Research lead jobs

Do you want to be part of a dynamic and creative team? We are recruiting an Events Officer to work in the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) to deliver creative, sector leading events. The Events Officer has responsibility for delivering both in-person and online events for our global community of alumni, donors and volunteers. From our mass engagement ‘Bringing Birmingham to You’ event series, to bespoke events hosted by senior members of University staff, and stewardship events to thank our donors and volunteers at all levels, the Events Officer will ensure a high-quality, engaging, and tailored experience for alumni, donors, volunteers, and VIPs. 

DARO is an ambitious office and we support our team to succeed. You will contribute to a busy programme of events, and over the year will focus on delivering activity as part of our 125th anniversary celebrations as well as a series of high-profile events in the lead up to the close of our fundraising and volunteering campaign, Birmingham in Action. You will have the opportunity to shape a creative and impactful programme which engages our alumni and supporters with the University.

DARO exists to support The University of Birmingham's academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme.

As Senior Policy Manager, you will take a leadership role within the Policy and Influencing Team, providing strategic direction and subject matter expertise in health policy related to bowel cancer. Working closely with the Head of Policy and Influencing and Director of Research, Policy and Influencing, you will drive the development and implementation of policy initiatives that align with the organisation’s strategic priorities and positively impact the lives of people affected by bowel cancer. You will lead a team of policy officers and provide expert advice on complex policy issues, influencing decision-makers in government, healthcare organisations, and partner agencies across the UK.

Are you an energetic, creative, and organised individual with experience in fundraising and partnership development? Do you want to use your skills to help secure the long-term future of our environment and ecosystems?

Join us as we inspire and empower people across Oxfordshire to work together for nature’s recovery.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading income-generation;

• Creating, implementing, and monitoring the Wild Oxfordshire fundraising strategy;

• Managing all aspects of fundraising and income generation working with our Chief Executive, Trustees, volunteers, and staff team; and

• Developing relationships with funders including individuals, trusts, local authorities, funding bodies, and corporates.

Who we are

Wild Oxfordshire is a charity seeking to create a more natural, resilient, and biodiverse Oxfordshire for the benefit of all. We catalyse change by identifying needs, convening partnerships, and unlocking opportunities for nature recovery action. We collaborate with numerous individuals, communities and organisations, offering expertly curated and inspiring information, bespoke advice, and nature-based solutions.

This is a hybrid role, with an expectation of working in the office an average of two days per week, including Tuesdays. The role is for 21 hours per week.

Please apply with your CV and Covering Letter by 4th May at 23.59. Interviews will be held on Monday19th May, with a planned start date of 1st July or 1st September.

Senior Communications Strategist

FrameWorks UK, London

To create lasting change on important social issues such as justice, homes and health inequalities, we need to communicate about them in ways that change hearts and minds, and build a broad movement of support. 

At FrameWorks UK, we know that when we change the story, we can change the world.

Our framing research shows how people think about different social issues. We use this knowledge to develop and test communications strategies to help organisations create social progress.

We are the sister organisation of the FrameWorks Institute based in Washington, DC. We are not-for-profit and launched in the UK in 2021. Read about us and our work on our website.

The Senior Communications Strategist will contribute to the delivery of projects on issues like access to justice, achieving health equity, and securing decent and affordable homes for everyone working with partners such as Impact on Urban Health, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Shelter, and the Law Society. 

The successful applicant will be committed to our mission to create better public conversations to achieve social progress - and inspired by using framing research to achieve real world social change. 

They will have at least five years’ experience in communications and have excellent written and presentation skills. They will be well organised, proactive and keen to take on a broad range of tasks. 

This is a new role joining a small, dynamic organisation.The role is permanent and full time (open to requests to work 3+ days a week). The postholder will be expected to work in-person with the team 2 days a week at our central London office, with the option to work remotely on other days. The full time salary for this role is £52,000 per annum plus benefits.

The Senior Communications Strategist’s key responsibilities are to apply framing research to communications practice, support project delivery, and support our external communications.

