public affairs jobs

Salary: £66,000 – £74,000
Contract: 18-month fixed-term contract
Hybrid: London office 1–2 days per week

About the role

The Richmond Group of Charities is a coalition of major health and care charities working together to improve the lives of people living with long-term conditions. We bring evidence, expertise and lived experience to the heart of policy and practice – and we’re looking for an exceptional leader to help us do even more.

We’re seeking a Head of Influencing to work closely with our CEO to provide strategic leadership across the coalition, guide our member networks and Secretariat team, and translate our shared priorities into meaningful policy and system impact. This is a rare opportunity to influence national health and care policy at the highest levels, while supporting collaboration across some of the UK’s most respected charities.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of a respected national coalition shaping the future of health and care for millions. You’ll join a supportive, mission-driven team, gain exposure to sector leaders, and lead high-impact influencing activity in a collaborative, creative environment.

If you’re an influential leader with a passion for improving health and care – and the drive to turn ideas into meaningful action – we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Drive delivery of key Richmond Group influencing programmes and workstreams from concept to impact.
• Act as deputy to the CEO, representing the Richmond Group externally, speaking at major events, and building a strong, credible and influential national profile.
• Shape strategic leadership discussions by preparing high-quality papers, presentations and briefings for the CEO, Chair and Vice-Chair.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across Parliament, government, health and care systems, and partner organisations.
• Lead the Group’s policy and thought leadership portfolio, commissioning and developing compelling research, policy reports, roundtables and events.
• Support, coordinate and inspire our member networks and working groups, chairing meetings, strengthening collaboration and ensuring a shared focus on impact.
• Oversee projects and budgets, managing consultants and suppliers to ensure timely, high-quality delivery.
• Provide empowering line management, supporting professional development and maintaining a high-performance culture within the Secretariat team.

About you

• Proven leadership and people management experience, with the confidence to inspire, develop and empower others.
• A strong track record of influencing senior stakeholders, including policymakers, parliamentarians and system leaders.
• Expertise in developing evidence-based policy, and experience driving change through partnership and collaboration.
• Outstanding written, verbal and public speaking skills, with the ability to create compelling narratives for varied audiences.
• Experience shaping strategies, business plans and shared work programmes.
• Strong understanding of the UK social policy landscape, ideally within health and care.
• Experience of commissioning or conducting research and designing and facilitating workshops and high-level discussions.
• Project leadership experience, including budget management and working with suppliers and matrix teams.
• Commitment to co-production and lived experience, ensuring that service users’ voices guide our influencing work.

Recruitment Process
Application deadline: Sunday 4th January 2026
First interview dates: W/C 12th January 2026

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed.

We are an organisation that is committed to setting candidates up for success, so we can support you to be at your best during the application or selection process, please contact Macmillan TA Team TATeam@macmillan.org.uk for advice, or a conversation on reasonable adjustments.