory tasting sessions)

· Support schools to write a school food policy

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools to improve the food they offer their students

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Work closely with University of Hertfordshire and our Evaluation team to complete all monitoring and evaluation

· Work in collaboration with Hertfordshire project delivery team

· Gather content for our comms team (website and social media platforms)

· Keep Scaling Manager fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time.  Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person specification

Essential

· Registered nutritionist or advanced understanding of nutritional guidelines and health promotion

· Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building relationships

· Confident engaging with a variety of audiences (students, headteachers, school staff and parents), including communications via email, virtual and face to face meetings with the ability to deliver workshops & presentations

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Able to work independently and remote

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

· Ability to work in a team and seek help when needed

Desirable

· Experience of engaging and working with schools and/or communities

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Knowledge in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

Job Title: Head of Communications: Maternity Cover

Location: London/Hybrid 2 days a week in office

Salary: £70,700.00 per annum

Weekly Hours: 35

Reference: YMC1231934

About Us

Founded in 1844, YMCA is a global movement and the world's largest youth-focused charity.  In England and Wales, YMCAs are based in over 700 communities across168 local authorities supporting young people and communities to reach their potential. The turnover of YMCA in 2025-26 was £386m. YMCA England & Wales is a £23 million organisation of more than 400 colleagues, supporting a Federation of 80 local YMCAs to deliver vital services which positively impact young lives across the country. As we enter 2027, a year of significant impact in our mission, we seek a Head of Communications for maternity cover.

The opportunity

As Head of Communications, you'll lead YMCA England & Wales' communications and reputation strategy, growing our influence, visibility and impact across England and Wales. You'll be responsible for leading the delivery of an integrated communications strategy that strengthens our reputation, supports organisational priorities, amplifies the voices and experiences of young people, and positions YMCA as a leading voice on the issues that matter most to young people and communities.

Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, local YMCAs and external stakeholders, you'll oversee YMCA England & Wales’ media relations, collaborative public affairs and campaign communications, digital communications, content development, brand amplification, event delivery, internal communications, and crisis communications. As part of the Leadership Team, you'll work collaboratively across departments to help deliver our strategic goals.

Day to day, you'll provide expert communications counsel to senior leaders and trustees, protect and grow our brand and reputation, lead integrated campaigns that support our influencing objectives, and turn research and insight into compelling public narratives. You'll also lead our approach to crisis communications and issues management. You'll manage a high-performing communications team, alongside the budget for that team, and help strengthen communications capability across the wider YMCA Federation.

About You

You're an experienced, strategic communications leader who can operate confidently at senior and board level, translating organisational priorities into clear, compelling communications plans. You'll have a strong track record in brand awareness building, reputation management and media relations, and an instinct for storytelling that builds engagement and trust.

You're calm and decisive under pressure, with proven experience leading crisis and issues communications. You know how to lead, motivate and develop a team, manage budgets effectively, and build strong relationships across a complex, federated organisation. Above all, you're passionate about YMCA's mission and committed to championing equality, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding in everything you do.

Our recruitment process is anonymised and candidates' names are hidden. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. Safer recruitment is important to us and the successful applicant will be asked to provide two references. They will also be required to complete a safeguarding self-declaration, safeguarding training and undertake a DBS check.

The Head of Policy & Influencing is responsible for shaping and delivering the Foundation’s policy and influencing strategy within the Impact on Urban Health (IoUH) directorate. The role leads the development of parliamentary and government engagement strategies, ensuring a coordinated and impactful approach across multiple programme areas.

The Head of Policy & Influencing provides strategic oversight of all influencing work, guiding Policy & Influencing Managers and the Policy & Convening Manager, and advising colleagues on how to maximise policy impact. The role drives a unified urban health influencing strategy that aligns with the Foundation’s priorities and contributes to meaningful changes in policy.

The Head of Policy & Influencing builds and maintains strong relationships with stakeholders across government, the policy sector, and partner organisations, acting as a spokesperson and creating opportunities for collaboration. The role supports senior leadership with stakeholder engagement, oversees budgets and manages a team, while ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded in all influencing activity.

Key Responsibilities 

• Develop and deliver our parliamentary and government engagement strategies across all our issue areas.
• Provide strategic oversight of programmatic influencing strategies developed by the Policy & Influencing Managers and Policy & Convening Manager, ensuring a coherent and complementary approach across all programmes. 
• Lead on our cross-programme urban health influencing strategy.
• Provide high-level strategic advice to Heads of Programme and Portfolio Managers on programmatic influencing strategies and the development of influencing partnerships. 
• Develop and maintain a broad range of stakeholder relationships, with a view to creating opportunities for us to partner on our influencing work and acting as a spokesperson for our work at external events.
• Support senior leadership with stakeholder engagement.
• Oversee budgets for our programmatic policy and influencing work.
• Deputise for the Director of Policy, Influencing & Communications as required.
• Line manage the Policy & Influencing Managers and Policy & Convening Manager.
• Bring a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all our policy and influencing activity, and support cross-organisational work on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Role responsibilities are not exhaustive, and you would be reasonably expected to take on wider tasks that are commensurate with the level of your role. 

Skills, abilities, and attributes

• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills at all levels.
• Enjoys working in places with a clear and ambitious mission, a matrix structure and ways of working that challenge the norm.

Knowledge, experience, and qualifications

• Significant experience working in public affairs and policy in a UK setting, with demonstrable impact on policy making in Westminster Parliament and/or the devolved administrations. 
• Experience leading teams to deliver against impactful influencing strategies.
• Experience working across a broad policy brief, and the ability to develop expertise and familiarity with different policy areas quickly.
• Experience developing and managing budgets.
• In-depth understanding of the UK political environment and operation of Government.
• Expertise in public policy, ideally in issues relating to health equity or social justice. 

Benefits 

• Contributory pension
• Annual health and wellbeing personal allowance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and parental leave pay accessible without length of service requirements.
• Health and wellbeing programme that offers optional free yearly health check-ups.
• Support for healthy eating via fruit bowls and onsite lunch facilities. 
• Agile working, flexible hours, and supportive IT kit. 
• Shower facilities and bike lock area. 
• Generous annual leave (27 days + bank holidays)
• Subsidies for glasses
• Employee Assistance Programme