Location: Hybrid working - Part London office-based and part home working. The post holder will work a minimum of one day a week in the office.

Salary: £40,450 per annum 

Hours: 35 hours per week 

Closing date: Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 10.00am 

Interview date (over video):  Wednesday 7 May 2025

This is a permanent full-time position. 

Please note that we reserve the right to hold interviews earlier so please apply as soon as possible. 

Who we are looking for 

We’re looking for a strategic and creative Content & Communications Manager to lead the development and delivery of our multi-channel content. You will curate, create, and commission dynamic, multi-channel content that supports our mission to accelerate access to new technologies and treatments, advance research toward cures, and provide trusted resources to support people with T1D. 

Collaboration is key. You’ll work closely with people living with T1D, researchers, and advocates to amplify authentic voices and create well-evidenced content that informs and inspires. You'll also manage media relations, securing coverage to raise awareness of T1D and our work. 

Experience required 

You’ll have previous experience of: 

• Using your excellent written and oral communication skills to create engaging content 

• Planning content with multiple internal stakeholders from brief to delivery, ensuring a regular feed of content that meets organisational goals 

• Managing and motivating a team of content specialists 

• Working within a proactive press office, creating media plans, responding to enquiries and stewarding journalists. 

• Managing external agencies and freelancers, keeping work within scope and budget 

• Using tone of voice and brand guidelines to ensure consistency of content output 

• Building trust and good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders 

• Training others to create audience-focussed content 

• Using brand insight, UX, audience segmentation and design processes to deliver integrated multi-channel campaigns to increase engagement 

• Using analytical data to examine existing content and inform future content creation 

• Telling personal stories in a sensitive, creative and engaging way. 

• Flexing language to suit the intended audience

• Developing, coaching and motivating line reports

• Managing team resources, working out the most efficient ways to deliver high-impact content 

About Breakthrough T1D 

Breakthrough T1D is the world’s leading charitable research funder into type 1 diabetes, improving lives until we find the cure. We are dedicated to our 400,000 strong type 1 community in the UK and work closely with our international affiliates across the world, including the US, Canada and Australia. 

You will find a vibrant atmosphere and spirited team at Breakthrough T1D, always striving to make a difference to people living with type 1. 

Employee benefits 

As an employer we offer: 

• Hybrid working arrangements 

• Flexible working and will consider compressed hours 

• Generous annual leave entitlement – 25 days per year plus bank holidays for full-time staff with leave increasing after three and five years’ service 

• Health cash plan that allows you to claim for some treatments such as dental, optical and physiotherapy treatment 

• Season ticket and cycle loan 

• Pension scheme 

• Family-friendly policies – maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave at enhanced rates 

• Personalised training to suit your career aspirations and professional development 

Breakthrough T1D is an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation or age. 

Make a Change 

Make a Change is a community-wide, early response approach to people using abusive behaviours (or who are concerned that they might be) towards a current or ex-partner. The model has been developed by Respect in partnership with Women’s Aid Federation England, drawing inspiration from their Change that Lasts approach. It includes three strands: expert support programme for perpetrators with parallel support for survivors, workforce development and community outreach.

Improving the safety, freedom and wellbeing of adult and child survivors of domestic abuse is a key outcome for our work with perpetrators.  The Make a Change model is a multi-partner project offering local areas a framework for delivering perpetrator work. Where feasible, we aim to establish partnerships with local survivor domestic abuse service to deliver parallel support for survivors (referred to as Integrated Support Service) as part the expert support strand.

This is a new and exciting role within the Make a Change team. This exciting new role offers a unique opportunity to join our team at a pivotal moment.  As the first person to fill this position, you'll play a key role in shaping its development and collaborating with the team to define its future direction.  This is a fantastic time to join us as we grow, and you'll be an integral part of establishing this important function and contributing to our collective and continued success 

We are seeking a Make a Change Development Lead to drive the development and innovation plans for the model for 2025-28. This pivotal role will focus on enhancing the three core strands of Make a Change: Expert Support, Workforce Development, and Community Outreach.

