Policy officer jobs

Location: Home based, or office based at Society Building, 8 All Saints Street, London N1, in line with NCVO’s flexible working policy or home working policy.

​Closing date: 08.00 Tuesday 6 May 2025

​Shortlisting date: Thursday 8 May 2025

Interviews: Thursday 15 May 2025

About NCVO

We are the charities charity. For over 100 years, NCVO has stood shoulder to shoulder with communities, championing and celebrating voluntary action.

Our membership is made up of over 17,000 voluntary organisations across England, from small, grassroots community groups and social enterprises, to large, far-reaching charities.

We believe that communities are strengthened by voluntary action. We therefore want charities to thrive and be empowered to deliver for people and communities.

About the Transformation directorate

This role sits within the newly formed Transformation Unit.

​​The Transformation Unit comprises the Strategic Review; People, Culture and Inclusion; Technology, Programmes and Innovation; and Data and Insight teams. It will deliver key strategic projects that have a demonstrable impact on the organisational culture, growth and capabilities.

About the Insights Hub team 

The Insights Hub sits within NCVO’s Transformation Directorate and acts as the organisation’s central intelligence engine.

Bringing together expertise in research, data, performance and CRM, the team supports strategic decision-making through robust research and data analysis. From delivering flagship research projects like the UK Civil Society Almanac to optimising data systems and supporting internal and external stakeholders, the Hub transforms complex data into clear, actionable insights.

The Insights Hub ensures that everything we do is grounded in robust evidence and aligned with real-world impact across the charity and voluntary sectors.

About the role

The Research Officer will contribute to the Insights Hub’s qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research.

This role supports the Research and Insights Manager with research projects including our flagship UK Civil Society Almanac, designing and analysing data, writing reports, and presenting findings to diverse stakeholders.

The Research Officer will also coordinate the Research Ethics Committee (REC) work, manage client relationships, and oversee research administration.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

NCVO is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in our sector. We want this to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and identities. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups in the voluntary sector and those with diverse, lived experience. As part of our commitment to employing disabled people, all disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirement for all competencies on the person specification will be guaranteed an interview.

If you have access needs or require reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a pre-interview task and will have one week to complete the exercise. Interview questions will be shared in advance. 

NCVO is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from everyone. Charity No. 225922.

Benefits for NCVO employees

NCVO offers attractive benefits including:

• 25 days’ annual leave (for full time staff and pro-rata for part-time staff) and office closure between 25 December and 1 January inclusive. After three years' service annual holiday increases to 27 days, and after five years to 30 days, (pro rata for part time staff)
• the option to purchase or sell up to five more days each year
• five days’ volunteering leave (pro rata for part-time staff)
• 2.5 extra ‘wellbeing’ days off during the year
• enhanced pay for sick/maternity/adoption leave
• subsidised gym membership
• season ticket loan
• flexible working, including opportunities to work from home/off site
• monthly homeworking allowance for permanent homeworkers
• monthly office worker allowance for those who have to work from the office on a daily basis
• generous employer pension contribution of up to 8.5% of salary, into our stakeholder pension scheme (linked to employee contribution)
• training and development opportunities.
• The opportunity to join Hospital Saturday Fund health cash plan for free at the basic level of cover, or at a reduced rate for other levels of cover
• 24-hour free and confidential employee assistance programme

We’re located a short walk from London King’s Cross station in a modern accessible building, overlooking Regent’s canal.

We are recruiting a General Advice Officer to support with the delivery of advice and welfare support to vulnerable guests who access the Community Wellbeing Service, a local support hub offering relief from the rising cost of living for local families. The General Advice Officer will support our guests on a range of areas including benefits, immigration, housing, money management and access to training and employment services. The postholder will provide high quality welfare advice and guidance through weekly one-to-one advice sessions, undertake case work, work with partners to facilitate referrals, and provide support to advice volunteers. 

The successful candidate must have at least two years’ experience delivering effective advice or in a similar capacity, demonstrate empathy, an understanding of the issues facing vulnerable people, and have in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of welfare benefits and housing policies/legislations, with a strong focus on achieving tangible outcomes for our guests.

Advice Work

• Carry out assessments to identify urgent needs and appropriate support pathways for members at the Community Wellbeing Service.
• Support outreach or community engagement activities as needed.
• Provide holistic and person-centred advice and casework on the main enquiry areas, particularly welfare benefits, housing, employment, health and wellbeing, immigration and money management.
• Maintain Sufra’s Advice Quality Standards and meeting tangible outcomes.
• Produce detailed case records on our case management system for the purpose of continuity, statistical monitoring and report preparation
• Apply for funds from trusts and foundations to support individuals and families with essential costs such as housing deposits or white-goods and/or cancellation of debts;
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with external stakeholders for joined up working, including statutory and voluntary service providers, making referrals for guests where appropriate.
• Enable and support guests to act for themselves, wherever appropriate.
• Monitor the progression of all cases to the point of resolution.
• Conduct follow-up calls with guests where needed and track outcomes
• Support volunteers who are working on delivering Advice Services e.g triage volunteers and pathways volunteers
• Provide advice to the General Advice Service as and when required

Case Management

• Manage own caseload and work independently to support guests
• Use of Case Management System (AdvicePro) as well as Microsoft Office for communication and document production.
• Support with developing case studies and gathering guest feedback
• Collect statistical information as requested for reporting purposes.
• Feed into the development of monitoring reports for funders and other stakeholders

Other Responsibilities

• Maintain and update the charity’s record of referral and signposting agencies;
• Ensure data protection regulations are adhered to, and that sensitive data is handled in accordance with relevant legislation and organisational procedures.
• Keep informed of new and changing legislation relevant to the post, and of local issues and policies
• Be committed to the aims, procedures and policies of Sufra’s advice service in every aspect of service delivery.
• Take part in supervisions, personal development training, team meetings and appraisals
• Undertake any other reasonable duties to support the operations of the charity.

