Engagement Officer

NFP PEOPLE; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent animal welfare charity in the UK is seeking an Engagement Officer to build relationships with global stakeholders and coordinate engagement opportunities. This role offers remote work flexibility and involves leading priorities in the charity's advocacy efforts. Ideal candidates will possess excellent communication skills and experience in international development. Competitive salary and benefits provided.

Benefits

Competitive pension

Life assurance

Healthshield

31 days holiday

Wellbeing team

Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes

Long service awards

Free parking

Subsidised restaurant and shop

Qualifications

• Experience of delivering positive stakeholder engagement activities.
• Demonstrable understanding of animal welfare is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Identify and maintain relationships with global stakeholders.
• Coordinate and assist with accreditations in policy forums.
• Lead on coalition priorities and create supporting materials.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Organising online events

Stakeholder engagement activities

International development experience

Job description

Engagement Officer

Are you passionate about animal welfare? Are you great at building strong relationships?

We have an excellent opportunity for an Engagement Officer to join the team.

This role is crucial to the global influencing work within the Public Affairs, Advocacy and Campaigns department.

Position: Engagement Officer

Location: Remote

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week, 08.30-16.30, Monday-Friday.

Salary: £30,779 per annum

Contract: Permanent contract starting as soon as possible

Closing Date: Thursday 1 January 2026. However, we reserve the right to close this role early if a suitable candidate is found.

Interview Date: Interviews will take place the week commencing 19th January 2026.

About the Role

The Engagement Officer is responsible for identifying and maintaining meaningful relationships with global stakeholders, including governmental, non-governmental and educational institutions. We are tackling the greatest threats working donkeys face locally and around the world, from the donkey skin trade to challenges working animals face in disasters. By coordinating engagement around sustainable development, wildlife crime, One Health and One Welfare agendas, the Engagement Officer will enable the cohesion within the member groups that the Sanctuary are currently part of and inspire new ways of working. This includes the International Coalition of Working Equids (ICWE) and developing and building new coalition opportunities around working animals.

Principles duties include:

• Build strong internal and external partnerships with global stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental organisations to grow existing and build new relationships.
• Coordinate and assist with accreditations and processes that support access in policy forums.
• Assist in the coordination of coalition and alliance engagement opportunities globally.
• Lead on agreed coalition / alliance priorities such as creating material, meeting with partners and planning international events.
• Create supporting materials and reports for stakeholders that advance the influencing agenda.
• Engage with, and support, team processes around strategic planning for external events and activities.
• Support the wider activities of the influencing work including helping to identify key external stakeholders and new forums.
• Manage the team horizon scanning

The globally working team is spread across the UK and overseas. This role is primarily remote, with flexibility to work from a location based in the UK that suits your needs and the needs of the organisation, in line with the Hybrid Working Guidelines. While the post is nominally linked to the Sidmouth office, there is only an occasional requirement to travel (around 3–4 times per year) to Sidmouth or another UK location for team meetings or organisational events.

About You

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate excellent communication skills with the ability to flex communication style depending on the audience and the message being delivered.

You will have experience of:

• Organising online events for international audiences
• Delivering positive stakeholder engagement activities
• International development

A demonstrable understanding of animal welfare would be beneficial in this role.

As part of the process, you will be asked to upload your CV and Cover Letter once you click to apply.

Benefits

• Competitive pension.
• Life assurance
• Healthshield.
• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.
• Wellbeing team.
• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
• Long service awards.
• Healthshield plan
• Free parking.
• Subsidised restaurant and shop.

About the Organisation

The sanctuary is one of the UK’s largest international animal welfare charities, currently supporting projects in over 35 countries worldwide, working for a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.

The Charity is a Disability Confident Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults) and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.