This role requires innovation, leadership and collaboration with a range of stakeholders, ensuring these strands work seamlessly together to achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes for individuals and communities.

You will need to think long-term and understand how different components of the programme fit together. Strong leadership skills are necessary to guide teams, inspire collaboration, and make decisions that will influence both the direction of the programme and its day-to-day operations. You will have a passion for innovation and continuous improvement to develop and test new strategies, tools, and methodologies, ensuring that the programme remains dynamic and responsive to changing needs.

This is an exciting opportunity within a creative and proactive team, where members are encouraged to seek out and share learning. The role focuses on continuously developing our work with perpetrators, contributing to the growing evidence base on effective behaviour change and strategies to keep survivors safe. 

Kentown Support is a new charity, here to ensure that every child with a life-limiting condition and their family across the UK has access to a model of integrated community children’s palliative care. We will:

· REPLICATE and roll out the Kentown model to reach more children;

· CREATE sustainable teams around the child and family; and

· EQUIP professionals and parents/carers with the knowledge and expertise to deliver the best health and social care for children with life-limiting conditions through high-quality research, education and training.

Our Marketing and Communications Manager will play a key role in growing our reach and influence, building Kentown Support’s brand across the children’s palliative care sector.  

In this home based role, you will use your creative flair to develop and deliver strategic communications and marketing plans to our audiences using a range of channels. Working closely with colleagues, partners and service users, you will lead and implement all aspects of our communications’ strategy: Brand management & development, Web & social media, PR & Media and Storytelling & publishing.

We are building a compassionate and high performing organisation at Kentown Support.  We are looking for an ambitious, energetic and collaborative colleague who has both a passion for their work and the difference it can make to children and their families. This is a rare opportunity to join an incredible charity at the beginning of its journey.

With the privilege of starting a new organisation is the ability to define the way in which we work.  We are creating an environment based on trust and integrity with everyone’s wellbeing at the of core of its success.  More traditionally, Kentown Support also offers 25 days’ holiday (pro rata) with an additional day off in your birthday month, 2 paid volunteering days (pro rata), an employee assistance program (including death in service) and 6.5% employer’s contribution to our workplace pension.

Parkinson’s UK is a dedicated charity focused on making a significant impact on the lives of people affected by Parkinson’s. Through our comprehensive research, support services, and advocacy, we strive to improve the quality of life for individuals living with Parkinson’s and their families. Our Major Gifts Department plays a pivotal role in ensuring we have the resources to continue our vital work.

About the role:

We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Trusts Officer to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will be instrumental in fostering relationships with trust funders, crafting compelling proposals and reports, and uncovering new opportunities to support our mission. Your efforts will directly contribute to maximising lifetime support for our charity from key stakeholders.

What you’ll do:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with a portfolio of trust funders, enhancing their engagement with our cause
• Generate high-quality proposals and reports for high and mid-value funders, securing significant gifts and expanding the long-term value of your portfolio
• Lead innovative strategies to work with the Parkinson’s community, improving our fundraising approaches.
• Spearhead the trust donor experience strategies, including creating bespoke content and organising targeted events.
• Implement a new mid-value trust fundraising strategy in collaboration with your fellow senior officer.

What you’ll bring:

• Proven experience of leading successful five figure fundraising from major trusts and foundations.
• Demonstrable expertise in the requirements of trusts fundraising, e.g. bid-writing, budgeting, activity and outcomes reporting
• Understanding of the needs of the Parkinson’s community and strong interpersonal and diplomacy skills.
• Strong team-working ability including to lead internal project teams towards clear goals.
• Experience of operating collaboratively and productively in a digital workplace, including using a fundraising database and online funding research tools. .
• Ability to analyse, organise and present written and numerical reporting data, with excellent writing skills.

Why Join Us?

This is an incredible opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by Parkinson’s. You will be part of a supportive team, working towards a common goal in a rewarding environment. This is an exciting time for Parkinson’s UK and we would love you to join us!