Save the Children UK is looking for a leader with extensive strategic experience in global development and international cooperation. As our new Executive Director of Global Impact, you will lead our Global Impact group in driving transformative change for children. 

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will work directly with the Chief Executive Officer; and collaborate with Save the Children International colleagues, global donors, UK government representatives and external partners. 

This is a permanent full-time role, offering hybrid work based in our London Farringdon office. The nature of this role is likely to require a presence in our offices or with partners 3 days a week. 

About Us 

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach. 

About the role 

As Executive Director of Global Impact, you will lead a high-performing group of departments to build partnerships, deliver global policy and advocacy insights, increase humanitarian and development funding, and influence UK and global actors on the key issues affecting children. 

You will also play a pivotal role in championing diversity, equity and inclusion, and enabling Save the Children UK's journey towards a more human-centric, agile and impact-focused organisation. 

In this role, you will: 

• Lead and deliver a clear overall vision and strategy for Save the Children UK's international engagement, aligning closely with the broader global movement. 

• Manage and drive strategic performance across the Global Impact group to ensure focus on high-value activities that deliver measurable results for children. 

• Provide leadership to senior team members and support a culture of high autonomy, accountability, and collaboration in line with inclusive and human-centred leadership practices. 

• Oversee and ensure Save the Children's commitment to legal, ethical, and safeguarding standards across all its work. 

• Actively champion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in all areas of leadership and decision-making to foster a culture of belonging and empowerment. 

• Shape a sustainable business model that delivers effectively on Save the Children UK's global priorities. 

About you 

To be successful, it is important that you have: 

• Excellent strategic and systems thinking, with a track record of leading teams to shape and execute ambitious goals in complex, fast-changing environments. 

• Deep expertise in global development, humanitarian issues, and/or advocacy, including working with donors, institutional actors, and global partners. 

• Strong understanding of political theories of change and proven experience achieving long-term impact through programming, policy and advocacy. 

• Demonstrated experience of leading inclusive, agile and human-centred teams, with a high degree of accountability, autonomy, and learning. 

• Outstanding influencing and communication skills, with the ability to represent SCUK at the highest levels and across diverse networks. 

• A deep personal and professional commitment to power-sharing, DEI and creating inclusive, thriving team cultures. 

• Commitment to Save the Children's vision, mission and values. 

What we offer you: 

Working for a charity provides one of the best benefits there is – a sense of purpose in striving for a better future for young people across the world. We are committed to supporting and enabling our employees to ensure a happy and healthy working environment, good work/life balance, and to allow them to give their best towards our mission. 

We focus on flexibility, inclusion, collaboration, health and wellbeing both in and outside of work. 

This role is based in Farringdon, London, with a salary of approximately £120K.

We provide a wide range of employee benefits to reward your hard work, motivate you, and inspire you to work to improve the lives of children every day.

To learn more about the position, please review the Job Pack and Job Description in the attached documents. 

Advert closing date: 18 May 

First stage interviews are expected to take place week commencing 2 June . 

Second stage interviews are expected to take place week commencing 9 June.

Summary
 

Our goal is to build health equity so that everyone living in urban areas has a fair and just opportunity to thrive and live in good health.
 

The Director of Policy, Influencing and Change will lead our efforts to shape policy, influence practice, and channel resources towards effective approaches to advancing health equity, this include spreading and scaling our proven projects and ensuring our work has a wider impact.

Policy, Influencing and Change
 

· Strategic leadership of IoUH Policy and Influencing: Delivering and evolving Policy & Influencing strategy that embeds policy, influencing into all IoUH’s programmes and work, overseeing effective execution of the strategy by the Policy & Influencing Team.
 

· Strategic leadership of IoUH Change function: Responsible for a strategic approach to partnerships focussed on scaling and sustaining what we know works. Overseeing delivery of a select portfolio of projects that are operating at scale and being replicated, particularly with a view to influencing local and national policy making and co-funding partnerships.
 

· Impact delivery: Overseeing the development and delivery of Policy and Influencing and Change strategies to support IoUH to achieve strategic aims and stated impact goals, including influencing decision making, policy debate and the policy and practice of key stakeholders.
 

· Stakeholder engagement and thought leadership: Working with the Director of Comms to manage IoUH’s external presence. Coordinating Policy, Influencing & Change stakeholder relations ensuring that IoUH has strong relationships with key stakeholders that support
scaling of effective approaches and enables wider policy and practice changes, with priority given to Government, Parliament, Lambeth and Southwark Councils, the Greater London Authority, other funders and policy influencing organisations. Supporting the IoUH Director Team to embed good stakeholder management practices within the work of their own teams.
 

· Thought leadership: Acting as a thought leader and supporting IoUH to be the go-to experts on urban health and health equity, representing IoUH and the Foundation externally

IoUH Leadership

· Champion inclusive leadership and be an effective member of IoUH’s Director’s Team
 

· Line management responsibility for national and international Partnership Manager, Head of Policy & Influencing and dotted line to Portfolio Managers holding day-to-day responsibility for scaled/to be scaled programmes
 

· Other responsibilities that can reasonably be expected to help ensure the successful delivery of your role

Corporate responsibilities

· Take strategic responsibility for ensuring consistency and identifying synergies in policy and influencing work across the Foundation, identifying opportunities to use insights from our work to influence policy and key audiences.
 

