Vacancy at Women in Prison

Senior Communications Manager

Salary £ 48750

London

Details

About Women in Prison

Women in Prison is a national, women-led, feminist organisation.  We deliver front line support to women harmed by the criminal justice system, through our work in prisons, in the community and ‘through the prison gate’ as they resettle back into their communities. We also campaign for systems change that addresses the root causes of offending, reduces the harmful impact of prison, and creates workable, community-based alternatives to imprisonment.  

Terms & Conditions:

Job Purpose:

This role will lead and coordinate Women in Prisons’ external communications, platforming the voice of women with lived experience of the criminal justice system to raise the organisation’s public profile and awareness of the criminalisation of women.

Key Responsibility Areas 

• Lead and develop comprehensive communications strategies to raise WIP’s profile for influencing, fundraising and impact and that align with our vision and mission.
• Build public engagement and awareness, leading on campaign development and delivery
• Oversee the production of Women in Prison’s publications.
• Platform the voice of women with lived experience of the criminal justice system in all external communications.
• Manage WIP’s Spokesperson network
• Develop, build and contribute to high quality and authentic partnerships and relationships with stakeholders including journalists.
• To be a member of the extended leadership of Women in Prison, modelling feminist leadership, anti-oppression and empowering, values-led, collective leadership for the organisation.

To Apply:

If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk.org.

We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system. 

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to a Basic DBS check

Benefits

Annual leave: 30 days plus statutory bank holidays (if full time). All WIP staff also receive an additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New Year.

Pension scheme: WIP provides an auto enrolment pension scheme with 5% contributions from the employer and 3% from the employee.

Clinical supervision: Working with WIP can be enormously rewarding but also challenging at times. So we provide clinical supervision through a Harley Street practice, to encourage reflective practice and support the wellbeing of our team.

Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential access to a range of support and information on a 24/7 basis. Including legal advice, emotional support, practical advice and signposting.

Cycle to Work Scheme: Eligible employees can save money and spread the cost of a new bike and accessories.

Notes

Please submit a CV and cover letter. Applications missing documents will not be considered.

Attached documents

2026

Senior Communications
Manager

Charity no: 1118727. Company no: 5581944.

Contents
Senior Communications Manager .................................................................................................... 0

Welcome! .................................................................................................................................... 2

1.  Women in Prison – Our Story ................................................................................................. 3

2.

Application and Recruitment ................................................................................................ 5

Senior Communications Manager ................................................................................................. 6

Terms and Conditions: ................................................................................................................. 6

Job Description: ........................................................................................................................... 8

Person Specification: ................................................................................................................. 11

To Apply: .................................................................................................................................... 12

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy ....................................................................................... 12

Policy on the Recruitment of Women with Lived Experience of the Criminal Justice System .......... 13

1

Welcome!

Dear Applicant,

Women in Prison is the only national charity focused on women in the criminal justice sector,
we are women-led and know the importance of ensuring we have a clear gendered approach
in  all  that  we  do.    Our  influencing  potential  and  campaigning  voice  are  substantial.  We  are
currently in our 40th year of supporting women impacted by the criminal justice system.  We
work with women who are at risk of, or being, harmed by the systems that are meant to protect
us.

At Women in Prison we are passionate, ambitious and grounded in the reality of women’s lives.
We  are  proud  of  our  roots  as  a  feminist  grassroots  organisation,  and  we  have  grown  from
strength  to  strength  since  the  1980s,  delivering  services  to  women  and  campaigning  for
change.  We exist to support women facing multiple marginalisation and exclusion, who have
been let down, and their rights denied.  We believe that prison doesn’t work and we want to see
an end to the harmful imprisonment of women in England and Wales.

This is a very exciting time in Women in Prison. As a deeply value-led organisation, we know
that our recently agreed set of values represents the unique nature of our organisation, and
also need to hold us to account for how we work in an unpredictable future.  Our new vision
and purpose will guide us as we build a strategy during 2024 to be implemented from 2025.

We  know  we  want  to  build  more  coproduction;  deeper  support  to  women  who  are
disproportionately affected by the system through an intersectional lens; greater connection
between the women we support and the influencing we do; an increased focus on alternatives
to the system and a stronger focus on preventing women being caught up in the system.

If you are excited by our purpose, and the breadth of what this role could offer to you, we would
love to hear from you.

I look forward to meeting you.

Sonya Ruparel, Chief Executive

2

1. Women in Prison – Our Story

 Our Vision is of a society which no longer accepts the structural inequalities
that lead women and girls into contact with the criminal justice system.