Please apply by sending us your CV, together with a detailed supporting statement which will fully demonstrate how you meet all the criteria of the role, as stated in the "What you'll bring" section of the job description.

Interviews for this role will be held in person on Tuesday 20 May at our London Office.

We are committed to working with the principles of fairness and equality. All of our applications are anonymous until the interview stage, and we welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We actively encourage people with Parkinson's to apply.

Anyone can get Parkinson’s. It’s vital that the people who work for Parkinson’s UK are representative of our diverse community. We actively encourage people from all sections of the community to apply, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, or religion.

Position: Director of Income Generation
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours a week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Office-based in London with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £73,653 per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band: Band 5

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

It is a very exciting time to join the MS Society as Director of Income Generation a brand-new role in the organisation. We are implementing an ambitious cross-organisational transformation programme. And we have just started a new 2025-29 strategy. Income Generation is central to both.

We are transforming our approach to engagement to grow and deepen relationships with all our audiences. This creates an opportunity to integrate our approach to engagement and income generation. So we can increase our financial supporter base. Grow and diversify long-term sustainable income to deliver transformational impact for the MS Community. And contribute to our ultimate vision of a world free from MS.

We are looking for someone to provide strategic and thought leadership to income generation.  Someone who can work collaboratively across the organisation to lead and drive forward our ambition for income generation.

You will act as the leading authority on matters relating to income generation, providing advice across the organisation including to the Executive Group and Trustees.

You will enable the delivery of related transformation programmes that increase and diversify income. And have strategic ownership of the income generation programme, including income-related activities and KPIs within the engagement calendar, and customer experience and journeys relating to financial supporters

You will lead on income generation functions planning and budget setting contributing to the overall business planning process for the Income and Engagement Directorate

Closing date for applications: 9:00am Monday 12th May 2025
Anticipated interview dates:
First interviews: Tuesday 27 May or Wednesday 28 May
Second interviews: Wednesday 4 June or Friday 6 June

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

Position: Volunteer Coordinator
Type: Full-time (35 hours a week), permanent 
Location: Office based in London with flexibility to work from home
Salary: £26,384* per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 1, Charity 

*you’ll start at our entry point salary of £26,384* per annum, increasing to £28,033 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £29,682 after a further 6 months. 

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

Are you passionate about engaging communities and empowering volunteers? The MS Society is looking for a Volunteer Coordinator to support our Community, Events & Retail Fundraising team. You’ll play a key role in recruiting, supporting, and developing volunteers, helping us achieve our mission of improving the lives of people affected by multiple sclerosis. 

As a Volunteer Coordinator, you will: 

• Plan and manage volunteering opportunities across our income generating activities. 

• Recruit and onboard new volunteers, ensuring an outstanding experience. 

• Create and deliver engaging volunteer campaigns to grow our community. 

• Support and maintain strong relationships with volunteer organisations and local partners. 

• Monitor and improve volunteer engagement and retention to strengthen our impact. 

About You 

We’re looking for someone who: 

• Has experience working with and recruiting volunteers. 

• Can build strong relationships with diverse communities. 

• Has excellent organisational and communication skills. 

• Is confident using IT systems, including Microsoft Office and CRM platforms. 

• Is creative, enthusiastic, and passionate about supporting the MS Society’s work. 

Join us in shaping a stronger volunteer community that will drive our fundraising efforts and help us continue delivering vital support and research for people affected by MS. 

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Thursday 8 May2025 

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

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.

About the role

We are delighted to have received three-year funding from the Aviva Foundation to fund this brand-new Grants Officer role based in London.

You’ll be part of our Programmes team supporting kinship carers in London to access grants which will help reduce financial stress. This could be grants to buy things like white goods and uniforms or accessing Buttle grants to support children growing up in kinship care.

As Grants Officer you’ll talk to kinship carers, discuss their needs, their priorities and then write charitable grant applications on their and their family’s behalf. 