· Satisfy governance and accountability requirements including monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the impact of our policy, influencing and change activities

Knowledge, experience, and qualifications:
 

· Deep understanding of UK political environment and the operation of government
 

· Experience of overseeing complex large-scale programmes and handling significant (multi-million pound) budgets
 

· Experience of securing large funding partnerships or financial commitments
 

· Experience leading and developing teams and managing multiple project demands
 

· Experience in consistently embedding DEI into ways of working and create a feeling of inclusion for others, a presence to manage and lead others
 

· You are experienced and comfortable in handling uncertainty and navigating complexity

Benefits

• Up to 12% employer pension contributions
• Annual personal development budget
• 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

About Equally Ours:

We’re the 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. Our vision is a just and compassionate society, where we are free from harm and can all contribute and flourish, whoever we are, whatever we believe in, and whatever we do and don’t have. A society that is equally ours.

About the role:

We’re on the lookout for a new Director of Policy and Public Affairs, to protect and advance equality and human rights in the UK, by increasing our policy impact and working collaboratively to harness the power of our network.

The Director of Policy and Public Affairs will play an important role in protecting and advancing equality and human rights in the UK. This role will focus on growing our policy and public affairs capacity so that we can achieve the goals set out in Together for Social Justice, our 10-year strategy. 

You’ll develop and deliver high-impact policy influencing strategies on our three big issues of law, climate and investment. This will mean working on vital public policy issues such as embedding equality and human rights in the government’s mission-driven approach, ensuring a strong legal framework of rights protections, improving public awareness of the value of human rights, and creating a work programme to ensure that people’s whose rights are most at risk can lead policy development on climate breakdown.

You’ll have a strong track record of creating innovative policy solutions that influence public policy and secure social change; the ability to forge and nurture constructive dialogue and working relationships across the political spectrum and within civil society, and a deep understanding of how to increase racial justice at systemic level. You’ll be confident communicating complex legal and technical issues in an engaging way that brings their practical impacts to life for a wide range of audiences, including the media. You’ll be skilled at bringing people together and working collaboratively. 

We’re a small team whose strength comes from combining our own lived and professional expertise with that of the leading thinkers and organisations who make up our network. We offer flexible working and lots of autonomy within a collaborative and supportive environment where it’s your job to make things happen. 

Why Equally Ours?

• Generous benefits including enhanced pension, 26 days of annual leave, health and wellbeing support, and more. 

• Flexible working arrangements to help you balance your professional and personal life. 

• A collaborative culture that values lived experience alongside professional expertise. 

If you are looking for an opportunity to use your skills to drive meaningful social change, we would love to hear from you. 

How to Apply: 

Please read through the full job pack and then submit your CV and cover letter (max 2 pages) outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the criteria. Please 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. Applications without cover letters will not be accepted.

Closing date for applications: 6th May, 12 noon

Location: London - Hybrid
Job Type: Full time
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Circa £33,000

Our client are looking for a Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer - Renewable Energy to join their Heat & Biomass team, supporting their work on renewable heat technologies, like biomass heat, deep geothermal, and heat networks. Where appropriate, the successful candidate will also support wider work within the heat and biomass pillar, which might include biomass power, energy from waste, and green gas. This role involves developing policy initiatives, engaging with stakeholders, and representing the them in industry forums and government discussions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading policy and advocacy strategies to advance the heat and biomass sectors.

• Supporting member forums and acting as Secretariat for the Deep Geothermal APPG.

• Engaging with government, regulators, and industry stakeholders to drive sector growth.

• Drafting policy statements, consultation responses, and member communications.

They’re seeking candidates with policy experience, strong advocacy and communication skills, and a passion for sustainability and clean energy.

What They offer

• 25 days holiday plus days between Christmas and New Years treated as holiday
• Westfield Health insurance EAP
• Discounts and perks
• Birthday voucher
• Cycle to work scheme
• Pension scheme

How to apply

If you feel this role could be the right fit for you, please click the “apply now” button

*Please note they reserve the right to close this vacancy ahead of the advertised closing date if sufficient applications are received, therefore they encourage early applications.

If you’re ready to drive impactful policy change, click the apply now button.

About them

They are a not-for-profit trade association, established in 2001. While the world has changed dramatically since then, their mission remains the same: to champion our members and promote a future built on renewable energy and clean technology.

Their Vision: A future built on renewable energy and clean technology

Their Mission: To decarbonise the economy whilst helping our members build commercially and environmentally sustainable businesses

Their Approach: They do this by;

CHAMPIONING the role and benefits of renewable energy and clean technologies

INFLUENCING governments, industry and individuals

EMPOWERING renewable energy and clean technology businesses to achieve sustainable growth

You may also have experience in the following: Policy Analyst, Policy Advisor, Policy Consultant, Policy Researcher, Policy Coordinator, Policy Officer, Policy Manager, Policy Planner, Policy Advocate, Advocacy, Advocacy Officer

REF-221 140

The Mental Health Foundation is recruiting for a Senior UK Policy Manager to support the Policy team based at our London or Glasgow office.

Deadline: 5pm on Monday 5th May
Location: London OR Glasgow
Salary: Starting at £41,800 rising to £48,070 pro rata, plus £3,285 London Weighting if applicable
Hours: Full-time, 32 hours per week (as part of our 32-hour week pilot and may revert to 35 hours after July 2025) [part-time hours may be considered]
Contract type: Permanent

This exciting role will develop and bring together our policy and public affairs work from across all four nations of the UK to drive better understanding and action on public mental health.