Women in Prison was born out of the anger our founder – Chris Tchaikovsky – felt about what
she experienced and saw when imprisoned in HMP Holloway in the 1980s.

During Chris' time in prison, a woman died after setting fire to her own cell. Chris saw that the
specific needs of women in prison and the damaging effect prison sentences were having on
women scarcely figured in public or political discourse. So, in 1983, alongside international
criminologist Pat Carlen, Chris founded Women in Prison, pushed hard to expose this scandal
and campaigned for change. Our founders wanted to increase awareness of the lives behind
the women in our prisons, and the impact of poverty and abuse on women’s lives.

Chris believed the idea of sending a woman to prison as punishment was shameful and absurd.

In her words:

3

“Taking the most hurt people out of society and punishing them in order to teach them
how to live within society is, at best, futile. Whatever else a prisoner knows, she knows
everything there is to know about punishment because that is exactly what she has
grown up with. Whether it is childhood sexual abuse, indifference, neglect;
punishment is most familiar to her.”

In the early 1990s, the organisation was able to expand its remit be...

JOB DESCRIPTION: OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Role Title:

Operations Director

Role Overview:

The Operations Director will help develop and deliver St Saviour’s
mission and ministry, by leading the operations function at both a
strategic and management level. They will serve as part of the church’s
leadership team, helping manage and coordinate its activity to best fulfil
its missional aims. They will manage (and work as part of) a 5-person
Operations Team to help support the operational needs of the church.
Alongside the PCC, Treasurer and Churchwardens, they will be
responsible for the oversight of finance, premises, governance, staffing
and administration.

Purpose:

The Operations Director will work to ensure that St Saviour’s functions
as a healthy and effective organisation through appropriate oversight of
staff, finance, premises, and governance.

Compared with recent years, St. Saviour’s now operates with a smaller
employed staff team. Therefore, it is the expectation that the
Operations Director will need to both develop new, and work alongside
existing volunteer resource and external partnerships to deliver the
operational requirements of the church.

Location:

St Saviour’s Church Centre, Woodbridge Road, Guildford, GU1 4QD.
The role will be primarily office-based, with a focus on being present to
manage and support others. There is a potential for up to 25% home-
working as operational needs allow.

Responsible to:

The Rector

Wider brief and
fit with the
organisation:

St Saviour’s employs a staff team of circa 16 people. These are mainly
part-time appointments.

The Operations Director will form part of the 5 person Operations Team
(Ops Dir, Senior Administrator & Head of Communications, Administrator,
Caretaker, Part-time Caretaker).

The remaining 11 posts consist of 4 clergy posts (1 Associate Minister on
maternity from March) and 7 pastoral ministry/admin roles.

This job description is non-contractual

St Saviour’s Guildford is a Church of England Parish and a registered charity no. 1128141.
 Our oDices are located at Woodbridge Road, Guildford, GU1 4QD.
oDice@st-saviours.org.uk |  01483 455333 | www.st-saviours.org.uk

Staff Oversight &
HR

Main responsibilities & Duties:

• Support the Rector in the management and coordination of the staff
team, promoting healthy relationships, clarity of vision and  purpose,
advance planning, and cohesive operation.

• Line-manage the Operations team and support other managers in the

fulfilment of their management responsibilities.

• Function as the main point of contact for HR related issues,

drawing upon the support of the PCC HR champion.

• Oversee the annual performance appraisal and development

programme.

Finance

• Alongside the Administrator, be the day-to-day point of contact for

finance queries from staZ, making decisions on extraordinary
expenditure in line with scheme of delegation.

• Manage and monitor expenditure in line with the annual church budget
(noting that ministry budgets are delegated to other staZ members)
• Support the Treasurers and Church Finance Team in the oversight of
church finance. The Operations Director will serve as part of the PCC
Finance Sub-committee.

• Alongside the Treasurers, support the annual budgeting, biannual Gift

Day, and year end processes.

• Enable the staZ to adequately meet their financial

responsibilities, providing training and guidance as needed.

• Act as a signatory on church bank mandates.

• Plan and administer the annual governance cycle for the PCC.
• Function as a policy advisor and secretary to the PCC.
• Oversee the organisations management of ‘risk’, data and H&S (but

not safeguarding).

• Support the PCC in their oversight of church premises.
• Be responsible for ensuring the annual process of maintenance and
health & safety checks is completed, although it is anticipated that
this will be primarily fulfilled through a combination of volunteer and
contracted involvement.

• The Operations Director will serve as part of the PCC Buildings

Sub-committee.