You will oversee and deliver the grants process, including co-ordinating the purchase of items (such as children’s clothes, beds or washing machines), collecting receipts for items as required by the funders and liaising with all teams to ensure timely receipt of funds within the charity and to the kinship carers.

Building relationships with funders is core, sharing the impact of the grants and insight about the lives of kinship families in London. You’ll work closely with Programmes, Peer Support, Training and Advice colleagues who work with kinship families in London.

You will also create and run online and face-to-face workshops and clinics, helping kinship carers to understand how to apply for other grants, thereby encouraging resilience and confidence to apply for grants themselves.

You will be a proactive and persuasive relationship builder, able to create partnerships with a range of organisations and peer support groups that support kinship families.

You’ll build trusting and respectful relationships with kinship carers who you will work one-to-one with in community settings. And you’ll build relationships with a range of grant giving organisations across London.

We’re looking for someone who can really deliver impact and demonstrate how embedding this role into the community helps to unlock funding and support for kinship carers at a local level.

The type of person we’re looking for

Kinship carers are at the heart of all we do. This role could be the difference between a kinship carer being able to dress their child for school properly, being able to buy a fridge, take a first holiday to the seaside… or going without.

We are looking for someone who is really organised and who is able to capture and present information clearly in a persuasive grant application. The successful applicant will be compassionate, empathetic, and organised. We are looking for someone who understands the needs of kinship families.

Key responsibilities include:

• Delivering our new grants service across London.
• Meeting performance targets and KPIs as directed.
• Working with kinship carers and their families across London to gather information to complete and submit grant applications.
• Administering grants we secure for our kinship carers and carry out all the necessary administration related to grants.
• Undertaking research to identify funders and build excellent relationships with local grant making charities in order to increase support for kinship families.
• Delivering grant workshops at peer support groups sharing information about locally available grants and providing advice and support on making a successful application.
• Running face-to-face grant clinics within peer support groups or community venues in London, working directly with kinship carers to write and submit requests for grants.

Essential criteria includes:

• Experience of speaking to vulnerable people on the telephone, face-to-face and online, and gathering information with empathy and understanding.
• Experience of working with socially excluded or marginalised people and their families in face-to-face and community settings.
• Experience of running online and face-to-face workshops. 
• An understanding of budgeting, managing money, income and expenditure.
• Proven understanding of the importance of confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach.
• Evidence of awareness of safeguarding issues and good practice. 
• Experience of organising and prioritising a busy workload without close supervision.
• Proven clear understanding of the need to keep grants records and communication with kinship carers and funders up to date.
• Excellent research and writing skills. 

How to apply

In place of a cover letter, you will be asked to answer the following four questions, alongside providing your CV. Please keep your answers to a maximum of 250 words.

1. Tell us why you’re interested in working for Kinship in this role and what experience you bring that would make you successful? This is an opportunity to tell us about you, your experience and your values.
2. This role requires writing persuasive and accurate grant applications for kinship families. What steps did you take, and how did you ensure the application was compelling and met the funder's criteria?
3. This role requires balancing administrative tasks (like tracking grants and recording data) with direct support work. How do you prioritise your workload and ensure deadlines are met without compromising service quality?
4. Please describe your experience of supporting vulnerable individuals or families in a community or face-to-face setting. What approach did you take to build trust and gather information sensitively?

Key Dates

• Application deadline: Tuesday 6 May, 5pm
• Interview: Online – Monday 12 May

About Kinship

We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to.

We are made by and for our community of kinship carers. Like family, relationships run deep. And we hear their experiences; for too long they have been isolated without the help they need.

We support, advise and inform kinship carers. Connecting them so they feel empowered. Because a child needs the love and warmth of a thriving family.

We develop research, campaigns and policy solutions. Creating positive change across society. Because for kinship families, love alone is not enough.

Through our work we harness frustrations to fuel passion for change. And tough experiences to inspire ideas that transform lives.

And as we see momentum building, we keep using evidence to demonstrate the value of kinship care. Helping kinship carers navigate challenging circumstances. Believing in a child’s potential.