What does the role involve?​

• Working with our Head of Policy and Heads of Nations to design and help implement our UK policy and public affairs programme.
• Working collaboratively with teams across the UK to align our policy goals, taking into account different contexts in each of the nations.
• Influence and inform policy-makers, opinion-formers, professional bodies and politicians to support and promote public mental health.

What skills, knowledge and experience are we looking for?​

• Strong intellectual, analysis and influencing skills.
• Experience of working in a UK organisation seeking to shape policy in all four nations of the UK.
• Good understanding of Westminster and at least one of the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd or Northern Ireland Assembly.

Safeguarding is Everyone’s business – Mental Health Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its beneficiaries, those who surround them, its staff, volunteers, and anyone else who comes into contact with its services and expects all trustees, staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to appropriate vetting procedures (proof of eligibility to work in the UK, proof of residency and satisfactory employment screening, including a Disclosure check and two most recent references) along with 3-year renewals of Disclosure checks.

We are unable to provide sponsorship for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK.

About us

Since 1949, the Mental Health Foundation has been the UK’s leading charity for everyone’s mental health.

Our vision is for a world with good mental health for all. With prevention at the heart of what we do, we aim to find and address the sources of mental health problems so that people and communities can thrive.

We will drive change towards a mentally healthy society for all, and support communities, families and individuals to live mentally healthier lives, with a particular focus on those at greatest risk.

The Foundation is the home of Mental Health Awareness Week.

How to apply

If you think your skills match and you’d like to be part of a dynamic and growing organisation, please complete and submit your application form by clicking 'Redirect to recruiter'. Please note that all sections of the application form should be completed as CVs alone will not be accepted. Applications will close at 5pm on Monday 5th May and we are unable to accept late applications. Interviews are planned for week commencing 19th May.

We believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. Diversity and inclusion is a strategic priority for us as an employer and mental health charity, and we are proud to be signatories of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter and the Disability Confident Committed Scheme. Applications from under-represented sections of the community are actively encouraged.

If you have a disability, require any additional support or have any questions regarding the role, please contact us. We make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment. Disabled candidates who meet all the essential person specification criteria will be offered an interview. Therefore, please do ensure you tick the relevant box on the application form and clearly indicate in your application/covering letter if you consider yourself to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 / Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

We are currently operating mostly digital recruitment (including interviews via video conferencing). We have moved to a hybrid working model of a minimum of 2 days per week in the office and the rest working from home for full time staff, pro rata for part time staff.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Job Title: Policy and Research Officer 

Location: Liverpool/Hybrid (Remote working a possibility)

Salary: £33,000

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time. Monday to Friday, 8:45am-4:45pm

Join Us in Ending Furniture Poverty!

Are you passionate about social housing and making a difference in people’s lives? Do you want to use research to make a real difference in tackling furniture poverty across the UK?

We’re looking for a Policy & Research Officer to join End Furniture Poverty, the campaigning arm of FRC Group. This is an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of impactful social research that shapes policy and drives change.

About End Furniture Poverty

End Furniture Poverty is the campaigning arm of FRC Group, a social enterprise with a mission to End Furniture Poverty. We are committed to making a tangible difference in our communities by providing quality, affordable furniture to those in need. Our values—Bravery, Creativity, Passion, and Professionalism—drive us to tackle social issues head-on, innovating to create sustainable solutions and inspiring positive change.

Operating for over 35 years, FRC Group includes a family of social businesses such as the Furniture Resource Centre and Buckingham Interiors. Our operations are not just about providing furniture; they’re about empowering lives, supporting the community, and ensuring everyone has access to the essential items that make a house a home.

Our team is our greatest asset, and we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and inclusive working environment where employees can thrive both personally and professionally. We invest in our people through comprehensive training, development opportunities, and a culture that celebrates achievements and milestones.

The Role

As part of the End Furniture Poverty team, you’ll work closely with the Director of End Furniture Poverty to lead and deliver our research strategy. You’ll develop and deliver high-quality research, analyse complex data, and create publications that inform policy and influence real-world change.

This is a great opportunity for someone who thrives on juggling multiple projects, has a strong grasp of social research methods, and wants to see their work have a national impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading primary and secondary research into the causes, effects, and solutions to furniture poverty

• Designing qualitative and quantitative studies

• Handling large datasets and using tools like SPSS, Stata or R for analysis

• Writing publication-standard reports and policy briefings

• Mapping services and interventions in the sector

• Staying up to date with key policy developments

• Supporting our influencing work with powerful evidence and insight

Skills and Experience:

• Strong experience of both qualitative and quantitative social research

• Educated to degree level (ideally in a relevant field such as social or political science)

• Postgraduate social research qualification

• Excellent communication skills – written and verbal

• Proficiency in statistical software (e.g. SPSS, R, Stata)

• Confidence in managing complex datasets and distilling insights

• A creative and analytical mindset

• Knowledge of social justice, government policy, and socioeconomic issues

• A passion for ending furniture poverty and aligning with our values: Bravery, Creativity, Passion, and Professionalism

Benefits

• 27 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
• Christmas shutdown
• Up to 9% pension match
• Staff purchase schemes
• Medicash health insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Travel passes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Birthday celebrations and meals
• Values awards & vouchers
• 3 paid volunteering days per year
• Free parking
• Death in service
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Free tea, coffee, and fruit
• Wonderful Wednesdays – Free Toast and gatherings
• Training and Development opportunities
• A great place to work with a positive social impact

At End Furniture Poverty, you'll be part of a passionate team working to create lasting social change. This is a unique opportunity to lead meaningful research that directly informs national policy and helps end furniture poverty in the UK. We’re a values-driven organisation that champions innovation, creativity, and impact. With a flexible, supportive working environment and the chance to grow and develop your skills, you’ll be making a real difference—every single day.