• Be responsible for the oversight of church IT, ensuring adequate

provision for basic IT support and troubleshooting.

• Be responsible for ensuring that church administration runs smoothly

and effectively, although it is anticipated that much of this
responsibility will be delegated to the Senior Administrator & Head of
Communications and other members of the staff team.

Governance

Premises

General Operations
& Administration

This job description is non-contractual

St Saviour’s Guildford is a Church of England Parish and a registered charity no. 1128141.
 Our oDices are located at Woodbridge Road, Guildford, GU1 4QD.
oDice@st-saviours.org.uk |  01483 455333 | www.st-saviours.org.uk

General

Opportunities to
Develop / Training:

Terms and
Conditions

Other Duties

• Attend management meetings, staff prayers and weekly team

meetings and other evening governance meetings.

• Contribute to the wider planning discussion ab...

The Operations Director is a key senior leadership role at St Stephen’s, working as part of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and closely with the Vicar to ensure our vision and strategy shape our day-to-day priorities. This is a highly relational leadership role, combining strong operational expertise with collaboration, trust-building and a genuine care for people.

The Operations Director provides leadership across people, operations, finance, systems, buildings and strategic delivery, leading and developing an operations team. They hold both detail and the big picture, leading with agility and flexibility as we respond to the Holy Spirit, delivering operational excellence across staff, clergy, volunteers and governance.

If you feel called to this role but do not meet each requirement to equal levels, we warmly encourage you to apply.

St Stephens Church

St Stephen’s is a vibrant, growing Evangelical Charismatic Resource Church with around 500 adults, 100 children and 80 youth, supported by a committed staff and volunteer team. St Stephen's. Our vision is simple: Love God, Grow Disciples, Transform Communities. Sundays sit at the heart of our life together, with three services that gather us for worship, teaching and prayer, alongside a wide and active ministry across generations and a strong commitment to serving and resourcing the wider church

Visit website

This role provides strategic leadership to the Parish and clergy in supporting the vision for growth and ensuring strong governance, efficient systems and professional operational delivery.

We are looking for an organised, energised, detail orientated and pro-active person with a proven history of strategic leadership with strong administrative skills including high levels of IT literacy, written and verbal communication skills. You will oversee the effective use, security, and development of the parish’s IT and digital systems, ensuring they support communication, administration, and mission delivery.

You are experienced in working alone and in a team. You will join a friendly and committed staff team supporting the mission and ministry of the parish fuelled by prayer, laughter and cake.

The job can be full or part time with hybrid working by negotiation. The salary is £32-40,000 dependent on experience.

Andover Parish

Andover Parish, part of the Winchester Diocese, comprises the four Anglican churches of Andover. We are a growing, outward looking and vibrant parish with an extensive social action mission delivered by ‘Lighthouse’ building on strong links with the NHS, Town and Borough Councils and other charity and corporate organisations.

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Do you love making things work smoothly so a church can thrive?

Behind every vibrant, welcoming church is a steady hand bringing order, care, and vision to the details that matter. Christ Church W4 is looking for an Operations Director who is excited to serve both people and purpose—someone who finds joy in creating well-run spaces, supporting teams, and helping ministry happen with excellence and warmth.

If you’re passionate about meaningful work, practical leadership, and being part of a community where what you do truly matters, this could be the role you’ve been waiting for. More details about the role can be found here.

To apply, please complete the Application Form and return to the email address below.

A Declaration of Suitability must also be submitted alongside the completed application form.

We would appreciate you completing the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form, but this is fully optional. 

Application Deadline:  by end of Sunday 1 February 2026

Notification:  Friday 6 February 2026

Interviews: W/C 16 February 2026

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact the Vicar, Revd Nicola Moy (nicola.moy@christchurchw4.com).

Please send all completed forms to applications@christchurchw4.com.

We regret we may not be able to provide feedback on all applications.

Christ Church W4

Christ Church W4 is One church, three sites in West London, with a dream - to see all welcomed home into, and transformed by the love of God. We long that all people would be confident that they are loved, accepted and valued by the living God, the Father –with God getting all the glory for all He enables us to become and do.

We worship Jesus in Spirit and truth, as people from all ages and backgrounds, and long for children and young people to live life in all its fullness, ministering to the whole church family.

We pray that our buildings bless the whole community, with space to meet God, make friends, and live like Jesus.

We adventure with God as our people become a movement of disciples, equipped to follow Jesus Monday through Sunday at home and in the workplace – this is how we change the world, because we did the ‘ordinary’ things well in partnership with God and all His children.

Visit website