Join us. Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.

For 60+ years British Heart Foundation (BHF) has been focused on transforming the nation’s heart and circulatory health. Growing income and support for our cause means we need access to the right systems, tools, and brilliant data insight. This is where our Enterprise Foundations (EF) Programme comes in to provide the best possible technology systems to support our work. 

Comprising of four workstreams; Retail, Finance, Customer and Data Architecture and Reporting, this programme will deliver cutting-edge technologies, better systems, and data to provide the foundations for growing our income so we can support the lifesaving breakthroughs millions of people desperately need.

As our Lead Learning & Development Specialist you’ll support BHF in the successful delivery of this organisational wide Enterprise Foundations programme.

You’ll lead, design, manage and evaluate engaging learning experiences that will enable colleagues to enhance their skills. Helping colleagues to adopt changes to key systems and processes within BHF, as well as ways of working and culture, you’ll stay ahead of the curve and will, ultimately, help BHF to achieve our transformation goals.

You’ll work closely with key colleagues in this Enterprise Foundation Change Programme, as well as third-party partners to successfully maximise engagement, commitment, adoption and sustainable. You’ll also collaborate closely with the wider L&D team, business leaders and subject matter experts to drive learning initiatives aligned to transformation goals.

Working arrangements

Please note this is a 12-month fixed term contract

This is a blended role, where your work will be dual located between your home and our London Office.   

At BHF we believe in the power of being together, so our colleagues on blended contracts can expect to spend some time in their office, at least one day a week on average. The use of our office spaces is driven in part by your role and the activities you need to do. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause. 

About you

Experienced in designing and delivering complex learning programmes for both technical skills (e.g. Microsoft Dynamics, Azure, Power BI) and behavioural skills (e.g. communication), you’ll have previously experience managing complex learning programmes with multiple audiences, workstreams and stages, as well as experience in developing online learning resources and delivering virtual learning experiences.

You’ll be an all-round L&D Specialist but who has experience with technical training and can understand/pick up new tech quickly, able to work directly with subject matter experts and not get overwhelmed by the jargon.

To be successful in this role you’ll:
• Be able to advise, influence, interact and willingness to constructively challenge at all levels 
• Understand the needs of a commercial business and can probe and analyse training requests 
• Have excellent project management and organisational skills and the ability to be driven and self-motivated when working remotely
• Be able to confidently lead on projects and see them through from beginning to end
• Have strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, adept at managing a wide range of stakeholders and work collaboratively as part of a team

About us
 
We research all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them. Our research is the promise of future cures and treatments. 
 
We value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, celebrate diversity, and make inclusion part of what we do every day. 
 
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, Igniting Change, along with our internal EDI group, Kaleidoscope, and a growing number of employee network groups (our Affinity Groups), help us create an environment where all our colleagues and volunteers can succeed. 
 
Interview process 
 
Interviews will be held, in person, at our London offices on Tuesday 6th May and Wednesday 7th May. The interview will consist of a competency based Q&A session as well as a pre-prepared training workshop, details for which will be provided to shortlisted candidates when interviews are being arranged. 
 
How to apply
 
It’s quick and easy to apply for a role at BHF. Just click through to our careers site to apply. All you’ll need is an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the role’s criteria. 
 
As part of our commitment to be an inclusive employer and ensure fairness and consistency in selecting the best candidate for this role, the BHF will use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey. 
 
Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please  contact us.

Salary: £51,000 - £56,000 per annum

Location: Harlow Essex, 2 days per week in the office, flexible working available. Easily commutable from London, with a free company minibus from Harlow Town station.

Hours: Open to conversations around flexible/compressed working, minimum 4 days working per week, 2 days per week in the office.

About the role

At the Motability Foundation we fund, support, research and innovate so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose. We oversee the Motability Scheme and provide grants to help people use it, providing access to transport to hundreds of thousands of people a year. We award grants to other charities and organisations who provide different types of transport, or work towards making transport accessible. We also carry out ongoing research, in partnership with disabled people and key stakeholders in the industry, to inspire innovations that continue to champion accessible transport for all.