If you're ready to use your skills to drive change and help shape a fairer society, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and be part of ending furniture poverty.

The role is a key part of the Doctors of the World (DOTW) UK Policy and Advocacy team, contributing to the implementation of our three-year strategy and maximising the impact of our policy and advocacy function. The team focuses on influencing UK health and migration policy, improving access to NHS services for minoritised communities and populations and strengthening the right to health in the UK.

The post holder will play a critical role in ensuring DOTW UK’s advocacy and influencing work is informed by our service users’ experiences and seeks to bring about the changes they want to see. To this end, the role will lead work with DOTWs expert by experience group, liaising and coordinating different engagement activities, identifying co-production opportunities and supporting members of the group to meaningfully participate in the organisation’s advocacy work and drive change.

Those with lived experience of migration, the asylum system, homelessness, or exclusion from health services are encouraged to apply. 

We are recruiting for this role on a rolling basis; we will review all applications on receipt and invite applicants that meet the minimum requirements to interview. 

Following 13 highly successful years our current CEO, Liz Ballard, has decided to step down.

As we celebrate our 40th year, we are seeking a dynamic and visionary leader to take forward our ambitious strategy for nature and people. 

The role of CEO offers a unique opportunity to lead a passionate team and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, from local communities to policymakers and businesses. We’re looking for someone who understands the challenges and opportunities for a wildlife charity today, has a track record of strong leadership, and shares our deep commitment to safeguarding nature for future generations.  

We are looking for a leader who can inspire, collaborate, and motivate others to take action in support of our vision. 

If you are driven by the belief that nature should be accessible to all, and that we have a responsibility to protect and restore it, we encourage you to consider applying for this important role. 

Reporting to: Director of Policy and Engagement 

Direct reports: 1 x Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager and Legislative Lead, 2 x Policy and Public Affairs Officers, 1 x England Policy and Public Affairs Manager 

Location of work: Home-based. The post holder must be easily and quickly commutable to London and will require frequent meetings in London. The role may involve some irregular travel throughout England and Scotland to attend events and meetings.

Contract type: Full-time, 35 hours per week,  flexible hours may be considered. The role may require occasional evening and weekend work 

Contract Length: Permanent 

Salary: £54,500 - £56,500 

BACKGROUND

Our work has never been more needed. The latest research suggesting that the number of children and young people at risk of hunger has rocketed to 2.6 million* means that one in five children don't have enough to eat.When a child is too hungry to learn, when they’re aching for something to eat, they can’t concentrate. They can’t absorb information. Big feelings and worries can be impossible to control. They fall behind in their studies.

Magic Breakfast provide a nutritious and filling breakfast to over 300,000 children and young people every school day. We work with schools in areas of high disadvantage, helping staff target the children most in need without barrier or stigma.  Magic Breakfast are ambitious to grow our impact to remove hunger as a barrier to learning for all children and young people in the UK.

 This is an exciting time to join Magic Breakfast if you wish to make a difference to the lives of children as we work to influence both policy implementation, with the national rollout of primary-aged universal school breakfast, and legislative change, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. There has also been commitment from the Scottish Government for a national breakfast scheme and we are seeking to expand our advocacy work into Wales. Magic Breakfast’s influence will be instrumental to ensuring school breakfasts are implemented in a way that is hunger-focused and barrier free.

In addition, thousands of secondary school children are at risk of losing their free school breakfasts from September next year. For many of these students, this is their only opportunity to have a nutritious meal before facing a demanding school day, including taking exams.  And for the very youngest, we know that the disadvantage gap begins before they even reach reception. With the Government commitment to another 100,000 places in school-based nurseries, early years is also a critical part of our advocacy work.

 Being part of the work of Magic Breakfast is your chance, together with parents, teachers and people across the UK, to demonstrate the power of school breakfasts and to shape the way forward to end morning hunger for good.

*Food Foundation Insecurity Tracker Jan 2025

JOB PURPOSE

The Head of Policy & Public Affairs will review, develop and implement our advocacy strategy and lead a team to influence the devolved legislatures across the UK to address child morning hunger, with a view to the underlying systemic causes of child poverty and hunger, by driving change through policy and legislation. The role operates at our ‘Head of level’ which is the most senior operational specialist level and provides both operational and strategic leadership.

This role will also provide wider leadership across the charity and input into organisational strategy development and planning as part of the Core Management Group. This role will ensure that the Policy and Public Affairs function is aligned to the wider strategic aims and outcomes of Magic Breakfast as well as the internal operational systems and delivery.

The strategic leadership will ensure an external and long term view, with an outward looking and forward thinking approach that builds thought leadership, relationships and partnerships, with positioning to anticipate and build on new opportunities to end child morning hunger for good.

It will require an experienced Policy and Public Affairs professional, with significant experience of high impact and demonstrable outcomes at a senior level in the field. The postholder will lead the policy and public affairs team to influence the Early Adopters Scheme, the national rollout of primary school breakfast provision in England and breakfast legislation in the Children’s Wellbeing Bill (CWB).

They will also develop, guide and lead plans to influence the Scottish government, particularly in the run up to the election in May 2026 and the influencing of manifestos; and will lead Magic Breakfast’s upcoming influencing work in Wales. 

In the external leadership that the role provides they will build relationships with politicians, political influencers, special advisors and civil servants to establish long-term, sustainable solutions to child morning hunger in the UK.

