Chief Campaigns & Engagement Officer

BBC; Salford; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

BBC Children in Need is seeking a Senior Leader to drive the organisation’s evolution from an annual fundraising appeal to a year‑round, high‑impact charity. You will unite brand, partnerships, stories and BBC relationships to maximise income and audience reach across the UK.

As a member of the Executive Team, you will shape strategy, lead cross‑functional teams and develop partnerships that increase reach, deepen engagement and inspire action for children and young people nationwide.

Qualifications

• Significant executive or senior leadership experience in a complex, high-profile organisation.
• Strong track record of delivering growth through income generation, partnerships, audience or supporter engagement, and brand work.
• Experience diversifying income through multiple channels and developing external partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Fundraising and supporter engagement.
• Strategic partnerships.
• Communications and brand strength.
• Audience engagement across audiences and supporters.
• Stories and content leadership.
• BBC engagement and external relationships.

Skills

Executive leadership

Growth strategy

Brand & storytelling

Partnerships & fundraising

Audience engagement

Stakeholder management

Job description

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: Senior Leader

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time

DEPARTMENT: Children in Need

LOCATION: Flexible with regular travel expected to Salford/London or Children in Need sites as required

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application - though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Chief Campaigns & Engagement Officer plays a central role in shaping the future of BBC Children in Need.

The postholder is responsible for ensuring the organisation continues its evolution from a much-loved annual fundraising appeal into a relevant and engaging year-round organisation, while continuing to maximise the unique platform, reach and public connection provided by the BBC Children in Need Appeal and our relationship with the BBC.

As a member of the Executive Team, the Chief Campaigns & Engagement Officer brings together the organisation's brand, partnerships, supporters, audiences, stories, evidence and BBC relationships to increase support and impact for children and young people across the UK.

The role helps ensure that what BBC Children in Need learns from children, young people and the organisations it funds reaches the public in ways that increase understanding, influence behaviour and build support for change. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, the postholder will connect evidence and insight with storytelling, engagement, fundraising and partnerships so that more people understand the challenges facing children and young people today and are inspired to take action.

The postholder will lead the organisation's approach to growing and diversifying income, strengthening supporter relationships and developing partnerships that increase both reach and impact.

They will also be responsible for strengthening BBC Children in Need's position as one of the most recognised, trusted and loved charity brands in the UK, ensuring the organisation remains relevant, visible and valued by audiences across the country.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

By bringing together fundraising, communications, audience engagement, partnerships, content and BBC engagement, the Chief Campaigns & Engagement Officer will ensure the organisation makes the most of its unique strengths and creates greater impact for children and young people than any one of these activities could achieve alone.

Your Key Responsibilities And Impact

• Fundraising and Supporter Engagement
• Strategic Partnerships
• Communications and Brand
• Audience Engagement
• Stories and Content
• BBC Engagement

The Role Is Accountable For

• Continuing BBC Children in Need's evolution from a successful annual appeal into a relevant and engaging year-round organisation, while maximising the impact of the annual Appeal.
• Growing and diversifying annual income in excess of £50 million.
• Building deeper relationships with supporters, audiences, partners and the BBC.
• Using evidence, insight and children's voices to increase public understanding of the challenges facing children and young people across the UK and inspire action.
• Strengthening BBC Children in Need's position as one of the UK's most trusted, relevant and loved charity brands.
• Ensuring fundraising, communications, partnerships, content and audience engagement work together to maximise organisational impact.
• Contributing to the strategic leadership and future direction of BBC Children in Need as a member of the Executive Team.

Essential Criteria

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Significant executive or senior leadership experience gained in a complex, high-profile organisation
• A strong track record of delivering growth through a combination of income generation, partnerships, audience or supporter engagement, communications, marketing, media, brand or related disciplines.
• Experience of diversifying income through multiple channels and approaches, and developing significant external partnerships and long-term relationships.
• A strong understanding of how brand, storytelling, content, partnerships, fundraising and audience engagement can work together to build support and deepen public connection.
• Evidence of developing and delivering strategies that have strengthened audience engagement, supporter loyalty and organisational relevance.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary teams and working across organisational boundaries to turn ambitious strategy into effective delivery.
• Experience leading organisational growth, transformation or significant change.

Personal Attributes

• A strong commitment to the mission and values of BBC Children in Need.
• The ability to use evidence, insight, research and lived experience to inform strategy, understand audiences and shape effective engagement.
• Strong commercial and financial judgement
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills, with the credibility to operate effectively with senior stakeholders and represent BBC Children in Need externally.
• The ability to see connections and opportunities across a complex organisation, set clear priorities and bring people together around a shared purpose.

Being a leader at the BBC means putting the organisation’s interest, goals and values first, ahead of individual team or function needs. The characteristics of an enterprise leader are: Focuses on outcomes over activity, adapts quickly, and simplifies complexity. They balance short-term actions with long-term impact, take full accountability for actions and decision-making, and prioritise capability development to create teams fit for the future.