This role is an exciting new opportunity to shape and deliver on Motability Foundation’s aims to become more insights led and to systematically involve disabled people in our decision making. You will support the Head of Insight and Evaluation in providing the organisation with insight drawn from existing research, primary research, business data and through user insight. The role will lead development of a user insight approach and clear mechanisms to involve disabled people in the Foundation’s decisions systematically. The role will establish a user insight research community (akin to a customer panel but broader in scope), which the organisation can draw from for user insight.

The role is also responsible for delivering a strategic research and insight plan for the organisation to inform operational and strategic decisions, including feeding into our strategy mid-term review. Others in the organisations will also carry out research and hence this function has a role in setting standards for quality research, a coordinating role in ensuring a cross-organisational understanding of ongoing research to avoid duplication, and to draw insights and disseminate these to relevant internal and external audiences.

What you’ll be doing

• Support the head of team by developing a strategic insight research plan.
• Lead the delivery of the insight research plan, including developing clear research briefs, working with external suppliers to deliver research and where appropriate deliver research in-house.
• Establish a user insight capability in line with good practice and mature this capability over time.
• In collaboration with key internal customers, establish a framework for when and how to engage with disabled people regarding decisions.
• Develop and set standards for good quality research and insight for the organisation, including ensuring disabled people can fully and equitably participate in research/user insight exercises.
• Ensure that planned research and insight generation by the insight function is completed to a high standard, aligned with good practice.
• Set up and lead a cross-organisational research forum and ensure this mechanism is effective in avoiding duplication and creating alignment.
• Lead development and implementation of a communications plan to ensure insight generated reaches the right internal and external audiences.
• Ensure a framework to monitor and evaluate the usefulness and impact of insight generated is in place.
• Ensure all research carried out by the function meets GDPR requirements.
• Line-manage and develop your line-report(s).
• Be ‘hands on’ as necessary, by leading and delivering research personally.

What will make you great in this role?

The insight capability is a new function in the organisation and as a result this role will lead on its development over time. This presents great opportunities and will require an individual who is comfortable with starting things anew, while delivering on insight requirements and shaping the function along the way.

Your experience

Must haves:

• Experience of delivering user insight and/or running customer/consumer panels and/or working with supporter panels.
• Ability to design and develop research programmes and have highly developed analytical skills.
• Highly developed ability to work collaboratively with other teams across the organisation.
• Exceptional written and oral influencing skills, including the judicious use of data and the compelling presentation of insights, through engaging reports, infographics, and dashboards.
• Relevant qualification in an analytical discipline such as social sciences, economics or evidence of significant relevant professional experience.
• Experience managing research projects or commissioning external consultants.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Line and/or team management experience.

We feel that experience of setting up and/or managing consumer, customer or supporter panels is relevant. However, please note that as a Foundation we do not fundraise and as such are not looking to develop a supporter panel.

Nice to haves

• Experience of disability inclusive research – this is essential to the role. However, we will ensure appropriate training for those who do not have these skills.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools (e.g., MAXQDA, R) and data visualisation platforms (e.g., Power BI).
• Proven quantitative and qualitative research skills and familiarity with working with large datasets.

Reporting lines and relationships

Reports to: Head of Insight and Evaluation.

Key relationships: Heads and programme managers in Charitable Operations, Head of Communications team and relevant managers, Policy team colleagues and over time other teams across the organisation looking for (user) insight. Relationships with external agencies and suppliers.

Direct reports: Initially 1 direct report in the form of a Research Manager with plans for a further junior role to be added to the team in future years.

Extra Information

• The role is based In Harlow, Essex at Motability’s offices, easily commutable from London, 30 minutes from Liverpool Street station or 18 minutes from Tottenham Hale station. We offer a shuttle bus from the Harlow Town train station to the office.
• We offer flexible and blended working within this role. The Insight and Evaluation team ordinarily works a minimum of two days a week from the office.