As a compassionate, people centric and inspiring leader they will work to enable their team to grow and develop in their skills ensuring they can step away from the detail whilst retaining accountability, build effective resource management and progression pathways. This role may manage external consultants where necessary, and work collaboratively with external organisations to amplify our voice and asks and strengthen our position as a thought leader. 

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Review and define the advocacy strategy for 25/26 in line both with moving political environment and Magic Breakfast’s influencing agenda, considering the systemic barriers to ending child morning hunger for good.

· Develop and maintain close relationships with the Department for Education and other key departments including Department for Health and Social Care and Treasury, to secure hunger and child focus as key priorities for breakfast provision.

· Develop, monitor and evaluate influencing plans for each devolved nation

· Support the development of influencing plans with coalition groups and organisations to influence school breakfast policy, commitments and implementation

· Review policy positions in Wales and Northern Ireland and define our advocacy approach, gaining external insights and analysing available research and data to shape the plan

· Develop a vision for advocacy beyond current demands, considering political appetite and gaining insight from lived experience communities and relevant sectors, to ensure that we are clear on future asks, and can build the foundation towards them.

· Work with Impact and Insights team to define future research needs to meet our longer-term advocacy plans

· Enhance and establish internal processes and ensure good internal information dissemination 

· Work closely with key internal stakeholders to shape advocacy work and support broader organisational objectives

· Embed learnings and develop a fail fast, learn fast culture in the team

· Coach, support and lead direct reports enabling increased professional development, strategic decision making, proactive project management and robust political influencing

· Contribute to and help shape the work of the Core Management Group to ensure ongoing alignment for in year implementation of the strategic plan and create integrated future year plans which meet organisational goals

· Monitor and review KPIs to monitor and measure both team and cross organisational performance, using the results to guide teams and surface learnings

· Assess areas of risk and escalate where necessary and according to policy

· Develop and monitor annual team budgets

General

• Work collaboratively across the organisation, building good working relations and providing ad-hoc support to other teams and members of staff

• Passion and commitment to Magic Breakfast’s aim of alleviating morning hunger as a barrier to learning for children in the UK.

• Help to maintain a positive working environment; keeping the vision of Magic Breakfast at the heart of everything we do. 

• Share Magic Breakfast’s commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

• Establish and ensure existing Ways of Working are adhered to across team

• Adhere to all Magic Breakfast policies and procedures and ensure that all activity is compliant with current legislation, GDPR, data protection and child safeguarding requirements

• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role

 PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

· Strategy development, demonstrating a deep understanding of how to craft, implement, and evolve strategies that align to operational outcomes for the Policy and Advocacy function as well as enabling our organisation strategy in our aim to end child morning for good.

· Stakeholder management and partnership building with extensive experience of engaging, influencing, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including senior political figures, policymakers, funders and sector leaders.

· Ability to confidently and flexibly deal with volatile political environment, anticipating potential developments and adapting to emerging situations to meet aims

· Highly experienced in developing and shaping policy positions, using insights, research and data sets to inform and guide decision-making

· Understanding and experience of the role of the broader external environment to shape policy asks and political influencing, including the implications of a policy ask in one sector on another.

· Experience of influencing key political events such as budgets, national elections and the legislative process.

· Significant experience of coaching, supporting and managing the development of a team, with the ability to make difficult decisions and challenge where needed to deliver the organisational strategy.

Desirable

· Experience of education, food insecurity, child poverty or childcare sectors

Skills and Abilities

• Effective leadership mentality with confidence to step away from the detail and delegate responsibility, enabling others to use judgements, make decisions, learn from failures and continuously improve.

• Analytical and evidence based decision making, with the ability to turn data and analysis into policy and advocacy related recommendations or outcomes for action.

• Effective planning, prioritisation and project management skills. Able to organise self and team to meet planned objectives and strategic direction with the ability to pivot and manage the unexpected.

• Strong, influential and impactful interpersonal and communication skills and to advocate for own specialism, department and Magic Breakfast's mission, effectively conveying the organisation's impact and needs to a wide range of audiences.

• Operational and financial acumen and analysis: understanding and practical application of knowledge as required around funding considerations, budget development and management, risk management, and ensuring systems in place for efficiency by setting and maintaining policy and procedural frameworks.

• An outward looking and forward thinking approach that drives a sense of curiosity, innovation and continuous improvement. Always thinking what can we learn from others, what new developments can be explored and what are the opportunities for the function to improve and grow with others too.

WHAT WE OFFER

At Magic Breakfast we value our employees and work hard to develop offer a supportive, respectful culture which enables everyone to bring their whole self to work.

Please find attached our job pack

APPLICATION PROCCESS

Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @ magicbreakfast. com

Shortlisting - w/c 5th May

Interview 1 - 15th and 16th May

Interview 2 - w/c 21st May

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Operational Leadership:

• Provide strategic leadership to the Senior Management Team's and it’s operational functions, ensuring efficient and high-quality service delivery.
• Develop and implement operational policies, procedures, and best practices to enhance productivity and ensure compliance.
• Continuously streamline processes and workflows to improve operational performance.
• Deputise for the CEO when required, representing the organisation at events, meetings, and in day-to-day operations.

Strategic Planning and Execution:

• Collaborate with the CEO and support, manage and develop the senior management to shape and execute the charity’s strategic plan.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable initiatives, ensuring effective implementation and tracking progress.
• Identify opportunities for growth, cost optimisation, and improved service delivery.

