Programme officer - Civis Foundation UK

Closing date for applications: 2nd February 2026 at 10.00am

Salary: £42,000 - £47,600

Working hours: 25 hours per week - flexible, with some adjustment to both UK and US time zones

Start date: March 2026

Champion arts, heritage, and community development while helping shape a new UK charity from the ground up.

Civis Foundation invests in arts and letters, cultural preservation, and community development initiatives. Initially established in the US, the foundation is launching a UK-based charitable entity in 2026 to expand its mission across Commonwealth countries, with a particular focus on the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Barbados, and cities such as London and Liverpool.

The work of the Foundation is rooted in the belief that understanding "the other", both within ourselves and in our communities, is essential to personal fulfilment and social transformation. Through partnerships with artists, cultural institutions, municipalities, and community organisations, the Foundation creates opportunities for engagement that transcend boundaries, cultivating compassion and advancing justice.

The newly formed London office will serve as a hub for adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, artistic commissioning, and community investment throughout the Commonwealth. We view artistic expression as a starting point for rekindling democracy - work that urges us to consider the needs of the other, their lived experience, and perspective. We champion projects that address complex historical narratives and create space for genuine dialogue, helping us imagine how we might live together. The UK charitable foundation will serve purposes including the advancement of education, cultural preservation, and the advancement of citizenship and community development.

Working closely with and reporting to the president and CEO of Civis Foundation (US and UK), the UK programme officer will support the Foundation with the launch and scaling up of its operations in the UK. The programme officer will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the UK Foundation, relationship development, and project management.

Responsibilities

• Relationship building: extensive outreach to potential partners across arts, preservation, municipal, and community sectors in London, Liverpool, Jamaica, and Barbados. Secure introductions and meetings for the president and CEO, and explore potential programme collaborations
• Partner collaboration: work with strategic consulting partners to support business planning and programme development
• Operating budget and core grant application development: prepare a comprehensive grant request to Civis Foundation New York for initial capitalisation, including a three-year operational budget
• Financial management and reporting: support preparation of annual accounts, supplier management and payments, and monitor budgets and cash flow
• Operational and administrative support: work with the president and CEO of Civis Foundation and other relevant staff and consultants on ad-hoc administrative support, meetings and diary coordination, and to put in place systems and processes for the full launch of the UK operations
• Evaluation and monitoring: develop a "light-touch" but effective framework for measuring impact and tracking relevant metrics

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Demonstrate understanding of the UK non-profit landscape, specifically within social justice, arts, or community/urban development context, with at least solid proven experience of project and programme management experience in one or more of these fields
• Bring a strong network in one or more relevant fields in the UK: social justice, arts, or community/urban development
• Excellent project management skills, including fluency with software packages (MS Office, project management) and relevant AI tools
• Financial literacy (including budgeting and cash flow management)
• Working knowledge of the governance and legal regulation in the UK charitable sector
• Knowledge of and interest in the current agenda around civic and social development, education, and the role of arts and culture in social change, heritage preservation, and urban development
• Comfortable working independently and across time zones
• Clear and respectful communicator with excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and accountable
• Self-motivating and willing to balance strategy with daily administration

Additional information

The full-time equivalent salary is £60,000-£67,000 a year dependent on experience, with the actual salary being £42,000-£47,600 a year for 25 hours per week (0.7 FTE) pro rata. This is a hybrid working role with remote/working from home and regular access to a coworking/office space in London and for attendance of in-person meetings in London.

Annual leave: 22 days (28 days including bank holidays, pro rata.)

Pension: 8% employer contribution.

Training and development: Annual budget for professional development, conference attendance, etc.

Provisional interview dates with shortlisted candidates are 16-27 February 2026. The selection process will follow three stages: 1. Online interview 2. Technical interview 3. Final presentation and interview with CEO.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.