Board of Trustees Liaison:

• Provide regular reports to the Board of Trustees on operational performance, strategic initiatives, and financial matters.
• Work closely with the CEO to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with the Board's expectations.
• Attend Board meetings and provide insights on operational challenges, opportunities, and key achievements.

Financial Management:

• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning, ensuring the efficient use of resources.
• Monitor financial performance, identifying areas for improvement and taking corrective actions as necessary.
• Drive cost-efficiency initiatives while maintaining a focus on quality and service outcomes.

People Management and Development:

• Line manage and develop the SMT (nine managers)
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Establish performance goals and metrics for staff, offering regular feedback and development support.
• Promote an inclusive, diverse work environment that values employee engagement and professional growth.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and retention strategies.

Risk Management and Compliance:

• Develop and implement strategies to identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards, maintaining the highest ethical standards.
• Implement internal controls and governance practices to safeguard the charity’s reputation and assets.

Policy and Communications Manager

Job Description and Person Specification

Job title Policy and Communications Manager

Hours 28 hours per week (can be flexible on work pattern)

Salary £42,000 FTE Actual for this role £33,600 pro rata

Location Hybrid work between home and our Vauxhall office – please read more about our approach to hybrid working in the relevant section below. Please note that our offices are fully wheelchair accessible and that we are committed to making our workplace fully inclusive

Reports to Director of Policy and External Affairs

National Voices

Making what matters to people matter in health and care

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of people: patients, service users, carers, their families, and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our Vision:

People shaping their health and care.

Our Mission:

We advocate for more inclusive and person centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

· Understanding and advocating for what matters to people especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities.

· Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support.

· Connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

The Role

The purpose of the Policy and Communications Manager role is to:

• Deliver against our National Voices’ policy and project work through a programme’s life cycle, from inception to delivery and evaluation, and within budget
• Manage our communications work to our members and external stakeholders to successfully communicate all relevant organisational output including policy, improvement, lived experience and insight work.
• Work with voluntary sector organisations and people with the greatest health and care needs to develop National Voices’ deliver our policy and communications positions in line with our strategy and members priorities.

The role will be a mix of policy and communications, with 75% of the role likely focused on policy.

Responsibilities

Management oversight

· Manage projects or programmes which are significant in terms of income, profile or risk, and which are often delivered in partnership with others.

· Identify possible future partnerships, follow-on work and funding opportunities that arise from our policy and external affairs work, including from stakeholder relationships, and proactively work to secure income

· Line-manage staff, in the first instance our Communications and Events Officer, to include appraisals, setting objectives, monitoring performance and supporting development.

· Support the policy and external affairs team to deliver against our priorities and projects, including deputising for the Director of Policy and External Affairs, working in sync with other team managers and holistically supporting junior staff members

Deliver against our policy priorities and projects

· Identify, monitor and evaluate policy issues to formulate new policy positions, taking responsibility and action for our position on specific policy areas. This may include developing policy briefings, position papers, consultation responses, blogs, reports, letters and other policy and public affairs documents that capture our policy positions.

· Lead on policy projects from inception to delivery and evaluation including keeping to a set budget where appropriate.

· Develop and collate qualitative and quantitative policy evidence, from analysing previous reports and external stakeholder guidance to developing and delivering against workshops, focus groups, round tables, engagement events and in-depth interviews.

· Work with voluntary sector organisations and people with the greatest health and care needs to understand their experiences, perspectives and ambition using methods laid out above but with a willingness to adapt and flex where needed.

· Connect with policy and comms stakeholders both within our membership and in the wider policy landscape, to spot and make connections among members and to deliver against our five-year strategy objectives

· Work with the wider team to consider how our we evaluate and monitor the success of our project work and our wider influencing wins

· Represent National Voices at external events and conferences where required

Deliver on our communications work

· Work with the Communications and Events officer to help them develop engaging content that conveys National Voices messages to members, external stakeholders, and media to maximise the reach and impact of the organisation’s policy messages and funded project work

· With the support of Communications and Events Officer support media relations activity by drafting media statements, liaising with journalists and other media activity as required

· Manage the sign-off of relevant comms materials including social media, member newsletter, blogs, articles and media statements

· Liaise with senior external stakeholders such as from the Department of Health and Social Care, including attending relevant briefings, and supporting larger joint press activity with other stakeholders when required.

· Oversee management of comms and events calendar, which will be proactively compiled by the Policy and Communications officer, especially where there are conflicts or competing needs

· Along with other managers provide a second review of reports we produce including ensuring adherence to brand guidelines

General

• Take a pro-active approach to including our members and people with lived experience in all areas of our work.
• Support the senior team in identifying potential new members and funding opportunities where possible, as well as costing and drafting bids or supporting others to do so.
• Follow processes set out to measure, monitor and communicate the impact of our work.
• Support good project, financial and data management.
• Contribute to the team’s planning activities and undertake other relevant duties as appropriate.
• Deputise for other members of the team when needed.

• Be prepared to take part in full day events, including providing planning and support
• Be prepared to take part in events outside of core hours, when sufficient notice has been given

Person Specification

Values, attitudes and behaviours

• Passionate about National Voices’ mission and work.
• Proactive, flexible and responsive
• Comfortable working in a team, as well as under own initiative
• Calm under pressure and able to work to tight deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Committed to reducing inequality and embracing diversity.
• Comfortable with a range of views and perspectives and keen to make connections and build relationships.
• Willing and confident to assert views, constructively challenge others and receive constructive feedback.

Skills and abilities

• Excellent communication skills, including written and oral, including stakeholder engagement
• Demonstrable experience in delivering against a policy influencing agenda
• Able to synthesise complex information and present it in simple and impactful ways.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, including demonstrable ability to prioritise workload and maintain quality.
• Excellent people skills, able to work collaboratively and flexibly in a small, friendly team, and communicate and collaborate with a wide range of external stakeholders at all levels
• Experience in Identifying and developing funding opportunities, ideally including costing and drafting bids
• Ability to embed clear and reliable processes amongst a team of creative and busy people
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office programmes, CRM systems, online conference/meeting software and other programmes where required.
• Able to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines while maintaining attention to detail
• Previous line management experience is preferred

Our approach to hybrid working

We recognise the importance of coming together regularly, in-person, as a team, so we can share learnings and spend social time with each other. We also recognise that people need flexibility, and that homeworking enables focused work and can fit well in people’s lives.

We ask all staff to take part in pre-arranged team meetings which take place every six weeks in our office space. We also might ask you to meet in-person with members of your team from time to time, or to be available for face-to- face meetings with clients and partners where this enhances the work.

We assume that this would usually not amount to more than one day per fortnight for people who work full time. We are happy to discuss how this sits in your life. This can be agreed by your line manager.

Equality and Inclusion

As reflected in our Equality Action Plan, we are committed to being a truly diverse organisation. We want to ensure that our trustees, staff members, lived experience partners and volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing their own unique perspectives and experiences. We want to ensure that everyone feels heard and is fully able to participate and thrive.

We are committed to diversifying our team in order to broaden the insight and experiences we can draw on, and to do our work more credibly. So we strongly encourage people from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background, and people who live with health conditions or disability to apply. Our offices are fully accessible and we are an LGBT+ friendly employer. Men are currently underrepresented in our team so we would welcome applications from men and non-binary people.

We welcome applications from people who have been in contact with the criminal justice system. For some roles, you may be asked to undergo a basic or enhanced DBS check, but you will only be deemed ineligible for roles which relate to any offences on your criminal record.

We have a range of benefits in place to ensure everyone can thrive, for example:

· We are a Disability Confident employer

· We offer enhanced parental and sickness leave

· We offer flexible working wherever possible

· We provide our employees with an annual wellbeing allowance

· And much more

Application guidance

Please submit a cover letter along with a CV to apply.

Applications should be addressed to our Director of Policy and External Affairs, Sharon Brennan, and submitted through CharityJob.

Please apply by Monday the 5th May 2025

We will let you know the outcome of your application by Friday 9th May 2025  

Interviews will be held on 22nd May 2025 on Teams

Please note, we will be blind shortlisting all applications, so we ask you not to include your name in your application.

If you are invited to interview, we will ask you about any reasonable adjustments you will need to be able to participate. We will share interview questions in advance of the interview. If you require any adjustments at any stage of your application, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Matthew Haslehurst Director of Finance and Operations

Please specify any access or other requirements of which we need to be aware for the online interview.

About you

You will be a policy, campaigns and public affairs professional with a passion for change and social justice. You will have good working knowledge of the policy and political landscape. You will have experience of developing policy and research which helps to bring about change. Self-motivation, planning, and ability to respond quickly to a changing external environment, will be at the heart of your approach. You’ll have a strong sense of purpose to bring about change that improves carers’ lives and will be results driven. Collaboration internally and externally will be important to you. 

About the role

The Policy and Public Affairs team is responsible for Carers UK’s policy, media, campaigns, research, public affairs and media functions, working with our colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We are a small team carrying out the full range of public affairs activity, from raising awareness of caring through public campaigns and in the media, to influencing Parliament, Government and wider stakeholders through new research, policy expertise and our campaigning work.

This role plays a vital part in delivering the charity’s core aims to make life better for carers by:

• Contributing to Carers UK's policy and campaigns function in the development and dissemination of policy and supporting key projects to maintain and improve the reputation of the organisation.
• Monitoring, highlighting, and analysing key policy developments by the UK Government and other public bodies regarding their potential impact on carers.
• Liaising and building strong working relationships across the organisation to help deliver the policy and public affairs team’s objectives.
• Ensuring that Carers UK effectively communicates its purpose, policy, and campaigns to achieve change, helping to build the carers movement.
• Having responsibility for aspects of the organisations work and being involved in the full range of Carers UK’s policy, public affairs, and campaigns activities.

About us

Carers UK’s vision is to create a society that recognises, values and supports carers. As the leading national charity for unpaid carers, we exist to make life better for carers, however caring affects them. Our support, advice, information and campaigning work are now needed more than ever, as unpaid carers are providing more and more care, adversely impacting on their own health and wellbeing.

Diversity and inclusion

Carers UK is committed to becoming a diverse and truly inclusive organisation. We strive to create a workplace where our colleagues and volunteers can truly be themselves and feel like they belong and constantly seek to ensure all voices are heard.

To embrace this culture of diversity, our employee and volunteer recruitment should reflect our stakeholders and the society that we serve and support, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, disabilities or religious practices. We value individual diversity and are actively building diverse teams here at Carers UK and value our colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds.

As a membership charity for carers, we particularly seek employees and volunteers with a real understanding of the issues faced by carers. Reasonable adjustments can be made to the process and role dependent on the needs of the applicant.

At Carers UK we want our application process to be as accessible as possible. If you need any adjustments to apply please email the recruitment team to discuss.

The closing date for applications is 5pm, Monday 28 April 2025

Carers UK anonymises all applications prior to shortlisting.

Carers UK reserves the right to appoint at any stage, should an outstanding candidate emerge.

Carers UK are actively interviewing as we receive applications.

Carers UK may carry out online and social media checks as well as seek references before a formal offer is made.